Title : Confidence as care: Empowering underrepresented voices in public health leadership and community engagement
Abstract:
Public health is not only about access—it’s about voice, trust, and belonging. While technical knowledge and systems-level strategies are vital, meaningful change also requires confidence: the confidence to speak up, to lead, and to advocate for communities that have historically been marginalized. In this powerful session, Sheena Yap Chan—Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Tao of Self-Confidence—explores how building confidence among public health professionals, especially women and racialized individuals, can enhance communication, community trust, and leadership effectiveness. Drawing from her lived experience and her work empowering underrepresented professionals across sectors, Sheena shares how mindset, cultural awareness, and representation impact the delivery and equity of public health programs.
This session introduces confidence-building as a critical yet often overlooked public health tool, particularly in engaging underserved populations, reducing stigma, and strengthening culturally safe leadership.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand how self-doubt and systemic barriers impact leadership in public health
- Explore the link between confidence, cultural competence, and community trust
- Learn strategies to build inclusive, psychologically safe teams
- Discover tools to empower emerging leaders and frontline professionals to lead authentically
By addressing the internal side of leadership, this session complements data-driven and clinical approaches—helping public health systems become not only more effective, but more human.
