ASHA launches a major public awareness campaign on STDs in women
In 1993, Peggy Clarke, MPH, became ASHA’s first female president. Clarke established many ASHA programs, such as the HPV Support Program in 1991 and the launching of a major public awareness campaign in 1993 to draw attention to the affects of STDs on women. Clarke was the first ASHA leader to bring together a coalition of national organizations supporting the agency in its continuing efforts to make STD prevention a national priority.
In 1997, Linda Alexander became ASHA’s second female president. Following Clarke’s vision, Alexander and other ASHA leaders established the National STD Action Plan, the HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention Resource Center, and Stop the Spread of Herpes Campaign in 1998. Soon after, ASHA launched the National HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention Hotline and the Add Health Test Results Service, a national telephone-based STD test results delivery and counseling service and part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
