School of Public Health
Dean's Grand Rounds
September 2026
Topic: The Future of Public Health Is Human
Venue: E.C. Ball Hall Auditorium BH 124
Speaker: Dr. Perry N. Halkitis, Dean, Rutgers School of Public Health
November 2025
Topic: Current and Emerging Opportunities in Healthcare Leadership
Venue: University Center Ball Room (UC 320A)
Speaker(s): Dean's Healthcare Leadership Community Advisory Group Panel
About Speaker(s): Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda, senior health leader, clinical strategist, United Healthcare, Dr. Manali Ghag, Healthcare Administrator-Operations, Regional One Health , Sarah Gaskell, senior vice president and chief strategy officer, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare , Clint Cummins, chief executive officer, The Memphis Medical Society, Dr. Laurie Shanderson, president and chief executive officer, Accreditation Insights
About Speaker(s): Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda, senior health leader, clinical strategist, United Healthcare, Dr. Manali Ghag, Healthcare Administrator-Operations, Regional One Health , Sarah Gaskell, senior vice president and chief strategy officer, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare , Clint Cummins, chief executive officer, The Memphis Medical Society, Dr. Laurie Shanderson, president and chief executive officer, Accreditation Insights
October 2025
Topic: Global Perspective on Quality Health Information
Venue: University Center Bluff Room (UC 304)
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes
About Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes: Dr. El-Mohandes is a pediatrician and public health academic with a deep commitment
to public service and community engagement. He is an established ...
September 2025
Topic: Global Health Diplomacy in Action: Lessons from the TOPOWA Study in Uganda
Venue: Rose South Lobby (115)
Guest Speaker: Dr. Monika H. Swahn
About Dr. Monika H. Swahn: The Inaugural Dean of the School of Public Health at Virginia Commonwealth University
is Monica H. Swahn, Ph.D., MPH. She is a ...
March 2025
Topic: Leveraging Tennessee's Public Health Infrastructure: 2025 and Beyond
Venue: UC Ballroom C (320 C)
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ralph Alvarado
About Dr. Ralph Alvarado: Join us for an exclusive event featuring Dr. Ralph Alvarado, Tennessee's Commissioner
of Health and a trailblazer in ...
December 2024
Topic: Estimating the Causal Effects of Extreme Weather Events on and HIV care outcomes
in the IeDEA Cohort Collaboration: Study design and early results
Venue: Senate Chamber 261
Guest Speaker: Dr. Denis Nash
About Dr. Denis Nash: Dr. Nash is an epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience and leadership in conducting
epidemiologic studies. His central interests include ...
September 2024
Topic: Strategic Collaboration with the Medical Community
Venue: Ball Hall Room 124
Guest Speaker: Mr. Clint Cummins
About Mr. Clint Cummins: Clint Cummins is the Chief Executive Officer for Memphis Medical Society (MMS), MedTemps
healthcare staffing agency and Memphis Medical Foundation. ...
April 2024
Topic: "The Skin You’re In" | Racial Health Injustice | Overcoming an American Crisis
Venue: Fountain View Round Suite 350
Guest Speaker: Dr. Thomas LaVeist
About Dr. Thomas LaVeist: LaVeist seeks to develop an orienting framework in the development of policy and interventions
to address race disparities in health-related outcomes. ...
March 2024
Topic: Understanding and Responding to the Condition of Poverty
Venue: Maxine A. Smith University Center - Fountain View Suite 350
Guest Speaker: Dr. Marcella Wilson
About Dr. Marcella Wilson: Dr. Marcella Wilson is the CEO and founder of Transition To Success (TTS), a system
of care that changes our understanding and treatment response to the ...
October 2023
Topic: Interventions Related to HIV from a US and Global Perspective
Venue: Ball Hall, E.C. - 124
Guest Speakers:
Guest Speakers:
- Dr. Latrice Pichon, Moderator UOFM SPH | SBS Professor
- Dr. Michelle Taylor, Memphis | Director and Health Officer, Shelby County Health Department. HIV Early Intervention Service
- Dr. Derek Dangerfield, Maryland/DC Area | Prevention Scientist with expertise in HIV/STI prevention, social and behavioral science, and lifecourse theoretical approaches
- Dr. Denis Nash, New York | Distinguished Professor, Executive Director, CUNY Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health. Former Director of HIV/AIDS Surveillance at the New York City Department of Health
Topic: Peeling the Digital Onion: How the Modern Information Environment Affects Public Health
Venue: Maxine A. Smith University Center - Shelby Room 342
Guest Speakers: Ms. Tina Purnat and Ms. Elisabeth Wilhelm
Guest Speakers: Ms. Tina Purnat and Ms. Elisabeth Wilhelm
About Ms. Tina Purnat: Tina D. Purnat is a Visiting Senior Scholar at the University of Memphis School of
Public Health. She has worked in Europe and globally for over 25 years in health information
systems, digital health, Data and analytics, infodemic management and pandemic preparedness,
including for World Health Organization, European CDC, University of Munich, University
of Illinois at Chicago and Oregon Health & Science University.
About Ms. Elisabeth Wilhelm: Elisabeth Wilhelm is a Visiting Senior Scholar at the University of Memphis School
of Public Health. She has worked in the US and globally for over 15 years on health
communication and social and behavior change programs, including for CDC, UNICEF and
USAID.
September 2023
Topic: Public Health Opportunities and Challenges
Venue: University Center - Room 350
Guest Speaker: Dr. Laura Magaña
Guest Speaker: Dr. Laura Magaña
About Dr. Laura Magaña: Dr. Laura Magaña is President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of
Public Health (ASPPH). She is also the founding President of the ...
April 2023
Topic: Priorities and Activities of the Shelby County Health Department
Venue: University Center - Room 342
Guest Speaker: Dr. Michelle Taylor
Guest Speaker: Dr. Michelle Taylor
About Dr. Michelle Taylor: Dr. Michelle Taylor is Director and Health Officer for Shelby County Health Department
(SCHD) and a Lt Col in the TN Air National Guard. She is a licensed ...
March 2023
Topic: Sickle Cell Anemia: Through the Lens of a Physician, Public Health, and a Parent
Venue: FedEx Institute of Technology, Methodist Presentation Theatre
Guest Speaker: Dr. Tobi Amosun
About Dr. Tobi Amosun: Dr. Tobi Adeyeye Amosun, MD, FAAP, is Assistant Commissioner at the Tennessee Department
of Health, and the Director of the Division of Family Health and ...