CHES® Spotlight
Lily Benig, MPH, CHES® : Continued
ences in liver health around the world,” she says. The work also came with real challenges, as data quality varies widely bycountry. Some topics had limited information available in English. Some chapters required using related data, such as information on obesity or diabetes, to better understand the context for fatty liver disease. “We were always thinking carefully about the audience and how the informa-tion would actually be used, especially when individual chapters might reach policymakers or ministries of health,” she says.
Advocacy, language, and the real-world impact of words Benig’s advocacy work has also reinforced a lesson she has seen many times: words matter, especially when they become part of public health systems. When terminology around fatty liver disease began changing, she reviewed proposed ICD-10 coding language and noticed wording that raised concerns among liver health professionals and advocates because it could carry stigma forward instead of helping the field move away from it. During the public comment period, Benig reached out to physicians, patients, advocates, and partner organizations to gather feedback and understand whether others shared her concerns. The organization submitted comments, and the proposed language did not move forward in that round. The issue later reentered the comment process, leaving the final outcome uncertain. “It was concerning to see how consequential language could move through a process without enough attention to stigma or real-world impact,” she says. “It was encouraging to see that we could bring people together around a shared concern and provide input that was taken seriously.”
Carrying the CHES® credential into broader health education spaces Benig learned about CHES® certification during her graduate studies and went on to earn the credential after completing coursework that aligned closely with health education methods and competencies. She was later recognized as a CHES® high scorer, a distinction she remembers sharing with her family after seeing the announcement. For Benig, CHES® certification also helps name the skills professionals may already be using in roles that do not always carry a traditional health educator title. She has seen that firsthand in her own career and in conversations with peers. After attending APHA, she heard from former classmates who were interested in the way her CHES® credential connected to her work. “I’m happy to report that my former classmates were super jealous of me at APHA,” she says, “and that conversation in our group chat ended with one deciding to sign up for the CHES exam next April and the other next fall.” For Benig, those conversations point to a larger opportunity for the profession. In fields like medical writing, health advocacy, policy communication, and patient education, professionals are often already using health education competencies, even if they do not always describe the work that way. Skills worth building When asked what skills newer professionals should focus on, Benig comes back to something that sounds simple but is easy to overlook: know your audience. “People often want to jump right into the work,” she says, “but I think it is important to pause and ask: Who is the audience?” That question shapes the message, tone, level of detail, and call to action. Benig also encourages professionals to ask what that audience actually has the power to do. “You can make a strong argument, but if you are not speaking to the right decision-maker, it may not lead to the action you are hoping for,” she says. For early-career professionals, Benig also recommends learning from strong examples. Whether writing a report, preparing a public comment, building a resource, or creating a presentation, she says there is usually existing work that can help guide the structure, organization, or approach. From there, professionals can adapt what works to fit a new purpose, audience, and message. “I rarely feel like I am starting completely from scratch,” she says. “There is usually a strong example, structure, or model that can help guide the work while still allowing you to make it your own.” A broad path with a clear purpose Benig’s career does not fit neatly into one category, and that is precisely why it may resonate with other health education specialists. Her path shows how the competencies of the profession can apply in technical, policy, advocacy, communications, and global health spaces. For fellow credential-holders, her work is also a reminder that health education specialists have a place in rooms where science, policy, and communication meet. Her work shows that “better communication” is not just a talking point in public health. It requires professionals who can understand the audience, clarify the message, and make health information usable. That is where health education specialists are especially well prepared to lead.
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