Small Wins, Big Impact: On the Front Lines of Local Public Health with Peter Tabbot

In this episode of EJB Talks, ⁠Peter Tabbot ’91 MPH ‘97, CPM⁠, longtime local health officer in Rockaway, NJ and a Bloustein School public health lecturer, shares his path into public health with Dean ⁠Stuart Shapiro⁠, and what it means to lead at the community level. He explains the wide-ranging role of health officers, from managing essential services to working with governments and residents. Reflecting on navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Tabbot calls it both the most challenging and most rewarding period of his career, marked by rapidly changing policies, public resistance, and the need for constant local coordination. He also discusses ongoing challenges, including vaccine hesitancy, funding uncertainties, and growing skepticism toward public health. His message to students and future professionals: envision yourself making a difference in individual’s lives and embrace the “small wins” in improving community health, one person and one municipality at a time.