ASTHO welcomes Lindsey Myers, Jane Bigham, and Jeffrey Ekoma to New Leadership Roles

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) announced two promotions and a new hire. Lindsey Myers was promoted to Senior Vice President for Leadership, Infrastructure and Transformation; Jeffrey Ekoma was promoted to Vice President of Government Affairs and Jane Bigham was named as Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Relations.

Myers spent the last four years serving as ASTHO's vice president for public health workforce and infrastructure. In this role, she oversaw implementation of the transformational Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) technical assistance efforts supporting state, territorial, and local health agencies in strengthening the public health workforce, building foundational capabilities, and modernizing data systems. Before that, she served two years as ASTHO's vice president for social and behavioral health, where she supported state and territorial work on overdose prevention, suicide prevention, and the prevention of adverse childhood experiences. Lindsey's considerable experience in state and local public health also includes 13 years with the Colorado Department of Public Health leading injury, suicide, and violence prevention and mental health promotion efforts, and four years with the El Paso County (Colorado Springs) Public Health overseeing community health programs. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kyrgyzstan, holds a BA in Biochemistry and English from the University of Colorado Boulder and an MPH from Yale University School of Public Health, and has received numerous distinguished public health awards.

As Vice President of Government Affairs, Jeffrey leverages over a decade of federal health policy and legislative affairs experience to lead the organization's congressional engagement and national advocacy strategy. He works closely with public health leaders, federal agencies, and Congress to secure funding and advance key policy initiatives—spanning emergency preparedness, workforce development, data modernization, and disease prevention. In addition to advising senior public health officials and translating complex federal policy into actionable guidance, Jeffrey frequently represents ASTHO before national coalitions and provides policy analysis on ASTHO's podcast, Public Health Review Morning Edition. Holding an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and an MS from Towson University, he draws on his background in health care delivery policy and bipartisan consensus-building to strengthen federal-state partnerships and bolster the nation's public health infrastructure.

Bigham brings nearly 20 years of legislative and public health experience, including over five years with the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP). During her tenure on HELP, Jane drove negotiations on key public health legislation such as the PREVENT Pandemics Act and reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). Prior to her time on the Hill, Jane spent nearly a decade at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she developed legislative strategies to advance agency priorities on a variety of public health issues, including occupational safety and health and infectious diseases. Jane holds a BA in psychology and Spanish from Agnes Scott College and an MPH from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

"I am delighted to have Lindsey and Jane join our senior leadership team and welcome Jeffrey to our executive leadership team," says ASTHO CEO Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH. "Lindsey is highly respected both within ASTHO and across the public health community for her exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and collaborative approach. Jane and Jeffrey bring a distinguished record of public health policy and advocacy leadership. Through Jane's work on Capitol Hill and at CDC, she has played an instrumental role in advancing critical public health legislation, including the PREVENT Pandemics Act and PAHPA, while championing policies that strengthen the nation's public health infrastructure. Jeffrey has a proven record advising senior public health officials on federal legislative and regulatory developments, overseeing ASTHO's congressional strategy, and leading efforts to translate complex federal policy into actionable guidance for public health leaders.

Together, these three individuals bring a wealth of expertise, trusted relationships, and a deep commitment to improving public health. I am excited to partner with them as we continue to advance ASTHO's priorities and serve the health agencies and communities that rely on our leadership."

ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories and freely associated states, and Washington, D.C., as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health practice.

SOURCE Association of State and Territorial Health Officials