Wiltz named to state health equity panel

Dr. Gary Wiltz, CEO of the Teche Action Clinic, has been appointed by Gov. John Bel to the Louisiana COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
Also named to the panel:
—Sandra Brown, DNS, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, ANEF, FAANP, FAAN (Co-Chair)
Southern University and A&M Baton Rouge
Dean and Professor, Col-lege of Nursing and Allied Health
—Thomas LaVeist, Ph.D. (Co-Chair)
Tulane University
Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity, Dean of Public
Health and Tropical Medi-cine
—Earl “Nupsius” Benja-min-Robinson, Dr.H.Sc.
Louisiana Department of Health- Office of Health Equity, Community Partnerships
Deputy Director
—Takeisha Davis, M.D.
New Orleans East Hospital
Chief Executive Officer
—Rebekah E. Gee, M.D.
LSU Health Care Services
Chief Executive Officer
—Corey Hebert, M.D.
Dillard University
Chief Medical Officer / As-sistant professor - Tulane and LSU
—Theron J. Jackson
Morning Star Baptist Church
Pastor
—Raymond A. Jetson
MetroMorphosis
Chief Executive Catalyst
—Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Professor and Marie Edana Corcoran Endowed Chair in Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes/Assoc. Exec. Dir. for Population and Public Health Sciences, LSU
—Kathleen B. Kennedy, Pharm.D.
Xavier University of Loui-siana
Dean and Malcolm Elling-ton Professor of Health Disparities Research Endowed Professorship in the College of Pharmacy
—Michael W. McClanahan
NAACP
State President
—Orlando McMeans, Ph.D.
Southern University Agri-cultural Research and Extension Center
Chancellor
—Judy Reese Morse
Urban League of Louisiana
President and CEO
—Demetrius Porche, DNS, PhD, APRN, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN
LSUHSC School of Nursing – Dean and Professor
President, Louisiana Council of Administration of Nursing Education
—Rani G. Whitfield, M.D.
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group
Family Practice Physician
“It is an honor to serve the citizens of Louisiana on the COVID-19 Health Equity Taskforce,” said Co-Chair Brown, dean of Southern University’s College of Nursing and Allied Health. “I look forward to working with a distinguished diverse group of experts from across the state that are committed to addressing the health dispari-ties that specifically challenge minorities and vulnerable populations in Louisiana not only in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in advancing health equity for decades to come.”
“I am excited to be able to contribute to this important task force,” said Co-Chair Dr. Thomas LaVeist, dean of Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. “Louisiana has for many years been among the least healthy states and the racial disparities seen around the country are as evident here is it is elsewhere. I am particularly delighted that Governor Edwards has prioritized health equity and I am hopeful that we will be able to make a difference for our state.”
The task force’s work will begin immediately, and its actions and research will result in improved health out-comes and equity in Louisiana. A statewide Health Equity Dashboard will be created to monitor the progress of the task force.