Overview

Southeast Roundtable logo

The southeastern United States has historically had the lowest HPV vaccination coverage as a region – with some exceptions – and the highest rates of HPV cancers, especially cervical and oral cancers. Focusing on the Southeast allows us to galvanize existing successful efforts working in our areas, learn from each other, and further our reach and impact on improving HPV vaccination coverage.

 The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast is comprised of a group of people and partners from 14 states and jurisdictions – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico – and now to include Washington, DC -- working together to improve HPV vaccination coverage in their respective states and jurisdictions and in our region.

Building upon previous efforts led by the ACS National HPV Vaccination Roundtable in 2019, the newly formed HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast aims to create a platform for sharing ideas and strategic action planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Beginning in September 2022, select representatives of southeastern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) and Puerto Rico united with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the American Cancer Society, and the ACS National HPV Vaccination Roundtable to discuss improving HPV vaccination in these regions to prevent HPV cancers. This group, referred to as the Planning Committee, decided unanimously to recommit working together to take on the challenges unique to our region and similar to others facing low HPV vaccination coverage.

Purpose:

By coming together, the Southeast Roundtable will focus on:

  • Current conditions surrounding HPV vaccination and HPV cancer prevention
  • Replicating HPV vaccination success across the Southeast
  • Overcoming challenges facing HPV vaccination
  • Capitalizing on opportunities to improve HPV vaccination coverage in each state and the overall region.

The Southeast Roundtable also works to understand the current context and conditions, share success stories, creatively problem-solve challenges, and act accordingly to take on the challenge of too many missing out on HPV cancer prevention.

Priority actions:

In January 2024, the HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast held an in-person meeting, drawing 100 participants from 14 states and jurisdictions at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn more about the activities leading up to the annual meeting in this recording. During the meeting, attendees actively discussed, debated, and voted on evidence-based interventions, collectively identifying the top three strategies to enhance HPV vaccination rates in the region.

The main activities of the Southeast Roundtable center around three priority actions:

Communication: Develop and implement a communication campaign and messages for the Southeastern region 

Elimination: Develop and disseminate a plan for HPV cancer elimination in the Southeast, beginning with cervical cancer as a public health problem

Start at Age 9: Accelerate efforts to start HPV vaccination at age 9 

Each priority is driven by dedicated implementation teams made up of co-leaders and primary champions who meet monthly to advance the outlined action steps. These teams lead the charge in executing targeted activities, interventions, and programs designed to achieve the Roundtable’s goals. We are proud of the progress made so far and look forward to sharing updates and resources with you.

We also encourage active involvement from Roundtable members and thought leaders throughout the region. If you are interested in joining an implementation team, please reach out to us at PreventHPV@stjude.org.  Your participation is vital to our collective success!

Upcoming events

Communications Campaign Kick-off Event, December 10

VML, the communication agency partner, developed three communication campaign concepts, and the top choice – "It’s Our Way Down South" – was selected by members of the Planning Committee and implementation team. Right now, we are working on specific taglines for each of the states and jurisdictions comprising the Southeast Roundtable. Campaign resources will be released on December 2 in a special communication, with a kickoff meeting on December 10 from noon-1 p.m. Central Time. The campaign will launch in January 2025. 


Register: 2025 Southeastern Roundtable Virtual Annual Meeting

The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast will host its 2025 annual meeting virtually on January 21, 22, and 23 from 10 am-12 pm CT. Register for one or all three of the meetings – and we hope you will join us for all three. We have so much to share and so much to learn and do to improve HPV cancer prevention across the region.

The agenda for each day of the annual meeting will be focused on one of the three priority actions of the Southeast Roundtable: 1) regional communication campaign, 2) elimination of HPV cancers starting with cervical cancer as a public health problem, and 3) starting HPV vaccination at age 9.

  • January 21: Communication
  • January 22: Elimination
  • January 23: Age 9

Each day, the two-hour meeting will begin with a review of accomplishments over the past year and future plans followed by lightning talks delivered by subject matter experts to revisit potential opportunities for the Southeast Roundtable to consider for 2025. Then, moderated breakout sessions will allow for discussion about the selected priority action and possible next steps as well as consider other possible priority actions to be explored. Specific agendas for each day with confirmed speakers will be released before the end of 2024.

If you have any questions, email us at PreventHPV@stjude.org.

