The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) recently named Asha M. George, DrPH, MSPH, as the new director of the National Coalition for Adult Immunization (NCAI). Dr. George replaces Bettie Orr who resigned as the director of NCAI in September 1997. Ms. Orr, who served as NCAI's director for three years, played an active role during the inception and growth of the coalition.

"I cannot tell you how pleased we are to have Dr. George as part of our team," said William J. Martone, MD, senior executive director for NFID. "With her public health education and expertise, we know that she will help NCAI strengthen and advance its public health mission.".

Prior to her position with NCAI, Dr. George worked with the Association of Schools of Public Health as an MPH program analyst. During this same time, she also coordinated federally funded projects, including the Federal Employees Worksite Wellness program and the Community Epidemiology Work Group on Substance Abuse for the University of Hawaii.

Earlier in her career, she supervised a nationwide health information services program for the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. This position followed a distinguished military career where, from 1988 to 1992, Dr. George served in the US Army as a military intelligence officer and as a paratrooper. This work earned her seven decorations for service in Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

As a US Army company executive officer, Dr. George initiated a brigade-wide health and wellness program in 1992. She also was responsible for directing wartime occupational health and safety programs.

In addition to her seven service decorations, Dr. George also was officially commended for her military achievements by General Colin Powell, NFID's 1998 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award recipient; Senators Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes; and the National Asian and Pacific American Organization. She also received the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal for her service.

"I am so very pleased with Dr. George's appointment and the opportunities it will bring for her professionally and for the positive things it will portent for NCAI's clients and the general field of public health," said retired Rear Admiral Jerrold M. Michael, DrPH, ScEd, MPH, of the US Public Health Service. "I am pleased to be her colleague."

In addition to her distinguished military career, Dr. George is also an accomplished social science researcher and quantitative and qualitative methodologist. Her publications include Security Preparedness Among American Private Volunteer Organizations Working Overseas; Assessment of Competency in Communication, Interpersonal Relations, and Interdisciplinary Team Functioning Among MPH Students; and Illicit Drug Use in Honolulu and the State of Hawaii.

Dr. George's research and programmatic emphasis as a public health professional consistently has been both practical and academic. Her academic work has emphasized prevention and preparedness activities, especially in such areas as anti-terrorism, post-traumatic stress disorder, disaster medicine, humanitarian support operations, community epidemiology, immunizations, curriculum analysis, and worksite wellness.

Graduating in December of 1997 with a doctorate in public health from the School of Public Health at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dr. George earned her master's degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1988 and her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1987.

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