The Maternal & Child Health Interest Group had an International Children’s Day panel discussion on November 18th, 2021 about how public health and healthcare workers can adopt the Rights-based approach in our child health practices on a national and global scale. Our panelists included Dr. Laurel Cederberg, Dr. Michelle Meiring, and Erica Koepsel.

Learn more at z.umn.edu/mchig

Dr. Laurel Cederberg is a Primary Care/General Pediatrician at HealthPartners Como Clinic and a current Maternal and Child Health MPH Student at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Michelle Meiring is a Pediatrician with a special interest in Palliative Care. She is also the CEO of Paedspal, an NGO based within the Rondebosch Medical Centre in Cape Town that provides a consultative pediatric palliative care service to public and private hospitals in the city. Dr. Meiring is also the chairperson for the South African Children’s Palliative Care Network (known as PATCH-SA).

Erica Koepsel joined the PATCH Team in 2015 and has enjoyed combining her background in health education with advocacy while also working with Teen Educators to promote open and honest communication about tough topics. Her work as the PATCH Madison Site Coordinator as well as the PATCH Implementation Director contribute to her expertise in adolescent health, youth engagement, and program development.