Newsmakers

Aaron Warnick

DeMarco receives advocacy award

APHA member Vinny DeMarco, JD, MA, was named the 2020 recipient of Grantmakers in Health’s Hyman Award for Advocacy in March. DeMarco, president of Maryland Health Care for All, was recognized for many years of advocacy, including work to reduce teen smoking, youth alcohol use and gun violence and expand health care access.

Pérez-Escamilla receives lifetime award

APHA member Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, PhD, received the Kellogg Prize for Lifetime Achievements in International Nutrition from the American Society for Nutrition. Announced in March, the award recognizes Pérez-Escamilla’s work on international nutrition research to benefit people in non-industrialized countries. Pérez-Escamilla is director of both the Office of Public Health Practice and the global health concentration at Yale University’s School of Public Health.

Halkitis receives diversity award

APHA member Perry Halkitis, PhD, MPH, MS, received the 2019-2020 Leaders in Faculty Diversity Award from the Rutgers Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes in March. Halkitis, the dean of Rutgers University School of Public Health, is recognized at the university for promoting diversity, inclusion, equity and access.

Weahkee confirmed as IHS director

Rear Admiral Michael Weahkee, MHA, MBA, was confirmed in April as director of the Indian Health Services. Weahkee previously held the deputy director and acting director positions at IHS. Weahkee is an enrolled citizen of the Zuni Indian Tribe. He was confirmed by unanimous vote by the U.S. Senate on April 21.

Jackson receives research grant

Devlon Jackson, PhD, an assistant research professor in behavioral and community health at the University of Maryland, received a $250,000 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Disparities in February. Jackson will use the grant to study how health information technology can improve health for blacks and Hispanics who have mental health issues and chronic diseases.

Chang named editor-in-chief

Weijen Chang, MD, SFHM, FAAP, was appointed editor-in-chief of The Hospitalist, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s monthly magazine. Chang served as the publication’s pediatric editor since 2013. Announced in April, Chang will succeed Danielle Scheure, MD, MSCR, SFHM, president-elect of the society’s board of directors.

Gabbay joins diabetes organization

Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, in April was named chief scientific and medical officer at the American Diabetes Association. Previously, Gabbay was chief medical officer and senior vice president at Joslin Diabetes Center and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

Hubbard becomes program manager

Janae Hubbard, MSW, was named equity, diversity and inclusion program manager at the University of California-Los Angeles’ Fielding School of Public Health. Hubbard, a UCLA alumnus, previously worked for the Los Angeles LGBT Center as a senior program manager for children, youth and family services. Hubbard also served as associate director of Multicultural Affairs and Social Justice Programs at Columbia University.