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• Former American Cancer Society CEO joining faculty of IU School of Public Health-Bloomington

Former American Cancer Society CEO joining faculty of IU School of Public Health-Bloomington

• Oct. 19, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- John Seffrin, former CEO of the American Cancer Society, will join the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington faculty as a professor of practice, Dean Mohammed Torabi has announced.

"I am both excited and delighted to join the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and its amazing faculty," Seffrin said. "The breadth and scope of research, teaching and community involvement within the school is stellar. The school is now positioned to not only take on the challenges we face collectively in public health but to lead the way in creating new approaches and new solutions.”

Seffrin will work within the Department of Applied Health Science as a professor in collaboration with the dean in assisting in networking, development and fundraising for tobacco use prevention and control. Recent American Lung Association data indicates that the economic cost from smoking in Indiana is about $4.8 million. The smoking rate for adults in the state is about 22 percent, while deaths attributed to smoking are nearly 10,000 per year.

"As we continue to recruit the best of the best, I couldn’t be more excited to bring Dr. Seffrin on board," said Mohammad Torabi, dean and Chancellor’s Professor at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington. "Dr. Seffrin is one of this nation's foremost public health advocates, a dedicated public servant, and a longtime champion of research, practice and community engagement in public health. He will bring extensive experience and a keen mind for innovation to his new role as professor of practice and distinguished scholar at the School of Public Health-Bloomington.”

Seffrin served as a professor of health education and chair of the Department of Applied Health Science from 1979 to 1992. Under his leadership, a number of programs within the department were recognized nationally for their excellence. While at IU, he was also the director of the Center for Health and Safety and chair of the Hazard Control Program Advisory Board.

In 1992, Seffrin left IU to become the CEO of the American Cancer Society. While there, he revolutionized the organization, transforming it into one of the world’s leading progressive public health organizations. He is also politically involved in the promotion of public health. He serves on the White House Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health and formerly served on the Advisory Committee to the Director of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He also helped create the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids (now called the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids), which fights to reduce tobacco use in the U.S. and around the world.

He is a contributing author to more than a dozen books and over 100 articles and other publications. Earlier this year, Torabi awarded Seffrin the Founding Dean’s Medallion, an award given to those whose careers have been dedicated to rigorous public health research, education and practice by preventing disease, promoting health and enhancing quality of life. 

Seffrin has a B.S. degree from Ball State University, an M.S. degree from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from Purdue University, as well as honorary doctorates from the Medical University of South Carolina, Mercer University, the State University New York, Ball State University, Purdue University, Thomas Jefferson University and Indiana University.

The IU School of Public Health-Bloomington is reimagining public health through a comprehensive approach that enhances and expands disease prevention and reshapes how parks, tourism, sports, leisure activities, physical activity and nutrition impact and enhance wellness. Unique in the nation, the school’s multidisciplinary approach, history of community engagement and emerging strengths in epidemiology, biostatistics and environmental health bring new vigor and energy to the traditional concept of a school of public health. With nearly 3,000 students in an array of undergraduate and advanced degree programs and more than 130 faculty in five academic departments, faculty and students conduct research, learn, teach and engage with communities across a broad spectrum of health, wellness and disease-prevention topics.