Newsmakers: May/June 2015

Natalie McGill

Jones appointed to National Board of Public Health Examiners

APHA President-Elect Camara Jones, MD, PhD, MPH, in March was appointed to represent the Association on the National Board of Public Health Examiners’ Board of Directors.

Remley named CEO of national pediatrics organization

APHA member Karen Remley, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAP, in July will begin her position as executive director and CEO of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Remley, who will be the academy’s first female CEO, is the chief medical director of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia. Remley also served as Virginia’s commissioner of health from 2008 to 2012.

Two APHA members join NIH team on precision medicine

APHA President Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MBA, and APHA member Spero Manson, PhD, in March were announced as members of a National Institutes of Health working group focused on developing President Barack Obama’s Precision Medicine Initiative. Kumanyika is an emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine’s Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. Manson is a distinguished professor and director of the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health at the Colorado School of Public Health.

Durbin receives award for public health leadership

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., in March received the Public Health Leadership Award from the Commissioned Officers Association of the United States Public Health Service. Durbin received the award for his work in attempting to reduce tobacco use on military installations.

Lemanske named president of allergy and asthma academy

Robert Lemanske Jr., MD, FAAAAI, in February was named the 2015-2016 president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Lemanske Jr. serves as professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Penner takes helm of AIDS directors association

Murray Penner in April became the new executive director of the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. Penner previously served as deputy director of the alliance since 2005.

Pennsylvania college now offers major in public health

Moravian College in March announced that its undergraduate students are now able to major in public health at the campus located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Students can earn a Moravian College degree by completing half of their coursework at Moravian College and the other half at East Stroudsburg University’s Bethlehem campus via a partnership between both schools.

Wakefield named acting deputy secretary at HHS

Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, in March was announced as the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Wakefield previously served as administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Wolinetz named NIH associate director for science policy

Carrie Wolinetz, PhD, in February was named the associate director for science policy at the National Institutes of Health. Wolinetz previously served as deputy vice president for federal relations at the Association of American Universities.