Newsmakers: July 2015

Natalie McGill

Bernhardt named interim dean at Texas school

APHA member Jay Bernhardt, PhD, MPH, in April was named the interim dean of the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication. Bernhardt, who will begin his position in September, is a professor at the university’s Department of Communication Studies and the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations.

Frenk named University of Miami president

APHA member Julio Frenk, MD, PhD, MPH, in April was named the next president of the University of Miami. Frenk, who will begin his term in September, is currently dean of the faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Frenk previously served as Mexico’s Minister of Health from 2000 to 2006.

Ibrahim receives educator of year award

APHA member Jennifer Ibrahim, PhD, MPH, MA, in March received the F. Marian Bishop Educator of the Year Award from the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research. Ibrahim is the associate director of the Public Health Law Research program based at Temple University and is an associate professor at the university’s College of Public Health.

Jones joins Georgia county’s health board

APHA President-elect Camara Jones, MD, PhD, MPH, in April was named a new member of the DeKalb County Board of Health. Jones is also a senior fellow at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Torabi receives Society for Public Health Education award

APHA member Mohammed Torabi, PhD, MPH, MSPH, in April received the Society for Public Health Education’s Distinguished Fellow Award. Torabi is the dean and chancellor’s professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

Two APHA members earn public health communicator credential

APHA members Tavis Glassman, PhD, MPH, MSED, MCHES, CCPH, and Janice Okubo, CCPH, in April received the Certified Communicator in Public Health credential by the National Public Health Information Coalition. Glassman is an associate professor at the University of Toledo. Okubo is the public information officer for the Hawaii State Department of Health. The new credential recognizes workers who have skills to effectively communicate public health information.

Humble named division director at Arizona school center

Will Humble, MPH, in April became the division director for health policy and evaluation at the Arizona Health Sciences Center’s Center for Population Science. Humble previously served as director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Institute of Medicine renamed National Academy of Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences in April voted to rename the Institute of Medicine as the National Academy of Medicine. The name change will go into effect in July and is meant to better align the group with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences.

Waxman named to health law program board of directors

Henry Waxman, JD, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California, was in April named to the National Health Law Program Board of Directors. Waxman is a regent lecturer at the University of California-Los Angeles and is chair of Waxman Strategies, a public affairs and strategic communications firm.

Weinstock receives honor for dermatology, epidemiology work

Martin Weinstock, MD, PhD, in May received the Founders Award from the American DermatoEpidemiology Network. Weinstock, a professor of dermatology and epidemiology at the Brown University, received the award at the Annual Society for Investigative Dermatology meeting.

APHA welcomes new staff, celebrates promotions

APHA has welcomed new staff members in recent months. APHA’s Affiliate Affairs Department welcomed Matt Makara, MPH, as a program manager. The Association’s Center for Public Health Policy gained Ivana Castellanos as a program associate; Surili Patel, MS, as a senior program manager for environmental health; and Kate Robb, MSPH, CHES, as a policy analyst for environmental health. Donna-Renée Arrington is the new meetings and exhibits coordinator for APHA’s Convention Services Department and Ellen Galant is the new director of APHA’s Membership Services Department. The Association has also seen existing staff move into new positions. In APHA’s Publication Services Department, Ashell Alston is now director of advertising and Brian Selzer is deputy director. Charlene Bright is now executive assistant to APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD. Donya Currie, MA, was promoted to Web manager and editor within the Communications Department at APHA. Terri Wright is now director of the Center for Public Health Policy and Center for School Health and Education.