Dr. Antonia Novello will be giving a presentation titled “Making History and Giving Voice as the First Latina Surgeon General of the United States” at NECC’s Lawrence campus on March 22.

Dr. Antonia Novello, named the the 14th surgeon general of the United States in 1990 by President George Bush, was both the first woman and the first person of Hispanic descent to hold that position. In an upcoming presentation on Wednesday, March 22 at 11 a.m., she’ll speak about “Making History and Giving Voice as the First Latina Surgeon General of the United States.” The lecture is being offered through a partnership between Salem State University and the Association of Latino Professionals for America, and will take place at the Northern Essex Community College El Hefni Health and Technology Center, 414 Common Street, Lawrence.

The event is free and open to the public.

Novello’s selection as surgeon general came after nearly two decades of public service at the National Institutes of Health, where she took a role in drafting national legislation regarding organ transplantation. After her tenure as surgeon general, she went on to become commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, where she was responsible for crisis management after the 9/11 attacks.

In addition to providing insight into her work as a medical provider, Novello will also discuss the obstacles she faced as a minority in her field, inconsistencies in health care for different demographics, and how we might strengthen the populations of women and Latino people in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.

Students will have the opportunity to ask Novello questions during a special Q&A session.

For more information on the presentation, contact Analuz Garcia at (978) 738-7423 or agarcia@necc.mass.edu.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Northern Essex Community College offers over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Close to 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 6,700 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley. Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.