Today I presented on the Jade Ribbon Campaign as a model program for engaging the API population in HBV outreach, education and screening events at the CDC National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media.  (Whew, that was a mouthful!)  I have to say that I was actually a little nervous (and Amy pointed out to me afterwards that I did get a red during my presentation…) but I quickly got over any anxiety when I started speaking about the Jade Ribbon Campaign and expressed my genuine passion for eliminating the silent killer and health disparity, hepatitis B.  The Asian Liver Center has given me many opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.  This presentation to the CDC was another example of an exciting chance to showcase our center’s work and even highlight some of the projects that I have been working on over the past year.  I will be uploading my presentation to the Asian Liver Center’s website when I return from Atlanta so please feel free to check it out!

The CDC Health Marketing Conference has brought together some interesting and insightful speakers, as well as a gung-ho group of twittering tweeters who are all using the conference hashtag #nchcmm09.  This has really been my initial experience to see firsthand how twitter, hashtags and tweets work in the professional setting.  Everyone at the conference has been actively updating their status with interesting facts from speakers and information about their own organizations.  In fact, a tweetup has been scheduled for this evening!  We’ll just see how adventurous I get.  I feel like I may have to study my key twitter vocab words before I go so I don’t make a fool out of myself (and embarrass Amy).  If you want to help me figure out twitter and follow my daily activities at the Asian Liver Center, please follow me @AlenaGroopman.  And who knows, maybe one day when I master this whole twitter thing, my twitter updates will automatically update my eastvillagers status or viceversa...