Maureen Lichtveld | Dr. Maureen Lichtveld, chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, of the Tulane Flu Task Force, and for the population sciences for the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, has added a new title to her list of academic roles – candidate. Lichtveld is running for president-elect of the flagship American Public Health Association (APHA). Running on a platform addressing health disparities, the campaign will be decided in November at the annual APHA meeting. As a forum for her candidacy, Lichtveld has started a blog called “Ask Maureen" (http://askmyl.blogspot.com/). In the blog, she addresses the pressing public health issues of the day. Lichtveld envisions a higher profile for the 137-year-old association, which she feels is in a key position to bring about effective health disparities policies informed directly by those who suffer the most. In her statement, she says, “When for minorities a 99% increase in new cancer cases is anticipated, and for the elderly a 66% commensurate increase, health disparities are no longer 'their' problem but a national public health priority.” Dr. Pierre Buekens, dean of the school, had this to say: “Maureen Lichtveld would be an excellent leader for the APHA, especially at this critical time in our field. She brings extensive experience earned on the frontlines of public health practice, a strong and deep scientific background, and, most importantly, superb collaborative skills that are vital to the issues facing public health locally, nationally and globally today. I am in full support of her candidacy for president-elect of APHA.” Lichtveld’s candidacy comes on the heels of an already busy year that has included: - The launch of a summer abroad course to her native Suriname. The course is the first joint departmental public health course at the school, involving the departments of both environmental health sciences and international health and development.
- An arrangement to assist the University of Suriname in establishing a school of public health modeled after Tulane’s;
- An invitation to be the commencement speaker at the University of Suriname. Her October presentation will coincide with the founding of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (the medical school), from which Lichtveld graduated.
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