Keynote Speaker | Public Health Strategist | Community Leader

Dr. David Tillman is a national voice in public health leadership, known for helping communities navigate complexity, strengthen partnerships, and lead without a map. As Chair of the Department of Public Health at Campbell University and co-founder of Evident Analytics, David brings over 15 years of experience working alongside local health departments, nonprofits, universities, and faith-based organizations to advance rural health equity and systemic change.

David is the architect of the LAMP Lens framework, a nationally recognized tool for centering lived wisdom, moral courage, and academic expertise in community health initiatives. He is also co-host of the Route Notes podcast, where he and Dr. Wesley Rich explore the messy, meaningful work of public leadership through story and strategy.

Whether he’s keynoting state conferences, facilitating strategic planning retreats, or leading community visioning sessions, David is known for his warmth, humor, and ability to spark insight across sectors. His speaking topics include:

• Rooted in Rural: Cultivating Health by Valuing the Rural Context

• The Future Starts Now: Leadership for the Next 100 Years

• Stories from the Backroads: Navigating Complexity in Rural Health

• Research Without Subjects: Community as Co-Researcher

David’s work has been featured by the CDC/ASTHO, the Public Health Conference of Iowa, the NC Institute of Medicine, and Interfaith America. He lives in North Carolina, runs barefoot, and believes the future of public health will be built one conversation at a time.