Held May 1-3 at the Hyatt Regency Dulles in Herndon, Virginia, the 2025 D.C. Health Communication Conference (DCHC) returned to an in-person format for its 8th biennial gathering. This year’s theme, “Community-Engaged Health Communication,” emphasized the importance of grassroots, collaborative approaches to addressing health disparities and promoting equity in public health messaging.

Organized by George Mason University’s Department of Communication and the Center for Health and Risk Communication, the conference brought together scholars, practitioners, and students from across the country to share research and strategies for involving communities in health communication initiatives.

SC&I Professor Kathryn Greene co-led a workshop on health communication CBPR, which was offered twice during the three-day event. Associate Professor Matthew Matsaganis and Associate Professor Lisa Mikesell presented collaborative based on community partnerships in New Jersey and Greece. Asssociate Professor Maria Venetis contributed with a poster session and served as a reviewer.

SC&I doctoral students Liesl Broadridge, Arpita Jindani, Lauren Lee, M. J. Salas, Sabrina Singh, and recent graduate Allyson Bontempo, Ph.D., presented research during both panels and poster sessions over the three-day event.

A keynote address by Mohan Dutta, Dean’s Chair Professor in the School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing and Director of the Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE) at Massey University in New Zealand, highlighted the role of communication in confronting global health inequities. His talk, “Addressing Structural Inequalities that Shape Outbreak Inequality: Community Sovereignty as Radical Democracy,” explored how health communication can empower marginalized communities and advance social justice.

The conference concluded with a keynote by Kami Silk, Rosenberg Professor of Communication and Chair at the University of Delaware, who received the 2025 Atkin Translational Scholar Award. Silk emphasized the importance of translating health communication research into practice through meaningful community engagement.

Sessions throughout the conference explored strategies for engaging diverse populations, the impact of misinformation on public health, and the integration of digital tools in health promotion. Attendees left with fresh insights, new collaborations, and renewed energy to pursue equity-driven health communication.

Visit SC&I’s website for details about the Communication Department and Ph.D. program in Communication, Information, and Media. For session materials and additional information, visit the official DCHC website.