Farley Staff Named to National Health Policy Committees and Fellowships
Aug 11, 2023
This summer, three key staff members for the Farley Health Policy Center were honored with inclusion in committees and fellowships of national importance.
On August 9, Dr. Lauren Hughes, state policy director, was appointed co-chair of the Standing Committee on Primary Care with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. This type of advisory committee was called for in the 2021 NASEM Implementing High Quality Primary Care: Rebuilding the Foundation of Health Care report. The committee will help inform the work of the Initiative to Strengthen Primary Health Care that is in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and to support the implementation of the forthcoming Health and Human Services (HHS) Action Plan to Strengthen Primary Care. About the committee, Dr. Hughes said, “This federal focus on primary care is unlike any that I have seen in my career to date. It’s the culmination of many efforts that involve several members of the CU Department of Family Medicine and the Farley Center and hopefully will continue to catalyze initiatives to strengthen our primary care infrastructure in this country.”
On August 9, Dr. Stephanie Gold, scholar and associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, was announced as a recipient of the 2023-2025 James C. Puffer, MD/American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Fellowship at the National Academy of Medicine. "I feel very fortunate to have been selected as a Puffer fellow! I look forward to taking part in the work of elevating evidence to national policymakers and learning from experts at the National Academies," says Gold. During Dr. Gold's two-year tenure as a Puffer/ABFM Fellow she will, "collaborate with eminent researchers, policy experts, and clinicians from across the country." She will also, "participate in initiatives convened by the National Academies to provide nonpartisan, scientific, and evidence-based guidance to national, state, and local policymakers, academic leaders, health care administrators, and the public."
Earlier this year, former first lady Michelle Obama announced a new company developing a line of healthy foods and beverages aimed at children, Plezi Nutrition. The company rolled out its first product in May, a line of drinks with significantly less sugar and more fiber than soda or other juice drinks. Ahead of the launch, the Farley Center’s executive director, Shale Wong, served as an expert advisor on Obama’s “kitchen cabinet.” The purpose of this group is to provide advice from a small group of national experts who could think about childhood nutrition in a more contextual, whole-picture approach. “This isn’t just about a food company;” said Dr. Wong, “it’s about providing alternatives that are healthier than what currently exists, and it’s doing it in the context of education and support for parents and families.” Dr. Wong continues to advise on this project. Learn more from the School of Medicine newsroom.