Cynthia M. Harris, Ph.D, DABT is Associate Dean for Public Health and Director and Professor of the Florida A&M University Institute of Public Health (IPH) (administratively housed in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences). The IPH was created by the Florida Legislature in 1995 and offers the Master of Public Health in five specialization areas: epidemiology and biostatistics, health policy and management, behavioral sciences and health education, environmental and occupational health, and public health practice (online). IPH also offers the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in epidemiology and biostatistics and behavioral sciences and health program. The DrPH degree program is the first offered in the State of Florida. The public health program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. It is the first accredited public health program in North Florida.
Dr. Harris has over 30 years of expertise, leadership, and training to successfully implement community-based participatory research with a focus on environmental health and toxicology. She is a former Branch Chief with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (U.S Public Health Service) and was the first African American to serve in that position. She was the recipient of a USPHS award for serving as Program Director of the First National Health Conference with a focus on environmental justice. She has been successful in receiving state and federal research funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the development of a toxicology curriculum for lay community members and development of a protocol for the reduction of eye injuries in migrant citrus workers in Apopka, Florida. She was also the Principal Investigator of an award to develop a coalition to address childhood obesity in Tallahassee – Hope Thru COPE (Childhood Obesity Prevention Education). Under her leadership, over (70) local organizations and agencies received mini-grant funding to sustain their health and wellness initiatives to combat obesity in children. In addition, Dr. Harris has over 10 years of experience in addressing racial and ethnic disparities in the health professions. She is the Director of the Florida Alliance for Health Professions Diversity (FAHPD) and is currently the Director of the Florida Health Equity Research Institute (HERI) Education and Training Core. Two of the signature programs of this Core are: (1) FAHPD/HERI Annual Student Symposium; and the (2) HERI Student Scholars Program. Since the first student symposium (2009), well over 900 students have participated in a symposium, throughout the state of Florida, and were provided exposure to careers in public health, allied health, pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, veterinary sciences, and the biomedical sciences, information on funding streams for these professions, and research opportunities. The HERI Students Scholars Program is an 8-week immersive research program that provides high school, middle school, and undergraduate students an opportunity to work with a research faculty member on a health disparities related topic.
She is currently the Coordinator of the FAMU-Bond Community Health Center COVID-19 Testing Site.
Dr. Harris is also the recipient of several public health service and academic awards including two distinguished alumnus awards from Meharry Medical College and the Black Innovators Award from the Black Alumni Association of the University of Kansas. She is originally from Kansas City, Kansas and is married to her wonderful life partner, Leo M. Harris, Jr.
Dr. Mayfield is a long-standing leader in both the public health and healthcare sectors. Throughout her over 30-year career Dr. Mayfield has focused on transforming private and public health systems through a dedicated focus on the social determinants of health. She is a tireless advocate for health equity, a consensus builder who is committed to working with partners and dedicated to mentoring the next generation of health leaders.
In her latest role, from 2020 to 2022, Dr. Mayfield served as the Director of the U.S. COVID-19 Response Initiative and Senior Advisor for U.S. Partnerships for Resolve to Save Lives. The initiative provided COVID-19 response guidance and technical support to local and state health departments, other community partners, and to agencies of the Federal government. Dr. Mayfield additionally advised on a multi-sector, community-driven, promising best practice hypertension control initiative focused on optimizing patient empowerment and addressing social determinants of health.
In 2016, Dr. Mayfield joined KentuckyOne Health and KentuckyOne Health Partners, as the senior vice president and chief medical officer for population health and led the transformation of the state’s largest healthcare system by addressing basic human needs across the continuum of health.
In 2012, Dr. Mayfield was appointed commissioner of public health for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. She was the first African American and first woman to serve in that role. Prior to her tenure as state public health commissioner, she was the state’s director of laboratory services under the Cabinet of Health and Family Services.
Dr. Mayfield has also held faculty positions at the Louisville School of Medicine and served as the Associate Chief of Staff and Pathologist at the Louisville Veteran’s Administration Medical Center. Dr. Mayfield’s research includes early evaluation of what is now the gold-standard heart disease marker, Troponin.
Dr. Mayfield is a board-certified anatomic and clinical pathologist. She completed medical school at Meharry Medical College and her residency at the University of Louisville. She’s additionally completed graduate executive education at Harvard University.
Dr. David Fleming is currently serving as a Clinical Associate Professor, University of Washington School of Public Health. He is the former vice president of Global Health Programs at PATH, an international non-profit focused on improving global health through innovation. At PATH Dr. Fleming led a 1,000-person staff, bringing PATH’s deep country expertise and its diverse technical expertise to improve the health outcomes of vulnerable people and communities across the globe. He also oversaw PATH’s scientific programs in sexual and reproductive health; maternal, newborn, and child health, nutrition; noncommunicable diseases; malaria; neglected tropical diseases; HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis; health systems innovation and delivery; and digital health.
Prior to joining PATH, Dr. Fleming was the Director and Health Officer for Seattle and King County Public Health Department in Washington State and oversaw all elements of the Department’s operations. Prior to joining the Seattle and King County Department of Public Health, Dr. Fleming directed the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Health Strategies program. His work at Gates focused on vaccine-preventable diseases, nutrition, maternal and child health, community-based solutions, leadership and emergency relief.
