Matt Stefanak

Mr. Stefanak received his Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University and is an alumnus of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Ohio Public Health Leadership Institutes.  He is a part-time instructor and public health “ambassador” in the College of Public Health at Kent State University and consultant to public health professional associations and local health departments on financial performance improvement and public health ethics.

Mr. Stefanak served as Health Commissioner of the General Health District in Mahoning County, Ohio from 1988 until his retirement in 2012.  While serving as chief executive officer of the county health department, he focused on expanding and improving public health services to the 235,000 residents of Mahoning County.

Mr. Stefanak has received a number of awards, including the 2006 “To Do What is Just Award” from the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing our Neighborhoods in Youngstown for his efforts to eliminate child lead poisoning from Mahoning County, the 2011 Champion for Ohio’s Children Award from Voices for Ohio’s Children, and two Model
Practice Awards from the National Association of County and City Health Officials.  

He volunteers his time for a number of professional and civic organizations, including NACCHO, the Public Health Accreditation Board, the Council on Education for Public Health, the Public Health Foundation, and his township planning commission, which he chairs.