JoAnn Yanez, ND, MPH, CAE is the Executive Director of the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges. Dr. Yanez’s career has spanned advocacy, academia, patient care, and public health. As AANMC Executive Director, Dr. Yanez oversees research, advocacy efforts, and the joint academic endeavors of the accredited colleges of naturopathic medicine.
Prior to joining the AANMC, Dr. Yanez was head of government relations for the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NYANP). During her tenure with the NYANP, Dr. Yanez participated in a think-tank on childhood obesity sponsored by MIT, Harvard, and Columbia Universities. In 2009 she found herself "on the hill" working with Congressional members on the Affordable Care Act.
Dr. Yanez served six years as a Director of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education—the accrediting body for naturopathic medical colleges. She was awarded the 2006 Legacy Award from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and the 2007 NYANP Physician of the Year Award. Dr. Yanez has also been inducted into the Rho Lambda and Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership and Scholarship National Honor Societies and most recently became a member of the Delta Omega Honor Society for graduates of schools of public health.