2025 Katharine Boucot Sturgis Lecture: Dr. Leith States — Tough Minds and Tender Hearts
The Katharine Boucot Sturgis Lectureship was established by the ACPM Board of Regents in 1979. The annual KBS lectureship recognizes Dr. Sturgis’ outstanding contributions in research, teaching, and service in the field of preventive medicine; her courageous and effective fight against disease and disability; and her wisdom and leadership in attaining preventive medicine goals. The lectureship provides a forum for nationally recognized leaders to explore key issues and highlight innovations in health promotion and disease prevention.
Leith States, MD, MPH, MBA FACPM
Dr. States served as the recent Assistant Secretary for Health (acting) and head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (acting) at the Department of Health and Human Services. In those roles he oversaw all matters pertaining to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the eight federal uniformed services, consisting of more than 5,400 uniformed officers who serve within HHS, or are assigned to work within other federal agencies. OASH is a staff division within HHS consisting of 11 program offices, the Office of the Surgeon General, 10 regional offices, several federal advisory committees, a staff of 500 and an annual budget of over 700 million dollars.
During his tenure at HHS, Dr. States also served as Deputy Director of the Office of Science and Medicine and Chief Medical Officer to the Assistant Secretary for Health. In these roles, he held a diverse portfolio addressing critical and emerging areas of public health interest for OASH and the Immediate Office of the HHS Secretary and the interagency, including behavioral health, mental health, chronic disease prevention, substance use disorder, environmental health, vector-borne diseases, and other emerging public health threats. He has also been a leader within HHS around efforts to reconsider scheduling considerations regarding cannabis and has worked closely across HHS Divisions to address potential therapeutic roles for psychedelics and entactogens.
Before HHS, he spent nine years on active duty as a Navy Medical Officer serving in roles including Battalion Surgeon of a Marine infantry battalion, Public Health Emergency Officer for Navy Medicine West, and Officer in Charge of a Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Unit. A native of Long Beach, California, States received his MD from the UCSD School of Medicine, completed residency training and an MPH at Loma Linda University, and earned an MBA from the George Washington University. He is board certified in preventive medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine.