All Transmission Control Podcast Episodes

How do we turn hard-won victories into lasting change, inside hospitals and across our communities? In the Season 3 finale of the Transmission Control Podcast, Garrett and Jill sit down with Allie Piatkowski, Founder and CEO of Piat Public Health. Allie reflects on the personal leap of launching her own public health consultancy and the wins she’s seeing in a field still navigating post-pandemic realities. Our conversation challenges infection preventionists to zoom out beyond the four walls of acute care and rethink how community health, public health, and IP intersect. From collaboration gaps to change fatigue, Allie offers practical insight on sustaining momentum, avoiding burnout, and keeping prevention work visible, even when success means nothing happens at all. This finale is both a celebration and a call to action: victories matter, but sustainment is what truly transforms systems!

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What does it really take to succeed in infection prevention when the playbook isn’t clear? In this episode of the Transmission Control Podcast, we sit down with Whitney Daum to explore the human skills of IP leadership that matter just as much as the data. Whitney shares how her background in nursing, public health, and education shapes the way she builds trust, navigates uncertainty, and leads with influence rather than authority. From reading the room and asking better questions to knowing when to pivot in construction meetings, outbreak responses, or high-stakes conversations with clinical leaders, Whitney offers practical advice for new and seasoned IPs alike. If you’ve ever struggled to balance standards, data, and people—or wondered how to communicate without being threatening and lead with humility—this episode shows you how the best IPs connect the technical work with the human impact.

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Perfect imaging every time. No repairs. No reprocessing. Could single-use arthroscopes be the answer? On this special Beyond Clean, First Case, Power Supply, and Transmission Control Vendor Spotlight™ co-release episode, we’re joined by Rich McKillop, CEO of Pristine Surgical, to explore how their Summit™ 4K Single-Use Arthroscope is redefining what efficiency looks like in the OR. Learn how this single-use solution delivers consistent 4K image clarity while eliminating the time, labor, and costs associated with scope reprocessing and repairs. Through smart, cloud-connected technology that delivers real-time data and case analytics, discover how Pristine Surgical can help your department optimize workflows, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes!

Learn more about Pristine Surgical’s single-use arthroscopy solutions by visiting pristinesurgical.com. To access the cost savings calculator, schedule a demonstration, or learn more about Pristine Connect®, email [email protected] or follow them on LinkedIn.

Breaking into infection prevention can feel impossible without prior experience. But how do you get that experience if no one will hire you first? In this episode of the Transmission Control Podcast, Garrett and Jill are joined by Infection Preventionist, Paul Gentile, to tackle one of the biggest gaps in the IP workforce: meaningful, hands-on internships. Paul shares his own unconventional path into infection prevention and explains how early shadowing shaped his career. He walks us through a practical internship model built around the APIC competency framework, designed to move beyond observation and into real clinical application. From surveillance and environment of care rounds to working alongside EVS, Sterile Processing, and emergency preparedness, Paul explains how this program teaches interns to think like IPs. If you’re interested in building the next generation of IPs in your department, or trying to become one, this is the episode for you!

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This week on the Transmission Control podcast, Garrett and Jill sit down with Aaron Woodall, newly elected APIC Board Member and longtime federal IP leader, for an honest conversation about where the IP field is headed—and what it will take to move it forward. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience across the Army, DoD, and VA, Aaron shares why he chose to step into national leadership and what gaps still exist in how infection prevention is supported, resourced, and understood. Along the way, Aaron offers a clear look at the collective responsibility of the IP community—and what meaningful progress will require to strengthen the profession. If you’ve ever wondered how infection prevention can evolve into a fully recognized, well-resourced specialty, this episode brings that vision into focus.

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In this episode of the Transmission Control podcast, Garrett and Jill sit down with Emily Barnard, Infection Prevention Manager at Mountains Community Hospital, for a candid look at what it really takes to rebuild an infection prevention (IP) program in a rural, resource-limited setting. Emily shares what it was like stepping into a hospital with no dedicated IP for more than two years—and how she didn’t waste a minute getting to work. From Gemba walks and real-time observation to relationship-building on the front lines, she breaks down the practical moves that helped uncover gaps and kick-start meaningful improvement. Listeners get an inside look at the realities of critical access hospitals, where aging infrastructure, limited resources, and unexpected environmental challenges demand creativity, adaptability, and grit. Through humor, honesty, and hard-earned insight, Emily reminds us that real progress doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from consistent, strategic wins. If you’ve ever felt like you’re facing “mountains beyond mountains,” this episode is proof that the climb is possible. Tune in today!

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What does it look like to become an IP with a terminal degree? In this episode of Transmission Control’s Victory Lap series, Garrett Hollembeak and Jill Holdsworth sit down with Dr. Lerenza Howard, Manager of Infection Prevention, Employee Health, and Quality Improvement at La Rabida Children’s Hospital. Dr. Lerenza guides us through her journey to earning her doctorate in Health Science while working full-time in IP, raising a family, and staying active in professional organizations. She shares how doctoral training sharpened her research skills, transformed how she approaches evidence-based practice, and led to her dissertation on IP experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation digs into qualitative vs. quantitative research, realistic expectations about what a terminal degree will and won’t do for your career, and how to align advanced education with a clear “why.” If you’re an IP who is curious about a doctorate, this episode offers a candid, encouraging look at what a true professional victory lap can look like.

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If Candida auris can spread silently through your facility, how do you stop it before it spreads too far? In this episode of Transmission Control, Blake Thomas, MPH, joins hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Jill Holdsworth to break down how point prevalence surveys (PPS) are a critical tool in identifying hidden transmission and containing risk. From setting clear screening criteria—like LTC/SNF exposure or missed isolation—to coordinating with lab, nursing, ID, and EVS teams, Blake shares how his team built a repeatable process for outbreak prevention. You’ll hear how they overcame PPE fatigue, earned nursing buy-in, and empowered their “Swab Mob” to protect both patients and staff. Tune in to find out how this proactive approach helped turn a public health challenge into a system-wide win!

Make sure to follow Transmission Control on your favorite podcast app, LinkedIn, and Facebook so you never miss an episode!

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What does it actually take for EVS to finish on the podium—clean rooms, clean data, and a clean survey? On this Season 3 premiere of Transmission Control, we welcome Allen Cooper and Kyle Piccirello to break down how a frontline culture and the right technology turned chronic pain points into measurable wins at a major medical center. From daily huddles and color-coded bins to real-time documentation and transparent dashboards, they share how standardizing processes improved isolation signage compliance, terminal clean checks, and UVC use—while fueling antimicrobial stewardship meetings and strengthening C-suite accountability. Along the way, they reveal how AI helped prioritize Environment of Care findings and how building staff buy-in created a system so solid it supported launching a new patient tower without starting from scratch. Tune in today to discover how moving from “do the task” to “prove the outcome” can drive faster room turns, infection reductions, and survey success.

Make sure to follow Transmission Control on your favorite podcast app, LinkedIn, and Facebook so you never miss an episode!

#TransmissionControl #InfectionPrevention #Podcast #Season3 #TheVictoryLap #EVS #Compliance #Technology