Howard Koh is the inaugural recipient of the Harvey V. Fineberg Professorship of Public Health

The professorship was endowed with a gift from Richard L. Menschel, MBA ’59, and his wife Ronay A. Menschel. The professorship may be held by a faculty member in the Division of Public Health Practice or in the Department of Biostatistics and will rotate to a new appointee every five years.

Effective January 1, Dr. Koh became the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health.

"It is a tremendous honor to be the recipient of this professorship, which reflects the sterling lifetime achievements of Harvey Fineberg and Richard and Ronay Menschel," said Dr. Koh, who joined the HSPH faculty in 2003 after serving as Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health for six years. He leads the Division of Public Health Practice at the School. "Public health practice is ultimately how we all make a difference in the lives of people and in communities, where research and government intersect."

Dr. Fineberg was dean of HSPH for 13 years, before serving as provost of Harvard University from 1997 to 2001. He currently is president of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, a non-profit organization that advises the federal government and nation on important topics of health and medicine. Dr. Fineberg has devoted much of his academic career to the fields of health policy and medical decision-making.

"I was simply overwhelmed to learn that Richard and Ronay Menschel had decided to designate an endowed professorship in my name," said Dr. Fineberg. "After many productive and exhilarating years at the School, this is a most agreeable way of extending my connection to the faculty. More importantly, assigning endowed resources to senior faculty enhances their ability to discover, to teach, and to improve health."

Mr. Menschel said, "My wife and I have had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Fineberg for many years, and have developed a tremendous respect and admiration for his commitment to public health and to the School. Few have done more for the Harvard School of Public Health and for the University. It is an honor to recognize him in this way."

Dr. Fineberg and Mr. Menschel were first introduced to one another by John McArthur, then dean of Harvard Business School, and Derek Bok, then president of Harvard University.

	Harvey Fineberg

Through Mr. Menschel’s initiation, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation has also established a fellowship fund at HSPH for talented students who have demonstrated their commitment to public service. The fund may be used for tuition, fees, living expenses, or other related needs of the students. Up to half of the available funding each year may be made available to international students. Successful candidates will be known as Horace W. Goldsmith Fellows.

"The generosity of Richard and Ronay Menschel, who have been treasured friends to the School, as well as the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, helps secure our ability to train tomorrow’s public health leaders, and to cultivate the intellectual pursuits of our faculty," said HSPH Dean Barry Bloom. "I am thrilled that Howard Koh, an indefatigable leader in disease prevention and education efforts, has been appointed to the new professorship, named after a great leader of the School and in the world, and a great friend, my esteemed colleague, Harvey Fineberg."