Newsmakers: November/December 2024

Sophia Meador

Neblett named director

APHA Member Enrique Neblett, PhD, was named director of the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center in September. Neblett previously served as professor of health behavior and health equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Albert receives cardiology award

Michelle Albert, MD, MPH, received the 2025 Dr. Carolyn McCue Award for Woman Cardiologist of the Year in August. Albert serves as professor and admissions dean at the University of San Francisco School of Medicine.

McGough appointed vice president

Patrick McGough, DNP, MSHR, was named vice president for the National Association of County and City Health Officials in August. McGough is CEO and chief health officer for Oklahoma City-County Health Department. He is slated to become NACCHO board president in July 2025.

Battle to retire

Brenda Battle, MBA, is slated to retire at the end of the year after 43 years in health care. Battle, who joined the University of Chicago Medicine in 2012, will leave her roles of senior vice president for Community Health Transformation, chief equity officer and head of the Urban Health Initiative.

Barkoff named associate professor

Alison Barkoff, JD, was named the Harold and Jane Hirsh associate professor of health law and policy at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in August. She was scheduled to take on the new role in October.

Cancer board of directors elected

The Association of American Cancer Institutes elected three new members to its board of directors, the organization announced in September. The new members are B. Mark Evers, MD, FACS, director of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center; Kevin Lee, MD, director of Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Tomas Sellers, MPH, PhD, director of the Oregon Health and Science University Knight Cancer Institute. Their two-year terms began in October.

Brandley appointed director

Tufanna Bradley, MPA, was appointed director of health and human services for New Hanover County, North Carolina, in August. Bradley, who had served as interim director since September 2023, will keep her position as assistant county manager.

Donenberg named associate director

Geri Donenberg, PhD, was named the National Institutes of Health’s associate director for AIDS research and director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research in September. Donenberg previously served as professor and chair of scholarly activities at the University of Illinois Chicago. She was slated to take on the new role in October.

Jaffe named scholar

Kaitlyn Jaffe, PhD, was named a 2024-2025 Substance Use Disorder Systems Performance Scholar by the Brandeis-Harvard Systems Performance Improvement Research and Engagement Center in August. Jaffe is an assistant professor of community health education at the University of Amherst.

Kremer named coordinator

Anna Kremer, MPH, was named communication and outreach coordinator for Missouri’s Springfield-Greene County Health in August. Kramer joined the health department as a health policy analyst in July 2023.

Lane appointed fellow

Mariela Lane, MD, was appointed to the Strategic Educators Enhancement Fellowship in September. Lane is an assistant professor and clinical assistant professor at Texas Tech Health in El Paso. Her fellowship will explore the integration of artificial intelligence into medical education.

Standford awarded

Ala Standford, MD, was awarded the Rodney D. Williams Award for Excellence in Service and Leadership by the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging in September. Standford is founder of the Black Doctors Consortium and the Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity. She is the first recipient of the award.

Maestas appointed chair

Nicole Maestas, PhD, was appointed chair of the Department of Health Care Policy in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School in August. Maestas, a professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard, is a specialist on the economics of disability insurance, labor markets, health care systems and population aging. She is slated to begin in November.

Mentzel named director

Tammy Mentzel, MPH, was named executive director for center administration and associate director for administration at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. Mentzel, who joined the center in 2019, had held the position on an interim basis since February 2023.

Riley awarded

Carley Riley, MD, MPP, MHS, was awarded the 2024 Uma R. Kotagal Changemaker Award from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in August. Riley is an attending physician in the Division of Critical Care Medicine at the hospital. She is the first recipient of the award.

Vermund named dean

Sten Vermund, MD, MPH, was named dean of the University of South Florida College of Public Health in August. Vermund, president of university’s Global Virus Network, formerly served as dean of the Yale School of Public Health. He is slated to begin in January of next year.

Kramer named director

Michael Kramer, PhD, was named director of the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities director at Mercer University in August. Kramer is a professor in the university’s Department of Community Medicine. He will lead the center’s efforts to address health disparities in rural Georgia.

Schnadower named director

David Schnadower, MD, MPH, was named director of emergency medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in August. Schnadower previously served as interim division director.