John Auerbach
John is ICF’s primary federal health expert and thought leader within the company’s public sector business. Amid tremendous global health and social challenges, ICF’s capabilities and solutions for federal health agencies have never been more relevant. John’s thought leadership advances ICF’s combination of proven domain and scientific expertise with leading-edge analytics and technology solutions to drive improved health outcomes for clients.
John came to ICF from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he most recently served as the director of intergovernmental and strategic affairs. In this role, he was the lead strategic advisor on CDC engagement with government agencies at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, as well as public health and other external partners. He also had oversight of CDC’s health equity workgroup and served as the chief equity officer for CDC’s COVID-19 response.
John brings additional leadership experience in the nonprofit sector and state government. He is the former president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting sound public health policy and making disease prevention a national priority through research, reports, and communications campaigns. He is also the former public health commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health where he developed innovative programs to promote health equity, combat chronic and infectious disease, and supported the successful implementation of the state’s health care reform initiative.
An established industry leader and recipient of the American Public Health Association’s Excellence in Public Health Award, John is the co-author of many publications on topics covering social determinants of health, mental health, substance misuse, the health and wellbeing of older adults, and more. He serves on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Forum on Aging, Disabilities, and Independence.
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M.B.A., Health Care Administration, Boston University Questrom School of Business
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B.A., History, Clark University
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Auerbach, John and Valdes Lupi, Monica. Chapter on “The State Perspective” in “Public Health Under Siege: Improving Policy in Turbulent Times.” APHA Press. October 2021.
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Auerbach, John and Miller, Benjamin. “COVID-19 Exposes the Cracks in Our Already Fragile Mental Health System.” American Journal of Public Health. April 2020.
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Auerbach, John and Miller, Benjamin. “We've responded to the substance misuse crisis as if it's only about opioid.” The Hill. February 2020.
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Auerbach John. “Social Determinants of Health Can Only Be Addressed by a Multisector Spectrum of Activities.” Journal of Public Health Management Practices. November/December 2019.
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Castrucci, Brian and Auerbach, John. "Meeting Individual Social Needs Falls Short Of Addressing Social Determinants Of Health." Health Affairs Blog. January 16, 2019.
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DeSalvo, Karen and Auerbach, John. The Practical Playbook II, chapter on “Building Multisector Partnerships That Work.” Oxford University Press. 2019.
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Auerbach, John and DeSalvo, Karen. Handbook of Geriatric Assessment, chapter on Social Determinants of Health. Jones & Bartlett Learning. April 2018.
