Boyd J. Landry, Executive DirectorFall, 1997 marked The Coalition for Natural Health’s first anniversary as well as the appointment of a new executive director. Boyd J. Landry brings to CNH a significant track record in lobbying, fund-raising for individual candidates as well as political action committees, bill monitoring at the local, state and federal levels, board leadership and liaison positions—as well as a family heritage of traditional naturopathy. Landry earned two degrees from LSU: a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s of Public Administration. His life-long forensics ability first led him to consider becoming a lawyer, but statecraft ultimately won out. “Success in politics starts with convincing people,” he says, “educating public segments as well as key decision-makers to see and understand your side of the issue. The next step is to continually fine-tune your strategy in order to build, fast, on every victory. CNH has a major opportunity, now, to boost its political reputation nationally, to enhance the general understanding of naturopathy as an important public health issue, and to gain deeper credibility for its thousands of deserving practitioners.” As such, Landry sees his role as one of teacher as well as student. “In my own family experience, my great-grandfather was an old-time natural healer who lived to be 104. He passed down home remedies for various illnesses—coughs, splinters, warts, poison ivy—and he never even went to a doctor until he was about 98 years old. In my own different way, I’m very excited about keeping the naturopathic tradition alive, by educating key practitioners on how to affect their local political process; by working with lobbyists to inform legislators of the economic implications of this erroneous misrepresentation of naturopathic scope of practice, and to help the general public better understand that their health freedom is in danger. “Reporters,” he adds, “can play a vital role in the process of public education. Gaining media attention within key states that are battling exclusionary licensure bills is an important way to amplify CNH’s position. We need each state’s elected officials to realize that this issue is about much more than third-party health insurance reimbursement. It’s about health freedom; it’s about a healthier way of life that renders unnecessary quite a few of those expensive medical procedures. “The main thing CNH currently offers members is political representation, and that’s an expensive item. We need new members, and we need their passionate involvement. So please, don’t just write a check if you can do more. Your profession and therefore your livelihood are at stake,” says Landry. |