AED
Center for Health Communication
1825 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington,
DC
USA
20009
Email:
jbender@aed.org
Biographical Sketch:
As Deputy Director of the Center for Health Communication, Mr. Bender leads a portfolio of projects which include immunization, chronic disease prevention, and reproductive health. He provides senior council and management oversight for three national campaigns funded by the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. The largest of these campaigns the advertising and public relations support for CDC’s annual influenza campaign. Over the three years of implementation, AED has provided support in the areas of national public relations; video, radio, print and online product development; developing strategic partnerships; and conducting paid media placements. Mr. Bender also led a national effort to promote pandemic influenza planning among consumers for the office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at The Department of Health and Human Services.
Mr. Bender currently directs a new effort funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to stimulate national action to improve asthma management outcomes. Over the 4 year term of this project, this major initiative will work with partners in the medical, health services, health financing, schools and community sectors to foster collaboration around NHLBI guidelines for asthma management.
Mr. Bender was the project manager for AED’s work on the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Adult Disparities in Immunization Initiative (READII).Over three years, AED provided support to 5 state and local health departments designing and implementing adult immunization initiatives. He oversaw the delivery of expert guidance and training in a wide variety of areas, including: planning and developing community-based programs; strengthening cultural competencies into program activities; developing and maintaining relationships with community-based organizations, health providers, and other stakeholders; and conducting program evaluation. As a part of this project, AED also proposed and developed a national campaign to reach out to medical providers to update them on the latest vaccination schedules and encourage them to increase their vaccination efforts to minority patients.
In the AED Center for Health Communication, Mr. Bender has been part of the senior management team which has overseen the expansion from 4 to 37 staff members in 8 years, and the development of in-house capacity for market research, public relations, Spanish translation and adaptation and use of interactive technology.
Mr. Bender is a Certified Heath Education Specialist, and holds a masters degree in health sciences from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health.