Arizona lost a long-time public health professional on July 18th when Phyllis Primas passed away.
In addition to groundbreaking academic and public health work at ASU, Phyllis worked at ADHS for several years in maternal & child health and later in nursing at Maricopa County Public Health.
Phyllis was a long-time member of AzPHA, joining in October 1976, shortly after arriving in Arizona for a teaching post at ASU.
She wasn’t just an AZPHA member… she was a long-time sustaining member at the ‘Patron’ level (a $500/year support level). Phyllis also served in several leadership positions on AzPHA Board of Directors, including a term as President.
Phyllis Primas, BSN, MPH, PhD. was born in Allentown, PA. She received her doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Pittsburgh. After graduation, she was Associate Director of a public health demonstration project in West Africa through the University of Pittsburgh.
She moved to Arizona in 1975 and accepted a position at the Arizona State University College of Nursing, teaching community health courses in the graduate program.
She also chaired thesis programs and was awarded a federal grant to develop and maintain a community health clinic for the homeless, Breaking the Cycle.
Phyllis left ASU in 1981 for a position at the Arizona Department of Health Services as Manager of Community Maternal and Child Health. In 1985, she was hired as the Director of Nursing at the Maricopa County Health Department and later returned to ASU.
She had a robust research and program planning profile, authoring many reports which you can see on this ASU Research Profile. She retired from ASU in 2002 as a Professor Emerita.
Other community involvements included as Associate Dean for the original UA College of Public Health. She was a founding member of AzPHA’s active retiree group that Barbara Burkholder hosts.
Phyllis Primus: A Live Well Lived
