Boris D. Lushniak, dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Health, has been appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Fitness Foundation by Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services. The National Fitness Foundation (NFF) is the only congressionally chartered nonprofit focused on health and fitness. It is the official charity of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition and is focused on expanding youth sport participation in America. It oversees the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, the national model for fitness assessment and education in schools.
Dean Lushniak’s resume includes a distinguished career in federal service, culminating in leadership roles as U.S. deputy surgeon general (2010–15) and acting surgeon general (2013–14). In 2015, he retired as a Rear Admiral from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps where he was an officer for 27 years, and became the dean of the UMD SPH in 2017. As of July, Dean Lushniak joins the NFF board of directors that includes the CEOs of the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Girls on the Run, and YMCA of the USA, among other distinguished leaders.
Among the developments related to nutrition and physical activity at the federal level, the White House has appointed José Andrés, chef, humanitarian and founder of World Central Kitchen, and Elena Delle Donne, professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics, as new President’s Council Co-chairs. In September, the Biden-Harris Administration will host a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to catalyze public and private sectors around a coordinated strategy to accelerate progress and drive transformative change in the United States to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, and eliminate disparities surrounding them.
“I’m really looking forward to playing a role in our nation’s pursuit to more aggressively tackle the public health challenges ahead of us through my role as a board member of the National Fitness Foundation," Dean Lushniak said. "Exercise, fitness, nutrition and sports play a critical role in fighting the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. Let’s move ahead!”