2024-2025 Series Speakers
Paulin Basinga, MD, PhD, MS
Director, Africa, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Dr. Paulin Basinga leads the foundation’s work across the African continent. He brings to his role extensive experience with country- and global-level engagements, including from his previous role as the foundation’s global director of program advocacy and communications. Before joining the foundation, Paulin served as deputy director of research at the National University of Rwanda’s School of Public Health, where he led groundbreaking research initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and maternal and child health that contributed significantly to efforts to strengthen Rwanda’s health care systems. Paulin has a medical degree from the National University of Rwanda as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. in international development from Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Director, Africa, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Dr. Paulin Basinga leads the foundation’s work across the African continent. He brings to his role extensive experience with country- and global-level engagements, including from his previous role as the foundation’s global director of program advocacy and communications. Before joining the foundation, Paulin served as deputy director of research at the National University of Rwanda’s School of Public Health, where he led groundbreaking research initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and maternal and child health that contributed significantly to efforts to strengthen Rwanda’s health care systems. Paulin has a medical degree from the National University of Rwanda as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. in international development from Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH Dean and Professor, Rutgers School of Public Health
Perry N. Halkitis is currently Dean, Hunterdon Professor of Public Health & Health Equity, and Distinguished Professor of Biostatistics & Epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health. He is also the founder and Director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies. He holds the status of Professor Emeritus at the College of Global Public Health at New York University. He is an elected fellow of The New York Academy of Medicine, The Society of Behavioral Medicine, and The American Epidemiological Society, among others. Dr. Halkitis is an infectious disease epidemiologist, applied statistician, and public health psychologist. He conducts this work through his research, teaching, advocacy, and activism.
Perry N. Halkitis is currently Dean, Hunterdon Professor of Public Health & Health Equity, and Distinguished Professor of Biostatistics & Epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health. He is also the founder and Director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies. He holds the status of Professor Emeritus at the College of Global Public Health at New York University. He is an elected fellow of The New York Academy of Medicine, The Society of Behavioral Medicine, and The American Epidemiological Society, among others. Dr. Halkitis is an infectious disease epidemiologist, applied statistician, and public health psychologist. He conducts this work through his research, teaching, advocacy, and activism.
Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH
Dean, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
Dr. Gibbs joined Texas A&M University in May 202. He is an industrial hygienist whose expertise is in the disruption of highly infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and Ebola virus disease. He has published extensively in industrial hygiene and environmental exposure assessment, focusing on environmental microbiology and disrupting transmission of highly infectious diseases. Dr. Gibbs is sought after to lend guidance to national and international organizations, such as his appointment to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Board of Scientific Counselors-Homeland Security Subcommittee as well as work with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command. He is dedicated to public service and improving health and well-being nationally, including in the state of Texas.
Dean, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
Dr. Gibbs joined Texas A&M University in May 202. He is an industrial hygienist whose expertise is in the disruption of highly infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and Ebola virus disease. He has published extensively in industrial hygiene and environmental exposure assessment, focusing on environmental microbiology and disrupting transmission of highly infectious diseases. Dr. Gibbs is sought after to lend guidance to national and international organizations, such as his appointment to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Board of Scientific Counselors-Homeland Security Subcommittee as well as work with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command. He is dedicated to public service and improving health and well-being nationally, including in the state of Texas.
Tara Sabo-Attwood, PhD
Dean and Henry Savage Jr. Professor in Environmental Quality and Global Health, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health
Dr. Sabo-Attwood has served as dean of the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health since August 2024. She is a highly accomplished public health leader, having served for 17 years in various leadership positions after earning her bachelor’s degree in medical technology and Genetics from the University of Connecticut and her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences with a specialty in environmental toxicology and pharmacology from the University of Florida. Her previous research investigated chemical profiles present in water sources in developing nations, such as Haiti. Her more recent work has centered on understanding the connection between nature and wellness, utilizing ‘green space’ to improve health outcomes in an environmentally safe environment (optimal air quality). Her research has been funded by NIH, NSF, and USDA.
