Yale School of Public Health Professor Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Ph.D., has been named to the Board of Directors of Newman’s Own Foundation — a prestigious honor made in light of his extensive service toward maternal and child health, according to a recent announcement.
Established in 1982 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, the foundation has donated more than $570 million in net profits and royalties from Newman’s Own products to impactful organizations across the globe. Newman’s Own, which produces a variety of food and pet food products, donates 100% of its after-tax profits to the foundation.
As a member of the board of directors, Pérez-Escamilla, Ph.D., will use his public health and leadership experience to further advise the foundation and its donations. At YSPH, he currently directs the Office of Public Health Practice, the Global Health Concentration and the Maternal Child Health Promotion Program and serves as principal investigator at the Yale-Griffin CDC Prevention Research Center, where he conducts research on how health workers improve health outcomes in vulnerable communities.
“Rafael’s research has contributed to improvements in maternal, infant and child nutrition, as well as household food security and early child development globally. We are delighted to have a public health expert of his stature on the Newman’s Own Foundation Board of Directors,” said Michael Clayton, chair of the board. “He will bring his vast knowledge and expertise on children’s wellness and food and nutrition security to the foundation, and we are grateful that we will now benefit from his guidance as part of the board.”
I am inspired by Paul Newman’s vision and the impact the foundation is making on the lives of children in the U.S. and abroad.
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
Pérez-Escamilla, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, has served as an adviser to a number of nonprofits and government organizations, and has helped with maternal and child health projects funded by a broad range of United States agencies and foundations.
“I am thrilled to lend my experience to further the mission of Newman’s Own Foundation,” Pérez-Escamilla said. “I am inspired by Paul Newman’s vision and the impact the foundation is making on the lives of children in the U.S. and abroad.”