LMPHW Board of Directors

The Board of Health acts as an independent voice to promote and protect equitable physical, mental, and environmental health in the Louisville community through advocacy, education, regulation, and collaboration with public and private entities.  The Board of Health's Vision is: "Louisville is a community that provides every person equal opportunity for complete health and well-being." The Mission of the Board of Health is: The Board of Health acts as an independent voice to promote and protect equitable physical, mental, and environmental health in the Louisville community through advocacy, education, regulation, and collaboration with public and private entities. Board members are: Adewale Troutman, MD, MPH, MA has had a distinguished record of achievement in public health education, leadership, research, and advocacy.  He became the Director of Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness in January 2004 and also currently serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Louisville School of Public Health. Learn more about Dr. Troutman.
William M. Altman, JD was elected Board Chair in July, 2006. Mr. Altman is Senior Vice President of Compliance, Risk Management, and Government Programs for Kindred Health Care.  Mr. Altman is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and is currently also a doctoral candidate in Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan. He also serves on the boards of the Kentucky Council On Human Relations and the Adath Jeshurun Synagogue.
Karen M. Cost, Ph.D., D(ABMLI) is Chief of Immunology for Norton Healthcare and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.  She is a graduate of The Ohio State University. Dr. Cost is a current member, and former Board Chair, of Metro United Way, and also serves on the Advisory Committee for the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program at Bellarmine University.  She has served on the Boards of The Center for Women and Families, Bridgehaven, The Family Place and Leadership Louisville Foundation.
Dr. Sherry Babbage is a dentist in private practice at the West Louisville Dental Clinic. She has been named a YMCA Black Achiever and also serves on the Northwest AHEC Board of Directors and on the Louisville Emergency Management Systems and Fire Advisory Board and on the COP Policy Advisory Board.
Ramona L. Johnson ARNP, CS, is the President and CEO of Bridgehaven Inc., which provides rehabilitation services to adults with mental illness.  She is a Graduate of the University of Kentucky, College of Nursing.  Ms. Johnson also serves as Vice-Chair of the Kentucky Mental Health Coalition and also serves on the Board of the Louisville Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally ill.
Dr. Kenneth Troy Koch is the director of pharmacy sales support for Humana, Inc. His experience includes progressive leadership positions in the areas of retail pharmacy, managed care, pharmacy benefit management, Medicaid and disease state management. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and a MBA from the University of Louisville.
Dr. Michael D. Needleman is a Family Practice Physician in the Okolona area.  He is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Medicine.  He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Practice at the University of Louisville.  Dr. Needleman sits on the Admissions Committee of the U of L School of Medicine and serves as the President of Jefferson County Chapter of the Kentucky Academy of Family Practice.  He is also a question writer for the American Board of Family Practice.
Dr.GeraldTemes is a retired thoracic surgeon.
Michelle Harbin Williams, RN is Clinical Educator of Surgical Services at Norton Suburban Hospital.  She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.  Ms. Williams was named “Big Sister of the Year” in 1990 by Big Brothers and Sisters and was named a YMCA Adult Black Achiever in 2002.  She has served on the board of the Northwest Neighborhood Place and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Gabriela Alcalde Ms. Alcalde currently works with various local organizations providing training, presentations, coalition-building, and conducting research and writing on various public health and public policy topics.   She is involved with a variety of constituencies and issues that link academic, government, policy, and community efforts both in content and approach.  Gabriela’s work is based on a social justice framework, with particular focus on women and Hispanic/Latino communities.  She holds a Master in Public Health (M.P.H.) with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology from the University of Louisville.
Shannon Tivitt Ms. Tivitt serves as Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson's Chief of Staff and serves as the Mayor's designee for the Board of Directors.