Governor McKee Joins Group of Governors in Launching Governors Public Health Alliance to Safeguard Public Health, Strengthen Preparedness, and Coordinate Across Borders
Published on Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Nonpartisan initiative will be supported by GovAct and help states to coordinate and address health threats across state lines
PROVIDENCE, RI — Governor Dan McKee today announced that he is joining with other governors across the U.S. to launch the Governors Public Health Alliance, a new nonpartisan initiative bringing together governors across state lines to strengthen coordination, preparedness, and response on public health issues.
In coordination with Governors Bob Ferguson (WA), Josh Green (HI), Kathy Hochul (NY), Tina Kotek (OR), Ned Lamont (CT), Lou Leon Guerrero (GU), Matt Meyer (DE), Wes Moore (MD), Phil Murphy (NJ), Gavin Newsom (CA), Jared Polis (CO), JB Pritzker (IL), Josh Stein (NC) and Maura Healey (MA), the Alliance will allow states to explore data-sharing, align on guidance, and act quickly in the face of emerging health threats — from seasonal illness outbreaks to future global health challenges.
“Public health is the foundation of everything that makes our states strong: our economy, our schools, our families,” said Governor Dan McKee. “At a time when public health leadership from Washington, D.C. is increasingly unstable, we are committed to stepping up to create clear, coordinated leadership led by facts and science. I’m proud to join this alliance of fellow governors because when we work together, we get results, and that’s exactly what this moment demands.”
The Governors Public Health Alliance will serve as a nonpartisan coordinating hub for governors and their public health leaders and a unified, cross-state liaison with the global health community. The Alliance also provides a platform for governors to exchange best practices, align policies, and coordinate on issues like vaccine access, emergency response, and health security.
The Governors Public Health Alliance supports national coordination on public health at the gubernatorial level – complementing existing mechanisms and interfacing with entities like the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, of which Rhode Island is a part. The Governors Public Health Alliance will facilitate this cross-state collaboration by bringing together regional and other groups to share best practices and surface common challenges, elevating national considerations for vaccine procurement, policy solutions, and more. The Alliance welcomes further engagement across Governors’ Offices and with public health associations and other relevant groups.
The rollout of this new Alliance builds on Rhode Island’s commitment to public health and ongoing work to strengthen responses to emerging health threats.
The Governors Public Health Alliance is supported by the Governors Action Alliance (GovAct), a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative that supports governors in protecting fundamental freedoms, including public health. The Alliance is advised by leading public health experts, including former CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen, former Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, and Dr. Raj Panjabi, former White House Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense. As an initiative of GovAct, the Alliance will also be advised by GovAct’s Bipartisan Advisory Board of former governors and former senior federal officials.
“With many health threats at our doorstep, collaboration and communication between Governors is essential to protect the health of families and save lives,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, former CDC Director and former North Carolina Secretary for Health and Human Services. “This alliance creates the framework to support the national coordination needed to safeguard communities.”
“Governors are being asked to do more with less—daily. And yet the challenges keep growing,” said Julia Spiegel, founder and CEO of GovAct. “GovAct is here to help bring capacity, expertise, and know-how so that governors have the tools they need to act decisively, together, to protect the health and well-being of their people.”
Participating states have already begun sharing best practices, receiving briefings from public health experts, and coordinating on executive actions governors can take to strengthen public health protections, including standing orders or directives to preserve access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The Alliance will provide governors and their teams with timely briefings, policy toolkits, and coordinated strategies to respond to major public health events and support consistent communication across states and communities.