Newsmakers: May/June 2013

Natalie McGill

Heise becomes NACCHO’s president-elect

APHA member Georgia Heise, DrPH, in April was named president-elect of the National Association of County and City Health Officials. Heise, who previously served as NACCHO’s vice president, is director of the Three Rivers Health Department in Owenton, Ky., which oversees four Kentucky counties.

Rego becomes research associate at Life Sciences Foundation

APHA member Brianna Rego, PhD, in March was named a research associate for the Life Sciences Foundation. The San Francisco-based nonprofit focuses on advances in biotechnology and its history. Rego’s research on the tobacco industry and science behind the effects of cigarettes has been published in publications such as Scientific American.

Steele’s 100^th birthday recognized at annual lecture

APHA member James Steele, DVM, MPH, in April celebrated his 100th birthday at the 21st Annual James H. Steele Lecture held at the University of Texas School of Public Health. The keynote speaker was Lonnie King, DVM, MS, MPA, dean of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Allan named president of NACCHO

Terry Allan, MPH, RS, in April was named president of the National Association of County and City Health Officials. Allan served as a member of NACCHO’s board of directors since 2007 and is the health commissioner for the Cuyahoga County Board of Health in Ohio. Allan replaces APHA member John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH, CPH, who will now become Washington state’s secretary of health. A guest post by Allan was featured on APHA’s Public Health Newswire in March, which can be read at http://www.publichealthnewswire.org/?p=6933.

Davis named to board of trustees

Brenda Davis, PhD, in January was named to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Davis served as a chief of policy and planning under former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean and as vice president of government operations for Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc. She also served on the World Wildlife Fund board for nine years.

Drabczyk joins boards of health nonprofit

Anne Drabczyk, PhD, in January began serving as the new chief executive officer of the National Association of Local Boards of Health. Her previous positions included national program director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Advanced Practice Center Program and as principal investigator at the Ohio State University College of Public Health.

Hanessian named board chair at asthma, allergy nonprofit

Lynn Hanessian in March was named the new chair for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s National Board of Directors. Hanessian, a board member for six years, is the chief science strategist at Edelman, an international public relations firm.

Kenney, Zuckerman named co-directors of health policy center

Genevieve Kenney, PhD, and Stephen Zuckerman, PhD, in February began their new positions as co-directors of the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center. Kenney is known for her research on the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Zuckerman previously worked for the American Medical Association’s Center for Health Policy Research.

Lorsch named director of NIH department

Jon Lorsch, PhD, in March was named director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the National Institutes of Health. Lorsch is a professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry.

Nakamura named new director at NIH division

Richard Nakamura, PhD, in December was named the director for the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review. Nakamura had served the same position in an acting role and his responsibilities include reviewing NIH grant applications. Nakamura previously served as deputy director and scientific director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Three members named to national task force

Francisco Garcia, MD, MPH, William Phillips, MD, MPH, and Michael Pignone, MD, MPH, in February were named the newest members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Garcia is the director and chief medical officer of the Pima County Department of Health in Tucson, Ariz. Phillips is Theodore J. Phillips Endowed Professor in family medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Pignone is chief of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, which is within the department of medicine at the university’s School of Medicine.