FIRST LADY TAMMY MURPHY ANNOUNCES GOVERNOR’S APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THE MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH INNOVATION AUTHORITY BOARD

First Lady Tammy Murphy announced that Governor Phil Murphy has appointed Barbara George Johnson, J.D., and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston to serve as the Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MIHIA) Board. The two currently serve as members of the MIHIA Board and will be elevated to their leadership roles effective immediately.

“Beyond her decades-long career and service to the people of our state, Barbara George Johnson has played a crucial role on the ground with the Trenton community for years, working to ensure that our Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center is rooted in what the community wants and needs,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Commissioner Baston has spent her career protecting the health of mothers and babies, promoting healthy families, and improving the quality of healthcare for all New Jerseyans. Their collective experiences, both professionally and personally, have prepared them well for these positions, and I am eager to continue the work with them, alongside MIHIA President and CEO Lisa Asare, and the entire MIHIA Board to make New Jersey the safest, most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby.” 

“On the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority Board, both Ms. George Johnson and Commissioner Baston are playing instrumental roles in the early stages of building the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in our state’s capital,” said Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority President and CEO Lisa Asare. “Having witnessed firsthand their dedication to this work and the mothers, babies, and families of this community and our state, I know NJ will benefit by having them serve in these key posts within the Authority Board. I look forward to continuing to work with them in their new capacities.” 

“I am deeply honored to be appointed Chair of the Maternal Infant Health Innovation Authority Board. I have been fortunate to work on addressing health disparities and creating solutions that benefit the most vulnerable residents in our state. I am committed to continuing this vital work,” said Barbara George Johnson, J.D. “This role offers an invaluable opportunity to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. I look forward to collaborating with the MIHIA Board, a team of dedicated professionals and stakeholders, to implement innovative solutions to ensure that every mother and infant receives the highest standard of care. Together, we will strive to make a significant and lasting impact on the health and well-being of families throughout our state.”

“I am honored to serve as Vice Chair as we continue the important work of the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority to help improve outcomes for parents and children and reduce inequities in our state,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston, M.D. “Together, we are working to achieve a collective vision of making New Jersey the safest, in the nation to deliver and raise a baby. I look forward to supporting the impactful, groundbreaking work ahead.”

In July 2023, Governor Murphy signed S3864, also known as the “New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center Act”, which created the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority. MIHIA is tasked with overseeing the MIHIC based in Trenton and will be the government entity that continues the vital work of Nurture NJ for years to come.