Foundation for a Healthy North Dakota

12/18/2025

Get reacquainted with Mary Lizakowski, our coalition health director! She earned her B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and her master of public health from the University of South Dakota.

Mary's previous work experience includes clinical research, program planning, implementation, management, and evaluation focusing on maternal and child health programs. At FHND, her focus is on stakeholder coordination, statewide coalition development, and leading training and education opportunities. She also serves as the secretary for the North Dakota Public Health Association. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family camping by a lake and growing a wide variety of vegetables in her garden.

Thank you for being such an integral part of the team, Mary!

12/16/2025

The easiest way to learn what community wellness means to North Dakotans is to ask them. So that's what we did: We traveled all across the state to chat with our neighbors about their public health concerns. Here's what Amy — a chiropractor, business owner, nonprofit board president, and volunteer reserve deputy who lives in West Fargo — had to say.

12/15/2025

Our recent webinar on farm-to-school programs in North Dakota is getting some great media coverage! Check out this piece from Public News Service: bit.ly/48hEMqQ

North Dakota sits above the national average for districts participating in its Farm to School program and officials said local success reflects the state's strong relationship with agriculture and how

12/11/2025

Don't take bets on your health!

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines are recommended for all adults ages 75 and older, plus adults ages 50 – 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV.

Infants can be protected against RSV by receiving a vaccine after birth or via maternal vaccine received during pregnancy.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/48bW09b

12/08/2025

If you only do 1️⃣ thing to keep yourself healthy this holiday season, wash your hands! Proper and regular handwashing plays a huge role in preventing all sorts of illnesses, including gastrointestinal and respiratory issues. A good rule of thumb: Scrub your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, then rinse under running water.

12/04/2025

We've heard from a few folks who weren't able to attend our recent Farm to School webinar but were interested in the subject matter. Good news! *ALL* of our educational webinars — including this one — are always made available on our YouTube channel after the event.

Visit (or revisit!) our conversation with Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation; Amanda Olson, farm-to-school specialist with North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; and Ann Olson, small farms navigator for Strengthen ND, here: bit.ly/480tg2W

In this educational webinar, attendees explored the opportunities available to North Dakota school districts and how farm-to-table programming promotes healt...

11/28/2025

Pro tip: The flu can be super sneaky! You can be contagious before symptoms even appear. That means taking preventative steps is crucial for protecting our community. Talk to your health care provider today about how to stay healthy this season. Let's keep North Dakota healthy and strong!

11/26/2025

As we get ready to enter our fourth year of operation, we wanted to re-introduce our hardworking, dedicated and small-but-mighty team. And who better to start with than Sandra Tibke, our executive director?

Sandy has spent nearly 20 years serving the people of North Dakota. As city commissioner of Mandan, she supported the city through an oil spill, flood recovery, and downtown revitalization. While executive director of Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota, she helped the organization grow its revenue, increase its visibility and advance legislation. She has also served as a relationship builder and liaison to Tribal communities, consulting with Children’s Defense Fund and Child Care Aware.

When not helping to improve community health and wellness outcomes across North Dakota, Sandy can be found in her kitchen with her collection of more than 100 cookbooks and hanging out with her son!

11/25/2025

With holiday fun and big family gatherings coming up, a reminder to keep any and all medications — both over-the-counter and prescription — safely stored and out of kids' reach. Safe Kids Worldwide recommends keeping medications in a high cabinet or drawer (at least taller than counter height) to prevent accidental poisonings.

Other safety tips include:

- Store medications in their original child-resistant packaging. Or, if you use one of those pill organizers to help keep track of daily medications, get one that's child-resistant.

- Put the Poison Help number (1-800-222-1222) into your phone and post it in a place where everyone can see it. In an emergency, the Poison Help line will connect you to your local poison center!

Visit the Safe Kids website for more safety tips like these: bit.ly/4iBTZWd

11/24/2025

It's not the kind of tip you want to hear, but it's an important one nonetheless:

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of illness this holiday season is to stay home if you or your loved one is feeling sick.

Yes, even on Thanksgiving.

We know, it's a bummer, but with highly contagious illnesses like the cold and flu increasing in number in North Dakota, it's the right thing to do!

For more cold and flu prevention tips, check out our recent webinar with Dr. Stephanie Hanson, a pediatrician at Sanford Health: bit.ly/4qOpHUN

During this educational webinar, attendees heard from Dr. Stephanie Hanson, a pediatrician from Sanford Health. She provided education on preventing and mana...

11/20/2025

Focusing on children’s health isn’t something preventative care doctor Dr. Stephanie Hanson initially set out to do. Instead, the role found her. ❤️

Today, Dr. Hanson provides acute and ongoing care for children as part of Sanford Children’s Fargo. Learn more about her approach to community wellness and tips on how to stay healthy this sick season over on our blog: bit.ly/3W7toqB

11/19/2025

We had an incredible time at the Alliance for Early Success CONNECT ’25 conference earlier this month! Connecting with hundreds of leaders and experts from across the nation was truly energizing. We gathered so many new insights and strategies to bring back and ensure all North Dakotan kids have a foundation for a bright future!