Route Notes

In this episode of Route Notes, Wes and David explore what happens when leaders overshare, overprocess, or unravel in public—and the unintended consequences it can have on teams, trust, and momentum. A strange moment on a delayed flight (where the pilot shares a little too much about what went wrong) widens into deeper reflections on leadership and the tension between authenticity and stability.

They recount one of their most bizar...

In this month’s Campfire Chat, Wes, David, and Adam gather fireside to discuss Faith-Rooted Organizing by Alexia Salvatierra and Peter Heltzel. What begins as a reflection on the role of churches in public health quickly deepens into a powerful conversation about moral imagination, structural injustice, and the difference between acting out of anger versus love.

The episode dives into real stories of immigration reform, labor advoc...

In this episode of Route Notes, Wes and David debrief after a jam-packed weekend of community service and public health engagement. David shares the chaos and clarity that came from trying to over-engineer a complex event serving children with intellectual disabilities—only to have the day go off the rails and then somehow soar thanks to the brilliance of students, staff, and volunteers.

Wes and David reflect on the danger of linea...

In this episode of Route Notes, David and Wes unpack the future of public health education against the backdrop of Campbell Cares Community Days—service-based learning grounded in interprofessional collaboration. They dive into the tension between machine-driven public health and the human-centered practice that's urgently needed, arguing that the curriculum of the future must move beyond technical training toward embedded communit...

In this episode of Route Notes, Dr. David Tillman responds directly to recent statements by political leaders, including RFK Jr. and Donald Trump, about autism rates and causes. Drawing from his experience as a public health professor, researcher, and father of a son with autism, David walks listeners through the science behind rising autism diagnoses—explaining what has changed in diagnostic criteria, awareness, and demographic ri...

What do birds, highways, coffee, camping, and peanut butter & jelly have in common? In this unexpected and wide-ranging conversation, David and Wes unpack the viral TikTok moment that sparked a deeper dialogue about structural racism, public health, and the power of storytelling.

Together, they reflect on how these layered stories shape opportunity, health outcomes, and cultural participation across generations. Along the way, ...

In this episode of Route Notes, we explore the power—and necessity—of the U-turn. What happens when leaders, communities, or even parents choose to pause, reflect, and reroute? Wes shares a personal parenting moment that sparked the episode, along with a hilarious cautionary tale involving an overconfident Eagle Scout, an underprepared hike, and a poorly chosen shortcut.

Along the way, we reflect on what it means to admit a mistake...

In this episode of Route Notes, we dive into Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman—a book that asks a direct and timely question: what are you doing with your life, and why not work on something that matters?

Inspired by the energy of a new academic year, we reflect on what it means to channel ambition toward meaningful change, especially in public health and community work. The conversation ranges from tech-driven distraction to the jo...

In this episode of Route Notes, we explore how constraints—those limits we often try to eliminate—can actually fuel creativity, collaboration, and community. From policy and innovation to loneliness and shared norms, we reflect on what gets lost when we remove the very boundaries that once held us together.

We talk about the unintended consequences of convenience, the erosion of social connection, and why policymaking might benefit...

In this episode of Route Notes, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Forde—public health leader, equity strategist, and master storyteller—for a conversation about what really drives change in health and healthcare. From his current work in health equity to his experience at the NIH during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Forde shares what he's learned about trust, empathy, and the stories that stay with us.

We explore how storytell...

In this episode of Route Notes, we reflect on the central role of story in planning, leadership, and decision-making. Over years of working with organizations and communities, we’ve found that strategy doesn’t emerge from filling in templates—it emerges from narrative.

We talk about what changed in our own facilitation approach, including the moment we stopped asking people to start with templates and instead invited them to tell a...

In this episode of Campfire Chat, we dig into Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, a bold call to rethink how we approach public policy, innovation, and problem-solving. Framed around a powerful question—what if we planned for abundance instead of assuming scarcity?—this conversation explores the real potential of government-driven innovation, from Operation Warp Speed to climate tech, housing reform, and scientific research...

You’ve heard the phrase. You’ve probably said it: “Let’s not reinvent the wheel.” But what if that mindset is keeping us from real solutions?

In this episode, Wes and David take a hard look at the cliché—and argue that relying too heavily on other people’s answers can actually short-circuit innovation, especially in rural communities and complex systems.

They unpack:

• Why “not reinventing the wheel” can be lazy leadership
• The d...

In this first installment of a recurring series - Campfire Chat, we gather around the fire to explore Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. Through conversation that weaves together moral psychology, public health, theology, and community engagement, we reflect on what Haidt’s work can teach us about polarization and the limits of reason.

We discuss how moral intuitions often dri...

What do Jurassic Park, public health, and artificial intelligence have in common? More than you'd think. In this episode, David and Wes take a detour into the ILM docuseries Light & Magic and the story of Phil Tippett—the legendary visual effects artist who thought he was rendered obsolete by CGI, only to find himself more valuable than ever.

Using this moment in film history as a powerful metaphor, they explore the AI revoluti...

What does it mean to see someone—not just treat them?

In this episode of Route Notes, Dr. Shaunesse’ Jacobs Plaisimond joins Dr. Wesley Rich and Dr. David Tillman for a powerful conversation on person-centered care, maternal health, and how systems often fail to honor the full humanity of the people they serve. Drawing from her work in religion, ethics, and human rights, Dr. Plaisimond shares why personhood is not a soft concept—it...

What if the public health “magic bullet” isn’t a single program or intervention—but a mindset?

In this episode of Route Notes, Dr. David Tillman and Dr. Wesley Rich explore the astonishing 72% reduction in fentanyl-related deaths in Harnett County, NC, and unpack why it didn’t come from doing just one thing. Instead, it came from embracing complexity, honoring local wisdom, and resisting the urge to oversimplify wicked problems.

Th...

In this powerful first episode of Route Notes, Dr. David Tillman and Dr. Wesley Rich dive deep into the heart of public health in America—particularly in rural communities—and why this moment matters more than ever. From an unforgettable keynote in Iowa to honest reflections on vaccine hesitancy, polarization, and the overlooked power of relationships, this conversation is a hopeful call to action.

Hear why relationship-building—no...