Lung Association in Arizona Expands Leadership Board

The American Lung Association has added several new prominent local business leaders to its Leadership Board as need for information and services for those with respiratory disease grows throughout the Southwest. To bolster its strength in the state, The American Lung Association in Arizona has welcomed: human resources executive Rena Cruse; former Arizona Court of Appeals Judge, Susan Ehrlich; Nava Singam, Founder and CEO of Kind Hospitality; and financial advisor, Matt Wells of Renaissance Financial. The Chair of the Arizona Leadership Board is Grant Smedley, Director of Water Rights and Contracts at Salt River Project.

“We are thrilled to welcome our new Leadership Board Members to the organization to continue and, indeed, expand the work of the American Lung Association in Arizona at this crucial moment for public health,” said Tammy Rocker, Executive Vice President for the American Lung Association. “More than ever, Arizona needs additional public health leadership to contend with expanding threats to the lung health of all Arizonans. We firmly believe our newest Leadership Board members, working alongside Chair Grant Smedley and recently appointed Executive Director for Arizona, Elizabeth Walton, are the right people to increase awareness, programs and lifesaving research throughout our state.”

“Arizona has seen elevated rates of lung cancer, an extended period of increased COVID-19 incidence rates and sky-rocketing use of e-cigarettes by youth,” said Executive Director, Elizabeth Walton. “With our newly elected Board, strong community involvement, and steadfast promotion of programs such as the Flavors Hook Kids – Phoenix campaign, The American Lung Association in Arizona is poised to become a nationwide leader in awareness and prevention of lung disease.”