Welcome to Impact Unfiltered! In this episode, we sit down with Nancy Mangieri, Chief of Public Health Services for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. Nancy shares how her team uses beloved community puppets—like Rain—to deliver important health messages, from vaccine awareness to water safety, in culturally meaningful ways.
We explore the power of community partnerships, the importance of trust in public health, and the impact of empowering Native American leadership in healthcare. Tune in for inspiring stories, creative outreach ideas, and practical advice for making a difference in your community.
1. Introduction to Nancy Mangieri and Her Role
- Nancy’s current position as Chief of Public Health Services for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community in Scottsdale, Arizona
- Her professional background in nursing, public health, and leadership
2. Introduction to the Public Health Puppets
- Description and purpose of Rain, the puppet guest, including her traditional dress and symbolic role
- Brief overview of the other puppets: River (Rain’s younger brother) and Blue (the nonverbal, imaginative friend)
- Significance of Blue as a character for nonverbal community members
3. Understanding Impact in the Community
- Nancy’s definition of “impact” — reaching the intended audience and influencing behavior change
- The importance of providing new options, messages, or solutions to drive positive change
4. Storytelling with the Puppets: Community Engagement and Messaging
- Puppets as community celebrities and their presence on billboards
- Range of public health topics addressed through puppet messaging:
- Vaccination promotion
- Pet health and responsible pet ownership
- Water safety and sun safety
- Nutrition and traditional foods
- Collaborative creation of the puppet clubhouse by carpentry interns as a community-driven effort
- Locally-crafted traditional clothing for the puppets
5. Teamwork and Partnerships
- The project’s foundation within the public health department
- Collaboration with IT (for filming), carpentry, and volunteers
- Community-wide support and involvement in puppet activities
- Participation in community events—retirement parties, parades, and health messaging at public gatherings
6. Program Expansion, Tools, and Innovations
- Building a library of puppet videos for various public health topics, like flu vaccination
- Intent to share puppet content and programming with other tribes or expand reach beyond the current community
- Recognition and training support from the Intertribal Council of Arizona (funding, program evaluation training)
- Use of program evaluation and community surveys to refine and guide puppet messaging
7. Leadership Reflections and Lessons Learned
- Advice to younger self and those entering the public health field:
- Explore the broad impact potential of public/population health
- Acknowledgment that most health outcomes are shaped in the community, not in clinics
- The rewarding nature of influencing population health
8. Value of Native Community Leadership and Sustainable Public Health
- Recognition of the talent and resourcefulness within the Native community
- Importance of developing Native leaders within public health for long-term sustainability
- Example of team member Haley Bodmer transitioning from medical assistant to impactful disease investigator within the community
9. How to Connect and Learn More
- Providing the public health education contact line for further information or to see photos of Rain and the other puppets
- Encouragement for listeners to reach out and engage
10. Looking to the Future and Final Takeaways
- Ongoing and upcoming activities, with advice to stay involved directly with the community
- Emphasis on building trust through face-to-face engagement and authentic relationships
- Parting words on the importance of listening, learning, and being present in community work
