While the scientific sessions and continuing education events at APHA’s Annual Meeting in Philadelphia were under way, representatives of the Epidemiology Section were at work in the Governing Council. This body approves APHA’s budget, elects its senior officers, and debates the policy priorities that will guide the Association’s staff and leaders in the coming years. Representatives of sections, SPIGs, and caucuses in the Governing Council are in proportion to their membership – currently, the Epi Section has 14 Governing Councilors. This report will give you an idea of some of the things we did on behalf of the Section and APHA.

As the largest and most visible public health organization in the United States, APHA is often consulted by politicians, the media and others on matters of public health interest. APHA staff also work to inform legislators and influence the legislative process. Each year, the Governing Council receives and debates proposed APHA policy statements submitted by members. These activities require planning in advance to insure sound policy is available when needed. The policies approved by the Governing Council become part of the Association’s public message. This year, policies on subjects as diverse as health care reform, youth violence prevention, the Millennium Development Goals, and the non-medical use of broad-spectrum antibiotics were on the agenda. In all, 16 new policies were approved. Members of the Epi Section invested considerable time in reviewing and improving policy statements on nutrition and cancer and on the health implications of changes in building codes.  We see it as our role to help to insure that the advocacy in APHA policy is backed up by sound science.

In addition to developing policy, the Governing Council elects the president of APHA, members of the Executive Board and other senior officers as needed. This year, we elected three new members for the Executive Board – M. Beth Benedict, Drew Harris and Adewale Troutman – and chose Linda-Rae Murray to be APHA’s president for a one-year term beginning in November 2010. We also approved the honorary appointments of vice presidents to represent the United States (Ed Marshall), Canada (Cory Neudorf), and Latin America (Paulo Buss). Of local interest, the Epi Section’s Resa Jones was among those chosen to join the committee that puts together the election slate each year. Congratulations to Resa and to all those elected to help in leading APHA.

In other business, the Governing Council heard or received reports from the Executive Director, APHA leaders, and Association boards and committees. We approved APHA’s 2010-2011 budget, and also received an action plan to put into operation many of the recommendations of the Task Force on Association Improvement and Reorganization (TFAIR). These are designed to make APHA management and governance processes and structures more efficient and transparent. Association staff reported on membership trends, which have shown predictable declines in the past year.  The Epidemiology Section has seen a proportional drop in its membership numbers, though our losses have been less dramatic than those of some other APHA units. The Sunday morning Governing Council roundtable session dealt with strategies for expanding membership – a timely topic. We approved the creation of a taskforce to review APHA’s policy development process. The Epi Section’s Chair-Elect, Robin Taylor Wilson, will be part of that group.

The Governing Councilors’ annual work cycle will soon begin again, with the beginning of the 2010 policy and nominations processes. The Council will meet by conference call in June to discuss pressing issues and plan for the 2010 Annual Meeting in Denver. It is our honor to represent the members of APHA and to work for the Association’s continued prominence in the national conversation about health.

Howell Sasser, PhD
Governing Council Whip
APHA Epidemiology Section