FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2021
Kentucky Chamber, UK’s Martin School to Co-Host Urban-Rural Issues Roundtable Series
FRANKFORT, Ky.—Finding new ways to bridge Kentucky’s urban-rural divide will be the focus of the first-ever Kentucky Public Policy Roundtable Series co-sponsored by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the University of Kentucky’s Martin School of Public Policy & Administration.
The inaugural program of the three-part series is set for noon on Tuesday, June 8, and will feature a discussion of urban-rural health issues. Panelists will include state policymakers and Martin School graduates:
• Mark Birdwhistell, vice president for Health Services Administration and chief of staff for UK Health Care
• Larry Gray, president of Baptist Health Louisville and former president of Baptist Health, Corbin.
• Senator Ralph Alvarado, Chair of the KY Senate Health and Welfare Committee
• Representative Kim Moser, Chair of the KY House Health and Family Services Committee
Kentucky Chamber Senior Policy Analyst Charles Aull will moderate the discussion.
“We are very excited to partner with the Chamber on this important initiative,” said Ron Zimmer, director of UK’s Martin School. “We have an outstanding faculty and a network of distinguished alumni across the state and nation with expertise in important public policy areas affecting urban and rural issues.
“We look forward to not only engaging in these roundtable discussions but also serving as a resource for policy-makers and other interested parties,” said Kate Shanks, vice president of public affairs at the Kentucky Chamber and Martin School graduate. “Our goal is that these sessions will lead to better understanding of these important issues and help develop Kentucky-specific solutions.”
Future programs planned as part of the Roundtable Series are Education (July 15) and Economic Development (August 10).
UK’s Martin School has been providing post-graduate studies in public policy and public administration since 1984. Starting with the 2020 fall semester, the School now offers an undergraduate public policy degree.
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