Dr. Wendel named new director of CCHD

(COLLEGE STATION, TX) — Monica Wendel, Dr.P.H., has been named director of the Center for Community Health Development (CCHD) at the Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC) School of Rural Public Health.

With the CCHD since January 2002, Dr. Wendel has served in several capacities and been instrumental in its growth and success. She has forged strong relationships in the community and is passionate about building capacity so individuals, organizations and communities can address their own health issues.

“This is an exciting time in the life of the center,” Dr. Wendel said. “I am blessed to work with an excellent team and with some very dedicated community leaders. There is much work to be done, and I am looking forward to seeing what we will accomplish.”

After starting CCHD and serving as director since 2001, Jim Burdine, Dr. P.H., stepped down to assume a new role as assistant dean for public health practice at the HSC-School of Rural Public Health. He will continue as CCHD co-principal investigator.

“Monica has my full confidence in assuming this role,” Dr. Burdine said. “She brings a solid educational background, excellent experience and a remarkable work ethic to the job. I think when we look back at this change in leadership, it will be seen as critical in the further development of CCHD.”

The Center for Community Health Development is a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded Prevention Research Center that supports prevention research and training on methods for improving population health status. Since its inception, the CCHD has received more than $32 million in funding and more than 120 peer-reviewed publications resulting from those projects. Working with partners across Texas and beyond, it has helped communities acquire resources, develop new skills and find creative ways to meet local health needs.