2025-2026 Board of Directors
Officers
The Board of Directors comprises leaders from a variety of sectors, disciplines, and communities. Together, they shape the National Forum’s strategic direction and drive collaborative action so that people throughout society are living and enjoying heart-healthy, stroke-free lives.
Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP
Title Chair
Positions held- Former Chief Wellness Officer and Dean of the College of Nursing,,
- The Ohio State University
- Founder & Immediate Past President, National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities (BHAC)
- Editor, Worldviews on Evidence-based Nursing
Celeste Philip, MD, MPH
Title Vice-Chair
Positions held- Associate Dean, Applied Health, Professor of Public Health Practice,
- Meharry School of Global Health
Rosemary McGillan
Title Secretary-Treasurer
Positions held- Chief Marketing and Communications Officer,
- American Red Cross
CAPT Warren A. Jones, MD, (USN RET.)
Positions held- Professor Emeritus in Family Medicine,
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
- President (2001-2002),
- American Academy of Family Physicians
John M. Clymer
Title Executive Director (Ex Officio)
Emeritus Founder
Darwin R. Labarthe, MD, MPH, PhD
Title National Forum Distinguished Fellow
Positions held- Professor Preventive Medicine,
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Directors
Hon. Jerome M Adams, MD, MPH
Positions held- 20th United States Surgeon General,
- Distinguished Professor and Director of Health Initiatives,
- Purdue University
Juliana Crawford
Positions held- National Executive Vice President, Emerging Strategies,
- American Heart Association
Margaret (Meg) Guerin-Calvert
Positions held- President, Center for Healthcare Economics and Policy,
- FTI Consulting
Robert Hilkert, MD, FACC, FAHA
Positions held- Therapeutic Area Lead - Cardiovascular, Global Medical Affairs,
- Merck
Susan Kansagra, MD, MBA
Positions held- Chief Medical Officer,
- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH
Positions held- Dean, School of Public Health,
- Jonas Salk Professor of Population Health Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health,
- University of Pittsburgh
Modele O. Ogunniyi, MD, MPH, FACC, FACP, FAHA
Positions held- Professor of Medicine and Master Physician,
- Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
- Associate Medical Director,
- Heart Failure Program, Grady Health System
Federal Liaisons
Elizabeth Dee, MPH
Positions held- Public Health Advisor,
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Letitia Presley-Cantrell, PhD,
Positions held- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Heart Disease & Stroke
Clinton Wright, MD, MS
Positions held- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Chief Scientific Advisor
Stephen Sidney, MD, MPH, FACC
Positions held- Director of Research Clinics,
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Retired
National Forum Current and Past Chairs
Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP
Title 2024, 2025, 2026
Positions held- The Ohio State University
Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH
Title 2023, 2024
Positions held- Association of State and Territorial Health Officers
Warren A. Jones, MD, FAAFP
Title 2020-2022
Positions held- University of Mississippi Medical Center
Kimberly Stitzel, MS, RD
Title 2019-2020
Positions held- American Heart Association
Laura Gordon
Title 2018-2019
Positions held- Institute for Advanced Clinical Trials for Children
Jennifer G. Robinson, MD, MPH
Title 2017-2018
Positions held- University of Iowa
Dave Zook, JD
Title 2016-2017
Positions held- Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting
Sharon Moffatt, RN, BSN, MSN
Title 2014-2016
Positions held- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, FACC, FAHA
Title 2012-2014
Positions held- Tulane University School of Medicine
Thomas A. Pearson, MD, MPH, PhD
Title 2010-2012
Positions held- University of Rochester Medical Center
Mark Schoeberl, MPA
Title 2008-2010
Positions held- American Heart Association
Darwin R. Labarthe, MD, MPH, PhD
Title 2006-2008
Positions held- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
