From the Flint Water Crisis to Rx Kids

Central Michigan University welcomes Mona Hanna, MD, MPH, as the keynote speaker for the Fall 2025 Griffin Forum 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 12 in Anspach 161.

Hanna (commonly known as Dr. Mona) was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and recognized as one of USA Today’s Women of the Century for her role in uncovering the Flint water crisis and leading recovery efforts.

She is reimagining how society can come together to eliminate infant poverty as founder and director of Rx Kids, the nation’s first-ever community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program.

Dr. Mona is a pediatrician and director of the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative. A nationally recognized child health researcher and advocate, she launched the community-partnered initiative in response to the Flint water crisis to improve outcomes for kids. She is also the Associate Dean for Public Health and C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

She is the author of the New York Times 100 most notable book, What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City. Grounded in community-based participation, Dr. Mona and the Pediatric Public Health Initiative work with many local and national partners to boldly improve child health equity and share best practices.

The Griffin Forums are sponsored by the Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government, within the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service at CMU. The forums are open to the public.

“Dr. Mona's story proves that one person can make a difference—a big difference, in fact,” said Griffin Chair Dan Kildee. “She was willing to speak truth to power during the Flint Water Crisis, but she didn't stop there. As the creator of Rx Kids, she is literally improving the future for kids, one at a time.”

Kildee and co-instructor Jim Ananich, will organize policy forums each semester that address social, political-economic, environmental, and other current and important issues.