FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Paige Rohe, prohe@chronicdisease.org, 404-924-8295

ATLANTA (Oct. 1, 2019) – The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors CEO John W. Robitscher, MPH, and Board President Mónica Morales, MPA, welcome the newly elected FY2020 Board of Directors, whose term begins today and will continue through Sept. 30, 2020. NACDD’s Representative Members (U.S. State and Territorial Health Departments’ Chronic Disease Directors) voted for a President-Elect and three Directors-at-Large this year, thus filling all seats on the 17-Member Board.

“Our Membership elects our Board, and invariably, our Members choose talented experts and strong leaders to help guide the Vision for our Association,” said Robitscher. “With their support, we look forward to another year of historic growth for NACDD so that we can continue to contribute prominently to our nation’s work preventing chronic disease and promoting health.”

NACDD’s new Board President, Mónica Morales, is the Deputy Director for the Center for Healthy Communities at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). In her current post, she oversees programs that address environmental and occupational health, injury prevention, chronic diseases, and substance use and addiction. Prior to joining CDPH, Morales was the Child, Family, and Community Wellness Deputy Bureau Chief at the State of Nevada’s Division of Public & Behavioral Health. 

The FY2020 President-Elect is Dr. Susan M. Kansagra, MD, MBA. Dr. Kansagra serves as the Section Chief of Chronic Disease and Injury for the North Carolina Division of Public Health. In this capacity, she oversees public health initiatives related to chronic disease, tobacco control, cancer prevention and control, and injury and violence prevention. Her previous roles include serving as Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Health Department as well as Assistant Vice President of Population Health for New York City’s public hospital system.

Mary Manning (Minn.) and Judith Gabriele (N.M.) will remain in their previous Board roles as Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.

The new Directors-at-Large include:

•  Cassandra Dove Brown, MPH, the Chief Programs Officer for the Office of Preventive Health and Health Equity within the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH).
• Ryan Lester, MPH, the Director of the Bureau of Health Promotion at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
• Teresa Aseret-Manygoats, the Office Chief for the Office of Health Equity and Population Health and the designated State Chronic Disease Director at the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). 

The complete FY2020 Board is as follows:

Officers

• President – Mónica Morales, Calif.
• President-Elect – Susan Kansagra, N.C.
• Past President – Gabriel Kaplan, Colo.
• Treasurer – Mary Manning, Minn.
• Secretary – Judith Gabriele, N.M.

Directors-at-Large

• Appathurai Balamurugan, Ark.
• Cassandra Dove-Brown, Miss.
• Karen Girard, Ore.
• Ryan Lester, Kan.
• Teresa Aseret-Manygoats, Ariz.
• Jill Myers Geadelmann, Iowa
• Tari O’Connor, Alaska
• Kristi Pier, Md.
• Shamarial Roberson, Fla.
• Linda Scarpetta, Mich.
• Sonja Schriever, Idaho

Associate At-Large Member

• David Hoffman, N.Y.

NACDD also acknowledges the following outgoing Board Members for their service with distinction and dedication:

• Tomas Aguilar (Penn.),
• Margaret Casey (N.Y.), and
• Namvar Zohoori (Ark.).

About the NACDD Board of Directors

NACDD is a Member-driven and Member-led organization. Board service is a two-year term, with Board Members able to serve up to four consecutive years. NACDD Membership evaluates Board Members based on several qualifications, including industry expertise, leadership, commitment to the Association, fiscal responsibility, and ability to provide strategic vision and guidance to NACDD.

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The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
Promoting Health. Preventing Disease.

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and its more than 7,000 Members seek to strengthen state-based leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control in states and nationally. Established in 1988, in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,NACDD is the only membership association of its kind to serve and represent every chronic disease division in all states and U.S. territories. For more information, visit chronicdisease.org.