The Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria began meeting in April 2006. Since then, the steering committee has: 1) expanded the original Community Health Assessment steering committee to make it broader and more inclusive; 2) worked through some of the structural and procedural issues, including but not limited to, rules of operation, vision, mission statement, membership, leadership, roles and responsibilities, decision-making, communication, outreach, defining health priorities, creating work groups, recruiting community stakeholders and engaging the community; 3) identified several priority areas of focus; and 4) created four work groups around these priorities.

Priorities and Work Groups

The Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria identified several priority areas of focus, for which four work groups have been created. They are:

• Healthy Lifestyles (including physical activity and nutrition)
• Environmental Health (including respiratory health, tobacco use, and the built environment)
• Mental Health Anti-Stigma HOPE Campaign
• Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria

Executive Steering Committee

The Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria has formed an Executive Steering Committee that is charged with taking a broad view of Partnership work to actively identify community health priorities or needs not being addressed, as well as monitor and evaluate existing initiatives. Supported by the larger Steering Committee, the Executive Steering Committee will be charged with providing short- and long-term visioning and strategic planning for the Partnership.

Executive Steering Committee Members:
Marian Van Landingham, Chair
Lisa Baker, Co-Chair, Healthy Lifestyles Work Group; Director, Office on Women
Janet Barnett, Executive Director, Senior Services of Alexandria
Jerome Cordts, Commissioner, Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
Ripley Forbes, Parks and Recreation Commission
Arlene Hewitt, Representative, Chamber of Commerce; Commissioner, Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
Darhyl Jasper, Representative, Alfred St Baptist Church
Christina Johnston, Co-Chair, Healthy Lifestyles Work Group; Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Inc.
Eunsung Kim, Patient Care Director, INOVA Alexandria Hospital
Allen Lomax, Chair, Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA), United Way
JoAnn Maldonado, Alexandria Multicultural Services, Department of Human Services
Richard Merritt, Co-Chair, Environmental Health Work Group
Lucresha Murphy, Executive Director, YMCA Alexandria
Mary Riley, Chair, Anti Stigma Mental Health HOPE Campaign; Chair, Community Services Board;
Robin Wallin, School Nurse Coordinator, Alexandria City Public Schools

Ex-Officio members
Lisa Kaplowitz, Health Director, Health Department
Michael Gilmore, Executive Director, Community Services Board (CSB)
Deborah Warren, Division Director, Child, Family and Prevention Services (CSB)
Veronica Aberle, Director of Nursing, Health Department

Steering Committee Members

Marian Van Landingham, Chair, Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria
The Honorable Bill Euille, Mayor, City of Alexandria
Allen Lomax, Chair, Alexandria United Way and Economic Opportunities Commission
Ann Huston, Representative, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce
Arlene Hewitt, Member, Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
Carol Layer, Division Director, Extended Care Services, Alexandria Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse
Deborah Warren, Division Director, Child, Family and Prevention Services, Alexandria Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse
Jerome Cordts, Chair, Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
JoAnn Maldonado, Coordinator, Alexandria Department of Human Services Multicultural Services
Kathy Bury, Infection Control Nurse, Inova Alexandria Hospital
Kristin Langlykke, Executive Director, Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Inc.
Linda Cotton, Certified Information & Referral Specialist (CIRS), Alexandra Department of Human Services
Lisa Baker, Director, Alexandria Office on Women
Lucy Caldwell, Public Information Officer, N. Virginia Region, Virginia Department of Health
Mary Riley, Chair, Alexandria Community Services Board
Peggy Cressy, Senior Director, Community Health Division, Inova Health System
Rebecca Parkin, Associate Dean, Research and Public Health Practice; Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health & Epidemiology and Biostatistics, George Washington University School of Public Health
Richard Merritt, Member, Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
Robin Wallin, School Nurse Coordinator, Alexandria City Public Schools
Rose Berler, Chair, School Health Advisory Board
Silvia Portillo, Health Coordinator, Tenants' & Workers' United
Susan Miller, Health Manager, Campagna Center
Tina Forte, Member, Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS
John Porter, Assistant Superintendent, Alexandria City Public Schools
Robin Adams, Systems & Business Development, Inova Health System
Mike Gilmore, Executive Director, Alexandria Community Services Board
Lynn Hainge, Executive Director, Campbell Hoffman Foundation
Jacqueline Coachman, Youth Services Program Specialist, Office of Youth Services, DHS

Alexandria Health Department Representation:

Lisa Kaplowitz, Health Director
Carrie Fesperman, Health Planner
Veronica Aberle, Nurse Manager
Robert Custard, Environmental Health Manager
Lisa Guli, Epidemiologist

Steering Committee Meeting Minutes

• March 26, 2008
• May 10, 2007
• February 26, 2007
• October 30, 2006