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Infectious Dose

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From Evidence to Power: Organizing for Public Health with Jon Shaffer, PhD

  • Writer: Heather McSharry, PhD
    Heather McSharry, PhD
  • Sep 16
  • 4 min read

Summary

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In this episode of Infectious Dose, sociologist–organizer Jon Shaffer, PhD explains why organizing—not just evidence—wins concrete, local public-health protections, and how Defend Public Health (DPH) is training state teams to do exactly that. We open on today’s reality—shrinking budgets, darkened dashboards, and a vacuum filled by misinformation—and the thesis that evidence without power loses.

Listen here or scroll down to read full episode.




Full Episode

The following is a summary of the conversation. Here is the full transcript:

Introduction to Defend Public Health

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This week on Infectious Dose, I sat down with Jon Shaffer, PhD,—a sociologist and organizer who helps Defend Public Health train state teams—to talk about why evidence alone doesn’t win, and how organizing translates science into concrete, local protections.

I opened with the reality many of us see every day: dashboards dim, budgets shrink, and anti-science narratives rush into the silence. The through-line is simple and uncomfortable—evidence without power loses. Jon’s work lives right at that intersection: helping ordinary people—researchers, clinicians, parents, students—turn data into decisions.

“Public health is political” (and always has been)

Jon made the case that public health outcomes—who gets care, who lives, who dies—are fundamentally shaped by political power, not just technical merit. Historically, big health gains didn’t arrive only from lab benches; they came alongside social movements and organized workers who demanded clean water, safe workplaces, and access to care. Treating public health as “apolitical,” he argues, is both historically inaccurate and strategically self-defeating.

Advocacy, lobbying, and organizing—what’s the difference?

We walked through the definitions:

  • Lobbying is a tactic focused on persuading decision-makers about specific legislation. Useful, but limited.

  • Advocacy provides information and makes the case.

  • Organizing builds people power—teams of volunteers with a shared purpose, clear roles, and norms—so communities can apply sustained pressure and win measurable changes. Organizing doesn’t replace advocacy or lobbying; it makes them land.

Building teams that can actually win

Jon’s core unit is the team. Effective teams do three things: win, grow, and get better. That starts with a shared purpose, defined roles, and explicit norms about how the group meets, decides, and follows through. We discussed the difference between mobilizing (a big one-off rally) and organizing (structured teams that run sequences of campaigns, not just isolated actions).

Relationships are the fuel. Jon stressed the power of one-on-one conversations—why someone cares, what they fear, what they can offer—to build trust and momentum. Storytelling isn’t fluff; it’s how people connect courage to action.

A practical path: mini-campaigns before bigger strategy

DPH is helping states stand up volunteer teams and run mini-campaigns that do three things at once:

  1. Create a mild-to-moderate headache for a harmful actor (a decision-maker or institution harming public health).

  2. Map the in-state constituency—who shows up, what skills/resources exist, where the networks are.

  3. Harden the team—clearer purpose, roles, and cadence—so they’re ready for a longer 6–12-month strategy.

The point isn’t drama; it’s durable capacity.

Where scientists and clinicians plug in—safely

We talked about practical, nonpartisan roles for health professionals who worry about crossing lines:

  • Draft or refine one-page briefs and testimony in plain English.

  • Help with data visualization, comms, or logistics on personal time.

  • Join a local team call once a month and align evidence with a winnable demand and the right decision timeline.

Jon also noted that many blockers are emotional, not technical. Fear—of conflict, of “being political,” of getting something wrong—can stall action. The antidote is relational courage: hearing each other’s stories, naming the stakes, and moving together.

Why state-level organizing matters

States have distinct political cultures, incentives, and pressure points. Organizing at that level lets teams craft locally resonant campaigns while staying interdependent with other states. It’s how we turn national concern into real protections where people live.

If this conversation helped clarify the path from evidence to outcomes, share it with a colleague or friend who’s ready to take a first step.

Take action

Thanks for being here! Until next time, stay healthy, stay informed, and spread knowledge not diseases.


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Starter pack (begin here)

["Marshall Ganz, a long-time organizer in the migrant farmworkers movement in the US, and currently a Senior Lecturer at Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, developed the public narrative methodology in the 1990s as part of a values-based community organizing framework."]

  • Marshall Ganz — Public Narrative: “Self, Us, Now” (worksheet) Why: the gold-standard template for turning values into a motivating ask. Use: draft a 2-minute intro for meetings or actions.

  • Midwest Academy Strategy Chart (fillable one-pager) Why: maps goals → targets → tactics → resources on a single page. Use: complete before any action; assign owners & dates.

  • ACLU — Protesters’ Rights (national guide + printable PDFs) Why: know your rights; plan peaceful, lawful actions. Use: link in sign-ups; bring copies to events.

For scientists & clinicians

  • Bolder Advocacy — “Public Charities Can Lobby” Why: clear rules for 501(c)(3) activity—most orgs can advocate more than they think.Use: share with cautious colleagues; decide whether to elect the 501(h) option.

  • Training for Change — One-on-Ones Why: the core skill for recruiting & developing leaders. Use: run 20-minute relational meetings with their step-by-step flow.

  • Liberating Structures — 1-2-4-All & “What? So What? Now What?” Why: fast, inclusive formats to brainstorm and land next steps. Use: open with 1-2-4-All; close with WSNow to lock decisions.

Strategy & power mapping

  • Power Mapping (guides & templates) Why: visualize who actually influences your decision-maker. Use: put names on a 2×2 map (influence × relationship) and plan outreach.

  • NACCHO — Power Primer Why: a public-health-specific take on power and strategy. Use: adapt for Community Health Improvement Plans and coalitions.

Safety, rights & de-escalation

Deep dive (books)

 
 
 

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