Author: Lori Metivier

Dear Ohio Health Commissioners and Board Presidents,

It’s not too late for your entire Board to become a 2026 member of the Ohio Association of Boards of Health. The yearly membership fee is $150 and provides you and your board members with access to educational resources available on our website.

If you’re not interested this year, will you please inform your Board members they can become an Associate Member for $25 a year?  As an integral part of your health department, the more your Board members know, the better they can advocate in your communities for the important work we all do every day.

New resources became available in 2026! These include links to the presentation recordings from our Fall Membership Meeting held in September 2025 and access to the twelve videos developed in partnership with Kent State University, after a needs assessment was completed by 119 Ohio local public health leaders.

To complete the application, visit our website at www.oabh.org and click on the Start Your Application link in the upper right-hand corner and select ‘Health Department’ or ‘Associate Member’ to complete the application. Once an application is received, an email will be sent on how to make the payment.

We hope you encourage your Board to join us!  Public Health is at the forefront of many vital discussions both locally and nationally and the bigger voice we have, the better the results will be for all Ohioans.

Sincerely,

Lori Metivier, Executive Director, OABH

Kathy Smith (Logan County Health District), President, OABH

Registration is now open for the OABH 2025 Fall Membership Meeting.  Use the form below to register.

View meeting flyer and agenda: Fall 2025 Flyer

Opening speaker, Clint Koenig, will present a new board member orientation. This presentation will be great for new BOH members as well as a refresher for BOH members who have been serving for several years. The afternoon speaker, Melissa Howell, will present on current public health events.  Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from these outstanding public health leaders and receive 2.0 continuing education credits.

2025 Fall Meeting Registration Form

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Name *

First

Last

Email *

Name of Health Department *

Attending as: (Select only one) *

• Board of Health Member
• Health Commissioner
• Speaker
• OABH Board Member
• Other

Other - What is your role in public health?

Registration type *

• In Person ($5, no lunch; $15 with lunch)
• Virtual ($5)

Lunch options *

• Yes, I would like a regular box lunch
• Yes, I would like a vegetarian box lunch
• No, I will not need a lunch

Choose One Sandwich *

• Brie Figgin Hoppy (Turkey, Brie, Fig Jam, lettuce, tomato, & onion, on Sourdough bread)
• Chicken Salad, Chicken salad w/ pepper jack, lettuce, & tomato on Sourdough bread)
• Going Clubbing (Roast turkey, hickory ham, cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, & garlic mayo on Sourdough bread)
• Ham A Lot (Hickory ham, Swiss, lettuce, tomato, & onion w/ mayo on multigrain bread)
• Pastrami (Pastrami & Swiss on Rye served w/ lettuce, tomato, onion, & spicy mustard)
• Southern Peach (Hickory ham, Gouda, lettuce, tomato, onion, & hot peach jam on Sourdough bread)
• Gouda's Toasted Cheese (Double portions of both cheddar and Gouda, melted onto Sourdough bread)
• Rutherford (Pastrami, Swiss, coleslaw & special sauce on seeded Rye; served melted)
• Turkey Rueben (Roast turkey, coleslaw, Swiss, & special sauce on seeded Rye; served melted)
• Mediterranean Salad (Mixed greens, Hummus, cucumber, onion, pepper rings, and carrots with Roasted Garlic Parm dressing)

Choose one: *

• Hearty Hummus (Wrap stuffed with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and lots of fresh veggies)
• Vegan Hero (Avocado, cucumber, spinach, tomato, onion, carrot and Apple Cider Maple Balsamic sauce on a Ciabatini roll)
• Gouda's Toasted Cheese (Double portions of both cheddar & Gouda, melted onto Sourdough bread)
• Mediterranean Salad (Mixed greens, Hummus, cucumber, onion, pepper rings, and carrots with Roasted Garlic Parm dressing)

Do you have any meal restrictions (e.g., food allergies, preferences [i.e., no onion], gluten free, etc.)? *

How will registration payment be made? *

• Personal Check (Invoice will be emailed)
• Health Department Check (Invoice will be emailed)
• Debit/Credit Card (Payment made using Square® QR Code on invoice)
• Call me directly for credit card payment
• Other

Provide Telephone Number *

List Other type of payment (i.e., cash at door) *

Comments or Questions

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Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at the 2025 Ohio Public Health Conference!

Kent State MPH students presented their education needs assessment of Ohio local boards of health at the 2025 Ohio Public Health Conference. We are excited about this collaboration between the OABH, American Public University, Kent State University, and The Ohio State University where students are creating updated educational training modules for Ohio local board of health members as part of their MPH practicum.

Be sure to visit our table at the Ohio Public Health Combined Conference on April 29 to meet our new Executive Director, Lori Metivier. The OABH is excited to learn how we can assist your board of health members now and in the future.

We are pleased to extend a special offer exclusively to Ohio Health Departments and their Board of Health (BOH) team. As part of our commitment to strengthening public health across our state, the Ohio Association of Boards of Health (OABH) is pleased to offer a FREE OABH membership for the year 2025.

As we continue to reorganize and enhance our operations, our primary goal remains steadfast: to support all BOH members throughout Ohio. We believe that a robust, knowledgeable board is crucial in ensuring the delivery of effective public health services. The OABH is ready to support you and the work of your health department.

Now, more than ever, Ohio local BOH teams’ expertise and leadership are vital to navigating the challenges our communities face. By joining our association, local BOH members will gain access to a wide range of resources, professional development opportunities, and a network of dedicated professionals committed to public health excellence. We are excited to partner with local BOHs to advance the health and well-being of our communities.

To take advantage of this offer, please click on Start Your Application in the upper right-hand corner to answer a few questions which will provide us with the contact for your health department, as well as the contact information for the BOH president/chair. Any membership dues paid for 2025 will be extended through 2026.

To access the Resources page on the OABH website, use the following:
Username: OABHuser
Password: 2025!Member!

Please share the above information with all Ohio local BOH members. We are also working on creating a BOH orientation presentation as well as working with Kent State University’s MPH program to provide specific training modules that can be used to provide the required continuing education credits that every BOH member must complete each year. These will be modules can be included as part of regular BOH meeting agendas or BOH members can access the modules themselves with a link on the OABH website.

Any Ohio BOH members interested in volunteering to serve as an OABH board member can contact Lori Metivier at executivedirector@oabh.org. More information on OABH leadership can be located at https://www.oabh.org/membership/#leadership.

We look forward to welcoming Ohio local BOHs as a valued member of the OABH and to working together to create a healthier Ohio.

The Ohio Association of Boards of Health is pleased to announce the hiring of Lori Metivier as the new Executive Director on March 8, 2025. Lori retired in May 2024 from Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. She was the Program Coordinator of the MPH Program for the Department of Population & Public Health Sciences. Lori was there at the beginning of the MPH program at Wright State University and is looking forward to working with the OAHB. Welcome, Lori!

Lori will be reaching out to Health Commissioners to see how OABH can be of assistance with your Boards of Health. She can be contacted through her email at executivedirector@oabh.org or at the new OABH phone number – 937-609-5540. Your patience is appreciated as Lori transitions into her new role and as the OABH website is updated.

The OABH wants to thank Becky Aber for stepping into the role of Executive Director several years ago and for all she has done to keep the organization going during this transition time. Stay tuned for more from OABH!