Nonprofit works to improve health and wellness in Harford and Cecil counties
Healthy Harford/Healthy Cecil, Inc., a collaborative partnership dedicated to the health and wellness of the northern Chesapeake community, has appointed Bari Klein executive director.
Founded in 1993 by community leaders from University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, Harford County Health Department and Harford County Government, Healthy Harford/Healthy Cecil works to improve health and wellness in Harford and Cecil counties by promoting healthy lifestyles and building community partnerships.
“We are fortunate to have Bari Klein, with her vast experience and strong commitment to public health, leading Healthy Harford/Healthy Cecil,” said Lyle E. Sheldon, FACHE, president/CEO of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health. “Her leadership will be instrumental in continuing and creating programs, policies and services to improve health and wellness in Harford and Cecil counties.”
Klein has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and government sectors. Prior to her appointment as executive director of Healthy Harford/Healthy Cecil, Klein was acting executive director. She has also served as the public health program manager and grants administrator for University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health and the Harford County Health Department.
Among her accomplishments in those roles were overseeing strategic planning and administration of chronic disease and population health goals; administering more than $1.5 million in grants to support behavioral health, childhood wellness, diabetes education and family resiliency and $2 million in grants to support clinical and community population health programs; and chairing the Harford County Health Department Local Health Improvement Coalition–Obesity/Chronic Disease Committee.
In addition, she has served as director of development for the Women’s Health Project, Inc., and senior budget analyst for the New York State Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health. Klein was also a resource development associate for Skip-A-Long Child Development Center, an innovative pioneering operation that integrates physical and mental health care into early childhood education.
Her community involvement includes serving on the Harford Crisis Center board and Harford County Public Schools Coordinated School Wellness Council. In addition, she serves on the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board PAC; Harford County Bike and Pedestrian Planning Board; Maryland Rural Health Legislative Committee; Harford County Healthy Community Planning Board and is a Harford Leadership Ambassador. She is a graduate of the Harford Leadership Academy.
Klein holds a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College and attended Southern Illinois University for their Master of Public Administration program. She is a functional medicine certified health coach under the Institute of Functional Medicine model. Klein is also a certified instructor for Stanford University’s Living Well program in chronic disease and chronic pain and for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) diabetes prevention program.
About Healthy Harford/Healthy Cecil, Inc.
Healthy Harford/Healthy Cecil is a nonprofit coalition of local government agencies, businesses, nonprofits and citizens dedicated to improving the health of Harford and Cecil county residents. For more information, visit www. healthyharford.org or www.healthycecil.org.
About University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health includes the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center and the Patricia D. and M. Scot Kaufman Cancer Center in Bel Air, the Senator Bob Hooper House in Forest Hill and the University of Maryland Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace. The leading health care system and largest private employer in Harford County, UM Upper Chesapeake Health offers a broad range of health care services, specialty care, technology and facilities to the residents of northeastern Maryland. Visit www.umuch.org for more information.
