White House Author

Mohamed Ali, MPH is the co-chair of the King County Somali Health Board, an organization he helped establish to improve communications between the Somali immigrant community, health care providers, and local health agencies. When a significant winter storm was forecast in January of 2012, Mr. Ali rallied Somali religious leaders to implement a rapid communication strategy that reached thousands of East Africans in King County, warning about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Mr. Ali coordinated setting up of a shelter in a local Islamic Center and the delivery of hot meals to the shelter. Health officials credited Mr. Ali’s effort as an important contributor to a 90% drop in hospital admissions for carbon monoxide poisonings compared to a previous storm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognized Mr. Ali as a Community Preparedness Hero in 2012. Mr. Ali also is the Program Coordinator for the Hepatitis B Coalition of Washington at WithinReach, a community-based health organization tackling health disparities affecting foreign-born populations.