Martha Katz, former Deputy Director of Policy and Legislation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Accepts Appointment with Healthcare Georgia Foundation

ATLANTA, GA, February 11, 2003 -- Healthcare Georgia Foundation today announced the appointment of Martha Katz as the Foundations Director of Health Policy effective March 3, 2003.

I am very pleased to welcome Martha to Healthcare Georgia Foundation," said Dr. Gary Nelson, President of the Foundation. As a highly regarded expert in the field of health policy, Martha will be instrumental in helping the Foundation fulfill its commitment to advancing the health of all Georgians by expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare for underserved individuals and communities."

Formerly the Deputy Director of Policy and Legislation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ms. Katzs public health career began in the late 1970s in the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Ms. Katz was responsible for developing the first Healthy People report, published in 1980. Since joining CDC, Ms. Katz has contributed in many different ways to the data, programs, partnerships and policies that Healthy People envisioned as the mechanisms for improving the Nations health outcomes. As a senior advisor to the last six directors of the CDC, she has been closely involved in managing the agencys evolution and setting its strategic direction.

As the Deputy Director for Policy and Legislation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ms. Katz was a member of the agencys senior executive management team overseeing the CDCs 8,000 employees and $7.5 billion annual budget. In addition to advising the CDCs director on complex policy and legislative aspects of the agencys public health activities, Ms. Katzs specific responsibilities included leading and coordinating the CDCs legislative initiatives, health communications programs and relationships with external partners.

As a senior member of Healthcare Georgia Foundations management team, Ms. Katz will play a critical role in establishing the Foundations positioning and strategic grantmaking direction on health policy. In addition, Ms. Katz will facilitate the development of public/private partnerships as well as the collaboration among public health, healthcare and community health-related organizations. She will also provide leadership for the Foundations health policy research efforts, including the collection and use of statistical health-related data, and the education of Georgians regarding critical health policy opportunities.

About Healthcare Georgia Foundation

Healthcare Georgia Foundation is a statewide, private independent foundation located in Atlanta, Georgia. The Foundations mission is to advance the health of all Georgians and to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare for underserved individuals and communities. The Foundation was created in 1999 with an endowment from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. With assets of approximately $117 million for fiscal year 2002, the Foundation awarded grants totaling over $4.3 million in support of 39 programs and organizations throughout Georgia. For more information, please visit: www.healthcaregeorgia.org

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