National Jewish Health Names Alex Hurst as Executive Director of Health Initiatives


DENVER - National Jewish Health, the nation’s leading respiratory hospital and the largest provider of tobacco quitline services in the United States, announced that Alex Hurst has been named as the Executive Director of Health Initiatives. In this role, Hurst will oversee the organization’s nationally recognized tobacco cessation programs, including the youth-focused My Life, My Quit program, which collectively support individuals across 26 states in their journey to quit tobacco and nicotine.

Hurst will lead efforts to expand the reach and impact of these programs, which collectively serve tens of thousands of individuals across the country each year. The program provides evidence-based counseling, digital tools, and support to help adults quit smoking and other forms of tobacco use. The My Life, My Quit program is designed specifically to meet the unique needs of teens who want to quit vaping or smoking.

“I am honored to join National Jewish Health and to lead the Health Initiatives team,” said Hurst. “Tobacco and nicotine addiction continue to evolve, particularly with the rise of vaping among youth. These programs are making a profound difference in the lives of people seeking to break free from nicotine addiction. I look forward to building on their success and ensuring that these vital services remain accessible, effective, and responsive to the changing landscape of tobacco use.”

Before joining National Jewish Health, Hurst served as Director of Practice Improvement and Consulting for the National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control, a CDC-funded initiative of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. There, he led provider communities of practice, spearheaded technical assistance and training initiatives, and supported local, state and national partners in advancing behavioral health and chronic disease prevention strategies. Previously, Alex held key leadership roles at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he was the Program Director of the EndTobacco® Program.
 

National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation delivering excellence in multispecialty care and world class research. Founded in 1899 as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health today is the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking medical research and treatment of children and adults with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Patients and families come to National Jewish Health from around the world to receive cutting-edge, comprehensive, coordinated care. To learn more, visit njhealth.org or the media resources page.


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