Tag Archives: Special Populations

Bizzell Awarded CDC Contract to Assess Disparities in Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is excited to announce that our firm was recently awarded a new contract providing public health professional support services to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention-Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. Under this contract, Bizzell staff will provide technical assistance in the areas of geographic information systems (GIS), statistical analyses, and health services and systems research for the GIS Capacity Building project.

Bizzell team members will assess the reduction of burdens and disparities in heart disease and stroke prevention through GIS mapping, provide technical assistance to project staff on the utility of GIS and the role of cartography, conduct geocoding, manage and provide statistical analyses of large databases (e.g. National Center for Health Statistics), and create manuscripts to showcase tabular results in support of health services and systems research to inform the field of this critical issue.

Public Health Expert, Former CDC Project Director Joins The Bizzell Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Bizzell Group Contact
Trevis Cage
Director of Communications
301-459-0100 ext. 130
www.thebizzellgroup.com

June 24, 2019 (Atlanta, GA) – Donna Elliston, DrPH, MSPH, joins The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) as Senior Associate in the Atlanta, GA office, where she will lead multiple projects and business development efforts. Dr. Elliston will oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP), Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch (ESB) Public Health Professional Support Services Contract.

“Over the 20-year span of my career in public health, I’ve supported health promotion and disease prevention through strategic visions, diverse and incredible partnerships, and a heightened level of commitment to service,” says Dr. Elliston. “I’m excited to explore new opportunities to amplify the tremendous growth at Bizzell, by engaging with a global network of the best-in-class clients and experts.”

Dr. Elliston’s has extensive knowledge and expertise in applied research, program evaluation, and technical assistance. She previously led projects at CDC including the Breastfeeding-Implementing and Identifying Best Practices for Achieving Baby Friendly Designation within the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Community-Wide Initiative in Richmond County, Georgia, where she served as a subject matter expert in teen pregnancy prevention, adolescent and maternal & child health.

“I trust Dr. Elliston’s solid judgement that she brings from working at a very high level across branches of government and business,” says Anton Bizzell, M.D., President and CEO of The Bizzell Group. “Her track record of excellence and expertise align perfectly with the accomplished group of leaders at Bizzell.”

Dr. Elliston’s commitment to public health issues is evident in her educational background. She obtained a Doctorate in Public Health from Morgan State University, a Master of Science in Public Health from Meharry Medical College, and a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College.

About The Bizzell Group

Established in 2010, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) strategic management and consulting firm that specializes in Program & Project Management, Administrative Support, Communication & Outreach, Conference Management & Logistical Support, Health Services & Research, Technical Assistance, as well as Training & Development. Bizzell is a partner of choice for federal, state and local government agencies and private organizations. Bizzell’s expert staff and consultants work on health, scientific, education, environment, research, and information technology projects that meet national priorities.

Under the leadership and vision of founder, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, the company has grown from a staff of two in one small office, to a thriving firm with three offices in Lanham, MD, Rockville, MD, and Atlanta, GA with ongoing projects across the world.

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Download this press release here.

World AIDS Day

Lisa Black – November 30, 2018

December 1, 2018 is World AIDS Day.  This year’s federal theme is “Saving Lives through Leadership and Partnership.”  HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is a serious public health crisis.  According to (UNAIDS) the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, there were approximately 36.9 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS in 2017; 1.8 million are children who are under the age of 15.  In 2017, an estimated 1.8 million individuals worldwide became newly infected with HIV—nearly 5000 new infections per day.  This includes 180,000 children, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa and were infected by their HIV-positive mothers during pregnancy (mother-to-child transmission) or during breastfeeding.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, pregnant women and their babies are at risk because:  

  • Pregnant women with HIV may not know they are infected, and women may not know that their partner has HIV.
  • Preconception care and family planning services are often not provided in HIV care settings.
  • Women living with HIV may not know they are pregnant, how to prevent or safely plan a pregnancy, or what they can do to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to their baby.
  • The risk of transmitting HIV to the baby is much higher if the mother does not stay on HIV treatment throughout pregnancy, labor, or delivery, or if HIV medicine is not provided to her baby. The risk is also higher if the mother acquires HIV during pregnancy. 
  • Social and economic factors, especially poverty, may make it harder for some women living with HIV to access health care.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, we are dedicated to, “Saving Lives through Leadership and Partnerships.”    

