Public Health Post Honors the Life of Founding Editor-in-Chief David Jones

Dear Public Health Post Readers,

We are writing in deep sorrow to let you know that Dr. David Jones, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Public Health Post, died in a tragic accident over the weekend. David stepped down from his formal role at PHP in 2018, but he remained a valued member of our PHP family.

PHP launched in October 2016 with the goal of moving ideas and evidence about public health to the front of readers’ minds. How do we write about complex topics and scientific data in a way that will engage readers around the world from all walks of life in energetic conversations that have the potential to create change? David set us on this course five years ago with his great energy, optimism, empathy, and creativity. One article a day, five days a week, 46 weeks per year.

David was especially passionate about mentoring student writers. He hoped that our student writing fellows would move into their professions after a year of constant writing and publication with a burning need to keep asking important, complicated questions, looking for answers, and communicating with anyone willing to listen. Five years later, PHP has trained 21 writing fellows and set them loose into the many worlds of public health.

We will miss everything about David. His easy grace. His thoughtfulness. His passion to get to know and understand people and places. His intellect. His voice. And his wonderful anecdotes. Here’s a piece he wrote for PHP in 2017 about a trip he took with his daughter to a Detroit Tigers game, and within that game the social factors that drive health and illness.

We owe a great debt to David and we miss him terribly,

Michael Stein and Jennifer Beard