The Board of Directors serve as the governing body of the Association with five officers elected by a secret ballot at each Annual Conference for staggered terms. The elected officers comprise the Board. The Treasurer and four members at large are appointed by the Board.
There is one Chapter (Pine Belt Chapter) and a number of Sections that are part of the organization. Each elects a Chair who serves on the Council of Sections and assists with conference and education programming and other activities to benefit their members. The Council of Sections elect a Chair and Vice Chair who serve as voting members of the Board of Directors.
The Association has an Executive Director responsible for the day-to-day management of activities. We also have six Standing Committees including the Executive, Communications and Public Relations, Education and Program, Legislation and Policy, Membership and Partnership and Nomination and Awards Committees – where most of the activities of MPHA are carried out.
Newly selected officers begin their terms at the close of the annual conference each year.
2024 Board of Directors
- President – Karin Thurman
- President-Elect – Danielle Fastring
- Past President – Tanya Funchess
- Secretary – Brad Martin
- Treasurer – Ashley Wolff
- APHA Delegate – Sai Kurmana
- Member-at-Large, North MS- Allison Ford-Wade
- Member-at-Large, Central MS – Robyn Breland
- Member-at-Large, East MS – Brittany Mosley
- Member-at-Large, South MS – Jude Haney
- Student Member – Kaylin Winters
- Council of Sections Chair – Jillian Harper-Peavy
- Council of Sections Vice-Chair – Shawn Rossi
MPHA Staff
- Executive Director – Kaye Bender (execdir@mspha.org; 601-927-7515)
- Special Projects – Valerie Collins (vcollinshrg@bellsouth.net; 601-941-5104)
MPHA Consulting Staff
- Membership – Karen Herrington
- Accounting/Audit – Jason Easley
- Communications Support – U.S.NEXT
- Former Executive Director – Buddy Daughdrill
Section Chairs
- Social Work Section – Jillian Harper (Council Chair), jillian.harper@msdh.ms.gov
- Health Administration – Shawn Rossi (Council Co-Chair), srossi@mhanet.org
- Epidemiology Section – Sudheer Koutha, Sudheer.koutha@msdh.ms.gov, Vernesia Wilson, Vernesia.wilson@msdh.ms.gov
- Health Administration Section – Shawn Rossi, srossi@mhanet.org, Robin Mixon, rmixon@nmhs.net,mixon114@bellsouth.net
- Nursing Section – Latoya Harrison, latoya.harrison@msdh.ms.gov
- Nutrition Section – Kia Johnson, Kia.johnson@msdh.ms.gov
- Office Professionals Section – Susan Rigdon, susan.rigdon@msdh.ms.gov
- Medical Section – Anna Kathryn Ward, anna.ward@msdh.ms.gov
- PHEPR Section (Public Health Education, Policy and Research) – Yolanda Pruitt, Yep11@msstate.edu
- Pine Belt Chapter – Jude Haney, jhaney@wmcarey.edu