The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) board of directors has selected Dr. Laura Magaña Valladares as the new President and CEO. She succeeds Ms. Allison J. Foster, current acting President and CEO since August 2016. Prior to Ms. Foster, the late Dr. Harrison C. Spencer served as President to the association from 2000-2016. Dr. Magaña will begin her tenure as President and CEO effective August 1.

The ASPPH president serves as the association’s chief executive officer. The position has daily responsibilities for the 35-person ASPPH staff and the 106-member association.

“Dr. Laura Magaña Valladares will do an excellent job leading ASPPH,” said Dr. Donna Petersen, chair of the ASPPH board and dean of the University of South Florida School of Public Health, “We believe Dr. Magaña Valladares has the skills, experience, and leadership to build on the successes of the association.”

Dr. Magaña has more than 30 years dedicated to successfully leading the transformation and advancements of public and private universities in Mexico; educational organizations in the USA; United Nations programs and NGO’s in Central America and Europe. She is currently the Academic Dean of the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico. She has a diverse portfolio of research, training, and technological developments in national and foreign Universities, much of which related to learning environments and the use of technology in education.

“I look forward to building on ASPPH’s great legacy and the transformation of academic public health to create the healthy future that we all envision nationally and globally,” said Dr. Magaña.

Dr. Magaña was elected to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine global commission in 2014. Additionally, she is an active member of professional and scientific educational committees around the globe for her recognized expertise in education, including the Public Health Institutes of the World, World Federation of Public Health Associations, Association of Schools of Public Health in Europe, Latin-American Global Health Association, ASPPH, National System of Researchers, and the National Academy of Medical Education in México. She also participates in editorial boards, including Public Health Reviews, ASPHER in Europe, the Chilean Journal of Public Health and the Journal in Eastern Europe.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, Master of Science in Educational Technology, and a PhD in Educational Administration.

ASPPH is the voice of accredited academic public health, representing schools and programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).