Newsmakers: February 2013

Natalie McGill

Lafronza takes nonprofit CEO job

APHA member Vincent Lafronza, EdD, MS, in January was named the new CEO of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. Lafronza replaces APHA member Joseph Kimbrell, MA, LCSW, who founded the network in 2001.

McGinnis, Satcher heralded as public health heroes

APHA members J. Michael McGinnis, MD, MA, MPP, and David Satcher, MD, PhD, will each receive the University of California, Berkeley “Public Health Heroes” award at the 17^th annual Public Health Heroes Award ceremony on March 14 in San Francisco. McGinnis is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Satcher, director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, is a former U.S. surgeon general and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Jackson receives Heinz Award

APHA member Richard Jackson, MD, MPH, in October received the Heinz Award for his contributions to environmental public health. Jackson, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles’ Fielding School of Public Health, hosted the PBS series “Designing Healthy Communities,” which shows how the environment affects chronic health issues such as asthma and diabetes. Jackson is also the author of a book of the same title, available through APHA’s bookstore at www.aphabookstore.org.

APHA member named to Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine, in October announced 70 new members and 10 foreign associates, 11 of whom are public health and nursing professionals: APHA member Sara Rosenbaum, JD, of the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services; Lawrence Appel, MD, MPH, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Christopher Elias, MD, MPH, of the University of Washington School of Public Health; Michael Fiore, MD, MPH, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health; Paul Grundy, MD, MPH, of the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative; Albert Lee, MD, MPH, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Tracy Lieu, MD, MPH, of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research; Marilyn Rantz, PhD, RN, FAAN, of the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing; Wayne Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, of Meharry Medical College and Diana Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN, of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing.

National pediatrics organization launches new institute

The American Academy of Pediatrics in October unveiled the Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight at its annual national conference in New Orleans. The new institute was formed to combat childhood obesity.

Austin moves up ranks within NIH

Christopher Austin, MD, in September was appointed director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences at the National Institutes of Health. Until his new post, Austin served as director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation since 2001.

Clayton new director at NIH women’s health office

Janine Clayton, MD, PhD, in September was appointed the new director of the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health and NIH’s associate director. Clayton formerly served as the deputy director for the Office of Research on Women’s Health and then served as the office’s acting director in August 2011.

Etienne earns WHO leadership post

Carissa Etienne, MD, in September was named the new director of the Pan American Health Organization. Etienne serves as the assistant director-general for health systems and services at the World Health Organization.

Millwee, former Texas Medicaid administrator, lands new position

Billy Millwee, MS, in November was named the senior program advisor for the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc., a New Jersey-based health policy resource center. Millwee formerly served as the Medicaid program director for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Redwood new lead at Consumer Health Foundation

Yanique Redwood, PhD, MPH, in November was named president and CEO of the Consumer Health Foundation. Redwood previously worked with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Wyatt named Joint Commission’s new medical director

Ronald Wyatt, MD, in August was appointed medical director of the Joint Commission’s Division of Healthcare Improvement. Wyatt was the director of the U.S. Department of Defense Patient Safety Analysis Center, before joining the Joint Commission, a health care system accreditation nonprofit.

Children’s environmental nonprofit lauds Colorado teens

The Children’s Environmental Health Network in September awarded siblings Christina and Eric Bear with the Nsedu Obot Witherspoon Youth Leadership Award. The teenagers from Golden, Colo., received the award at the network’s 20^th Anniversary Gala and Award Event for creating and running The Radon Awareness Project since 2010.