The Story Behind the Numbers 2.0: Reframing Data Through Narrative for Public Health Impact

Overview:

This is a live webinar on April 14, 2026, from 12 – 1:30 pm ET. Participants will use Zoom to join. 

Many public health professionals are fluent in data. Unfortunately, data alone doesn’t always shift behavior or build community trust. This 90-minute interactive session explores how narrative construction can humanize statistics, strengthen community engagement, and improve decision-making in broader public health efforts. Participants will learn how to ethically integrate lived experience into public health messaging, apply structured storytelling frameworks, and connect narrative strategy to measurable outcomes.

Presenter:

Lamarr Lewis, LAPC, is a dedicated public servant, mental wellness advocate, published author, and change agent. As a community-based practitioner, he has worked with such diverse groups as; individuals living with psychiatric disabilities, people in recovery, At-Hope (He does not use the term At-Risk) youth, and more. He tirelessly gives back to his community through homeless outreach initiatives, public speaking, mentoring, coaching, and finding ways to develop the next generation of leaders. He is an alumnus of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and received his master’s degree from Argosy University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He is currently a mental health therapist, trainer, and consultant. His lifelong mission is to leave the world better than when he found it.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Explain how personal and community narratives enhance quantitative data to strengthen trust, clarity, and adherence in public health initiatives.

• Analyze public health challenges by identifying human behaviors, contextual factors, and lived experiences influencing compliance and outcomes.

• Apply at least one structured storytelling framework to translate public health data into clear, engaging, and ethically grounded messages for diverse audiences.

CERTIFICATE: The course contains three modules: a pre-session module, a module to access the webinar, and an evaluation module. After accessing these modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,348,992. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.