SOPHE Past President
Society for Public Health Education
Leonard Jack, Jr., PhD, MSc, joined MMWR in January 2026 as Acting Editor in Chief, MMWR Series. He is also Editor in Chief of Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD), to which he was appointed in October 2016. He joined PCD after serving as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Division of Community Health (DCH) in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).
Dr. Jack has been recognized for his contributions in advancing the discipline of behavioral health, behavioral science, health education, and health promotion. In 2011, he received SOPHE’s Distinguished Fellow Award, the society’s highest award recognizing individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to SOPHE, the profession of health education, and public health. In 2016, he received the Alumni Recognition Award from The Pennsylvania State University, College of Health and Human Development, an award given to an alumnus/alumna who demonstrates professional excellence and exemplary voluntary community involvement in a health and human development field. In June 2022, CDC’s NCCDPHP awarded Dr Jack its highest honor, The Jeffery P. Koplan Award, which recognizes the extraordinary and sustained accomplishments of an individual who has contributed to achieving NCCDPHP’s mission and has shown exemplary professional practice and leadership. In May 2023, Dr. Jack received the Council of Science Editors’ (CSE’s) Distinguished Service Award for his contributions in advancing scientific communication and advancing the mission and vision of CSE. In April 2024, Dr. Jack received SOPHE’s Karen Denard Goldman Award for his distinguished track record in mentoring students at all educational levels, along with helping students to bridge the link between research and practice.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM PST