Announcing Spring 2023 Senior Leadership Fellows
We are pleased to announce that two extraordinary public health leaders—former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and Senegal Senior Minister Awa Coll Seck—have been appointed Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellows for spring 2024. Both will teach and mentor students and engage with faculty and staff across our Harvard Chan community.
Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH ’01, is a Harvard Chan School alum who served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021-23), professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (2012-2021), and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital (2017-2021). Her research has focused on infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS policy, including cost-effective strategies for HIV screening, treatment, and prevention, both in the U.S. and around the globe. While at the CDC, Walensky led the nation through unprecedented times, navigating the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing the largest density of infectious threats likely ever seen in this country.
She will lead a not-for-credit discussion series for students titled, “Public Health, Policy, and Politics: A Dialogue with Dr. Rochelle Walensky,” which will run from Feb. 7 to April 17. Students can register in advance for the sessions they would like to attend.
Awa Coll Seck, MD, PhD, currently serves as senior minister to the president of the Republic of Senegal and has twice served as minister of health, from 2001-2003 and from 2012-2017. She was named “Best Minister in the World” in February 2017 at the World Government Summit. A specialist in infectious diseases, she sits on the boards of Resolve to Save Lives; AFRIVAC; GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance; Grand Challenges Canada; Exemplars in Global Health; and UNU International Institute for Global Health. She is chair of AFRIVAC, chair of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Senegal, and co-chair of the Lancet Commission on the Future of Health and Economic Resiliency in Africa. She also serves as president of the Scientific Committee of the Galien Forum Africa. Coll Seck previously served as executive director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (2004-2012) and as director of the Department of Policy, Strategy and Research of UNAIDS (1996-2001).
Coll Seck will teach GHP 552, “Leadership Development in Global Health,” during the Spring 2 term.
The Menschel Senior Leadership Fellows Program offers a rare opportunity for those who have recently served in top-level positions in government, multilateral institutions, nonprofit organizations, and journalism to spend time at the School mentoring and teaching students who aspire to similar roles.
January 25, 2024
Announcing Fall 1 2023 Senior Leadership Fellow, Lori Lightfoot
We’re pleased to announce the appointment of former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow for the upcoming Fall 1 term.During her term as mayor, which ended May 15, 2023, Lightfoot led a coordinated, citywide response across government, business, and community organizations to safeguard public health and minimize economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other steps, she created a Racial Equity Rapid Response Team and the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force. Chicago’s first Black woman and first openly gay mayor, Lightfoot also focused on generating inclusive economic growth across the city’s neighborhoods. Her accomplishments included landmark ethics and good governance reforms, worker protection legislation, and key investments in education, public safety, and financial stability. In August of 2021, Lightfoot secured a $15 minimum wage for most workers in Chicago, including domestic workers, years ahead of the state’s planned phase-in of a living wage.Before taking office as mayor, Lightfoot held several other leadership roles in city government and served as a federal prosecutor.She will teach a Fall 1 course in the Health, Policy, and Management Department tentatively called “Health Policy and Leadership.”The Menschel Senior Leadership Fellows Program offers a rare opportunity for those who have recently served in top-level positions in government, multilateral institutions, non-profit organizations, and journalism to spend time at the School mentoring and teaching students who aspire to similar roles. Lightfoot will hold regular office hours to meet with students, faculty, and staff during her time on campus.Eric AndersenDirector, Senior Leadership Fellows Program and Studio Programming
June 1, 2023
Spring 2 2023 Mechel Fellowship Recap
Andrew Dreyfus, former President and CEO of BCBS/MA concluded a successful Fellowship on May 12. Andrew Dreyfus spent eight weeks at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health teaching a course titled “Can Health Insurers Be Good? The Potential and Limits of Health Plans as Agents of Health System Change,” which explored important topics related to the mission and role of health plans in driving healthcare reform.
During his fellowship, Andrew Dreyfus had the opportunity to interact with various groups at Harvard Chan, including student groups, faculty members, and different centers. These meetings provided a platform to discuss matters of health insurance and healthcare. Two fireside chats organized by Student liaisons allowed Andrew to emphasize how health insurance can be a positive force for change, challenging the perception of it being solely associated with red tape and a profit-driven bureaucracy. He also explored new trends and innovative approaches that could shape the future of healthcare.
Moreover, Andrew Dreyfus, Dean Williams, and Harvard Chan faculty members and staff held a strategic meeting on health equity, where he shared insights on the work being done by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBS/MA) to advance health equity. This meeting also facilitated a valuable opportunity for learning about the initiatives undertaken by Harvard Chan on health equity, as well as discussing potential collaborations.
In addition to these interactions, Andrew met with the Harvard Chan Takemi Fellows, providing an avenue for exchange and knowledge-sharing with this group. Furthermore, he engaged with students from Harvard Dental School, focusing on the challenges associated with dental insurance in healthcare and sharing insights on the efforts undertaken by BCBS/MA.
Overall, Andrew Dreyfus’s involvement as the Menschel Fellow and his interactions with various groups at Harvard Chan have been fruitful in fostering discussions on health insurance, healthcare reform, health equity, and dental insurance challenges. These engagements have provided valuable insights and perspectives to students, contributing to their leadership development in the field of healthcare.
