Health Literacy Voices

Health Literacy Voices is a storytelling series that showcases diverse experiences, insights, and realizations shaping the field of health literacy. 

Through Journeys & Perspectives, individuals share personal stories of how health literacy has touched their lives and influenced their professional paths. 

In Expert Insights, leaders offer reflections on the challenges, innovations, and future of the field.

And in Aha! Moments, visitors contribute brief but powerful realizations that highlight why health literacy matters. Together, these voices build a rich, community-driven collection that deepens understanding and sparks conversation around health literacy’s role in advancing equity and improving health outcomes.

Expert Insights

Tiffany Vo, MPH, CHES

Tiffany Vo, MPH, CHES

Discover how Tiffany Vo, MPH, CHES, envisions a future where health literacy remains human-centered in an AI-driven world—shaping policies, education, and patient care to build a more equitable, informed, and compassionate healthcare system. 

Read more here.

Ricardo V. López, MPH, CHES

Ricardo V. López, MPH, CHES

Ricardo is the Senior Education Lead for the Population Health Program at Astrana Health. He develops patient education and staff training programs and played a key role in helping the organization earn Pop. Health NCQA accreditation for Heart Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease. With expertise across community, hospital, and healthcare settings, he champions an evidence-based, interdisciplinary approach to improving patient outcomes.

Read more here.

Tracy Mehan, MA

Tracy Mehan is the Director of Research Translation and Communication at the Center for Injury Research and Policy. She helps researchers share injury prevention messages in clear, accessible ways, using both traditional and digital tools—including AI. Tracy is dedicated to inclusive, equity-driven communication strategies that translate research into action and promote public health.

Read more here.

Personal Journeys and Perspectives

Tiffany Vo, MPH, CHES

Clare Kelley, MS, HLS, CCLS

Read Clare Kelley share how meeting patients where they are, even the youngest ones, can turn confusion into confidence and transform health care communication. 

Read more here.

Creating the Health Fluency Project (HFP)

See college students share their experiences in growing up in immigrant households with language barriers inspiring the creation of HFP.


Kathy Kastner, Patient Partner

Patient partner and health entrepreneur Kathy Kastner shares how one prenatal class turned confidence into confusion when jargon took over. That moment began her journey in health literacy. Kathy shows how words shape care, why pace and plain language matter, and how respect builds trust. 

Aha! Moments

Often there’s an “Aha!” moment when someone realizes the power of health literacy—whether it’s understanding a diagnosis for the first time, successfully advocating for a loved one, or seeing how clear communication can change lives.

Here are some moments we’ve collected—and we’d love to hear yours too.

Health Literacy ‘Aha!’ Moments – Share Yours

Have you ever had a moment when the importance of health literacy suddenly clicked? Maybe it was understanding a diagnosis for the first time, helping a loved one navigate care, or realizing how clear communication made all the difference.

What was your health literacy ‘Aha!’ moment?

If you are interested in sharing your story email Eskarlethe Juarez at ejuarez@iha4health.org