Together for Health:
Educate, Engage, and Empower
NJSOPHE Annual Meeting 2025
Thursday, December 4
9 AM - 3 PM
Rutgers Piscataway - Busch Student Center
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Poster session:
Are you interested in sharing your research, program, or community initiative?
Submit your abstract for the Poster Session and showcase your work to public health professionals and students from across the state.
The deadline to apply is November 24th, 2025.
Learn more about the requirements.
Space is limited, apply today.
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| 4.25 Pending approval for Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), and Public Health continuing education credits. |
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AGENDA
*Doors open at 8:30 am
9:00 Networking & Coffee (Facilitated Session)
Interactive networking and engagement activities to open the day.
(0.5 CE)
9:30 Welcome & Opening Remarks
Brief welcome from NJSOPHE leadership and an overview of the conference theme and agenda.
9:40 Keynote Address: "The Future of Public Health"
Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, President & CEO, de Beaumont Foundation
(1.0 CE )
10:50 Panel Discussion: "Navigating Real-World Challenges in Public Health"
Panelists:
- Iris Jones, MA, LPC, LCADC, NCC, CCS, PMH — New Jersey Department of Health
- Claire Brown, MPH — Rutgers School of Public Health
- Deandrah Cameron, MPH — New Jersey Future
- Ricardo Kairios, MS — Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County
Session Objective:
To explore practical, real-world challenges faced by public health professionals and highlight effective strategies, collaborations, and leadership approaches that support communities, strengthen systems, and advance equitable health outcomes.
(1.0 CE )
11:50 a.m. Awards & Organizational Updates
Recognition of outstanding members and updates on NJSOPHE’s ongoing initiatives.
12:10 p.m. Lunch Break:
Open networking and lunch.
1:10 Poster Session
Student and professional presentations highlighting innovative research, community programs, and emerging public health practices.
(0.75 CE )
2:00 Session 3 (Breakouts)
(1.0 CE )
Breakout Session 1: Who We Are Shapes What We Do: Exploring Identity and Civil Discourse in Public Health
Victoria Nagel, LCADC, CCS, LPC, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH — New Jersey Prevention Network
Objective:
Public health professionals bring their whole selves into their work — including their lived experiences, values, and identities. This interactive session encourages participants to reflect on how their personal and professional identities shape how they engage communities, interpret data, and advocate for change. Through guided discussion, participants will explore how civil discourse supports collaboration across diverse perspectives and strengthens our collective ability to advance equitable, community-centered public health initiatives.
Breakout Session 2: Beyond Competency: Building Cultural Humility and Equity in Public Health
Robert Mikos — New Jersey Prevention Network
Session Description:
This session offers a comprehensive framework for practicing cultural humility in public health settings. Moving beyond traditional cultural competence models, participants will examine the ongoing processes of self-reflection, lifelong learning, and addressing power dynamics in public health and healthcare relationships. The session will equip professionals with tools to foster equity-driven practices and strengthen community trust.
3:00 – 3:05 p.m. — Closing Announcements
Final acknowledgments and conference wrap-up.
If the registration fee causes a financial hardship, NJSOPHE members can apply for a scholarship to attend the meeting: https://forms.gle/ncG3rEUMKmsbkSuT8
Speaker Bios:
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Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, is an epidemiologist, public health practitioner, and president and chief executive officer of the de Beaumont Foundation. With the help of a strong team, Brian has built the Foundation into a leading voice in health philanthropy and public health practice. Under his leadership, the Foundation is driving change to improve population health, foster collaboration between public health and other sectors, prioritize the importance of communications, and strengthen the nation’s public health infrastructure. CityHealth, the BUILD Health Challenge, the Public Health Communications Collaborative, Health Action Alliance, and the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey are among the projects he has helped to create while at the Foundation.
Prior to joining de Beaumont, Brian worked for a decade as an applied epidemiologist and held leadership positions at the Georgia Department of Health, Texas Department of State Health Services, and Philadelphia Department of Health.
Brian is a sought-after resource on public health contributing his expertise through interviews and editorials published in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Associated Press, and Politico among others. He also has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Fox News, and several local television affiliates. He has published more than 90 peer-reviewed publications cited more than 3,500 times and has co-edited six books.
Brian holds a doctorate in public health leadership from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts degree in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from North Carolina State University.
Victoria Nagel is a leading behavioral health professional with more than a decade of frontline experience treating individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in both residential and telehealth settings. As Director of Clinical Training and Workforce Development at the New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN), she spearheads statewide initiatives to strengthen and diversify New Jersey’s behavioral health workforce. Her work ensures that providers have access to cutting-edge certification, licensure, and advanced training—ultimately expanding access to high-quality, evidence-based care for individuals and families.
With nearly ten years of clinical supervision and more than seven years of experience delivering professional training, Victoria is a trusted resource for providers at every stage of their career. She is deeply committed to improving workforce resilience, advancing best practices, and promoting self-care strategies for behavioral health professionals to help reduce burnout and improve client outcomes.
Victoria is a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor, National Certified Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider. She is also a Ph.D. candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University.
In addition to her leadership at NJPN, Victoria co-founded a virtual counseling and consulting practice, where she provides therapy, supervision, and training. She serves as Past President of the Omega Zeta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, sits on the NAADAC Clinical Supervision Committee, and chairs the Ethics Committee for the New Jersey Addiction Providers Association.
