Introducing... NASBHC's Social Media Fellows (Part 1 of 2)

Introducing… Robin Kirkpatrick, LCSW, MPH

I applied for the Social Media Fellowship because I am very interested in Social Networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs as relatively new sociocultural phenomenon. I am fascinated by the possibility these resources hold as tools for health education with teens, how adolescents utilize these venues to express themselves and interact, and how we as adult advocates can make use of these resources to connect with each other, as well as with young people, around topics that are engaging for all of us.

Good writing, a sense of humor, and a compelling circumstance, such as the NASBHC Convention, can combine to create a persuasive platform to inform and inspire interested parties.  My previous experience working in two school-based clinics, and now working as an advocate for school-based health care in my current job as the Associate Director of the California Adolescent Health Collaborative, (CAHC) provide me with a broad knowledge base from which to discuss the exciting events that are sure to unfold during the 2010 Convention.

The other element of social media that I really enjoy is the interaction; it’s always a surprise what people will respond to: what thoughts, impressions, and ideas are inspired by a post, comment, picture, link, or video.  I look forward to a engaging with a lively and provocative community of school health advocates during the convention.

Robin has worked in the field of adolescent health for the past thirteen years. Both in direct service with adolescents as a mental health provider, and in research, policy, and advocacy work on youth health, she has sought to find creative solutions to the myriad of challenges teens face.  Currently, she is the Associate Director for the California Adolescent Health Collaborative.  The California Adolescent Health Collaborative (CAHC), a project of the Public Health Institute, is a public-private statewide coalition with the goal of increasing understanding and support for adolescent health and wellness in California.  In this position, she is involved in direct research on a range of adolescent health issues as well as policy and advocacy efforts to improve health services and environments for teens throughout California.

Introducing…. Suzanne Keep MSN, RN

Social media is becoming an essential means of communication in both the work place and personal social networks. Incorporating social media into the 2010 National School Based Health Care Convention allows those who are not able to attend the conference feel as though they are a part of the conference through attendants’ blog posts, tweets and Facebook updates.  Creating a viral buzz about the convention will be vital to the convention’s success, and social media and networking can only enhance this viral buzz. I believe that if as many of the attendees as possible can be active in social media, the convention will have an unprecedented interest and following.

Suzanne is an assistant professor for the University of Detroit McAuley School of Nursing at the Grand Rapids, Michigan campus, and a PhD in Nursing student at Rutgers University. Suzanne teaches community health practicum where students are in the Grand Rapids Public Schools, working with school nurses.