Appointment of William L. Roper as Special Assistant to the President for Health Policy

The President today announced his intention to appoint William L. Roper to be Special Assistant to the President for Health Policy. He will assume duties on December 15, 1983.

Dr. Roper is health officer and director of the Jefferson County, Alabama, Department of Health, in Birmingham. He previously served in this position from 1977 to 1982. He teaches health policy and public health administration at the University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Public Health. In 1981-1982 he was assistant state health officer in Alabama and legislative liaison for the Alabama Department of Public Health. Dr. Roper was a White House fellow in the White House Office of Policy Development from 1982 to 1983, with responsibility for health policy issues.

Dr. Roper received his B.S. degree from the University of Alabama, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was named the distinguished undergraduate scholar of the College of Arts and Sciences for 1970. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine, where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the honor medical society, and president of his class in each of the 4 years. He received his M.P.H. degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Public Health. He was intern and then resident in pediatrics at the University of Colorado Medical Center in 1974-1977. He is board-certified in the medical specialties of pediatrics and preventive medicine. He has served on many professional and community boards and is the author of several articles.

He was born on July 6, 1948, in Birmingham, Ala. He is married to Maryann Jedziniak Roper, and they reside in Birmingham.