From 2000-2003, Dr. Fleming served at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as Deputy Director for Science and Public Health, and, in 2002, was Acting Director of the agency. While at CDC, Dr. Fleming provided oversight of the agency’s global health portfolio, including HIV/AIDS prevention, polio eradication, global tobacco prevention and funding for global immunizations. Before joining CDC, Dr. Fleming worked at the State of Oregon Health Division as State Epidemiologist. He also has served as President of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and on numerous Institute of Medicine, federal, and global health advisory committees. Dr. Fleming has a BS and an M.D. from the State University of New York.
LaToya Gibson is the Manager of Organizational Operations at TFAH. Prior to joining TFAH, Ms. Gibson served as Office Manager and Evaluation Coordinator for an independent evaluation firm working primarily with school districts, private non-profit organizations and universities. Her background includes K-12 education, grants management and program evaluation. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston with a BS in Elementary Education.
Emmanuel Sarfo is Financial, Human Resources, and Compliance Manager at TFAH. Emmanuel manages financial operations, ensures compliance with 501(c)(3) reporting requirements and federal and state labor laws, and manages employee enrollment in fringe benefits, payroll processing and all aspects of human resources. Prior to TFAH, Emmanuel was Senior Staff Accountant at the Progressive Life Center, and earlier, Accounting Officer at the International Center for Christian Ministries. He received a BS in Accounting from Mary Washington University.
Tim Hughes is the External Relations and Outreach Manager at TFAH. He works to connect with current and new strategic partners to mobilize advocates in support of TFAH’s priorities and manage efforts to engage elected officials, public health partners, and non-traditional partners on prevention priorities. Prior to joining TFAH, Tim worked at the Center for Community Oral Health Programs at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California — a non-profit, community-based organization providing comprehensive dental services, including oral health promotion and prevention, to underserved communities across Southern and Central California where health disparities are the greatest.
Mr. Hughes has a Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University with a concentration in physical activity, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy, Management and Planning from the University of Southern California. He currently serves on the board of Teens Run DC — a local non-profit that promotes the physical, social, and emotional well-being of youth through a mentoring and distance running program. He is a runner, triathlete, and outdoor enthusiast.
Emily Wilson is the Healthy Students, Promising Futures Project Manager at TFAH. Emily was a Hazel Dick Leonard Scholar at Simmons University, where she completed her Ph.D. in Health Professions Education on trauma-informed teaching. Prior to joining TFAH, Emily served as a research consultant for various organizations and as an Instructor of Public Health at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. Ms. Wilson is a certified health education specialist (CHES) and has worked on a range of health disparities initiatives in school-based settings. She volunteers with the Regional Health Equity Council for New England and holds an MPH degree from West Chester University, an MS degree in Urban Affairs from Hunter College, and a professional certificate in the Treatment of Trauma from Boston University.
Megan Wolfe is the Senior Policy Development Manager at TFAH, where she works with the Policy Development team to advance a modernized, accountable public health system. Ms. Wolfe has been engaged in public policy and advocacy for over 20 years and has represented Fortune 500 and non-profit organizations. Most recently she served as Government Relations Manager for ASCD, an international education association comprising teachers, principals, superintendents, and higher education professionals. Primarily focused on education issues, she advocated for a whole-child approach to education, increased support for educator professional development, and raising the federal investment for education overall. Prior to her association with ASCD, she served as Government Relations Manager for the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, coordinating and leading all their federal advocacy efforts, including their annual lobby day, public policy agenda, and state affiliate advocacy efforts. She also has Capitol Hill experience, serving as a staff member for the Senate Judiciary Committee working on the federal judgeship confirmation process.
Ms. Wolfe received her undergraduate degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and earned a J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School (formerly the George Mason University School of Law).
Tekisha Everette is TFAH’s Executive Vice President. In this role, she works in partnership with TFAH’s President and CEO to chart and implement the organization’s strategic direction and priorities, provides counsel on current and emerging policy issues, and engages with key organizations, policymakers, and other partners to advance policy priorities to improve public health and promote equity.
A successful executive leader and public policy strategist with a passion for health justice, Everette’s career spans service in the non-profit, state, and private sectors. Most recently, she served as the inaugural Executive Director of Health Equity Solutions, a statewide non-profit dedicated to advancing health equity through policy and advocacy in Connecticut. Prior to Health Equity Solutions, Everette was the Managing Director of Federal Government Affairs with the American Diabetes Association, where she provided strategic leadership on policy and advocacy initiatives with the White House, federal agencies, and Congress. Everette also worked as a government relations consultant with Drinker, Biddle, and Reath, LLC, where she represented the interests of several non-profit healthcare organizations on issues such as health reform, Medicare, Medicaid, and federal appropriations. Everette has also worked for the Service Employees International Union and the State of Maryland. Recognized for her achievements in health policy and advocacy, Everette is an alumna of the National Urban Fellows America’s Leaders of Change program and is a member of the Association of Black Sociologists.
Everette earned a doctorate in Sociology from American University with a concentration in race, gender, and social justice as it relates to social policy. She received a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Tech and holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Interdisciplinary Studies also from Virginia Tech. She completed a Master of Public Health from Yale University in December 2022.
Kevin McIntyre is a Government Relations Manager at TFAH, where he works to advance the organization’s legislative priorities on age-friendly public health systems environmental health and other issues. Before joining TFAH, Mr. McIntyre worked at the Alliance for Health Reform as a Program Assistant for Health Policy & Congressional Outreach, providing support for the group’s events on Capitol Hill. Prior to that, he held internships with Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA) and Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA). Mr. McIntyre graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Maryland in 2013 with a BA in Government & Politics.