Dean and Henry Savage Jr. Professor in Environmental Quality and Global Health, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health
Dr. Sabo-Attwood has served as dean of the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health since August 2024. She is a highly accomplished public health leader, having served for 17 years in various leadership positions after earning her bachelor’s degree in medical technology and Genetics from the University of Connecticut and her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences with a specialty in environmental toxicology and pharmacology from the University of Florida. Her previous research investigated chemical profiles present in water sources in developing nations, such as Haiti. Her more recent work has centered on understanding the connection between nature and wellness, utilizing ‘green space’ to improve health outcomes in an environmentally safe environment (optimal air quality). Her research has been funded by NIH, NSF, and USDA.
Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH
Director & Founding Dean, UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health
Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH, is a social epidemiologist, professor, and the Founding Dean of the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health. A renowned researcher and academic administrator, she carries several leadership roles within the public health field, at the UCI campus, and at the UC-system level. Prior to coming to UC Irvine, she held public health leadership roles as the Senior Vice Dean for Research and Program Development for the College of Global Public Health at New York University and as Chief of the Division of Social Epidemiology at Mount Sinai. For more than 25 years, Boden-Albala has dedicated her career to promoting health equity for all, defining, and intervening on social determinants of disease, and leading community-level health assessments and solutions. She also has expertise in cardiovascular disease and stroke, emerging infectious diseases, epidemiology, as well as global health. Recently, she received prestigious recognitions for her work from the American Heart Association as the 2024 Edgar J. Kenton Lecture awardee and from the American Academy of Neurology as the 2024 Cheryl A. Jay Lecture awardee.
Director & Founding Dean, UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health
Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH, is a social epidemiologist, professor, and the Founding Dean of the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health. A renowned researcher and academic administrator, she carries several leadership roles within the public health field, at the UCI campus, and at the UC-system level. Prior to coming to UC Irvine, she held public health leadership roles as the Senior Vice Dean for Research and Program Development for the College of Global Public Health at New York University and as Chief of the Division of Social Epidemiology at Mount Sinai. For more than 25 years, Boden-Albala has dedicated her career to promoting health equity for all, defining, and intervening on social determinants of disease, and leading community-level health assessments and solutions. She also has expertise in cardiovascular disease and stroke, emerging infectious diseases, epidemiology, as well as global health. Recently, she received prestigious recognitions for her work from the American Heart Association as the 2024 Edgar J. Kenton Lecture awardee and from the American Academy of Neurology as the 2024 Cheryl A. Jay Lecture awardee.
M. Daniele Fallin, PhD
James W. Curran Dean of Public Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health Daniele Fallin is an internationally regarded researcher and educator, focusing on applying genetic epidemiology methods to study neuropsychiatric disorders including autism, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. She joined Emory in 2022 as Dean after working at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for 22 years, where she served as chair of the Department of Mental Health, among other titles. Dr. Fallin has led multiple CDC- and NIH-funded projects regarding how environments, behaviors, genetic variation, and epigenetic variation contribute to risk for psychiatric disease. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and a PhD in genetic epidemiology from Case Western Reserve University.
James W. Curran Dean of Public Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health Daniele Fallin is an internationally regarded researcher and educator, focusing on applying genetic epidemiology methods to study neuropsychiatric disorders including autism, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. She joined Emory in 2022 as Dean after working at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for 22 years, where she served as chair of the Department of Mental Health, among other titles. Dr. Fallin has led multiple CDC- and NIH-funded projects regarding how environments, behaviors, genetic variation, and epigenetic variation contribute to risk for psychiatric disease. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and a PhD in genetic epidemiology from Case Western Reserve University.
2023-2024 Series Speakers
Dean Ashish Joshi, Ph.D., MBBS, MPH
Dean and Distinguished Professor, University of Memphis School of Public Health Dr. Joshi is Dean and a Distinguished University Professor of the School of Public Health of the University of Memphis. He is an innovator, entrepreneur, educator, researcher, administrator, and mentor. Dr. Joshi conceptualized the SMAART model to advance achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. He aims to bring public health research into action through multisector partnerships, data-driven, evidence-informed, digital health interventions, innovations, and sustainable community programs to promote health equity.
