Dr. Erik Augustson Named Vice President, Programs at the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
New York, February 1, 2024 – The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World has announced the appointment of Dr. Erik Augustson as Vice President of Programs, responsible for management and oversight of the Foundation’s global grantmaking portfolio.
In this new role, Dr. Augustson is poised to elevate the grant program, ensuring the Foundation’s strategic priorities are addressed by overseeing the strategy, development, and implementation of all programmatic work, including research strategy and grant generation.
Throughout his extensive career, Dr. Augustson has made significant contributions within academic, clinical medicine, federal government, and private sector contexts. For the past two decades, he has been a driving force in advancing population-level and public health interventions on both domestic and international fronts.
Notably, Dr. Augustson played a pivotal role in the development and leadership of the large-scale U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mobile health and behavior change program, Smokefree.gov, showcasing his dedication to innovative approaches in the pursuit of healthier communities.
In addition to those achievements, Dr. Augustson is recognized as an award-winning mentor and senior leader, known for his human-focused management style. His commitment to research, intervention program development, evaluation, and management has earned him accolades and positioned him as a respected figure in the field.
Cliff Douglas, CEO of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Erik as the leader of this new team at the Foundation. We have ambitious objectives to elevate the strength of our grantmaking and to diversify our partnerships and sources of funding. Erik’s experience delivering the highest-quality programs for the public and private sectors will be a great help in those endeavors.”
A distinguished alumnus of the University of New Mexico, Dr. Augustson holds two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in psychology. He also completed two postdoctoral fellowships—one in behavioral medicine at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and the other in epidemiology and cancer prevention at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