May 12, 2023
Announcing Spring 2 2023 Senior Leadership Fellow, Andrew Dreyfus
Andrew Dreyfus – recent President and Chief Executive Officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA), will be our Spring 2 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow from March 20 -May 12, 2023. More information about his fellowship and the course he will teach can be found here.
February 1, 2023
Announcing Fall 2022 Senior Leadership Fellows
We’re pleased to announce the appointment of three outstanding Menschel Senior Leadership fellows for the fall semester: Costa Rican Ambassador Roman Macaya, former Boston Mayor Kim Janey and former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. All three will teach classes on leadership and public service, with a focus on navigating major challenges in public health. All three will also hold office hours and meet regularly with students and faculty.
Roman Macaya is a Costa Rican scientist, entrepreneur, diplomat, and public servant. Recently, he served as the executive president and chairman of the board of Costa Rican Social Security (CCSS), the institution that finances and provides universal public healthcare and manages the country’s largest pension fund. In this role, he led the healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to leading the CCSS, Macaya served as Costa Rica’s ambassador to the United States from 2014 through 2018. As ambassador, Macaya promoted science diplomacy in fields such as biomedical research, space, water, and biodiversity. He also strengthened cooperation in security, migratory matters, environmental conservation, and the arts, in addition to supporting foreign investment. Macaya worked with the White House, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Congress to strengthen Costa Rica´s capabilities in drug interdiction, resulting in the largest multi-year appropriations for Costa Rica in over 30 years.
Ambassador Macaya will teach a Fall 1 course titled “Public Health Leadership at National Scale: How a Pandemic, Innovation, and Diplomacy Strengthened a Health System”
Bill de Blasio served as the mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021. He led New York City through the Covid-19 pandemic, turning what was once a global epicenter into the safest city in the country. DeBlasio also led a groundbreaking initiative which ensured that early childhood education became a universal right in the five boroughs; that program has become a national model. During his tenure, New York City financed the preservation and construction of more than 200,000 affordable homes and launched a first-in-the nation, six-point action plan to end long-term homelessness. “The Journey Home” initiative was designed to increase access to housing and health care in combination with rapid-response outreach efforts for homeless individuals living in the streets. In fulfilling his campaign promise to end a “tale of two cities,” de Blasio implemented policies which successfully reduced income inequality among New Yorkers and fought alongside them to secure a $15 minimum wage for all workers. In response to the growing climate crisis, de Blasio and the Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act (also known as the NYC Green New Deal) to make the city net-carbon-neutral by 2050, as well as groundbreaking legislation to reduce building emissions and end fossil fuel use in new buildings. Before becoming mayor, de Blasio served as New York City’s public advocate from 2010 to 2013 and as a member of the City Council from 2002 to 2009.
Kim Michelle Janey made history when she was sworn in as Boston’s first woman and first Black mayor, successfully leading the city through a multitude of unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to becoming mayor, Janey made history in 2017 when she was elected to the Boston City Council as the first woman to represent District 7. In 2020, she was elected by her peers to serve as president of the most diverse City Council in Boston’s history. She also has 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. A proud fourth-generation Roxbury resident, Janey comes from a long line of educators, entrepreneurs, artists, and advocates. She was raised with values that guide her to this day: the importance of education, the power of community organizing, and the fundamental principles of equity and justice. Janey will join us and teach a course in Fall 2.
The Senior Leadership Fellows Program offers a rare opportunity for those who have recently served in top-level positions in government, multilateral institutions, nonprofit organizations, industry, and journalism to spend time at the School mentoring and teaching students who aspire to similar roles.
Please join me in welcoming Ambassador Macaya, Mayor Janey, and Mayor de Blasio to the School.
Eric Andersen
Director, Senior Leadership Fellows Program and Studio Programming
August 24, 2022
Announcing Spring 2 2022 Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri
Dr. Kelechi Ohiri – Chief Executive Officer of the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF), will be our Spring 2 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow from March 21 -May 13, 2022. More information about his fellowship and the course he will teach can be found here.
February 9, 2022
Announcing Spring 1 2022 Senior Leadership Fellow, Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin
Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin, who served for more than a decade as mayor of Columbia, S.C., will be our Spring 1 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow from January 24-March 11, 2022. More information about his fellowship and the course he will teach coming soon.
December 15, 2021
Announcing Fall 2 2021 Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Subramaniam Sathasivam
Dr. Subramaniam Sathasivam, Malaysian Minister of Health (2013-2018) and Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia (2008-2013), will be our Fall 2 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow from Oct. 25-Dec. 17, 2021. More information about his fellowship and the course he will teach coming soon.
August 30, 2021
Announcing Fall 1 2019 Senior Leadership Fellow, Peter Shumlin
Joining us at Harvard Chan in the Fall 1 2019 term will be Peter Shumlin, US Governor of Vermont (2011-2017). More information about his fellowship and the course he will teach coming soon.
July 11, 2019
The Passing of Former Fellow, Frank Nyonator
The Senior Leadership Fellows Program is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Dr. Frank Kwadjo Nyonator, who served as a Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow in 2014. A public tribute by the African Health Economics and Policy Association can be found here.
