NNPHI Announces Dr. Karen Hacker as its Next President and Chief Executive Officer

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) Board of Directors is honored to announce the appointment of Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, as NNPHI’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Hacker will begin her term in January 2027 leading NNPHI and its network of 52 public health institutes in their mission of strengthening local, state and federal public health systems and the workforce that powers those systems.

Hacker brings extraordinary experience in public health across non-profit, governmental and academic settings, notably serving as the Director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2019-2025.

“Dr. Hacker brings the leadership, unique experience, and collaborative spirit needed to guide NNPHI into its next chapter,” said Shelina Davis, Chair of the NNPHI Board of Directors and President and CEO of the Louisiana Public Health Institute, an NNPHI member institute. “Our Board was particularly impressed by her expertise in the field and understanding of the evolving public health landscape and her commitment to bringing organizations and sectors together to address the challenges affecting the health of communities across the country.”

“Having worked across a wide spectrum of public health organizations, I have long admired NNPHI’s unmatched ability to connect local innovation with national strategy,” Hacker said. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this extraordinary network and work with NNPHI’s amazing staff. Together, we can elevate the vital work of our member organizations and partners to improve population health.”

A mission-driven physician leader

With more than two decades of progressive leadership in the field, Hacker brings unique skills in bridging community needs and national health policy. Her work has included best-practice initiatives in chronic disease, maternal mortality, Alzheimer’s care, primary care and fostering community health workers.

Her leadership experience has built a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing America’s local, state and federal public health systems. As the director of the Alleghany County Health Department from 2013-19, Hacker led a 400-person strong county health department ensuring the health of 1.2 million people in Allegheny County, achieving national accreditation, lowering air pollution, addressing opioid overdoses with success, passing a regulation for universal childhood lead screening, and launching the Live Well Allegheny initiative.

At CDC, Hacker led a national center dedicated to preventing chronic disease, with 1000 staff and $1.4 billion in funding. Highlights of her tenure include improving data monitoring for states and locals with the addition of new behavioral risk factor surveillance system modules and expansion of locale data through PLACES, reintegrating the Division of Adolescent and School Health, and addressing diabetes and cancer prevention, obesity, smoking, and reproductive health issues.

Hacker has also served as the executive director of the Institute for Community Health in Cambridge, Mass. and the senior medical director for public and community health at the Cambridge Health Alliance. As a practicing physician, Hacker completed her internship and residency in primary care internal medicine at Boston City Hospital, followed by an adolescent medicine fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. She is board-certified in internal medicine.

She is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine.

A Strong Foundation for the Future

Hacker will succeed Vincent Lafronza, EdD, MS, NNPHI’s first full-time leader who has served as President and CEO for the past 14 years. During his tenure, Dr. Lafronza provided leadership during a period of significant change and opportunity for public health nationally and helped strengthen NNPHI’s role as a nationwide leader in strengthening public health systems and their workforce. Under Lafronza’s leadership, NNPHI expanded the network, adding new institutes and partnerships, strengthened the capacity of public health institutes, developed and led major national initiatives, assisted in the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased NNPHI’s reach and impact nationally. NNPHI is also a key partner with CDC, ASTHO and PHAB, providing comprehensive technical assistance on the nation’s Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG).

“Vin has given NNPHI extraordinary leadership, vision, and dedication,” Davis said. “He has helped build a strong national public health organization and an even stronger network, and his commitment to NNPHI and to improving the public’s health has made a lasting difference. We are deeply grateful for his service and the foundation he leaves for the organization’s future.”

“It has been a lifechanging honor to serve as NNPHI’s first full-time leader and to learn from the amazing health experts working in public health institutes, national organizations, CBOs, and federal, state, local, and tribal health agencies across the country,” Lafronza said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together and, most importantly, of the lasting partnerships that have strengthened our collective ability to improve the public’s health.”

Looking Ahead

Beginning in the new year, Hacker will work closely with the Board of Directors, NNPHI staff, NNPHI’s public health institute members, and partners across the country to advance the organization’s strategic priorities and strengthen the capacity and impact of the public health system.

“This is a critical time for the future of public health – the shifting landscape of technology, policy, and prevention requires our collective ability to build sustainable, community-grounded solutions for complex challenges,” Hacker said. “NNPHI sits at the exact intersection where vision meets execution and innovation meets strategy. As we look ahead, our focus will be on driving transformative partnerships, expanding the network’s capacity, enhancing our national position, and leading a collaborative approach to improved public health outcomes.”