SACRAMENTO, CA, Mar. 27, 2026 — Public Health Advocates (PHA) today announced the retirement of founder and longtime Executive Director Harold Goldstein after 26 years of leadership. Kristina Gelardi, PhD, who served as the organization’s Chief Impact Officer, has been named Interim Executive Director.
Over the past 26 years, Goldstein helped transform PHA into a leading force for prevention-focused policy in California, championing reforms that have improved the health of millions of residents.
Founded in 1999, PHA advances policies that protect health, promote equity, and strengthen communities across California. The organization is known for pairing rigorous research with community-driven advocacy to achieve lasting systems change, particularly for low-income communities and communities of color, who are often overlooked in policy decisions.
“Public Health Advocates was created to be a change agent—to use research to drive policy reform and to hold government and corporations accountable for the health impacts of their decisions,” Goldstein said. “For 26 years, we have partnered with underserved communities to address the conditions that shape health and advance prevention-focused policies, so everyone has the opportunity to live healthier lives.”
Those efforts have yielded several landmark policies, many later adopted nationally. At the state level, the organization played a leading role in removing soda and junk food from schools, funding elementary school physical education, and requiring chain restaurants to provide calorie information on menus. PHA also played a key role in ensuring funding for local community-driven policy changes to prevent and mitigate childhood adversity and establishing the California Racial Equity Commission. At the local level, the organization has helped more than 200 California cities establish more than 700 health policies.
“Harold’s vision helped shape a generation of public health policy in California,” said Peter Barth, MPP, Chair of PHA’s Board of Directors. “We are deeply grateful for his leadership and are excited to support Kristina as she guides the organization into its next chapter.”
Gelardi brings extensive experience in public health systems change, equity-focused policy advocacy, and collaborative leadership. As PHA’s Chief Impact Officer, she led organizational strategy, program integration, and cross-sector partnerships. Her work focused on translating community priorities into effective policy action, strengthening accountability, and guiding teams through complex policy environments.
“I am honored to lead an organization with such an important mission and legacy,” said Gelardi. “Public Health Advocates has shown what is possible when public policy is shaped by community leadership and research. I am committed to building on that foundation to meet the challenges ahead.”
As PHA enters its next chapter, the organization remains committed to advancing research-based policy, strengthening accountability, and partnering with communities to build healthier and more equitable futures across California.
The organization’s work includes several core initiatives:
• All Children Thrive is a statewide initiative focused on transforming youth mental health systems by investing in prevention, belonging, and community-based supports.
• Transformative Climate Communities is a place-based initiative in Stockton that advances climate, health, and economic equity through community-led systems change.
• REACH focuses on youth leadership and civic engagement, supporting young people as advocates for healthier schools, neighborhoods, and futures.
Learn more about PHA’s work at PHAdvocates.org.
Media Contact
Risa Jensen, Communications Manager
209.697.5822
Commsteam@PHAdvocates.org