Today, the American Lung Association announced the 2026-2027 board of directors who will help advance the organization’s efforts to improve lung health and prevent lung disease. During the June 27 board meeting in Chicago, new board leadership and four new board members were elected to the national board, which is responsible for providing strategic and governance oversight to the organization.
During the meeting, Mike Carstens, Consultant at Health Insurance Risk Advisors, LLC, was named board chair; Mark Johnson, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications for Prothena Biosciences Inc., was named chair-elect; David Hill, M.D., pulmonary and critical care physician with Waterbury Pulmonary Associates, was named immediate past chair; and Joy Kleinmaier, Strategic Advisor for Healthnix, Inc., was named secretary/treasurer of the American Lung Association national board of directors.
“Over the past year and a half, we have seen significant changes to the public health landscape, and unfortunately changes that will have a negative impact on the health of families across the U.S. But the American Lung Association’s trusted voice and 122-year history, along with our dedicated board of directors, continue to lead with science-based information, bipartisan educational messaging and reliable resources,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO for the American Lung Association. “Our organization is extremely fortunate to have incredible board leadership from across the country who are committed to advancing our mission, and the new board members who joined this year will provide invaluable experience to help guide our organization.”
During the board meeting, the Lung Association welcomed new board members Savannah Cavanaugh, Senior Advisor, AI Partnerships at Dell Technologies; Sumita Khatri, MD, MS, pulmonologist and researcher; James W. Sanders, MBA, Senior Vice President, Community Development Officer for Univest Bank; and Nakia Tremble, MHA, RCP, Senior Vice President of Operations for the Specialty Hospital Division, Central Region, ScionHealth.
Below are the 2026-2027 American Lung Association National Board of Directors:
- Kathryn Blake, Pharm.D.
- Michael V. Carstens
- Savannah Cavanaugh
- JuliAn Coy
- Anne E. Dixon, MA, BMBCh
- Afif El-Hasan, MD
- Eddie Fisher
- Vin Gupta, MD, MPA
- David G. Hill, MD
- Mark C. Johnson, CFA, MBA
- Sumita Khatri, MD, MS
- Joy Kleinmaier, MBA
- Wendy Lawson, MPH, RRT
- Denise Lee, JD
- Colleen M. McIntosh, JD, LLM
- Joe Ochipinti
- Sue B. Padernacht, EdD, MA, PCC
- Claude A. Robinson, Jr.
- James W. Sanders, MBA
- Laurie M. Shelby, MA
- Michelle Sylvia Spriggs, CPA, MBA
- Nakia Tremble, MHA, RCP
Learn more about the 2026-2027 Board of Directors here.
