ABPM is excited to welcome Mr. George Roberts, ABPM’s first-ever Public Member on the Board of Directors. Mr. Roberts officially began his service on the Board after the Summer 2020 Board meeting and recently took some time to tell us a little about himself.

What is your professional background?
I have over 40 years of health care experience, the majority of which was spent in Hospital Administration having previously served as Administrative Resident and Assistant Vice President at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX; Vice President at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, TX; and Chief Executive Officer at Henderson Memorial Hospital in Henderson, TX.  I began my work in Public Health as CEO of the Northeast Texas Public Health District in 2006.

I received my Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX and my Master of Health Administration from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO.

I have had the privilege of serving on a number of church, community, state, and national boards.  Most recently, I served as President of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Board of Directors.

How did you become interested in Preventive Medicine and the work of ABPM?

This medical specialty fascinates me as it intersects my professional background in the world of Hospital Administration and Public Health. I have witnessed the vast sums of money being spent in sick care but a very small percentage of the health care dollar being expended to prevent illness. As Americans, we spend more on health care than any country in the world. Yet, our health indicators rank us “in the middle of the pack” in comparison to other nations in the world. By focusing on health, not just health care, perhaps we can improve our nation’s health status.

What would you like to accomplish during your time on the ABPM’s Board of Directors?

Preventive Medicine Specialists offer solutions as they can speak to their patients and emphasize taking those steps of preventing illness and promoting health. Ultimately, I am hopeful that my service to the American Board of Preventive Medicine can help to assure that there are qualified practitioners in the field and that more individuals will be drawn to this specialty in the future.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I am fortunate to have a great family which includes my wife, Leslie, and my children Claire and Travis. We enjoy traveling and we are also big baseball fans, primarily of the Texas Rangers. One of my bucket list items is to attend a major league baseball game in every baseball stadium in the United States. At this point, I have seen a game in 27 of the 30 major league baseball stadiums.

Any other information you’d like to share about yourself with ABPM Diplomates?

I am very excited to be able to serve as the first Public Member of the American Board of Preventive Medicine, and I look forward to working with the Board and staff to help grow the organization in the days ahead.