Devlin named chair of CDC Foundation’s Board of Directors

November 15, 2019

Dr. Leah McCall Devlin

Leah McCall Devlin, DDS, MPH, has been named chair of the CDC Foundation Board of Directors. The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit created by the United States Congress to mobilize philanthropic and private-sector resources to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s critical health protection work.

Devlin joined the board in 2012. She is a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health.

“Since joining our board seven years ago, Leah has made incredible contributions to the CDC Foundation,” said Judith Monroe, MD, president and chief executive officer of the CDC Foundation. “Leah’s passion for public health shines through in all of her efforts. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Leah as we act with our board members, staff, donors and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to save and improve lives in America and across the globe.”

Devlin has more than 30 years of experience in public health practice in the state of North Carolina; she served as state health director from 2001 to 2009. She previously was deputy state health director and health director for Wake County, N.C. Additionally, Devlin has served as a consultant to RTI International, one of the world’s leading research institutes, and to the Milbank Memorial Fund and the Aspen Institute.

“It is an incredible honor to serve in this role given the CDC Foundation’s innovative efforts to bring together public and private partners who care deeply about improving health at home and abroad,” said Devlin. “The strength of the board and the outstanding leadership of Dr. Monroe, her team and CDC experts keep us laser-focused on the greater health impact we can all achieve together.”

Devlin also has served as president of three active public health organizations: the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors, the North Carolina Public Health Association and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. In addition to her service as board chair of the CDC Foundation, Devlin is a board member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Gillings School’s Advisory Council, Campbell University and the N.C. Healthcare Foundation.

Devlin earned a bachelor’s degree, doctor of dental surgery degree and master of public health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC, she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the School of Public Health’s honor society. In 2008, she received the University’s Distinguished Alumna Award.

Devlin succeeds Douglas Nelson, retired president and CEO of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, as chair of the CDC Foundation’s Board of Directors.

About the CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between the CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has launched approximately 1,000 programs and raised more than $800 million. The CDC Foundation managed nearly 300 CDC-led programs in the United States and in more than 130 countries last year. For more information, visit www.cdcfoundation.org.

Contact the Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@listserv.unc.edu.