Nandi A. Marshall didn’t exactly slip quietly into a new role — her appointment as president of the American Public Health Association places her right at the center of national conversations about health equity and the future of community-focused care. It’s a big moment for her and, honestly, a pretty big moment for Georgia Southern University too.
She officially stepped into the position on Nov. 5, beginning a year-long presidency that sits within a broader three-year leadership stretch on APHA’s executive board.
A Leadership Move Marking a Shift in National Public Health Priorities
Marshall’s appointment lands at a time when people in public health are still trying to catch their breath after years of stress, burnout and policy battles.
Her background — more than two decades working directly with communities — gives her a perspective that many in the field say is sorely needed right now.
She’s known for pushing maternal and child health equity to the front of the line, and colleagues often mention her way of blending lived experience with academic research. That’s not an easy balance.
A single-sentence moment here: Her supporters say this is exactly why APHA chose her.
In a note celebrating the appointment, Georgia Southern provost Avinandan Mukherjee said Marshall’s leadership reflects the university’s growing visibility in public health circles. He put it bluntly, saying her work embodies what they want their students to carry into their own careers.
What Marshall Brings Into the APHA Presidency
Marshall has spent years arguing that public health isn’t just policy — it’s personal.
She often talks about communities holding the answers, if institutions would simply listen. Her approach tends to blend empathy and data, which sounds obvious but isn’t always practiced.
She carries an academic record that traces a path through Spelman College, East Stroudsburg University and, eventually, her Doctor of Public Health at Georgia Southern.
Another one-line paragraph here: That academic arc continues to influence the way she views equity.
Here’s what feels useful for readers trying to understand her immediate priorities:
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Strengthening pipelines for future public health workers, especially in underserved regions.
Marshall’s stance aligns closely with national concerns about workforce shortages, especially after many professionals stepped back from the field in recent years.
APHA’s Long Legacy and the Weight of This Role
Founded in 1872, APHA isn’t just another professional organization. It has more than 25,000 members and a reputation for shaping major public health conversations in the U.S.
Sometimes it acts like a convener, pulling researchers and policymakers into the same room. Other times, it functions more like a watchdog, pushing for accountability on environmental health, medical access, or community-driven research.
Marshall now steps into the role of guiding the tone of those debates for the next year.
And yes, she’ll remain on the executive board after her presidency, finishing her term as immediate past president.
Here’s a quick table outlining APHA’s core focus areas under recent leadership:
| Priority Area | Focus Description |
|---|---|
| Health Equity | Supporting policies that reduce disparities |
| Workforce Development | Strengthening public health training and staffing |
| Community Partnerships | Encouraging local engagement and shared solutions |
| Evidence-Based Policy | Promoting data-driven decisions across states |
| Maternal & Child Health | Addressing growing disparities nationwide |
This structure gives a rough sense of the landscape she’s stepping into.
A President Rooted in Community Voices
Marshall often frames health as a human right.
In her first statement after stepping into the presidency, she emphasized listening — listening to neighborhoods, listening to families, listening to people who are too often treated as data points instead of partners.
Her words had a mix of urgency and heart: equity isn’t a destination, she said; it’s a commitment.
One sentence, intentionally brief: She wants public health to feel human again.
Her supporters point out that this mindset aligns with recent shifts in federal health conversations. Agencies and universities are increasingly emphasizing the role of community experience alongside scientific evidence. For many, Marshall’s approach feels like a natural continuation of that trend.
What Comes Next for Georgia Southern and APHA
Her new role isn’t just a personal milestone. It puts Georgia Southern University on a more visible national stage, especially its Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health.
University leaders say it signals the kind of influence they hope to build long term.
For APHA, the timing matters. The organization enters 2026 facing policy fights over maternal health disparities, climate-linked disease burdens and concerns about shrinking public health budgets.
Another short paragraph: Marshall steps in with a mandate to steady things.
And while it’s hard to predict how the year will unfold, early reactions suggest that many within APHA expect her to steer discussions toward fairness, empathy and practical solutions grounded in real community needs.
Her presidency is expected to include travel across states, meetings with local coalitions, and engagements with federal partners looking for insight into on-the-ground challenges. Some colleagues describe her as the kind of leader who asks questions first and synthesizes later — an approach increasingly valued in a field often weighed down by politics.
By the end of her term, APHA members say they hope to see meaningful forward momentum on issues that have stalled nationwide. They’re looking for clarity, stability and a stronger pipeline of trained professionals ready to step into the field.
One final one-sentence paragraph: For now, Marshall says she’s entering the role with purpose, courage and what she called “love,” an unusual word in national health leadership but one she insists belongs there.
