Atlanta (Sept. 27, 2023) – The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors is pleased to announce its incoming Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This year, NACDD’s Representative Members have selected a new President-Elect and two new At Large Directors.

Kristi Pier, MHS, MCHES, the Director of the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control at the Maryland Department of Health, has completed her term as Board President and will now serve as Past President.

“We are incredibly thankful to Kristi for her service. She graciously served two terms as President, and led several important initiatives, including her President’s Challenge, Finding a Way Forward: Resilience Across the Socioecological Model. Last year, she also hosted an inspiring podcast series related to the President’s Challenge, where she interviewed leaders from across the country working in public health to learn promising practices and next steps to building environments supportive of resilience and well-being. We are grateful for her commitment and dedication to NACDD,” said NACDD CEO John. W. Robitscher.

The new Board President, Bala Simon, MD, DrPH, MPH, FAAFP, is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and State Chronic Disease Director at the Arkansas Department of Health. Simon served as the President-Elect during the previous term.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Bala as the next NACDD President,” said Robitscher. “Bala has served on the Board of Directors for several years and is poised to continue the positive forward momentum that NACDD experienced during Kristi’s presidency. We look forward to what his leadership will bring to the Association in the next year.”

Lea Susan Ojamaa, MPH, was elected as NACDD’s new President-Elect. Ojamaa is a Deputy Director for the Bureau of Community Health and Prevention at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and previously served as an At Large Director.

The new term will begin Oct. 1, 2023.