About Us
Who We Are
CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, advances a package of evidence-based policy solutions that will help millions of people live longer, better lives in vibrant, prosperous communities. CityHealth regularly evaluates cities on the number and strength of their policies.
Our Staff
Katrina Forrest, JD
Katrina is the Co-Executive Director of CityHealth. Before joining CityHealth, Katrina served as both Legislative Director and Deputy Chief of Staff for At-Large D.C. Councilmember David Grosso. In that role, she drafted more than 50 pieces of original legislation and was responsible for leveraging community and business relationships to drive the Councilmember’s legislative agenda and policy priorities. In 2020, she received the Community Champion Award from the District of Columbia’s Behavioral Health Association for her advocacy on behalf of D.C. residents facing mental illness and/or addiction. Prior to her work in local and state government, Katrina served as a Compliance Manager with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), where she worked to eradicate discriminatory practices in housing and banking. Katrina holds a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from George Mason University and a law degree from UIC’s John Marshall Law School.
Akeem Anderson
Akeem Anderson is the Director of Government Affairs at City Health. Akeem leads strategies that enhance health equity, housing access, and community well-being. He monitors legislation, crafts outreach plans, and helps cities secure federal funding. Working with groups like the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities, he has advanced policies benefiting underserved communities. Previously, as Committee Director for the DC Council’s Committee on Education, he set legislative agendas, managed budgets, and addressed education challenges. A former teacher and district leader, Akeem’s education work focused on empowering students from diverse backgrounds by providing targeted academic and social-emotional support, contributing to the successful turnaround of multiple schools. Akeem holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mercer University. Known for building relationships and simplifying complex policies, he champions innovative solutions that promote equity and systemic change.
Tom Martin
Tom is the Director of Communications for CityHealth, where he works to grow the reach, influence, and impact of our work helping cities improve the health outcomes of millions of Americans. Before joining CityHealth, Tom worked in both the private and NGO sectors in a variety of communications, brand and digital roles. His past experience includes leading communications teams at the National League of Cities (NLC) and at CTIA, the wireless industry’s trade group. In 2018, Tom earned recognition as a top communications leader in Washington, D.C., when he was awarded first place in PR Daily’s Media Relations Awards for a successful campaign to block the White House from cutting critical funding for veterans.
David Jernigan, PhD
David brings 30 years of health policy experience to help advance, advise, and adapt CityHealth’s package of policies. David is a professor in the Department of Health Law, Policy and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. He previously directed the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and co-directed the Maryland Collaborative to Reduce College Drinking and Related Problems, a statewide effort involving 15 institutions of higher education committed to reducing alcohol-related problems on campus and in the surrounding communities. He has served as an advisor to the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), and has written more than 130 peer-reviewed articles, co-authored three books, and contributed chapters to six books.
Our Advisors
Clarence Anthony
CEO and Executive Director
National League of Cities
Steven Bosacker
Director of GMF Cities
German Marshall Fund
Jonathan Fielding, MD
Distinguished Professor
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and Geffen School of Medicine
Marla Gold, MD
Professor and Dean Emerita, Health Management and Policy
Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University
Scott Hall
Senior Vice President for Civic and Community Initiatives
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Rodney Harrell, PhD
Housing Lead
AARP Public Policy Institute
Patrice Harris, MD
Immediate Past President
American Medical Association
Genoveva Islas
Director of Cultiva La Salud
Public Health Institute
Tyler Norris
Chief Executive
Well Being Trust
Betsy Price
Former Mayor
Fort Worth, Texas
Marta Tellado, PhD
President & CEO
Consumer Reports
Our Partners
CityHealth consults a wide variety of experts for advice and counsel, especially in setting policy scoring criteria and reviewing city ratings.
