Dr. David L. Roth has announced plans to step down as the Director of the Center on Aging and Health (COAH) in the months ahead, and he will continue to work with the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and his COAH colleagues as a valued member of our faculty as a researcher, mentor, and leader in applied gerontology. This was a personal decision of Dr. Roth’s as he strives to discover a new kind of work/life balance. He will remain involved in research with Johns Hopkins colleagues and help to bring in new leadership for COAH, while also creating more space for his family and favorite hobbies and activities that renew him.
Dr. Roth became the Director of COAH in January of 2012 and has served in this position for over 10 years. His colleagues in the Center are grateful for his decade of steadfast leadership and commitment to the Center’s mission: to discover new and more effective ways to promote the health and well-being of older adults, and to help them continue to make valuable contributions to our communities. Empowering innovative colleagues, collaborating with interdisciplinary research teams, and mentoring students and trainees are all hallmarks of his leadership style. One of Dr. Roth’s favorite quotes on leadership is from the ancient Chinese philosopher and writer, Lao-Tsu:
“To lead people, walk beside them… As for the best leaders, people do not notice their existence. The next best, people honor and praise. The next, people fear; and the next, people hate…. When the best leader’s work is done, people say, ‘We did it ourselves!’”
Dr. Roth created a climate in which members from Johns Hopkins University’s schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing collaborate with partners around the world on shared goals in population health and applied gerontology in the areas of research, training, clinical care, and public service.
The search for the Center’s new Director will be led by Dr. Nancy Schoenborn of the School of Medicine and Dr. Karen Bandeen-Roche of the School of Public Health. Dr. Roth will remain as the Center Director until a new Director is found to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. Want to nominate someone for the job? Are you considering it for yourself? The application priority deadline is June 1st; see the job description and application process here.