BACKGROUND
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Mission and History
The Mission of the Campaign for Public Health
The Campaign for Public Health (CPH) is an independent, not-for-profit, 501(c)(4) organization comprised of prominent leaders in the public health and business communities who are dedicated to advocating for legislation that will accelerate the growth of federal appropriations for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Campaign for Public Health has four main objectives:
- Formulate and implement an appropriate advocacy strategy to achieve Executive and Legislative branch support of accelerated funding for the CDC with a goal for the agency of $15 billion by 2012;
- Convene public health stakeholders to jointly advance communications and educational outreach efforts in support of a level of funding that will enable the CDC to fulfill its mission “to protect health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury and disability”;
- Strengthen Legislative and Executive branch knowledge and understanding of the integral roles and responsibilities of the CDC and resource requirements for fulfillment of these roles and responsibilities; and,
- Cultivate Congressional champions for the CDC.
The History of the Campaign for Public Health
Late in 2002, Research!America gathered staff, members of their Board and other leaders from the public health community to explore ways to enhance advocacy efforts on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Honorable John Porter, the Honorable Paul Rogers and others at those meetings felt the time was right to focus public attention – and the attention of Congress – on the need for greater CDC funding. With initial funding from Pfizer Inc., Research!America, Johnson & Johnson and Evan Jones, the President and CEO of Digene Corporation, the Campaign for Public Health was launched in May of 2004. (While Mr. Jones has since retired from his postition as President and CEO, he remains Chairman of the Board at Digene).
Mr. Jones became inaugural Chairman of the Board and was joined by Board Director Dr. Roger Bulger, then the President and CEO of the Association of Academic Health Centers. A final Board member, Gordon MacDougall, President of Beacon Consulting Group, is the organization’s President. Mr. MacDougall also served as the interim Executive Director for the eleven months following the Campaign’s formal incorporation. A Campaign Coordinator was hired to support the day to day administration of the Campaign during that time.
During the first year, CPH utilized the influence of the organization’s Senior Advisors and, through Hogan and Hartson and Beacon Consulting Group, met with high-ranking Administration officials, congressional staff and members of Congress to discuss the needs of the CDC. Mr. MacDougall convened over a dozen one-on-one meetings with members of the public health community to build support for the Campaign for Public Health. This outreach effort also garnered important information about the relationships between the CDC and outside organizations. Finally, current and former Congressional leaders addressed several dozen public health groups at breakfast gatherings. Strategies to best impacting funding levels for the CDC were explored in these meetings.
In April 2005, Karl Moeller was hired to serve as the Executive Director. During 2005, Mr. Moeller helped the CPH Board bring the Campaign for Public Health into 2006 by strengthening relations with partner organizations, redoubling efforts to hold high level meetings with government officials, improving advocacy strategies and adding new partners and contributors to the organization’s growing list of allies.
Board membership changed slightly in early 2006 as Dr. Georges Benjamin, the Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, accepted an invitation to join the Board of the Campaign for Public Health. He filled the role served by Roger Bulger, MD, a founding member of the Campaign. CPH is grateful to Dr. Bulger for his service. Visit our "News from Washington" section for the latest updates on CPH's activities.