Board of Directors

Chair of the Board

Gail C. Christopher, DN

Dr. Gail Christopher is the Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and a Senior Scholar with George Mason University, Center for Well-Being.

Vice Chair

David Fleming, MD

Dr. David Fleming is currently serving as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at TFAH. He is the former vice president of Global Health Programs at PATH, an international non-profit focused on improving global health through innovation.

Treasurer

Robert T. Harris, MD FACP

Dr Harris currently serves as senior medical director for General Dynamics Information Technology, in its consulting management contract with North Carolina Medicaid operations.

Secretary of the Board

Theodore Spencer, M.J.

Mr. Theo Spencer is an Environmental Policy Consultant based in New York City.

Stephanie Mayfield Gibson, MD

Dr. Mayfield Gibson is Director of the U.S. COVID-19 Response Initiative for Resolve to Save Lives, An Initiative of Vital Strategies.

Cynthia M. Harris, Ph.D

Dr. Cynthia M. Harris is Associate Dean for Public Health and Director and Professor of the Florida A&M University Institute of Public Health (IPH) (administratively housed in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences).

David Lakey, MD

Dr. David Lakey is the Chief Medical Officer and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at The University of Texas System. Dr. Lakey previously served as the Founding Dean of the School of Community and Rural Health and Isadore Roosth Distinguished Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Tyler.

Octavio N. Martinez, Jr., MD, MPH, MBA, FAPA

Dr. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr., is executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at The University of Texas at Austin.

John A. Rich, MD, MPH

Dr. John A. Rich is Professor and former Chair of the Department of Health Management and Policy at the Drexel Dornsife University School of Public Health.

Eduardo J. Sanchez, MD, MPH

Dr. Sanchez serves as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Prevention and is the American Heart Association (AHA) lead on Target:BP (a joint initiative with the American Medical Association), KnowDiabetesbyHeartTM (a joint initiative with the American Diabetes Association) and COVID-19-related activities.

Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH

Dr. Umair Shah is the Secretary of Health for Washington State. He was appointed to this position by Washington Governor Jay Inslee in December 2020.

Vince Ventimiglia, JD

Mr. Vince Ventimiglia is the President of Leavitt Partners Collaborative Advocates and leads the Leavitt Partners D.C. office, including the firm’s alliances and federal advocacy work.