Beaudoin named dean
APHA member Francesca Beaudoin, MD, PhD, was named dean of Brown University School of Public Health in May. Beaudoin has served at the institution since 2020, most recently as interim dean of the school.
Hai awarded
APHA member Sophia Hai, MPH, received the Premedical Student of the Year award from the American Medical Women's Association in March. Hai was recognized for her work to advance women's health.
Straker awarded
APHA member Howard Straker, EdD, MPH, PA-C, was named the 2026 recipient of the Eugene A. Stead Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Academy of Physician Associates in May. Straker, associate professor and director of the PA/MPH program at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, was recognized for supporting future clinicians and public health professionals.
Board members elected
Research!America elected new members to its board of directors in April. They include APHA member Megan Ranney, MD, MPH, dean of Yale School of Public Health; Brett Giroir, MD, board chair of OncoNano Medicine; Raj Panjabi, MD, senior partner at Flagship Pioneering; Dipen Parekh, MD, CEO of the University of Miami Health System; Joanne Pike, DrPH, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association; and Brandon Staglin, MS, co-founder and chief advocacy and engagement officer for One Mind. The new members are slated to serve a three-year term.
Begic awarded
Sandina Begic, PhD, received the President's Community Service Award from Boise State University in April. Begic is an assistant research professor and project manager at the Center for Health Policy. She was recognized for her work supporting the Idaho Home Visiting Program for nearly 15 years.
Darling named director
Sandra Darling, DO, MPH, was named program director of the Women's Alzheimer's Movement Prevention and Research Center at the Cleveland Clinic in April. Darling will guide the center's efforts to increase clinical capacity.
Esch named director
Gurbaksh Esch, MD, MPH, FAAP, was named director of the Leadership in Community Public Health Certificate Program at Michigan State University in May. Esch is an assistant professor at the College of Human Medicine and a pediatrician at Hurley Medical Center.
Gad awarded
Laila Gad, MPH, received the 2026 Campbell Award by Columbia University in April. Gad was recognized for her contribution to developing heat-related illness prevention workshops for older adults.
Go appointed dean
Vivian Fei-ling Go, PhD, was named associate dean for global health at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health in May. Go has served as a professor in the Department of Health Behavior and director of the Social, Behavioral and Implementation Sciences Core at UNC's Center for AIDS Research.
Joshi awarded
Bhavya Joshi, DrPH, MA, received the 2026 Meredith A. Minkler Award from the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health in May. Joshi, a research fellow at the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center, was recognized for her work supporting the reproductive health of refugee populations.
Minnerath named director
Erin Minnerath, MSPH, was named executive director of Mesa County Public Health in Colorado in May. Previously, Minnerath served as the district's deputy director.
Monroe named director
Catherine Monroe, MSN, RN, was named health director for Clayton County Health District in Georgia in May. Previously, Monroe served as the district's interim director since November 2024.
Ponson named director
Tori Ponson, DrPH, MPH, was appointed health director of the Central District Health Department in Nebraska in May. Prior to his new role, Ponson spent nearly seven years at the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
Ryan named director
Kristin Ryan, MS, was named executive director of the Central District Health in Idaho in May. Previously, Ryan was deputy director of shared services for the city of Boise, Idaho, and deputy director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
Traxler named acting director
Brannon Traxler, MD, MPH, was named acting director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health in May. Prior to her new role, Traxler served as the department's deputy director of health promotion and services and chief medical officer.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
