Society for Health Communication Elects New President and Expands Leadership
Appointments reflect continued organizational growth and essential role of health communicators
February 7, 2022 – The Society for Health Communication, a member-driven organization working to advance the science of health communication, has elected Michael Grela, EVP, Head of Reputation and Social Impact, Evoke KYNE, as its 2022 President, and re-elected Shelly Spöeth, Principal Associate, Abt Associates, as its 2022 Member-at-Large. Grela is responsible for overseeing its newly-expanded Steering Committee and partnering with Executive Director Diane Brodalski and leadership to set and achieve its member engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion, and overall growth goals. Spöeth will focus on organizational member engagement and retention, and management of its Advisory Board.
Following a newly-established open nomination and review process aimed to help equitably evolve and diversify its leadership, the Society has also appointed seven new Steering Committee members for the 2022-2023 term:
- Brittaney Bethea, MPH, Health Communication Project Director, CommunicateHealth
- Dr. Jennifer Bishop, Acting Director, Division of Health Promotion and Communication, Office of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Dr. Glen Nowak, Co-Director, Center for Health and Risk Communication and Professor, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia
- Dr. Sung-Yeon Park, Professor, Lead, Division of Social Behavioral Health and Health Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Reno, Nevada
- Dr. Monica Ponder, Assistant Professor of Health Communication, Department of Communication, Culture and Media Studies, Howard University
- Rachel Pryzby, MPH, CHES, Vice President, Health Communication Program Director, CommunicateHealth
- Dr. Leslie Rodriguez, Senior Director, Public Health Programs, Karna
“Effective health communication is more important than ever, and I’m thrilled to welcome Michael, Shelly and our new group of highly-accomplished Steering Committee members, as we continue on our journey of building a stronger, more connected field,” said Dr. Jay M. Bernhardt, Founder, Society for Health Communication, and Professor and Dean, The University of Texas at Austin, Moody College of Communication. “Alongside our ~4,000 individual and 30 organizational members, I’ve never been more confident about the future of the Society and the significance of our work.”
“I’d like to extend a huge thank you to our outgoing President Terry Savage for all of her tremendous contributions to the organization, as well as her guidance over the past two years,” said Grela. “The Society’s mandate could not be more relevant or pressing, and I’m looking forward to helping guide the organization at this critical time as we seek to advance health equity and positively contribute to the field of health communication.”
In 2022, the Society will continue its educational webinar series, sharing of relevant competencies, resources and opportunities across the field, as well as host its 6th Annual Summit for Health Communication on June 14, 2022 in Austin, TX, in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin, Moody College of Communication, Health Communication Leadership Institute.
About the Society for Health Communication
The Society for Health Communication is a nonprofit organization bringing together health communication professionals and scholars to create meaningful connections, share knowledge and exchange best practices across disciplines, promote health equity, and advance the science of health communication. Since its founding in 2016, the Society has grown to nearly 4,000 individual members and 30 organizational members, representing academia, government, nonprofits and the private sector, connected in their mission to help foster trust in science, dependence on clarity, and the pursuit of health equity. The Society isn’t just an organization; it’s a movement. To learn more, become a member or donate, please visit www.hcsociety.org. You can also follow us on Twitter @HealthCommSoc and LinkedIn @Society-for-Health-Communication.