Sunday's Have You Heard

Yes, We're Open!: Come one, come all to the APHA 139th Annual Meeting Opening Session! We've got some big speakers lined up for what is sure to be an energizing kick-off. This year's speakers include former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle; Jonathan Jarvis, the 18th director of the National Park Service; Pamela Hyde, administrator of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Opening Session takes place from noon to 2 p.m. in the lower level of Exhibit Hall A in the Washington Convention Center.

Get your goody bag ready: The nearly 700 booths at this year's Public Health Expo will be ready to welcome you with open arms, tons of information and, yes, lots of free stuff. So clear some space in your APHA meeting bag for public health goodies galore. Expo booths run the gamut, including schools of public health, federal and state public health agencies, nonprofit organizations, book publishers as well as APHA membership groups. The expo opens right after Sunday's Opening Session at 2 p.m. in Exhibit Halls D/E of the Washington Convention Center.

Overwhelmed?: No worries, we're here to help. Check out the New Member/First-Timer Orientation session from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Salon H of the convention center to help you organize your schedule and hear from seasoned Annual Meeting attendees.

Raise your voice!: Thinking about taking a trip to the halls of Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of a healthy America? Then don't miss Sunday's session 177 at 2 p.m. in room 140A of the convention center to learn about "Training for Hill Visits on APHA Priorities." Then, visit APHA's Annual Meeting Hill Visits site for all you need for a successful visit with your member of Congress.

Going viral: Looking for a little mystery? Check out The Contagion Project event on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Salon A/B/C of the convention center and hear from Dr. Larry Brilliant, a scientific consultant to the recent movie "Contagion," president of the Skoll Global Threats Fund, and founder and director of the Seva Foundation, a global organization that works to eliminate preventable blindness, among many other accomplishments. Hear about the science behind "Contagion" and an exciting new challenge for APHA members. Will you go viral to help?

Two tweets are better than one: Meet your fellow Twitterers at the APHA Tweetup at 7 p.m. at restaurant 901, which is located at 901 9th St., NW, just a few steps away from the convention center. Tell them a little birdie sent you.