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Children's National Names Joseph L. Wright as Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Government and External Affairs Officer

Washington, DC – Joseph L. Wright, MD, MPH, has been named the Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Government and External Affairs Officer of Children’s National Medical Center, effective September 1.

“Joe is well suited for this role,” said Kurt D. Newman, MD, President and CEO of Children’s National. “He is dedicated to creating a better world for kids, and his advocacy and public policy experience make him a great choice.

Dr. Wright is Senior Vice President of the Child Health Advocacy Institute at Children’s National Medical Center, where he provides strategic leadership for the organization’s advocacy mission, public policy positions, and community partnership initiatives.  A long-standing faculty member, he also is a Professor of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine and Health Policy at George Washington University.  Dr. Wright has served in a number of regulatory leadership roles at the national, state, and municipal levels including as an administration appointee to the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration, as Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s appointee to the Prince George’s Hospital Authority, and currently as Pediatric Medical Director within the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems.

He regularly provides expert testimony before legislative bodies and has been invited to address a range of pediatric and public health issues before, among others, the Congressional Children’s Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and recently, at the launch of the newly established Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus.  His advocacy efforts on behalf of the health and well-being of children have been instrumental in the passage of many important bills including the adoption of novel legislation protecting children against the human papillomavirus in the District of Columbia, and a series of laws improving child passenger safety in the State of Maryland.

As inaugural chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Violence Prevention Subcommittee, Dr. Wright spearheaded publication of a public policy statement outlining the pediatrician’s role in treating and preventing bullying, and is a nationally recognized expert on the public health impact of bullying. Dr. Wright serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Children’s Museum, the Public Policy Advisory Council for the March of Dimes, the Consumer Health Foundation Board, and as a programming advisor to the Sesame Street Workshop. He has been recognized for this work throughout his career including a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledging exceptional contributions to the field of injury prevention, and induction into Delta Omega, the nation’s public health honor society.

“I’m thrilled for this chance to play a greater role in bettering the lives of children in Washington, DC and beyond,” said Dr. Wright. “In this changing healthcare environment, we’re committed to making sure that all children get the care that they need and deserve, and as the nation’s children’s hospital, we’re perfectly poised to champion those issues.”

Dr. Wright will be responsible for leading all governmental initiatives, including those surrounding healthcare reform, public policy and advocacy, community relations, and school nurse services.  

Contact Paula Darte or Emily Hartman, Public Relations: 202.476.4500.

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