Mike Gemmell is the executive director of the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH)*. He is responsible for managing the operational and fiscal affairs of ASPH, the national association of the 29 deans of the U.S. schools of public health. His responsibilities include directing and coordinating ASPH legislative and educational activities, recruiting and training staff, representing ASPH interests before the Congress, the Administration and abroad, providing information on academic public health activities to the schools of public health and others, and coordinating academic public health policy development for ASPH.

Prior to his appointment as ASPH executive director, Mr. Gemmell worked for the National Association of Counties (NACo) from 1967-1978. There he was a researcher and principal investigator on several projects providing technical assistance and information to local governments on economic development, criminal justice, regional planning and public health services. In 1971, he became director of the human resources center, the focal point for NACo human services programs and research projects. Later he was made an associate director of NACo for all health and education programs, including legislation. He was also executive secretary of NACHO, the National Association of County Health Officials.

Mike Gemmell received his B.A. in political science from Millsaps College in Mississippi (1966) and his M.A. degree in government and politics from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC (1968). In 1987, he was awarded the CAE (certified association executive) by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), a designation for achievement in the association management field.

He contributes to Public Health Reports and contributed to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, has written and co-authored articles and manuals in such areas as environmental health, water resources, rural development, traffic safety, criminal justice, health planning and has lectured extensively on the federal legislative process throughout the country. He has been elected to the governing council of the American Public Health Association, past president of the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions and past president of the Coalition for Health Funding, a coalition of over forty major health associations in Washington, DC. He still serves on the CHF executive committee.