Newsmakers: September 2021

Bell appointed to committee

In June, APHA member Michelle Bell, PhD, was one seven members selected to serve on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. Bell is a Mary E. Pinchot professor of environmental health at Yale University, where she researches how climate change and atmospheric systems affect health.

Lloyd-Jones named president

Donald Lloyd-Jones, MD, ScM, was elected the president of the American Heart Association. Lloyd-Jones is director of the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. His tenure as president began July 1.

O’Connell, Campbell join HHS

In July, Dawn O’Connell, JD, and Cheryl Campbell, MBA, were sworn in as new leaders within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. O’Connell serves as U.S. assistant secretary for preparedness and response and Campbell will serve as U.S. assistant secretary for administration.

Juthani named commissioner

In July, Manisha Juthani, MD, was named commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Juthani is an infectious disease physician at Yale School of Medicine, where her focuses on infections in older adults. She will begin her role as commissioner Sept. 20.

Peterson honored with holiday

This summer, San Francisco Mayor London Breed decreed June 18, 2021, as Maya Peterson Day. Named for University of California-Berkeley epidemiology and biostatistics professor Maya Peterson, MD, PhD, the declaration recognizes her contribution to public health through her statistical modeling work beginning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rochat recognized with award

In July, Roger Rochat, MD, received the Society of Family Planning’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award for his work reducing maternal mortality. Rochat is a professor of global health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and is the founder of Emory’s Global Elimination of Maternal Mortality fund. He was previously director of the Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Saitz receives award

In July, Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, received the David C. Lewis Award from the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction. Saitz is a professor at Boston University School of Public Health and works on integrating prevention and treatment of substance use into health care settings. He was previously the director of Boston Medical Center’s Clinical Addiction Research and Education.

Aaron Warnick contributed to this story