Dean and Distinguished Professor, University of Memphis School of Public Health Dr. Joshi is Dean and a Distinguished University Professor of the School of Public Health of the University of Memphis. He is an innovator, entrepreneur, educator, researcher, administrator, and mentor. Dr. Joshi conceptualized the SMAART model to advance achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. He aims to bring public health research into action through multisector partnerships, data-driven, evidence-informed, digital health interventions, innovations, and sustainable community programs to promote health equity.
Paul C. Erwin, MD, DrPH, MPH
Dean, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health
Paul Campbell Erwin, MD, DrPH is Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Organization. He is board certified in internal medicine, and public health and preventive medicine, and is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. He is an associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health and a member of the editorial boards for Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC) Review and the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
Dean, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health
Paul Campbell Erwin, MD, DrPH is Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Organization. He is board certified in internal medicine, and public health and preventive medicine, and is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. He is an associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health and a member of the editorial boards for Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC) Review and the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
Tracie C. Collins, MD, MPH, MHCDS
Dean and Professor, College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico During her tenure, Dr. Collins responded to the COVID-19 emergency by completing nine months as New Mexico Secretary of Health. She returned to serve as dean of the College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico, bolstering the state’s public health and pandemic-response leadership. Collins has served in a variety of academic leadership roles, in addition to providing clinical care and conducting and overseeing clinical research. In addition to her clinical education and research in the United States, Collins has also lectured in Nepal and Kenya. She has produced more than 80 scholarly publications over the course of her career, and she maintains a clinical practice as a vascular specialist.
Dean and Professor, College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico During her tenure, Dr. Collins responded to the COVID-19 emergency by completing nine months as New Mexico Secretary of Health. She returned to serve as dean of the College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico, bolstering the state’s public health and pandemic-response leadership. Collins has served in a variety of academic leadership roles, in addition to providing clinical care and conducting and overseeing clinical research. In addition to her clinical education and research in the United States, Collins has also lectured in Nepal and Kenya. She has produced more than 80 scholarly publications over the course of her career, and she maintains a clinical practice as a vascular specialist.
Hilary Godwin, PhD
Professor and Dean, University of Washington School of Public Health
Hilary Godwin joined the University of Washington in 2018 as Dean of the School of Public Health and Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Prior to that, Godwin spent twelve years on the faculty at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and ten years in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University and held a number of different leadership positions at both institutions. She earned a PhD in Chemistry from Stanford University and a BS in Chemistry with honors from the University of Chicago. She is deeply committed to promoting the health of all people, locally and globally.
Professor and Dean, University of Washington School of Public Health
Hilary Godwin joined the University of Washington in 2018 as Dean of the School of Public Health and Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Prior to that, Godwin spent twelve years on the faculty at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and ten years in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University and held a number of different leadership positions at both institutions. She earned a PhD in Chemistry from Stanford University and a BS in Chemistry with honors from the University of Chicago. She is deeply committed to promoting the health of all people, locally and globally.
Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH
Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor, Boston University School of Public Health
Sandro Galea, a physician, epidemiologist, and author, is dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University School of Public Health. He previously held academic and leadership positions at Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine. He has published extensively in the peer-reviewed literature, and is a regular contributor to a range of public media, about the social causes of health, mental health, and the consequences of trauma. He has been listed as one of the most widely cited scholars in the social sciences. He is past chair of the board of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health and past president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and of the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. Galea has received several lifetime achievement awards. Galea holds a medical degree from the University of Toronto, graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow.
Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor, Boston University School of Public Health
Sandro Galea, a physician, epidemiologist, and author, is dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University School of Public Health. He previously held academic and leadership positions at Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine. He has published extensively in the peer-reviewed literature, and is a regular contributor to a range of public media, about the social causes of health, mental health, and the consequences of trauma. He has been listed as one of the most widely cited scholars in the social sciences. He is past chair of the board of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health and past president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and of the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. Galea has received several lifetime achievement awards. Galea holds a medical degree from the University of Toronto, graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow.
Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH
Dean and Professor, College of Public Health at the University of South Florida
Dr. Petersen is chief health officer and interim associate vice provost for student health and wellness, University of South Florida, senior associate vice president, USF Health and professor and dean, College of Public Health at the University of South Florida. She earned her masters and doctoral degrees in maternal and child health from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has been honored for her work by the American Public Health Association, the Delta Omega National Public Health Honor Society, the National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and the US Health Resources and Services Administration. In May 2021 she was presented a USF President’s Fellow Medallion for her work leading the USF COVID-19 Task Force. In October 2021, she received the Martha May Eliot award from the American Public Health Association.
Dean and Professor, College of Public Health at the University of South Florida
Dr. Petersen is chief health officer and interim associate vice provost for student health and wellness, University of South Florida, senior associate vice president, USF Health and professor and dean, College of Public Health at the University of South Florida. She earned her masters and doctoral degrees in maternal and child health from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has been honored for her work by the American Public Health Association, the Delta Omega National Public Health Honor Society, the National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and the US Health Resources and Services Administration. In May 2021 she was presented a USF President’s Fellow Medallion for her work leading the USF COVID-19 Task Force. In October 2021, she received the Martha May Eliot award from the American Public Health Association.
Nancy Messonnier, MD
Dean and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
Nancy Messonnier, MD, is dean of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health. She has more than 25 years of experience as a public health leader, including as director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2014-2021. She was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. Dean Messonnier’s dedication to achieving public health impact, both locally and globally, through successful implementation informs her leadership of the Gillings School across academics, research, practice, policy, and outreach.
Dean and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
Nancy Messonnier, MD, is dean of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health. She has more than 25 years of experience as a public health leader, including as director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2014-2021. She was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. Dean Messonnier’s dedication to achieving public health impact, both locally and globally, through successful implementation informs her leadership of the Gillings School across academics, research, practice, policy, and outreach.
Ayman El-Mohandes, MD, MPH
Dean, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy
Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean of the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), is a pediatrician and public health academic with a deep commitment to public service and community engagement. He is an established researcher in the field of infant mortality reduction in minority populations. Dr. El-Mohandes’ funded research focuses on population-based interventions in underserved communities both locally and globally. His publication record includes innovative approaches towards improving perinatal and neonatal outcomes in high-risk populations. Dr. El-Mohandes stepped down as the Chair of the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health Board of Directors (ASPPH) in March 2023, and continues as a board member of the ASPPH. He serves on the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Advisory Council and is an elected member of the American Pediatric Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dean, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy
Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean of the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), is a pediatrician and public health academic with a deep commitment to public service and community engagement. He is an established researcher in the field of infant mortality reduction in minority populations. Dr. El-Mohandes’ funded research focuses on population-based interventions in underserved communities both locally and globally. His publication record includes innovative approaches towards improving perinatal and neonatal outcomes in high-risk populations. Dr. El-Mohandes stepped down as the Chair of the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health Board of Directors (ASPPH) in March 2023, and continues as a board member of the ASPPH. He serves on the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Advisory Council and is an elected member of the American Pediatric Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
F. DuBois Bowman, PhD
Dean, University of Michigan School of Public Health
F. DuBois Bowman, PhD, is dean of the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Dr. Bowman is a renowned expert in the statistical analysis of brain imaging data. His work mines massive data sets and has important implications for mental and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, schizophrenia, and substance addiction. His work also explores the impact of environmental exposures on brain function and structure in youth. His research has helped reveal brain patterns that reflect disruption from psychiatric diseases, detect biomarkers for neurological diseases, and determine more individualized therapeutic treatments. Dr. Bowman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Morehouse College, a Master of Science degree in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Bowman is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Fellow of the American Statistical Association
Dean, University of Michigan School of Public Health
F. DuBois Bowman, PhD, is dean of the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Dr. Bowman is a renowned expert in the statistical analysis of brain imaging data. His work mines massive data sets and has important implications for mental and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, schizophrenia, and substance addiction. His work also explores the impact of environmental exposures on brain function and structure in youth. His research has helped reveal brain patterns that reflect disruption from psychiatric diseases, detect biomarkers for neurological diseases, and determine more individualized therapeutic treatments. Dr. Bowman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Morehouse College, a Master of Science degree in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Bowman is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Fellow of the American Statistical Association
