Leadership/Contact Us

For leadership contact information, log in to APHA LEAD using your member credentials.

Officers

  • Chair: Azizur R. Molla
  • Chair-Elect: Natasha DeJarnett
  • Immediate Past Chair: Toby Levin
  • Past Chair: Natalie Sampson
  • Secretary: Jean Rinkowski 
  • Section Student Liaison: Adriana Haidari

Governing Councilors

  • Robyn C. Gilden (term expires 11-05-2026). University of Maryland School of Nursing.
  • Joel Collazo (term expires 11-05-2026). Florida International University.
  • Paul Arthur Locke (term expires 11-11-2027). Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School.
  • Derek G. Shendell (term expires 11-11-2027). Rutgers School of Public Health.

Governing Councilors

  • Michael Schmeltz (term expires 11-05-2026). California State University East Bay.
  • Sean Stratton (term expires 11-05-2026). Rutgers School of Public Health.
  • Sheena Martenies (term expires 11-02-2028). University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
  • Kathleen Leigh Edison (term expires 11-02-2028).  Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Intersectional Committees & Working Groups

Climate Change & Health 

  • A Committee of the Intersectional Steering Council 
  • The Climate Change and Health Committee connects professionals from diverse backgrounds, communicates on climate change and health policy development, and supports climate change and health activities and policies that advance effective preventive strategies. 
  • Co-chairs: Raquel Silva & Shannon Macika 

Children's Environmental Health Committee  

  • A Joint Committee of the Environment Section and the Maternal and Child Health Section 
  • The mission of the Children’s Environmental Health Committee is to increase awareness and promote collaborative efforts designed to reduce environmental risks to children’s health in areas where they live, learn, and play. The Committeehas developed several tools and resources aimed at protecting children’s physical and mental well-being. Learn more here.  
  • Founder and Chair: Leyla McCurdy Co-chairs: Patricia Lasley, Kristie Trousdale

Food & Environment Working Group 

  • A Joint Initiative of the Environment Section and Food and Nutrition Section
  • The Food and Environment Working Group works at the intersection of food, nutrition, and the environment to protect public health by cultivating and promoting a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. Some of our work at APHA includes coordinating an annual pre-conference food systems tour, promoting a healthy food environment at the conference, supporting policies developed by the Food & Nutrition and Environment Sections, and fostering a dynamic network of interdisciplinary public health practitioners interested in food systems issues. Co-chairs: Patti Anderson & Meaghan Butler 

Topic Committees

Built-in Environment

  • Content - coming soon 
  • Co-chairs: 

Environmental Justice 

  • works on environmental justice issues in underserved communities and organizes community outreach at the APHA Annual Meeting. 
  • Co-Chairs: Roxanne James 

Noise & Health 

  • raises awareness of and examines the intersection of noise and health. 
  • Chair: Jamie Banks

Water & Health 

  • works on collaborative efforts towards global water sustainability for better health. 
  • Co-chairs: Azizur Molla & Seth Frisbie.

 

General Committees

Program Planning 

  • It develops an exciting scientific program for the APHA Annual Meeting. Creates a call for abstracts, establishes a review committee, facilitates the review of full-session proposals and individual abstracts, and organizes sessions that reflect the environment section's priorities. 
  • Co-chairs: Ryan Johnson, Rebecca Larson & Saswati Upadhyay

Policy 

  • It organizes the Environment Section's policy initiatives and navigates the APHA policy proposal system. 
  • Chairs: Charles Cange

Treasurer & Fundraising

  • The Treasurer manages the Section's finances. 
  • Chair: Scott Seys

Awards

  • This committee coordinates special recognition and awards from the Section to deserving practitioners. 
  • Chair: Natalie Sampson

Nominations

  • It coordinates elections of Section Councilors and Governing Councilors. 
  • Co-chairs: Azizur Molla & Natasha DeJarnett

Communication 

  • This committee informs members about activities in the Environment Section. 
  • Co-chairs: Alton Reid & Grace Feichter

Membership 

  • The membership committee focuses on membership recruitment, retention, and involvement. 
  • Co-chairs: Kathleen Edison & Jean Rinkowski

Section Student Liaison

  • This committee comprises faculty and staff from accredited schools and programs in public health, as well as recent alumni and current master's and doctoral students. The committee coordinates student involvement in the Section and at the APHA Annual Meeting. Chair: Rhea Goswami
  • Chair: Ariana Haidari

Scholarship Chair

  •  Chair: Shafeel Umam

Booth Coordinator

  • Chair: Natasha DeJarnett

Mentoring Chair (optional)

  • Chair: Natalie Sampson

APHA LEAD

  • Jean Rinkowski & Giuliana Motta

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS:

  •  Coordinators: Shannon Macika & Jean Rinkowski

Community Admin 


For leadership contact information, log in to APHA LEAD using your member credentials.