Marlene McNeese
Champion of HIV Prevention
Assistant Director
Division of Disease Prevention and Control
Houston Health Department
For the past 26 years, Marlene McNeese has played a leadership role in redefining public health and community-based support systems that address HIV prevention, chemical dependency, mental health, communicable disease and post-incarceration syndrome. Earning her degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in behavioral science, Marlene has participated in research, demonstration and evaluation projects that have improved service delivery systems.
Marlene is a passionate and dedicated advocate and champion of HIV prevention, and the trajectory of her career reflects her sense of commitment. She has extensive leadership experience with local and national advisory councils and boards, having served as a past chairperson of the Houston Area Ryan White Planning Council, co-chair for the Houston HIV Prevention Community Planning Group; co-chair for the Urban Coalition of HIV/AIDS Prevention Services and is a current board member of the Black AIDS Institute and NASTAD.
In 2004, Marlene began her tenure with the Houston Department of Health as chief for the Bureau of HIV/STD and Viral Hepatitis Prevention and has been recently appointed as acting assistant director for the Division of Disease Control and Prevention.
In her current role, she is responsible for administering an annual operating budget of $37 million in federal and state grants, special funds and Texas 1115 Medicaid waiver projects for the Bureaus of Laboratory Services, Epidemiology, Informatics, HIV/STD, Tuberculosis Control, Public Health Preparedness and Jail Health. Under her leadership at HHD, significant growth and improvements have occurred including, publication of program effectiveness in peer-reviewed journals, creation of quality standards for prevention services and the doubling of the annual operating budget to support community-based HIV/AIDS programs.
