ABHP Keynote Speaker Announcement

March 25, 2010

The keynote speaker for this year’s Opening Session at the ABHP Minority Health Conference and Annual Meeting is Mr. Larry Lucas.  Mr. Lucas will speak on Friday, May 21, 2010 at 5:30 pm in the  Greenway Ballroom in the Renaissance Houston Hotel, Greenway Plaza.

Larry Lucas serves as Vice President, Government Affairs/Diversity Programs for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) where he works with the U.S. Congress and state legislators on issues impacting patients access to medicines, access to quality health care and the research-based pharmaceutical industry.

At PhRMA, Lucas leads the association’s efforts to work with patients, healthcare providers, physicians, legislators and health organizations and educate them on the issues impacting the minority community and their access to quality health care.

Lucas also writes a nationally syndicated monthly column about new developments in the pharmaceutical industry. At PhRMA, he has previously served as Deputy Vice President in the alliance development division where his responsibilities included coalition building and grassroots development, and state government affairs division working with African-American and Latino state legislators through out the country.

Lucas spent 16 years at the Bureau of Census where he initiated a landmark outreach campaign for the 1980 census program that involved 86,000-plus government jurisdictions. This program was replicated in the subsequent 1990 and 2000 censuses. At the Bureau of Census, Lucas’ responsibilities varied from serving as liaison to the White House and the U.S. Congress, to coordinating with national leaders and government officials at all levels to promote effectiveness of the Census Bureau’s goals.

Lucas was recently appointed to the board of trustees for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and also is actively involved in their contribution fund and health committee. He serves as vice chairman for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ Corporate Roundtable, The Corporate Advisory Council to the National Hispanic Medical Foundation and The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Corporate Council. Lucas is also on the boards of directors for the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute, Providence Health Foundation Providence Hospital, Yale University’s School of Nursing External Advisory Board, and is a founding member of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators’ Business Board of Advisors. Previously, Lucas served as special assistant to the president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, on the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.’s Board of Directors.

Lucas received his B.S. degree in Education from Jackson State University in Mississippi and served in the United States Air Force.

We are hugely excited at the prospect of hearing what Mr. Lucas has to share with us in terms of the organization he works for and his involvement with minority health care issues. I’m sure you’ll agree he will be well worth listening to.

To Register: All press must register to gain access to the conference events. To arrange for a complimentary registration, contact ABHP at 850-728-4474.  After May 14, please contact the staff onsite at the conference.  

ABHP strives to represent Black and minority health-system pharmacists and is dedicated to the growth and development of their pharmacy practice in health care facilities. The association provides up-to-date educational programs on minority health issues to help members improve their professional skills and the quality of care that they provide in their area of pharmacy practice.  ABHP serves as a liaison and facilitates communication with other pharmacy associations and organizations concerned with health care. Please visit ABHP’s Website, www.myabhp.org/