The Trust for Public Land Announces Howard Frumkin as New Senior Vice President

The Trust for Public Land is proud to announce today that Dr. Howard Frumkin will join the organization to serve as Senior Vice President starting on September 27. In this role, Dr. Frumkin will join the Executive Team and lead the establishment of an institute focused on advancing solutions to society’s biggest challenges through parks and public lands using research, data analysis, innovation, and policy support. 

“Some of the most innovative solutions to the some of the thorniest challenges of our time lie at the intersection of the environment with human health and well-being,” said Dr. Frumkin. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to join The Trust for Public Land and use data-driven approaches to ensure that every person in every community is connected to parks, trails, green schoolyards, and public land. This work will advance health and well-being, equity, climate resilience, sustainability, and strong communities.”  

“Human prosperity is intrinsically linked to our environment and the benefits that access to the outdoors provides,” said Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “Dr. Frumkin has advanced our understanding of that connection throughout his career, and we are thrilled to have his extraordinary knowledge of the health benefits of nature and his longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice to help bring the climate, health, community and equity benefits of the outdoors to more people.” 

“Dr. Frumkin will help bring The Trust for Public Land to the next level, focusing our first-in-class data analysis and research to open up access to the outdoors for millions who currently do not have it,” said Tom Reeve, Chair of the National Board of Directors for The Trust for Public Land. “Dr. Frumkin’s leadership will be instrumental in setting up our new institute to help tackle some of the most intractable challenges in our communities: resilience in a changing climate, the closing of health disparities, and the healing of our racial, economic, and social divisions. We know that parks and public lands transform lives, and we’re taking a major leap forward to ensure their benefits are accessible to all.”  

The Trust for Public Land’s new institute will be designed to use a collaborative approach to identify barriers and solutions to achieving quality parks and open space for all while addressing systemic challenges involving health, climate, equity, and community. The institute will stimulate greater progress through cross-sector reports, plans, policies, and projects. 

Dr. Frumkin is Professor Emeritus of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington School of Public Health, where he served as Dean from 2010-2016. From 2005 to 2010 he held leadership roles at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, first as director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR), and later as Special Assistant to the CDC Director for Climate Change and Health. 

He is the author or co-author of over 300 scientific journal articles and chapters, and his books include Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability; Environmental Health: From Global to Local; and two recent books on Planetary Health. 

Dr. Frumkin received his AB from Brown University, his MD from the University of Pennsylvania, his MPH and DrPH from Harvard University, his internal medicine training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Cambridge Hospital, and his environmental and occupational medicine training at Harvard. A graduate of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership, Dr. Frumkin was named Environmental Professional of the Year by the Georgia Environmental Council in 2004. 

Dr. Frumkin lives in Seattle, where he is an avid cyclist, paddler, and hiker.  He is married to radio journalist Joanne Silberner and has two children. 

About the Trust for Public Land 

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live within a 10-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org. 

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