How We Can Help
Our assistance comes in many forms. Some individuals and organizations contact us to help them in understanding and navigating a particular law, ordinance or statute. Others want to know how other public health professionals and advocates are leveraging laws and policies to address pressing issues in their communities. For many, law and policy seems complex and they are unsure how their initiatives might benefit by examining the laws and policies that impact it. We help cut through this complexity by providing them with the legal expertise and evidence-based information they need to protect and improve public health.

“The information the Network provided helped us strengthen an important state law.”
“As a result of our consultations with the Network, key individuals were given information that stopped a proposal before it went anywhere, protecting effective overdose prevention efforts from being inadvertently negatively impacted.”
“The Network gave me valuable information that enabled me to speak with our lawyer about nuisance ordinances and create a policy for declarations of disasters.”
Tell Us What You’re Working On. We’re Ready to Help.
Our law and policy experts can help you identify the key considerations central to your unique challenges and provide law and policy pathways you can leverage to make a difference.
- find answers to specific legal questions
- use law to strengthen your public health programs and policies, and address emerging public health issues
- find resources, such as legal briefs, fact sheets, surveys of laws in all 50 states, or other available data
- benefit from the best practices of others
- connect with additional experts in public health law, including attorneys in the Network’s other regions
Want our help?
The Network provides legal technical assistance on public health issues designed to improve population health. The Network does not provide legal advice to or represent individuals or entities, and cannot provide technical assistance related to a particular individual’s legal circumstances/case or health needs.

Eastern Region Office
The Eastern Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Injury Prevention and Safety
» Environmental Public Health
» Food Safety
- Contact an Eastern Region Law & Policy Expert
ImageNameDesignationShort DescriptionSocial LinksKathleen HokeRegion Director
Eastern Region Office
Mathew R. SwinburneAssociate DirectorEastern Region Office
Kerri McGowan LowreyDeputy DirectorEastern Region Office
Brooke TortonSenior Staff AttorneyEastern Region Office
Megan GriestChief of StaffEastern Region Office
Blair InnissSenior Staff AttorneyJoanna S. SuderSenior Staff Attorney
Mid-States Region Office
The Mid-States Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Health Information Data Sharing
» Public Health Statutes and Regulatory Information
- Contact a Mid-States Region Law & Policy Expert
ImageNameDesignationShort DescriptionSocial LinksCarrie WaggonerRegion Director
Mid-States Region Office
Chris AlibrandiDeputy DirectorMid-States Region Office
Colleen Healy BoufidesCo-DirectorMid-States Region Office
Denise ChryslerSenior AdvisorMid-States Region Office
Peter D. JacobsonRegion Co-DirectorMid-States Region Office
Stephen MurphyDeputy Director
Northern Region Office
The Northern Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Mental Health and Well-Being
» Rural Health Equity
» Climate Resilience
- Contact a Northern Region Law & Policy Expert
ImageNameDesignationShort DescriptionSocial LinksJill KruegerRegion Director
Northern Region Office
Betsy LawtonDeputy DirectorNorthern Region Office
April ShawSenior Staff AttorneyNorthern Region Office
Southeastern Region Office
The Southeastern Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Drug Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction
» Health Reform
» Maternal and Child Health
» Public Health Agency Structure, Organization and Accreditation
» Messaging
- Contact a Southeastern Region Law & Policy Expert
ImageNameDesignationShort DescriptionSocial LinksGene MatthewsPrincipal Investigator
Southeastern Region Office
Corey DavisDeputy DirectorDirector, Harm Reduction Legal Project
Dawn HunterRegion DirectorSoutheastern Region Office
Sarah SomersManaging AttorneySoutheastern Region Office
Jane PerkinsSenior Staff AttorneySoutheastern Region Office
Amy LiebermanSenior AttorneySoutheastern Region Office; Harm Reduction Legal Project
Sara RogersPublic Health Policy AnalystSoutheastern Region Office
Phyllis JedenSenior Staff Attorney
Western Region Office
The Western Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
» Immunization
- Contact a Western Region Law & Policy Expert
ImageNameDesignationShort DescriptionSocial LinksJames G. Hodge, Jr.Region Director/Principal Investigator
Western Region Office
Leila BarrazaSenior ConsultantWestern Region Office
Jennifer PiattDeputy DirectorWestern Region Office
Erica WhiteSenior Staff Attorney