July 18, 2003

Contact:
Jennifer Meriam, Director (954) 262-5355
Mike Laderman, Associate Director, (954) 262-5354
Mara Kiffin, Coordinator, (954) 262-5350

NSU Professor Is the First Woman Elected President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Florida Chapter

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—Deborah Mulligan-Smith, M.D., a clinical professor with Nova Southeastern University, has been elected president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). She is the first woman to serve as president of the AAP's Florida Chapter since its inception in 1936.

"The faculty and staff at NSU are proud to be associated with one of Florida's outstanding child's advocates," said Dr. Frederick Lippman, vice-chancellor and provost of NSU's Health Professions Division. "Dr.Mulligan-Smith's work will be honored for many years because of its incredible effect on the safety and well being of our children in Florida."

Presently, Dr. Mulligan-Smith serves as director of the Institute for Child Health Policy at NSU in Davie, Florida. She is also an attending physician at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in the pediatric emergency department. In her role as president, Mulligan-Smith will work in close association with the executive vice president of the chapter on many issues including legislation strategies.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety, and well being of all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The AAP has over 57,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Members include pediatricians and pediatric surgical specialists The AAP was founded in June 1930 by 35 pediatricians who met in response to a need for an independent pediatric forum to address children's issues.

The Florida Chapter was started in 1936 by Dr. Thomas Buckman of Jacksonville and Dr. William McKibben of Miami. The chapter is dedicated to promoting the health and welfare of Florida's children (newborns, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults), and to supporting and promoting the pediatrician as the best qualified provider of their healthcare.

Dr. Mulligan-Smith received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Francisco and her Medical Doctorate from University of California Los Angeles. She is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Despite her busy professional career, Dr. Mulligan-Smith serves on the board of directors of the Children's Home Society; JM Foundation's Deliver the Dream Project; Florida SAFE kids Advisory Board; Broward County RISK Watch Task Force; South Florida Water Injury Prevention Coalition; and SWIM Central Foundation. Over the years, Dr. Mulligan-Smith has received numerous honors and awards, including recognition by the Honorable E. Clay Shaw in the May 16, 1996 Congressional Record. Other awards are: Women Health Executives Network, South Florida Health; Business Community Physician Humanitarian Award; Healthy Mother's Healthy Babies Broward; March of Dimes Woman of Distinction; and the National EMSC Heroes Award for Innovation in Program Development.

Dr. Mulligan-Smith has published extensively throughout her career and she has also edited a national disaster preparedness kit entitled: Family Readiness Kit and contributed an executive summary to Pediatric Preparedness for Disasters and Terrorism A National Consensus Conference. For more information about Nova Southeastern University's Institute for Child Health Policy call (954) 262-1936.