Newsmakers ========== * Natalie McGill ## Auerbach named senior policy advisor APHA member John Michael Auerbach, MBA, in October was named senior policy advisor to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in CDC’s Office of the Associate Director. Auerbach previously served as distinguished professor of practice and director of the Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University’s Institute on Urban Health Research. ## Cardelle named dean of Pennsylvania’s college of health sciences APHA member Alberto Jose Frick Cardelle, PhD, MPH, in August was named dean of East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania’s College of Health Sciences. Cardelle, a professor of health studies, previously served as interim dean since July 2013. ## Jackson receives policy award for work in children’s environmental health APHA member Richard Joseph Jackson, MD, MPH, in October received the Children’s Environmental Health Network’s 2014 Policy Award. Jackson is professor and former chair of environmental health sciences at the University of California-Los Angeles’ Fielding School of Public Health. Jackson was honored for his decades of work in keeping children healthy, including creating an environmental hazards committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ California chapter. ## Koch receives American Statistical Society award APHA member Gary Koch, PhD, in August received the American Statistical Society’s 2014 Karl E. Pearce Award for Outstanding Statistical Contributions for the Betterment of Society. Koch, a professor of biostatistics at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, is director of the school’s Biometric Consulting Laboratory. ## Wactawski-Wende named interim dean at New York school APHA member Jean Wactawski-Wende, PhD, MS, in July began her role as interim dean of the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. Wactawski-Wende is also the vice provost for strategic initiatives and research advancement, as well as professor and associate chair of the school’s Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health. ## Wasserheit named chair of Washington school’s global health department APHA member Judith Wasserheit, MD, MPH, in September became chair of the University of Washington School of Public Health’s Department of Global Health. Wasserheit previously served as vice chair of the Department of Global Health and is a professor of epidemiology, global health and medicine. ## James named as Pittsburgh school’s health policy and management chair Everette James, JD, MBA, in September was named the M. Allen Pond chair in health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health. James is the director of the university’s Health Policy Institute and is also associate vice chancellor for health policy and planning of the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences. The chair is named for Pond, a former dean of the university’s School of Public Health. ## Palm named senior counselor on HHS management team Andrea Palm, MSW, in September was promoted to senior counselor of the Department of Health and Human Services’ management team. Palm, who was promoted by HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, previously served as chief of staff to the HHS secretary since May 2013. Palm also served on the White House Domestic Policy Council. ## Pañares appointed to minority health advisory board Rea Pañares, MHS, in July was appointed to the U.S. Advisory Committee on Minority Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. Pañares will work on Office of Minority Health activities that will improve the health of U.S. racial and ethnic minorities. She also serves as a senior advisor for the Prevention Institute. ## Rimon named director of global philanthropic group’s institute José Rimon II, MA, in September was named the new director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health. Rimon, who previously served as the institute’s interim director, also served as senior officer in the Global Health Policy and Advocacy group of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rimon also served as senior deputy director and founding member of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Communication Programs. * Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association