President of the American Public Health Association (APHA)
Deanna Wathington, MD, MPH, FAAFP serves as president of the American Public Health Association (APHA) as well as clinical director at REACHUP, Inc., professor (collaborative appointment) at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health and executive director of the Consortium of African American Public Health Programs. She previously served as founding dean of the Bethune-Cookman University College of Health Sciences, associate dean for Academic and Student Affairs and director of Public Health Practice at the USF College of Public Health, and director of the Office of Minority Health at the Florida Department of Health. She also served as founding associate dean for Academic Enrichment and a practicing family medicine physician at the USF College of Medicine.
Dr. Wathington’s work and scholarly efforts have centered on health equity, clinical-community linkages, maternal and child health, equitable community development, and expanding diversity within the health professions. Wathington developed, and shepherded the initial CEPH accreditation of, the first master of public health in health equity degree program. She is co-editor of Black Women and Public Health: Strategies to Name, Locate, and Change Systems of Power and, more recently, co-author of a chapter on perinatal safety and public health in Black Women’s Reproductive Health and Sexuality - A Holistic Public Health Approach. Dr. Wathington earned her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, now known as Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School; her master of public health from Temple University; and her baccalaureate in zoology and physiology from Rutgers University. She completed residency training in family medicine at JFK Medical Center, New Jersey, and Bayfront Medical Center, Florida.
Dr. Wathington serves on the APHA Executive Board, ASPPH Workforce Advisory Committee and the Specialty Societies Bridging the Gap Between Medicine and Public Health Advisory Committee. Previous service includes the Council on Education for Public Health, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on Health and Resilience in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Partnership for Women and Families Listening to Mothers Advisory Group, National Association of Community Health Centers RWJF Advisory Group and Community of Practice , the National Cancer Institute GMaP Region 2 Coordinating Committee, and the HHS OMH Southeastern Health Equity Council. Dr. Wathington has received the distinction of Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Temple University Gallery of Success Inductee, Association of American Medical Colleges Shoestring Award of Excellence, the APHA Black Caucus of Health Workers Hildrus A. Poindexter Award, and the Florida Outstanding Woman in Public Health Award.