Anthony "Tony" L. Schlaff, MD MPH is a distinguished physician, educator, and public health leader whose career exemplifies the stewardship, integrity, and sustained commitment recognized by the Keeper of the Flame Award. Over more than four decades, Dr. Schlaff has advanced community health, strengthened the nation’s public health workforce, and championed the development of addiction medicine and preventive medicine training programs.

Prior to his retirement in 2025, Dr. Schlaff served as a Physician and Project Officer within the Bureau of Health Workforce at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), where he oversaw federal graduate medical education programs in Addiction Medicine and Preventive Medicine. His role placed him at the forefront of national efforts to expand and strengthen the addiction medicine workforce during a period of ongoing public health need.

Before joining HRSA, Dr. Schlaff devoted more than two decades to academic leadership at Tufts University School of Medicine, where he served as Director of the Master of Public Health Program from 2000 to 2022 and was named Professor of Public Health & Community Medicine, Emeritus in 2022. In this role, he shaped the development of thousands of public health professionals and helped build one of the country’s most community engaged public health training programs.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Schlaff served as Director of the Preventive Medicine Residency Program at Carney Hospital and as Medical Director of the Codman Square Health Center, where he led quality improvement and community oriented primary care initiatives in historically underserved Boston neighborhoods. His long-standing service also includes 15 years as a Board Member for the Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, advancing academic community partnerships to address health disparities.

Dr. Schlaff’s academic and professional achievements are grounded in rigorous training and nationally recognized credentials. He earned his MD from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, an MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and a BA in History from Yale University. He is board-certified in both General Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Internal Medicine, and he is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine.

A widely respected voice in prevention and public health education, Dr. Schlaff has been honored throughout his career for excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service. His recognitions include the Duncan Clark Award from the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research—its highest honor—and the Distinguished Career Award from the Tufts MD Class of 2022. Earlier in his career, he received the Charles F. Wilinsky Award for Academic Excellence from Harvard and the Secretary’s Award for Innovations in Health Promotion from HRSA.

Dr. Schlaff embodies the spirit of the Keeper of the Flame Award through his lifelong commitment to strengthening public health systems, expanding equitable access to care, and cultivating the next generation of public health and addiction medicine leaders. His career reflects not only professional excellence but a profound dedication to service—carrying forward the flame of knowledge, compassion, and community-centered practice for the benefit of generations to come.