The Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (JPHMP) is pleased to welcome several new and recently appointed Editorial Board members. These leaders bring deep expertise across public health practice, policy, evaluation, and communication, and will play an important role in advancing the journal’s mission to bridge research and real-world public health implementation.
Sanmi Areola, PhD, is Director of Health at the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville, Tennessee, with prior leadership roles in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Johnson County, Kansas. A public health generalist, his work spans Health in All Policies, environmental health, health equity, and community-engaged public health practice. Dr. Areola brings extensive experience in governmental leadership, environmental health, and community engagement, with a strong emphasis on incorporating public input into public health decision making.
Anthony Blake, DrPH, MPH, is Director of the DrPH Program and Assistant Professor of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health. His work focuses on implementation science, environmental and occupational health, and translating evidence into practice in real-world settings, informed by experience across governmental and healthcare systems. Dr. Blake’s scholarship emphasizes workforce development and advancing practice-based public health research through education, leadership, and dissemination.
Meenakshi (Meena) G. Brewster, MD, MPH, FAAFP, is Health Officer for St. Mary’s County, Maryland, and a primary care physician trained in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine. She previously served as Medical Director and Chronic Disease Director at the Indiana State Department of Health and has held a faculty appointment at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Brewster also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
Amelia Burke‑Garcia, PhD, MA, directs NORC’s Center for Health Communication Science and leads its Digital Strategy and Outreach Program Area. With more than 20 years of experience, her work focuses on evidence-based public health communication, including national campaigns such as How Right Now / Qué Hacer Ahora and CDC’s National Influenza Vaccination Campaign. She also leads initiatives advancing the use of artificial intelligence and social media influencers in health communication.
Kathleen L. Egan, PhD, MS, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Implementation Science at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, with joint appointments across multiple research centers. Her work focuses on reducing harms associated with substance use through the implementation of evidence-based interventions and policies across clinical, community, and academic settings. She brings extensive expertise in community engagement, implementation science, and program evaluation, supported by funding from federal and state agencies.
Matthew Fifolt, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health and Director of the Survey Research Unit. He leads major evaluation initiatives, including BRFSS, CAHPS, NCI‑AD, and PRAMS across multiple states, with a focus on program evaluation and public health system improvement. His work emphasizes applied research and data-driven strategies to strengthen population health outcomes.
Steven Giles, PhD, is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at Wake Forest University. A prevention interventionist and health communication scholar, his work examines how communication influences health behaviors, including substance use, obesity, and body image. His research includes media-based interventions and family-centered strategies to promote long-term health behavior change.
Vahé Heboyan, PhD, is Professor of Health Economics and Policy at Augusta University’s School of Public Health and Director of the Health Economics and Poverty Entrepreneurship Research Lab. His research focuses on economic evaluation of health systems, interventions, and policies, with expertise in mental health, substance use disorders, and poverty entrepreneurship. His work has been supported by major federal agencies and foundations, and he serves as Principal Investigator on multiple HRSA-funded initiatives.
Nilesh Kalyanaraman, MD, MPH, is a physician leader and public health executive with extensive experience in population health and health system transformation. Most recently, he served as Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services and State Health Officer at the Maryland Department of Health, where he led statewide initiatives in infectious disease response, maternal and child health, and data modernization. His work focuses on advancing health equity through systems-level collaboration and innovation.
Kevin A. Kovach, DrPH, MSc, is a social epidemiologist and public health services and systems researcher at the Kansas Health Institute. He leads a portfolio focused on translating research into practice and serves as an adjunct instructor in the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Doctor of Public Health program. His work emphasizes primary care and public health integration, health equity, and applied policy research.
Dana K. Pasquale, PhD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on infectious disease epidemiology, social network analysis, and the role of social and structural factors in shaping health outcomes, particularly for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Through community-engaged research, she develops interventions to reduce disparities and improve population health.
Looking Ahead
The addition of these recently appointed members reflects JPHMP’s continued commitment to advancing applied public health research and practice across diverse settings. Their collective expertise will strengthen the journal’s ability to disseminate timely, practice‑relevant insights for the field.