Trust for America's Health Hires New Director of Government Relations; Policy Development Associate Also Announced

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Apr 27, 2010, 12:12 ET

WASHINGTON, April 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Trust for America's Health (TFAH) today announced that Annie Toro will serve as its new Director of Government Relations. Richard Hamburg, formerly Director of Government Relations, is continuing to serve TFAH in the capacity of Deputy Director.

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Toro comes to TFAH from the American Psychological Association (APA), were she was the Associate Executive Director for Government Relations. At APA, she was responsible for developing, managing and coordinating the association's legislative and regulatory policy agenda, with issue areas including children, youth and families, ethnic and racial minorities, emergency preparedness and response, trauma and violence, HIV/AIDS, and obesity prevention.

Toro was also the Policy Liaison to the APA's Office on International Relations, where she provided feedback and recommendations on the United Nations NGO coalition comments. In this role, she worked closely with professionals around the world to advance critical policy and development efforts with a strong focus on improving health care.

"Annie has an outstanding reputation and as a public health professional, and a proven track record of ensuring that the health and well-being of all Americans remains a national priority," said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director of TFAH. "We are excited to have her leading TFAH's efforts to ensure disease prevention is a centerpiece of health care at such a crucial time for health policy in our country."

Prior to joining APA, Toro was Senior Legislative Counsel to U.S. Representative Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL). In that role, she was responsible for monitoring, developing, and writing legislation, and providing legal counsel to Representative Gutierrez on a range of issues, including health care, human rights, foreign affairs, violence prevention, and housing issues. Toro also served as the Minority Staff Director at the House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, where she led efforts impacting international monetary policy. She earned a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University and a Master's in Public Health from the George Washington University.

In addition, TFAH has also hired Hannah Graff as the new Policy Development Associate. Graff was formerly a Grant Researcher for Organic Health Response, community micro-clinic and movement focusing on AIDS and well-being in Kenya. As a Research Associate for M. Catherine Wiant Trust, Graff wrote and edited "A Caregiver's Sojourn: Optimism in the Face of Death," which examined the story and experience of a primary caregiver to a spouse living, and ultimately dying, from brain cancer.

"Through her unique academic and professional experience, Hannah has established herself as an individual who is committed to public health both globally and domestically," Levi said.

Graff holds a Master of Philosophy, Medical Anthropology, from the University of Oxford, Exeter College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from The College of Wooster.

Trust for America's Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.

SOURCE Trust for America's Health