Ford-Wade will serve two-year term

By Edwin B. Smith

Allison Ford-Wade, associate dean of community engagement in the University of Mississippi School of Applied Sciences, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Mississippi Public Health Association.

The interim chair of the Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management will serve as a member-at-large for a two-year term beginning Jan. 1. Member-at-large positions serve as voting members of the board and work to boost member and partner engagement in their part of the state.

One of the most important aspects of the association is its advocacy for Mississippi’s public health efforts. MPHA supports key health policies that help improve health outcomes across the state.

MPHA also hosts an annual conference and publishes an academic journal examining public health issues in the Deep South.

“Having lived in this region for over twenty years, I am excited to provide a voice for the people of northeast Mississippi,” Ford-Wade said. “Additionally, we have worked hard over the last four years to bring new public health academic programs to our university and state.

“Serving on the board will inform our programs, current trends and topics and how to apply those to the local community.”

Ford-Wade’s appointment is an asset to the School of Applied Sciences and the university, said Peter Grandjean, the school’s dean.

“A critical part of MPHA’s work is to advocate on behalf of the public health professionals in our state,” Grandjean said. “Representing our region on MPHA’s board will allow Dr. Ford-Wade the opportunity to advocate for funding, as well as planning and evaluating diverse public health programming.”

Ford-Wade is also helping introduce STEM fields to high school students, working with Ole Miss professors in pharmacy and chemistry and at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. They have so far brought the program to the Oxford Boys & Girls Club and Stewpot in Jackson.