Public Health Advocates in California

Public Health Advocates
Image: phadvocates.org

An experienced executive, Alicia Procello Maddox serves as president of the Avery Dennison Foundation in Glendale, California. Alongside her work for Avery Dennison, Alicia Procello Maddox is vice-chair on the board of directors of Public Health Advocates.

In its efforts to improve the health of all California residents, Public Health Advocates oversees research initiatives that aim to help policymakers address health disparities and widespread health issues at the state level. Over the years, the organization has pursued research on a variety of topics, including obesity, healthy eating, and healthy land use.

One of Public Health Advocates’ most recent research initiatives focused on the rise of diabetes in California and highlighted ways policymakers could reverse the trend. According to the study, nearly half of all adults in the state have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes.

The study also highlights the fact that the condition disproportionately affects adults of color, particularly Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and African Americans. In these groups, more than 50 percent of adults are estimated to have prediabetes.

To address the issue, Public Health Advocates recommends that policymakers improve access to quality health care and diabetes prevention programs and promote environments that encourage healthy eating and physical activity. Exercise, improvements in diet, and weight loss have shown to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, and Public Health Advocates suggest that efforts focused on these areas can lessen the problem in California and the rest of the country.

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PHA’s Complete Parks Initiative

Public Health Advocates
Image: phadvocates.org

Since 2009, Alicia Procello Maddox has been serving as president of the Avery Dennison Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the California-based Fortune 500 company Avery Dennison. An alumna of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Alicia Procello Maddox continues to be a presence in the public health sphere and currently serves as a member of the nonprofit organization Public Health Advocates (PHA).

Headquartered in Davis, California, PHA operates under the belief that everyone has the right to be healthy. With this in mind, the organization has made it its main mission to promote health and eliminate health disparities by helping transform neighborhoods into places that foster the well-being of its residents.

To further this goal, PHA has a program called “Healthy Places” – an umbrella of initiatives that aim to tackle specific health problems in the community. Among these is the Complete Parks Initiative, which was launched under the auspices of the Healthy Eating Active Living Cities Campaign, where PHA works with neighborhood leaders and residents to create open spaces and parks at community centers. This initiative recognizes the vital role of parks not only as places of recreation but also as core economic assets in the creation of healthy communities.