Pioneers in Health

Welcome to the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund Podcast, Pioneers in Health. We hope to bring you inspiring stories of pioneering health leaders who led important efforts to improve health. We’ll bring you guests from our state, from our nation and from your backyard to tell their stories of how they broke new ground and changed the landscape of health care.

Pioneers in Health is a health podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 57 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Pioneers in Health, a health show with 57 episodes published.

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  Episode #56

  Anthony Wright, executive director, Families USA

  Aug 13, 202636 min

  Ep. 56: Anthony Wright serves as the executive director of Families USA. Before joining the organization, Anthony Wright served 22 years as executive director of Health Access California, a statewide healthcare consumer advocacy coalition. Under Anthony’s leadership, Health Access California led state efforts to win patient protections, fight budget cuts, invest in the safety net, expand coverage, and advance equity and prevention. Anthony led California’s coalition effort to help pass and later defend the Affordable Care Act, and for state policies to implement and improve the law to attain the biggest drop of the uninsured rate in the nation. He was responsible for numerous successful health care advocacy efforts to pass critical health reforms — such as nation-leading laws to stop surprise medical bills, ensure timely access to care, stop hospitals overcharging, and expand Medicaid regardless of age, assets, or immigration status. A consumer advocate and community organizer quoted widely in state and national media, Anthony’s background also includes working for New Jersey Citizen Action, the Center for Media Education, The Nation magazine, and at the White House in Vice President Al Gore’s office. Raised in the Bronx, he graduated from Amherst College magna cum laude in both English and Sociology. Listen now, and learn how Anthony is an innovative leader in healthcare. For more about the Health Fund, visit www.healthfund.org .

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  Episode #55

  Sharla Smith, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor, KU Medical Center

  Jul 30, 202635 min

  Ep. 55: Dr. Sharla Smith completed her Ph.D. in Health Systems and Services Research with a concentration in Health Economics from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2013. Sharla is a health services and systems researcher whose primary research is maternal and infant health disparities, women cancer disparities, and community engagement. She is the co-founder of Kansas Sisters and Brothers for Healthy Infants and the founder of the Kansas Birth Equity Network. She has experience manipulating large datasets and performing descriptive, cross-sectional, and longitudinal data analysis using SAS and Stata, and conducting social network analysis. In addition, she has over four years of experience in clinical research. Dr. Smith is passionate about developing a culture of birth equity through community engagement, empowerment and education. Sharla has experience teaching public health law, public health policy and law, introduction to public health, developing public health interventions, introduction to health policy and politics, and epidemiology. She advises students and has served as a faculty mentor on master's-level and Ph.D. research projects. Listen now, and learn how Sharla is an innovative leader in health care. For more about the Health Fund, visit www.healthfund.org .

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  Episode #54

  Avenel Joseph, Ph.D., vice president for policy, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

  Jul 16, 202634 min

  Ep. 54: Avenel Joseph, Ph.D, joined the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in early 2020 as the vice president for policy, where she leads the foundation’s policy office and heads its Washington presence. Previously, Joseph served for more than 10 years shaping public policy in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. She began her career on Capitol Hill in 2009 in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she worked in both a personal office and on the Natural Resources Committee. In July 2013, she moved to the Senate as the chief health advisor for Senator Edward J. Markey, managing a comprehensive health care portfolio before transitioning to become his director of policy and oversight. Joseph received her Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology at Emory University; graduated with a master’s degree in developmental toxicology from the University of Illinois, Urbana‐Champaign; and earned her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences from Pennsylvania State University. Listen now, and learn how Avenel is an innovative leader in health care policy. For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

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  Episode #53

  Justin Duncan, BS, NRP, CCEMT-P, FP-C, chief executive officer, Washington County Ambulance District

  Jul 2, 202637 min

  Ep: 53: A rerun of one of our most popular episodes of 2025. Justin Duncan, BS, NRP, CCEMT-P, FP-C, serves as the chief executive officer for Washington County Ambulance District. Chief Duncan holds a bachelor’s degree in EMS administration and is currently a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership. Chief Duncan has a long history in EMS, serving as both a ground and air EMS clinician. He obtained numerous certifications and designations, including the following: Nationally Registered Paramedic, Missouri Licensed Paramedic, Board-Certified Critical Care Paramedic and Board-Certified Flight Paramedic. Given Chief Duncan’s history of dedication to healthcare and passion for education, his career naturally progressed into both education and leadership. He has served as an EMS instructor, a line level supervisor, department manager, regional director and now chief executive officer. In addition to overseeing Washington County Ambulance District, Chief Duncan serves as the president of the Missouri EMS Association (MEMSA), is a board member for the Missouri EMS Agent Corporation, and a member of the National EMS Management Association. Chief Duncan has endeavored to maintain both breadth and depth in all his healthcare pursuits. He is a life-long advocate for EMS professionals, an ardent supporter of education, and is constantly looking for new ways to bring innovative therapies into the prehospital setting. He is particularly passionate about mobile integrated healthcare systems and the study of mechanical ventilation. Listen now, and learn how Justin is an innovative leader in healthcare. For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

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  Episode #52

  Tracy Quillin, associate director, Humanities Kansas

  Jun 18, 202636 min

  Ep. 52: Tracy Quillin joined Humanities Kansas as the director of communications in 2007 and became associate director in 2014. Tracy started her career in the museum field and was curator of education at the Johnson County Museum for eight years. Tracy holds a BA in history, art history, and history of culture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in historical administration and museum studies with an emphasis in history from the University of Kansas. She was a member of the Leadership Lawrence class of 2023. Listen now, and learn how Tracy is an innovative leader in Kansas. For more about the Health Fund: https://healthfund.org/

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