Resources

Policy Report

Fact sheets

Flyers, Social Media

Past events

Roundtable meetings

Achieving Cervical Cancer Elimination in the Southeast (June 6, 2024)

This virtual training took place on June 6, 2024 and explored Operation Wipe Out, Alabama’s statewide action plan to eliminate cervical cancer, as a model for implementing policy to eliminate cervical cancer in the Southeast. Featured presenters were Isabel C. Scarinci, PhD, MPH, Professor, Vice-Chair for Global and Rural Women's Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Senior Advisor for Globalization and Cancer, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Nancy Wright, MPH Director, Cancer Prevention and Control Division, Alabama Department of Health.


Cooking Up Success: Southeastern Roundtable Meeting ( January 22-23, 2024)

The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast held an in-person meeting in January 2024, drawing 100 participants from 12 Southeastern states, and Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. During the meeting, attendees actively discussed, debated, and voted on evidence-based interventions, collectively identifying the top three strategies to enhance HPV vaccination rates in the region. The three priority action steps that the Southeast Roundtable will focus on are listed below:

1.  Develop and implement a communication campaign and messages for the Southeastern region
2.  Develop and disseminate a plan for HPV cancer elimination in the Southeast, beginning with cervical cancer as a public health problem.
3.  Accelerate efforts to start HPV vaccination at age 9


Southeast Roundtable Virtual Meetings, March-May 2023

The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast hosted three virtual meetings to reconvene southeastern states and improve HPV vaccination coverage.  Each meeting included state updates and a moderated discussion followed by action steps from Roundtable members. 

Virtual training experiences

Navigating Conversations: Effective Communication Strategies for HPV Vaccination in the Southeast (11/15/2023)

The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast held a second virtual training experience on November 15 – Navigating Conversations: Effective Communication Strategies for HPV Vaccination in the Southeast. In this virtual training, Bob Bednarczyk, PhD, Emory University, presented on effective communication strategies for HPV Vaccination and addressing HPV vaccine myths, Jennifer Cunningham-Erves, PhD, Vanderbilt University presented on a tailored, mobile phone-based intervention to build HPV vaccine confidence among parents and Beth Sundstrom, PhD, College of Charleston presented on communication strategies for HPV vaccination in the southeast, specifically building confidence and resilience. The training was moderated by Francine Walton, MPH. O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.


Digging Deeper into HPV Vaccination Data (09/13/2023)

The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast held a virtual training experience on September 13 – Digging Deeper into HPV Vaccination Data. In this virtual training, Cassandra (Sandy) Pingali, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and lead author of the MMWR publication, presented on the NIS-Teen data with Courtnay Londo of the American Immunization Registry Association and Casey Daniel, PhD of the University of South Alabama presented on HPV vaccination data sources nationally and regionally. The training was moderated by Caree McAfee, MA, CHES with the University of Kentucky - Markey Cancer Center.


Seminars

Addressing HPV Vaccination Gaps in the Southeastern U.S. (2/27/2023)

 This seminar leading up to International HPV Awareness Day 2023 focused on gaps in HPV vaccination coverage in southeastern states with a focus on opportunities for action. The seminar was moderated by Fedoria Rugless, PhD with presentations given by Donna L. Williams, MS, MPH, DrPH, Pamela C. Hull, PhD, and Beth L. Sundstrom, PhD, MPH. Co-organizers included the HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast and the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable.


Planning committee

  • Mariana Arevalo, Moffit - Office of Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity
  • Linsday Barr, West Virginia Center for Rural Health Development, Inc.
  • Robert Bednarczyk, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
  • Heather Brandt, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
  • Silvia Camata, O' Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Alabama-Birmingham
  • Vivian  Colon- Lopez, University of Puerto Rico
  • Gabrielle Darville-Sanders, National HPV Vaccination Roundtable
  • Amy Ellis, American Cancer Society
  • Jane Grey, California Department of Health
  • Kim Hale, American Cancer Society
  • Nikki  Hayes, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Pam Hull, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center
  • Duha Magzoub, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
  • Cara McCarthy, Louisiana Cancer Prevention & Control Programs
  • Andrea Mendes, Virginia Department of Health
  • Heather Mercer, Immunize Arkansas
  • Hannah Nein, American Cancer Society
  • Jill Pait , American Cancer Society
  • Jennifer Young Pierce, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama
  • Beth  Poore, South Carolina Department of Health
  • Dorothy Sinard, ImmunizeTN
  • Sherrie  Wallington, The George Washington School of Nursing, Milken Institute School of Public Health, GW Cancer Center

Sign up to receive the latest information about the roundtable, and email PreventHPV@stjude.org with any questions.