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Don't Be Mis-Lead! Pathways to Lead Exposure 

 Children, Family and Community

Join the progress against childhood lead poisoning.

IOMC is a collaborative research partner in preventative health, disease prevention, environmental health, and community health management. 

Programmatic Focus - Maternal & Child Health and Pathways to Lead Exposure 

Speakers

Moderated by Health News Illinois 

Anita Stewart, MD, MPH, JD, MBA

Billings Fellow, IOMC

Pediatrician, Private Practice, previously 

Public Health Specialist

Dr. Anita Stewart,  Pediatrician , has over 40 years of experience , is a clinical advisor to the LARC Foundation.  She is a Billings Fellow, Director on the Board of Governors, and is highly interested in public health, health policy, and social determinants. Dr. Stewart is member of the IOMC's Maternal & Child Health Workgroup and its former Chair. She had a private practice prior to joining BC & BS- IL. 

Previously, Dr. Stewart was the Medical Director of Government Programs for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and a member of the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans. Blue Cross and Blue Shield has more than 7 million members and is the largest health insurer in Illinois. Started in 1936, BCBSIL is committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities through accessible, cost-effective, quality health care. 

Susan Buchanan, MD, MPH

Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program, UOI-Chicago

Certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine/Occupational Medicine

Dr. Susan Buchanan, Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program, is dual-certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine/Occupational Medicine. She practiced primary care for over a decade prior to joining the department, adding teaching and research to her active Occupational and Environmental Medicine practice. She directs the Great Lakes Center for Children's Environmental Health, a ATSDR/EPA funded Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, which is a referral center for physicians, parents, and concerned communities in the Midwest. 

Dr. Buchanan's practice involves the evaluation of pediatric and adult patients with health problems related to their environment either in the workplace or community. Her research interests include the safety and occupational health of low income and immigrant workers as well as environmental exposures to children and women of childbearing age, areas in which she has published numerous peer reviewed studies.

Gloria E. Barrera, MSN, RN, PEL-CSN

Fellow, IOMC

Director, RN-BSN -School of Nursing, UOI- Chicago

Certified  School Nurse

Ms. Barrera, is a public health nurse leader, experienced school nurse, educator, and innovator whose career reflects a deep commitment to advancing health equity and empowering nurses to create meaningful change. She serves as the Director of an RN to BSN Program at a University, where she leads one of the nation’s top-ranked online nursing programs.

An expert in public health, and a recently published author, Ms. Barrera is a nationally recognized speaker on issues affecting school-aged children and the intersection of health, education, and policy. As the first Latina President of the Illinois Association of School Nurses, she launched the state’s first School Nurse Lobby Day, secured funding for the School Nurse Capacity Study, strengthened engagement with members, and led the development of the School Nurse Toolkit on Vaccines. She has more than 16 years of experience in school nursing, and continues her passion for the specialty while pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. A visionary leader, she designs programs that cultivate advocacy, leadership, and professional growth. She co-founded the Society of Latinx Nurses (SOLN) to promote representation and leadership within the profession.

About the LARC Foundation 

The Lead Abatement Resource Center Foundation (LARC Foundation) is an independent nonprofit organization (501c3) dedicated to eliminating positive blood levels in children. We do this through education, advocacy, and research on the child, the family, and the community. 

In children especially, a positive blood lead level results in cognitive impairment and a lifetime of mental and physical health challenges. There is no acceptable level of lead exposure.

Today, we are engaged in a broad lead awareness campaign focused on communities where there is a known propensity of measured blood lead levels in children. Our program framework describes the primary sources of lead contamination; offers practical prevention methods, and identifies resources for testing, evaluation, care, and if necessary, remediation.

The LARC “framework,” addresses public health, healthcare, and environmental issues.

We are evaluating, implementing, advocating, educating, and researching effective solutions to all types of lead hazards in the environment through cooperative partnerships with community groups, government agencies, businesses, and individuals. www.larcusa.org

Learn more here>

Suggested Reading: 

Prenatal and Early Postnatal Lead Exposure, Sensitive Periods, and Later Adult Mental Health, 

by Joyce J.Y. Lin, PhD¹;  Ruby Hickman, MPH¹; Justin Farmer, MS¹ JAMA, Oct.22, 2025 

Sponsor   

                              Grant Supporter                                     Program Supporter 

Media Partner 

Sponsors and Supporters- contact us to learn more & obtain details at sponsorship@iomc.org.

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