FHI 360 is pleased to announce the appointment of Howell Wechsler, a leader in U.S. public health and education, as the Director for U.S. Programs. Dr. Wechsler comes to FHI 360 with a long and distinguished career as an executive and thought leader working at the crossroads of health and education. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, where he oversaw one of the nation’s largest school and afterschool health promotion programs.
Previously, Dr. Wechsler spent more than 18 years working as a health scientist for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the last nine years of that time as the Director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health. His work produced a wealth of data and evidence about child and youth health and risk factors, which has contributed to health promotion programs in schools as well as national and state policies on nutrition, sexual health, social, and emotional health and violence prevention.
FHI 360, a nonprofit organization, works to improve the lives of people in disadvantaged communities across the United States and focuses on three main drivers of success and well-being: health, education and workforce development. The organization uses a range of strategies and services, such as social marketing and communication, technical assistance, policy analysis, curriculum development and program evaluation. FHI 360’s customized approaches address critical issues, such as reducing childhood obesity, increasing HIV prevention and treatment, improving early childhood education, boosting college and career readiness, supporting children and youth with disabilities, and building skills through workforce development. Through partnerships with government agencies, foundations, corporations and community organizations, the organization helps to bring about positive social change.
“I have great admiration for FHI 360’s commitment to excellence and promoting equity. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to strengthen the bridges among health, education and workforce development,” says Dr. Wechsler.
Before joining the CDC, Dr. Wechsler served for six years as Project Director of the Washington Heights-Inwood Healthy Heart Program in New York City, where he led community-based cardiovascular disease prevention programming that served a primarily Latino population. He has received several professional honors, including the William A. Howe Award, which is the highest honor from the American School Health Association.
“For decades, FHI 360 has worked in underserved communities across the United States to address opportunity gaps and disparities,“ said Patrick Fine, Chief Executive Officer of FHI 360. “The depth and diversity of Howell’s experience will serve as a tremendous asset in our pursuit of evidence-based solutions to this country’s social problems.”
Dr. Wechsler earned a doctoral degree in health education from Teachers College at Columbia University, a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. He began his career in public health during his service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