A sought-after voice on behavioral health workforce development, evidence-based treatment, and clinician well-being, Victoria is available to provide expert commentary on mental health and addiction issues impacting New Jersey communities.
Robert Mikos is a lifelong educator and prevention advocate with over 25 years of service in the New York City Department of Education. Throughout his career at the New York City Department of Education, Robert held a variety of roles, including Assistant Principal at an elementary school in Brooklyn, but the majority of my work has been focused in Student Support Services, where he served as Director of Health, Supervisor of Attendance and Borough Director for Prevention Services. Before his retirement from the DOE, he served as Director of the Citywide Substance Abuse Prevention Program, overseeing critical initiatives that impacted students across the city.
Refusing to stay retired for long, Robert brought his expertise to the LGBTQ Center in Manhattan, where he led the Center’s substance abuse program for nearly two years. Getting the opportunity to work at the Center was a full circle moment because the Center was a space that he was involved with a young person. In October 2024, he continued his journey in prevention by joining the New Jersey Prevention Network as Program Developer and Training Specialist.
Robert's deep passion for prevention work continues to drive his career forward, ensuring that even in retirement, he remains an active and committed advocate in the field.
Iris Jones has dedicated her career to the advancement of health equity and improving health outcomes for those with trauma, substance use and psychiatric or mental health disorders. Prior to becoming the Executive Director of the Office of Women’s Health, she worked at Cooper University Healthcare where she achieved her goal of integrating inclusive, behavioral health treatment into traditional health care service delivery. Iris co-founded the Cooper Center for Healing EMPOWER perinatal clinic, a nationally recognized program for the treatment of pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorders.
Iris is an expert in the field of perinatal addiction and mental health, with a deep understanding of how race, poverty, and gender inequality unfold and influence health outcomes. As a social justice advocate, she made critical policy recommendations to state government partners, informed by her direct proximity to the needs and complexity of the families she served.
Currently, Iris is focused on decreasing health disparities, improving access to evidence-based health care, incorporating mental health and substance use treatment into traditional medical care, addressing social determinants of health and improving health outcomes for all of New Jersey’s women. When she is not at work, Iris is keeping busy with her two young sons and her husband of more than 20 years. Her credentials include Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) and National Board-Certified Counselor (NCC).
Claire Brown, MPH, is a higher education leader working at the intersection of student affairs, public health, and dimensional wellness. As Director of Student Experiences & Alumni Affairs at the Rutgers School of Public Health, she has spent the past seven years building a culture of personal and professional wellness through innovative career services. Claire founded the School's first Office for Career Services and has developed career advising, exploration, and training programs tailored to the diverse professional pathways of thousands of public health students and alumni.
With more than a decade of research and practice experience in student affairs and college health promotion, Claire’s professional mission is dedicated to learning and implementing best practices for training healthy, happy, and highly effective student communities. Claire is especially passionate about using dimensional wellness as a framework for public health career growth, identity, and satisfaction. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Claire co-led the Rutgers School of Public Health’s student-focused response efforts, initially helping to place student volunteers into NJ’s local health departments and ultimately working to hire the first 1,000 contact tracers in the NJ COVID-19 Community Contact Tracing Corps. Claire's creative leadership has also championed new best practices in alumni engagement and graduate student well-being through signature programs such as Alumni April and Wellness PHirst.
Claire earned her Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Health Sciences from Rutgers in 2019, receiving the annual Goldstein Award for her concentration and induction into the Delta Omega honorary society for public health. In 2022, she received the Rutgers School of Public Health’s Distinguished Staff Award and was recognized as one of Rutgers Magazine’s 12 Under 40 Alumni. Prior to joining Rutgers School of Public Health, Claire held previous roles with the Rutgers College Support Program, the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, the Boston University Office of Wellness and Prevention Services, and the Boston University Social Adjustment and Bullying Prevention Laboratory. Claire also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilization from Boston University, where her appreciation for non-traditional, interdisciplinary journeys to public health first started.
When she’s not hosting career wellness events or advising students on their career pathways, Claire enjoys hiking NJ’s trails with her husband (a fellow Rutgers alum!), hunting for hidden treasures at the thrift store, and spending time with her 12-year old, “old lady” dog, Cookie.
Deandrah Cameron is a Policy Manager at New Jersey Future, where she champions forward-thinking state policies that promote public health, modernize water infrastructure, and support equitable redevelopment— with a central focus on eliminating lead from drinking water systems. Her work bridges technical expertise and community impact to create healthier, more resilient communities across New Jersey.
Before joining New Jersey Future, Deandrah served as a case investigator for the Monmouth County Health Department, playing a vital role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic.
Deandrah earned her B.S. in Public Health from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Systems and Policy from the Rutgers School of Public Health, where she also completed a Graduate Certificate in Public Health Nutrition. A proud U.S. Army Reserve veteran, Deandrah brings a disciplined, mission-driven approach to every facet of her work.
Ricardo Kairios is a faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences and is stationed in the Rutgers Cooperative Extension office of Mercer County FCHS Educator. His work focuses on community food systems, with an emphasis on food security and social determinants of health. Ricardo earned his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Sciences from Montclair State University and a Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences from Rutgers University. He has over 10 years of experience in nutrition education, working with diverse audiences across the lifespan to promote health and well-being and sustainable consumer practices through accessible, culturally responsive programming.
