Washington, DC, February 11, 2022 – The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) welcomes Ms. Tammy Dillard-Steels as chief executive officer (CEO). She will begin serving as CEO of SOPHE on March 1, 2022.
Founded in 1950, SOPHE is the premier nonprofit organization advancing health education, health advocacy, and health equity. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., SOPHE’s mission is to support leaders in health education and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE represents the professional interests of more than 4,000 members throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Dillard-Steels holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and a scholar from ASAE’s Diversity Executive Leader Program, and the Association Forum of Chicagoland’s Diversity Workforce Initiative.
“Ms. Dillard-Steels’ strategic drive and her long, distinguished career in the association management community make her the perfect choice to lead SOPHE into the next phase of its development,” said Dr. Deborah Fortune, SOPHE President. “We’re thrilled to welcome Tammy Dillard-Steels aboard.”
In her new role as CEO, Dillard-Steels will be responsible for leading SOPHE’s dedicated team of professionals while growing the value of the organization to its members, donors, sponsors, partners and other stakeholders. She will lead efforts to expand the organization’s programs while growing and strengthening its membership base.
Tammy Dillard-Steels brings extensive experience in association management with over 25 years in both the nonprofit and private sectors. She served as the executive director of the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, executive director of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and regional director of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Additionally, Dillard-Steels served as director, Constituent Services, Academy of General Dentistry and executive director of Urban Sustainability Authority. Finally, her specialties include strategic planning, membership development and marketing, fundraising, chapter relations, volunteer management, governance, finance, and human resources.
Her volunteer and professional affiliations include Black Indigenous People of Color Advisory Group for the Association Forum of Chicagoland, Alumni Council Member of the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago, member of ASAE’s Research Foundation Development Committee, Female Association Executive Network, and Leadership America.
“As a veteran of association world, I’m very excited to join SOPHE, the leading organization for public health education,” said Dillard-Steels. “SOPHE’s commitment to professional development and member success mirrors my values, and I look forward to upholding the organization’s strong priorities and expanding its reach.”
SOPHE’s CEO search was conducted by the association and nonprofit search experts Vetted Solutions.
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For more information contact: Brigitte W. Johnson, APR at bjohnson@sophe.org.
