TISHIA SMITH: Good morning. Can I have everyone’s attention? Good morning and welcome to the ninth annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference. This year’s theme is “Linking, Learning, and Leading Together for Women, Children, and Families.” My name is Tishia Smith, and I’m this years Chair of the Conference Planning Committee, and what a journey it’s been for many of us to get here today, but nonetheless, it is good to see so many of you joining us this year for the conference. And my how we have grown. Although we don’t see the packed house right now, the numbers for our registration are as high as they’ve ever been. And I believe that your presence and the growth of this conference is a great testament to the commitment that each of you has to the field. You ought to be applauded. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge this years sponsors for all of their contributions: CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and the University of South Florida, Lotin and Rhea, Child Center for Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies. I must also thank our partner organizations that have played a major role on this years planning committee. I will ask each representative to stand as I read the name of your respective organizations.
The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers, City Match, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, March of Dimes, National Association of County and City Health Officials, the National Center for Health Statistics, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research, the New Mexico, the Arizona, and the Maricopa County Department of Health, and I’m going to ask everyone to please join me in an applause for these individuals for all of their work. So excited about the events that will transpire throughout the course of this week. This agenda, as you will review in your book, does cover a spectrum of topics and issues that today’s women and children face. We will hear from a variety of presenters, all representing local, state, tribal, and national organizations that work to improve the lives of women, children, and families. And it is my desire that each of you take the opportunity this week to exchange experiences with your colleagues and peers, learn from the experts in the field, and replenish your passion for improving the lives of women and children. And at the completion of the conference, I would love for each of you to have a better understanding of the importance of collaboration between public health professionals who work with MCH data, programs, policy, and be in a position to explain how these alliances impact the lives of women and children.