APhA BRINGS IN HHS ADVISOR, KEVILLE, FOR GOVT. AFFAIRS; FOUR VPs REASSIGNED

A top staff reorganization at the American Pharmaceutical Assn. (APhA) is highlighted by the recruitment of Dorothy Keville from HHS to be the assn's director of govt. affairs and by the establishment of two coordinating groups "to improve staff communication and to develop a more coordinated approach to identifying issues, solving problems, and carrying out programs." APhA President Jack Schlegel announced the staff reorganization -- his first effort to redesign the assn. staff structure -- on Oct. 19. Schlegel was chosen to head the pharmacy assn. in early April. The assn. is moving to a set-up of staff directors and eliminating four VP-level positions. The positions were established by ex-APhA President William Apple several months before he died in December 1983. The APhA staff directors will oversee areas of business, communications, education, liaison/state-relations, pharmacy intelligence, professional affairs, and scientific affairs. The position of associate general counsel is also on the level of a staff director. For the past four years, Keville has been an advisor to HHS Sectys. Patricia Harris, Richard Schweiker and Margaret Heckler on natl. health policy development. Schlegal said she will "help move APhA more aggressively into the arena of govt. affairs and federal liaison." The assn.'s new govt. affairs director is a graduate of Antioch University in Cambridge, Mass., with a 1978 M. Ed. degree in human and social services. She has been HHS health policy coordinator for programs including alcohol abuse, drug abuse, mental health, maternal and child health, and emergency medical service. Keville has served as departmental liaison on consumer affairs with FDA, as well as liaison with the State Dept. on internatl. narcotics matters. She developed and managed the Federal Interagency Task Force on Food & Shelter Initiative for the Homeless, comprising 13 federal agencies and requiring close coordination with the White House. In Boston, she had worked for the Dept. of Mental Health for five years.