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is committed to improving global health and we recognize that economic growth of nations.  It is our mission to provide quality research, education, training, and technical assistance related to this worldwide public health crisis.  We are a leader in partnering to set global standards for HIV prevention, the care and treatment of pregnant women, prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission; and the development of evidence-based strategies and global health initiatives.

Bizzell offers full-scale global and social impact assessments.  Our team members and subject matter experts have vast experience in addressing global health disparities, with an emphasis on improving worldwide health conditions by using data-driven strategies.  We offer expert support in the monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework; program and knowledge management; technology solutions; logistics; environmental scans; baseline studies; needs assessments; program development and implementation; and compliance and program auditing.

Bizzell has supported programs across the globe.  We are committed to improving global health conditions by offering our expertise and cadre of subject matter experts to identify and address health disparities.  Our goal is to find sustainable solutions to intractable international problems by supporting agencies, organizations, or other governing bodies who are equally committed to making a positive global impact.  Bizzell staff has previously managed programs in Africa including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and worked in Asia, including Thailand, has supported programs in Europe, and provided expert support in Haiti and the Pacific Islands.  Under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Bizzell staff worked to improve global health and reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS. Bizzell staff has also provided proposal development, and programmatic and administrative support for the Military Malaria Research Program, which supports the development of a vaccine and drugs to treat malaria.

The Bizzell team oversaw the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) Global AIDS Program that established technical and financial infrastructure systems for the Global AIDS Program’s (GAP).  Bizzell supported the GAP missions in Ethiopia and Malawi by developing protocols for establishing and sustaining relationships between U.S. entities and local organizations, such as the Ministry of Health (MoH), military, local schools, and hospitals. This included developing, designing, and implementing administrative systems within the Office of the Chief of Party, including procurement, budget, and personnel systems.  The Bizzell team also established and implemented monitoring and evaluation systems, including evidence- based trainings to support effective public health programs for HIV/AIDS, TB and STI in Ethiopia, and facilitated linkages to other in-country programs and organizations for sharing of monitoring and evaluation data.

Bizzell; “Saving Lives through Leadership and Partnerships.”   

How Millennials are Changing the Workplace

Millennials, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, were born between 1981 and 2000. They have been transforming the workplace for the past decade or so, arriving on the work scene with new attitudes and impressive characteristics that inspired both excitement and resentment from previous generations.  The big question is how will millennials change the workforce once they gain more experience?  

Some employers may feel that millennials are “job hoppers” and are unable to commit to one employer.  About 60% of millennials are currently open to a new job opportunity and are by far the most likely generation to switch jobs.  Millennials may seek multiple opportunities until they find the career they want, and this can have a positive impact on the employee and the employer.   

Leaving one job for another does not necessarily mean the employee lacks commitment; sometimes the job is just not a good fit, or the company does not provide enough benefits or career advancement opportunities, or other reasons.  One thing is clear: millennials will continue to take advantage of and are opening themselves up for more chances expand their career experiences.  

Here are 3 positive ways millennials are changing the workplace:  

  1. Push harder for diversity and inclusion 

Millennials feel strongly about diversity and inclusion.  Partly because they are naturally passionate and feel that diversity was poorly handled by generations in the past.  In the future, we will notice an increase in diversity, inclusion programs and incentives.   Millennials are quickly becoming the majority in just about every sector of the business world and the push for diversity seems to be more pronounced in certain industries such as health care and medicine, technology, and higher education.
 

  1. Adapt to new technology trends 

Millennials are the first generation grow up with the internet and cell phones.  As such, technology has been integrated fully into their lives. Millennials in the workplace are a benefit for any employer because of their intuitive ability to adapt to change, especially as it relates to technology. Not only is this a generation constantly connected to smartphones, but the millennial mindset is focused on making all things easier, faster, more efficient and mobile, as well as more personal, inclusive and intuitive. 

  1. Set new standards in leadership 

According to Forbes, about 20 percent of millennials hold leadership roles and is expected to grow in 2018.  With more Baby Boomers retiring, the millennials are defining a new generation of leadership and influence.  Millennials prioritize their values, flexibility, ethics, and feedback.  As millennials gain more experience and take more positions of leadership, millennials are going to have an even more pronounced effect on how the workplace develops soon.