Resources

Past Presentation

Protecting the Circle: Vaccinations to Safeguard Our Elders | September 21, 2026

Date of Presentation: September 21, 2026

Type: Past Presentation  

Audience: Clinical  Community  

Program: Community Health Representative (CHR)  

Keywords: #chr  #chw  #elders  #immunization  #vaccine preventable illness  

In this presentation, Holly Van Lew, and LaKota Scott, focus on the vital role community-led strategies and lifewide immunizations play in protecting older adults. This session highlights Community Health Representatives (CHRs) as trusted messengers who use targeted, community-facing materials to bridge gaps in elder care. The session explores clinical and communal frameworks for preventing vaccine-preventable diseases in elders, navigate immunization across the lifespan, and examines future opportunities for expanding CHR scopes of practice, including specialized immunization training and billing systems.

Recording:

Presented by:

Dr. Holly Van Lew
Dr. Holly Van Lew
Faculty

CAPT Holly Van Lew is clinical pharmacist with the Indian Health Service. She was the immunization coordinator at her medical center for 10 years, where she managed procurement, storage, and distribution of adult and childhood vaccines. She is a national trainer for multiple Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician Immunization Certificate Programs, having trained over 1,500 pharmacists, students, and technicians to administer vaccines. Holly works at the local, regional, and national level to educate pharmacists, providers, and nurses about immunizations with a focus on addressing patient vaccine needs at every encounter. She is currently the IHS COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Deputy Lead, administering the distribution and tracking of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Read the full bio …

LaKota Scott
LaKota Scott
Faculty

LaKota Scott is a Diné mother, physician, and educator from White Mesa, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Native American Studies from Dartmouth College and her Naturopathic Doctorate from the National University of Natural Medicine. She is pursuing a Master of Public Health in Indigenous Health at the University of North Dakota.

Dr. Scott is the Northwest Portland Indian Health Board Vaccine Programs Director. In this position, she directs and coordinates the Native Boost Program for childhood vaccination promotion throughout the Pacific Northwest and the VacciNative Program for adult vaccination promotion throughout Indian Country.

Resources Provided:

Date added: September 23, 2026