North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) Appoints Thomas Ylioja, PhD, as New President & CEO

North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) Appoints Thomas Ylioja, PhD, as New President & CEO

The North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce Thomas Ylioja, PhD, will join the organization as President & CEO on September 9, 2024. This appointment marks a significant step forward in NAQC's mission to advance commercial tobacco cessation efforts and support quitline services across North America.

Since March 2024, the NAQC Board of Directors has been overseeing NAQC operations. And through this lens the Board gained invaluable insight into the skillsets required to lead the organization effectively into the future. In the search for the ideal candidate, the Board focused on several key qualities:

• A deep understanding of the needs and perspectives of state funders, service providers, partner organizations, and researchers who make up NAQC’s membership.
• Proven leadership experience to provide strategic oversight of NAQC’s programs and services.
• Strong business acumen, including financial management and a successful track record in fundraising.
• The ability to represent NAQC and the quitline community effectively to the public.

With over 20 years of experience in the clinical treatment of commercial tobacco use and dependence, Dr. Ylioja brings a wealth of expertise to NAQC. His background includes extensive work in delivering nicotine dependence counseling, managing treatment programs for priority populations, overseeing quitline programs, and engaging in quitline research, program development, management, and evaluation. Additionally, Dr. Ylioja’s academic focus on quitlines for priority populations as a systems-level public health intervention and his personal experience with nicotine addiction provide him with a unique and deeply informed perspective.

Dr. Ylioja's appointment will drive NAQC's continued success and further enhance its impact on commercial tobacco cessation across North America. His appointment comes at a crucial time as NAQC continues to lead and innovate in the field of quitline services and commercial tobacco control. The NAQC Board of Directors looks forward to Dr. Ylioja’s leadership and the positive changes he will bring to the organization and the community it serves.

About the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC):

The North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) is dedicated to advancing the effectiveness, reach, and sustainability of quitline services for tobacco cessation across North America. NAQC works to support its members through advocacy, research, and resources to help individuals quit tobacco and lead healthier lives.

Warm regards,

Catherine Bonniot

NAQC Board Chair

https://www.naquitline.org/page/board