July 10, 2014
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) recognizes the dedication and far-reaching impact of Dr. Howard Koh’s service as Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).
“Dr. Koh brought a wealth of knowledge to HHS as a respected researcher and former health commissioner, where he was committed to ensuring that the Department and its health and health care programs, systems and initiatives meet the needs of all communities,” said Kathy Ko Chin, president and CEO of APIAHF. “He prioritized language access, prevention and public health and worked in concrete ways to advance these issues. We look forward to a continued partnership with Dr. Koh in his new capacity.”
During his tenure at HHS, Dr. Koh served as a champion for the needs of language minorities who often face significant barriers to accessing health care. His commitment and guidance helped to make data disaggregation a priority where HHS created a data collection and reporting system that is today widely recognized as a model across other federal agencies. Dr. Koh was one of the highest ranking officials to be regularly engaged with the Interagency Working Group of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, working to increase access to federal programs for underserved communities.
Dr. Koh will continue his service as Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership at Harvard University’s School of Public Health.