American Heart Association, Breathe Free PA
Title: From Candidates to Change: Advocacy to Advancing Smoke-Free Workplace Policy in Pennsylvania
Student Interns:
Sasmeta Giriraj
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Kriti Maiya
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Abby Quinn Peterson, DMD, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Elizabeth Powell, DDS, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Brad Cary
Pennsylvania Government Relations Director, American Heart Association
Traci Kennedy, MPA
Midwest States Strategist, American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation
Community Site:
The American Heart Association is a national nonprofit organization committed to fighting heart disease and stroke. The organization advances its mission through advocacy, research, public education, and community-based initiatives that reduce health inequities and encourage healthier lifestyles.
The American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to protecting nonsmokers from secondhand smoke exposure and the associated negative health consequences. This organization was responsible for advocating for the smoking ban on airplanes and aims to expand these bans in other workplaces, such as casinos, music venues, and bars. The organization advances its mission of providing healthier, smoke-free workplaces through advocacy, storytelling, and civic leadership training.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps interns worked to create a database of all political candidates in Pennsylvania running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senate, and the House of Representatives. The database contains each candidate’s name, district, phone number, email, campaign website, and campaign Facebook page. This information will help American Heart Association and American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation staff identify and contact key decision-makers on smoke-free policies in the workplace. The main goal of the project is to help prevent occupational secondhand smoke exposure by supporting advocacy efforts to expand comprehensive smoke-free policies across Pennsylvania.
Reflections
Working on this project gave me a new appreciation for the practical, often unseen work that fuels public health advocacy. Building the legislative database showed me how much groundwork goes into connecting policymakers with the communities affected by their decisions, and it made me realize that meaningful change often starts with something as simple as organized, accessible information. Working alongside our community preceptors, who have pushed for smoke-free workplace protections for years, taught me how to find meaning in small wins in healthcare and to stay motivated when the timeline is outside your control. I am grateful to have been exposed to a side of public health that reminds me that change can occur outside of the clinic and to have been a part of the team working to create that change.
Sasmeta Giriraj
This internship was a unique experience that allowed me to witness the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into public health policy and how important it is as future healthcare providers to advocate for changes that will benefit the health of both the public and our patients. I was shocked to learn that there are still places like casinos that allow smoking since they are exempt from smoke-free indoor laws; knowing that nonsmoking laws exist, yet exemptions and loopholes continue to expose workers and patrons to harmful secondhand smoke highlighted the importance of ongoing advocacy efforts and research-backed policy change. I am glad I had the opportunity to contribute to this project and to be a part of the change that protects vulnerable populations and promotes healthy lifestyles.
Kriti Maiya
