NACDD Announces New Board of Directors

ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) is pleased to introduce two new officers and seven incoming Board Members for its Fiscal Year 2022-2023.

The following officers will begin their term Oct. 1:

President: Kristi Pier, MHS, MCHES, Director of the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control at the Maryland Department of Health, will remain in her role as Board President for another term as the incoming president resigned to accept a new career opportunity. Pier has worked extensively in public health for more than 20 years.

President-Elect: Bala Simon, MD, DrPH, MPH, FAAFP, was elected President-Elect. Simon is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and State Chronic Disease Director at the Arkansas Department of Health and was the immediate past Treasurer of the Board. 

Treasurer: Teresa Aseret-Manygoats, MPA, is the Bureau Chief for the Bureau of Chronic Disease & Health Promotion at the Arizona Department of Health Services and previously served as an At Large Director.

Secretary: Linda Scarpetta, MPH, Director of the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Control at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, continues her two-year term as Secretary.

The following new Board Members will serve as At Large Directors with their term beginning Oct. 1 and continuing through Sept. 30, 2024.

• Nimisha Bhakta (Texas) – Director, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section, Division for Community Health Improvement, Texas Department of State Health Services
• Khatidja Dawood (Minnesota) – Director, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Division, Minnesota Department of Health
• Jamie Hahn (Nebraska)– Program Manager, Nebraska Chronic Disease Prevention & Control Program, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
• X-ner Luther (Federated States of Micronesia) – National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Coordinator, National NCD Section Chief, Department of Health and Social Affairs, Federated States of Micronesia
• Nancy Sutton (Rhode Island) – Chief, Center for Chronic Care & Disease Management, Chronic Disease Director, Rhode Island Department of Health
• Barbara Wallace (New York) – Director, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention, New York State Department of Health
• Felisa Wilson-Simpson (Mississippi) – Director, Office of Community Health Worker, Clinical Consultant, Office of Preventive Health & Health Equity, Mississippi State Department of Health

The complete FY 2022-2023 list of At Large Directors is as follows:

• Nimisha Bhakta, MPH, Texas
• Khatidja Dawood, MS, Minnesota
• Linnea Fletcher, MPH, MPA, CHES, Utah
• Jamie Hahn, MEd, Nebraska
• Marisa Lara, MPH, RD, CLC, New Hampshire
• Patrick Luces, BBA, Guam
• X-ner Luther, Federated States of Micronesia
• Melissa Martin, MBA, RDN, LDN, Louisiana
• Morgan McDonald, MD, FACP, FAAP, Tennessee
• Lea Susan Ojamaa, MPH, Massachusetts
• Nancy Sutton, MS, RD, Rhode Island
• Barbara Wallace, MD, MSPH, New York
• Felisa Wilson-Simpson, PhD, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, Mississippi

Associate At Large Directors

• David Hoffman, DPS, CCE, New York
• Leslie McKnight, PhD, Illinois

NACDD is thankful for the service of its outgoing Board Members: 

• Susan Kansagra, immediate Past President (North Carolina)
• Ryan Lester (Kansas)
• Jill Myers Geadelmann (Iowa)
• Tari O'Connor (Alaska)
• Sonja Schriever (Idaho)
• Jennifer Sousa (Florida)

Learn more at chronicdisease.org.

Contact: Stacey Evans, [email protected]

SOURCE National Association of Chronic Disease Directors