Creating Stories that Drive Policy and Social Change: Storytelling Skill-Building Session
Learn to develop and tell stories that drive meaningful and lasting change.
Creating Stories that Drive Policy and Social Change is a comprehensive skill-building training designed to help public health and health professionals clearly and persuasively communicate complex health issues to the audiences who matter most—policymakers and the public.
Upcoming session: October 20-November 21
The application period closed on October 3.
Policymakers frequently share that effective storytelling is essential to public health advocacy and policy advancement. It is what motivates them to act. To advance policy, protect communities, and drive change, we must do more than present data—we must move people. Strategic storytelling is one of the most effective tools we have to build trust and inspire action.
That’s why Johns Hopkins University’s Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy has created a cutting-edge skill-building curriculum to help public health and health professionals clearly and persuasively communicate complex health issues to the audiences who matter most—policymakers and the public. You'll hear from policymakers and experts in marketing, public relations, and communication science on what makes an effective story.
In today’s climate, compelling communication isn’t optional—it’s essential. Learn to develop and tell stories that drive meaningful and lasting change.
Course details:
- All virtual
- Mix of synchronous and asynchronous
- 5 weeks (approximately 8 hours of content)
Course includes:
- Expert instructors
- 1:1 coaching session
- Applied practice experience
- Continuing education credits*
Who should apply:
- Public health and health professionals that desire to improve their storytelling skills
- Experts looking to share their ideas with a variety of audiences
- Advocates who want to tell compelling stories that drive change
Investment:
General tuition: $900
JHU alumni: $750
Johns Hopkins tuition remission^: $0
^Johns Hopkins employees may be eligible to use tuition remission for noncredit courses at JHU.
Want to receive a discount and credit towards your training? Learn more about participating in the session evaluation.
Scholarships are available.
Continuing education:
Course completers can receive:
- 5.5 Live and 2.5 Self-Study Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH), approved by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
- 8 Certified in Public Health (CPH) credits, approved by the National Board of Public Health Examiners
Scholarships:
In response to the profound shifts in the public health landscape, the Lerner Center will provide scholarships for participation in the Storytelling Skill-building Session. The Lerner Center Skill-building Scholarship will be awarded to individuals who have been directly impacted by lay-offs or loss of funding related to the 2025 federal funding cuts and reductions in the federal public health workforce. Individuals can indicate their interest in the course application.
We’re offering a $150 discount plus a $250 credit to use on a future course for individuals who are willing to complete two surveys and participate in a focus group or interview following the course to help us make improvements in the content and format.
Johns Hopkins employees and alumni are also encouraged to participate in evaluation activities and can register for the evaluation participant credit.
Upcoming session:
- October 20-November 21 (5 weeks)
- Includes weekly synchronous (hosted via zoom) sessions on Wednesdays 12:00-1:00 PM ET
- Additional content is asynchronous (previously recorded)
- Applicants will be admitted on a rolling basis and no later than October 3.
What you will learn:
- Understand the importance of effective storytelling in shaping public health policy and practice.
- Develop and refine effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills that are tailored to specific audiences.
- Master the ability to quickly assess and adjust storytelling to maximize immediate resonance and long-term influence.
- Identify strategies for building trust and relationships so stories are authentic and told responsibly.
- Establish network of professionals with shared and complementary experiences to exchange knowledge and support ongoing professional and personal growth.
Faculty
Tesfa Alexander
Dr. Tesfa Alexander is the Deputy Director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an associate practice professor. He brings a distinguished background in health communication science and marketing, having served in executive leadership roles at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and at mission-focused research and development firms, including the MITRE Corporation and Battelle Memorial Institute. During his tenure at the FDA, Dr. Alexander led a team of scientists and social marketers in establishing the scientific foundation for the agency's national tobacco education campaigns. He began his professional career on Madison Avenue, where he gained valuable insights into consumer marketing that continue to inform his approach to public health program development, execution, and evaluation.
Elizabeth Wenk
Ms. Wenk is a Principal and Managing Director at Burness with over 20 years of communications and policy experience. She has worked on Capitol Hill and contributed to various congressional campaigns, earning recognition as a national leader in public health communications. At Burness, she has led her team in the development and execution of multifaceted policymaker engagement campaigns, including media advocacy, and has advanced to co-lead the firm’s domestic practice. Her skills in strategic messaging and policymaker outreach are critical to the success of these media advocacy efforts.