Partnership for a Healthier America Adds Two Senior Staff to Roster Drew Nannis and Mathew Slater to Join Senior Staff

WASHINGTON, DC (May 3, 2011) – The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) – an organization lead by First Lady Michelle Obama and focused on solving the nation’s childhood obesity crisis – has added two industry veterans to its roster. Drew Nannis, formerly Senior Vice President of Media Relations and Strategy at AARP, will take over as PHA’s Communications Director and Mathew Slater, formerly Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at General Growth Properties, will become the Head of Business Development for PHA.

Nannis joins the organization as a skilled communications professional, with more than a decade of experience in political and health care-related communications. Prior to his work at AARP, Nannis served as press secretary and communications director for members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.

Prior to his time on Capitol Hill, Nannis was Director of Public Affairs for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufactures of America, where he oversaw the communications strategy for multiple state campaigns.

“I’m thrilled to have Drew join PHA,” said Lawrence A. Soler, President and CEO of PHA. “His years of experience in various communications fields and media expertise will be an invaluable resource for PHA in helping make our nation’s children healthier.”

Mathew Slater is a proven veteran in the corporate sponsorship world, bringing more than a decade of experience to PHA himself. Slater’s last role was at General Growth Properties where he managed sales efforts across 17 states and developed partnerships with such blue-chip brands as Lexus, Time Warner Cable, Duke Medicine and Comcast. Prior to his work at General Growth Properties, Slater was the National Manager for Corporate Relations at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) where he directed corporate sponsorship activities and generated $3 million in annual revenue.

“Matt’s expertise and knowledge of the business world will help bring together the private and public sectors, as well as non-profits, to tackle the childhood obesity crisis in a meaningful way,” said Soler. “Matt will lead the charge in garnering measureable and impactful commitments focused on solving the childhood obesity epidemic.”

Both Nannis and Slater will join Policy Director Joyal Mulheron to round out PHA’s senior staff – all reporting to Soler. Nannis started work on April 20th and Slater will start on May 9th.

The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation’s youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! effort. PHA is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that is led by some of the nation’s most respected health and childhood obesity experts. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. Most important, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased, third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making. For more information about PHA, please visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.