Deborah P. Brown Leads the American Lung Association Mission Work as Chief Mission Officer

The American Lung Association is pleased to announce Deborah P. Brown, MS, CHES, as the organization’s Chief Mission Officer. For close to four decades, Brown has worn many hats during her esteemed career in support of the American Lung Association’s mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, and will now lead the organization’s efforts to increase its mission impact nationwide. Through her new role, Brown will oversee the organization’s mission work, including advocacy, health promotions and education, research and the Lung HelpLine.

“With millions of Americans living with a lung disease and more than 4 in 10 Americans living in a county with unhealthy air quality, the work of the American Lung Association is more imperative than ever,” said American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer. “Deb Brown has the experience and the vision we need to drive our mission work, and as Chief Mission Officer, she will lead our mission staff to achieve more, and ultimately, save more lives.”

Starting her career with the American Lung Association 37 years ago as a health educator at the American Lung Association in Delaware, Brown went on to become the president and CEO, and executive vice president, of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. In that role, Brown was integral in helping pave the way for advocacy issues in the areas of tobacco, asthma, school health and healthcare. Her major accomplishments include supporting the passage of Delaware's Clean Indoor Air Act in 2002, the second comprehensive law in the country. Since then, Brown has been involved in the passage of the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air law, anti-idling legislation and numerous environmental campaigns at both the state and federal levels and has served as the chair for coalitions and partnerships throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region.

“My passion for improving the lung health of Americans and preventing lung disease has grown stronger over the years as a result of personal family connections to lung disease and helping others who are facing lung disease,” Brown said. “I am grateful for this opportunity to lead the mission efforts of the American Lung Association as its Chief Mission Officer to help further our impact and support the lung health of Americans. I’m proud to serve alongside our outstanding volunteers and staff across the country toward our vision of a world free of lung disease, and also to raise awareness of the number one cancer killer in the country – lung cancer.”

Additionally, Brown has written curriculum and lesson plans for various health education programs and has developed and implemented training programs for school personnel throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. She also secured and served as the lead on multi-million dollar grants, which have supported the work of the Lung Association.

Brown has extensive knowledge of and has implemented the Lung Association’s signature programs, Asthma Basics and Better Breathers Clubs, as well as non-signature programs, advocacy-related issues and research programs.

Brown was raised in Hanover, Pennsylvania; completing her undergraduate studies at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and earning her master’s degree at St. Joseph’s University. She and her husband Stephen have two children Stephen and Lauren.

Read Brown’s complete biography and for media interested in scheduling an interview with Brown, contact Ewa Dworakowski at [email protected] or call 717-971-1123 or 717-503-3903 (cell).