School of Public Health

SPH Leadership to Participate in World Congress of Public Health Conference 2026

Friday, 21 August 2026

The first session, A Cross-Region Agenda for Public Health Diplomacy, includes Prof. Dr. Ramunė Kalėdienė, Head of Department of Health Management, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Professor Paul Barach, Thomas Jefferson University, UNC and Imperial College London, Chair, Accreditation Board, Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation and Dean Ashish Joshi. Drawing on experiences from North America, Europe, and other global contexts, the speakers will explore how academic institutions, governments, and public health organizations can work together to advance a coordinated agenda for public health diplomacy.

The second session is Advancing Global Public Health Diplomacy Through Academic Partnerships, moderated by Dr. Laura Magaña, President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), the panel will explore the evolving role of diplomacy in addressing global health challenges and strengthening collaboration across borders. Dean Joshi will highlight the Memphis Public Health Diplomacy Lab and innovative approaches to youth engagement. Dr. Thomas LaVeist,

Dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity at Tulane University's Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, will discuss how public health diplomacy can strengthen academic partnerships and institutional collaboration. Dr. Woldekidan Amde, Researcher, Lecturer, and Program Manager at the University of the Western Cape School of Public Health, will provide perspectives and examples from South Africa.