Thomas Milne is a principal with Milne & Associates, LLC, a national public health consulting firm based in Portland, OR, that works with public and private organizations to improve the health and well being of communities. The mission of the firm is to improve capacity and performance of organizations focused on public health, leading to improved health and well-being in communities. Since joining the firm in late 2002, Milne has led a project that developed a policy framework and operational master plan for a large metropolitan health department, has worked on a number of projects pertaining to bioterrorism and public health preparedness, has co-facilitated assessments of state and local health departments using the National Public Health Performance Standards Program tool, has participated as faculty and guest lecturer for public health leadership institutes, has helped public health organizations do strategic systems and facilities planning, and has helped create performance measures for state public health laboratory systems.  The company has done work with national, state, and local public health agencies and associations, private not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, and foundations.  Tom also served as a member of the DHHS Secretary’s Council on Public Health Preparedness.

From 1998 through 2002, Milne was the executive director of the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO).   NACCHO serves the 3,000 local health departments in the country, providing a broad range of membership services, national policy advocacy and cutting edge tools and services for local practitioners. During that tenure, he served on several national committees and boards addressing such issues as workforce development, bio-terrorism, public health identity, academics and leadership.  Prior to NACCHO, Tom served for 15 years as the executive director of the SW Washington Health District, a three-county public health department in Washington State. While there, he led the development of a dynamic healthy community process that received national attention and continues to operate today. Tom was a member of the steering committee that developed the innovative Public Health Improvement Plan in Washington State and served on a variety of national, state, and local boards relating to issues including HIV/AIDS, public health standards, managed care, and higher education. Tom was a scholar in the inaugural year of the national Public Health Leadership Institute.