Dr. Cheryl Whitaker, CEO of NextLevel Health, and Husband, Dr. Eric Whitaker, Co-present the Yerby Diversity Lecture at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

CHICAGO, March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Cheryl Whitaker, CEO of NextLevel Health, co-presents the Yerby Diversity Lecture in Public Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with her husband Dr. Eric Whitaker. The lecture, "Our Evolution in Public Health" will discuss their professional journey in public health since their time at Harvard over 20 years ago.

The Yerby Diversity Lecture was named in honor of Dr. Alonzo Smythe Yerby, an African-American pioneer in public health. The lecture brings distinguished minority scientists and scholars to the school to speak on important health topics. Dr. Cheryl Whitaker, along with her husband Dr. Eric Whitaker, both distinguished alumni of the School of Public Health, will be speaking at this year's lecture.

"We are thrilled to have both Drs. Cheryl and Eric Whitaker lead our lecture this semester," said Meredith Rosenthal, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Diversity at the Chan School. "Both have different, yet complementary experience in the healthcare arena and can bring valuable insights to our students on the future of public health and the role of professionals in bringing about a more equitable future in the health of communities."

Dr. Cheryl Whitaker, a prominent Chicago south side physician, is the CEO of NextLevel Health, a Medicaid health plan serving seniors, persons with disabilities and childless adults as part of Illinois' innovations program. NextLevel is implementing evidence based, community interventions, many that were debated and discussed while at Harvard.

Dr. Eric Whitaker is a physician investor who is Chairman of TWG Partners and Symphonix Health Holdings. He previously served as the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and was co-founder of Project Brotherhood: A Black Men's Clinic, a nationally recognized innovative model of care based on work started while he was at HSPH.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to speak with students about our experience in public health," said Dr. Cheryl Whitaker. "Changing pay paradigms coupled with new technologic innovations now available to healthcare make scalable, evidence based interventions possible and affordable in communities previously underserved."

"It is great to return to the place that helped inspired our career directions," Dr. Eric Whitaker added. "Our time at the Harvard School of Public Health laid the groundwork for us to have careers in primary care medicine, public health practice, community based research and business."

The Yerby Diversity Lecture is Thursday, March 26 at 12:30 pm at the Kresge Building and is open to the public. For more information on the event, please visit www.hsph.harvard.edu.

About NextLevel Health

NextLevel Health (NextLevel) is a Medicaid Health Plan contracted with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS). NextLevel serves seniors, persons with disabilities and Affordable Care Act Adults on Medicaid that reside in Cook County. For more information on NextLevel, please visit our website at www.NextLevelHealthIL.com.

SOURCE NextLevel Health

Related Links

http://www.NextLevelHealthIL.com