Truth Initiative has named Kathy Crosby as its new CEO and president effective Oct. 2, 2023. Crosby is succeeding Robin Koval, who has served as CEO and president since 2013 and is retiring after a decade. “Kathy’s impressive background, extensive experience and passion for public health make her an exceptional choice to lead our organization,” said Truth Initiative board chair Mike Moore in a statement.
Crosby joins Truth Initiative from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), where she served as director of the Office of Health Communication and Education for the past 12 years. In this role, she spearheaded impactful public education, research and evaluation, and regulatory communication programs that have been instrumental in advancing the successful implementation of the Tobacco Control Act. With a 25-year career in behavior change marketing and advertising, Crosby brings a wealth of experience from both private and nonprofit sectors where she held various senior leadership roles; prior to her tenure at the FDA, she served as senior vice president and group campaign director of the Washington office of the Ad Council and as vice president of strategic planning at Arnold Worldwide, where she helped launch Truth Initiative’s iconic truth campaign.
Crosby’s career at the FDA includes roles within the executive leadership team responsible for shaping national policies aimed at reducing tobacco-related disease and death. Her contributions encompass diverse areas, such as policy development, cutting-edge social science research, regulatory actions, communications and strategic outreach. Notable accomplishments under her guidance include her involvement in the formulation of health warnings for cigarette packages and advertisements, groundbreaking research on health equity, regulations for emerging tobacco products and the implementation of stringent marketing restrictions on newly authorized tobacco products.
As the first director of health communication and education at the FDA’s CTP, Crosby oversaw vital initiatives that contributed significantly to reducing tobacco use. These include the creation of a comprehensive communication office, development of tailored advertising campaigns targeting at-risk populations, establishment of the Tobacco Education Resource Library, execution of a robust conference exhibit program and the launch of the FDA’s Vaping Prevention and Education Resource Center.
“I’ve dedicated the last 25 years to using public education communications as a means of creating behavior changes that will help people live healthier lives—a passion that began when I worked on the first truth campaign,” said Crosby. “Leading Truth Initiative feels like I’m coming home, and I can’t think of a better time or place to continue advocating for positive change. The opportunity has never been greater to help people leave tobacco behind, and I eagerly look forward to the work ahead.”
Koval said, “Kathy is an exceptional leader with a proven track record in public health communication, social science research and tobacco prevention. With her highly relevant experience and accomplishments, Kathy is well poised to lead Truth Initiative into the future, build on the organization’s lifesaving legacy and continue to make a significant impact on the health and well-being of our nation’s youth.”