The Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health
The Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health is an annual appointment of a prominent health care professional with real-world public policy experience. The Fellow teaches undergraduate and graduate students, conducts faculty seminars, and serves as a scholar-in-residence in the Hunter Community.
2011 Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health: Dr. Georges Benjamin
American Public Health Association Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin MD, FACP, FACEP (E), has been appointed as the fall 2011 Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health at Hunter College of the City University of New York. Benjamin will take a brief sabbatical from his role as executive director of APHA and spend one semester pursuing this coveted, fully funded research fellowship.
During his fellowship, Benjamin will teach a course; lead a faculty seminar; give a public lecture; help plan the annual Joan H. Tisch Public Health Forum, and host a lunch for students. In addition, he will pursue public health research over the semester.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Benjamin as our fall 2011 Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College,” said Hunter President Jennifer J. Raab. “His breadth of experience and leadership in the field of public health will be an enormous asset to Hunter College and beyond as he helps to inspire future public health practitioners, peer educators and the larger Hunter community.”
“I am grateful for this wonderful, unique opportunity to serve as the Joan Tisch Fellow in Public Health,” said Benjamin. “It will be an invaluable experience both professionally and personally, and allow me to share and learn within a dynamic educational setting such as Hunter College.”
2010 Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health: Dr. John McDonough
Dr. John McDonough was the inaugural Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health (Spring 2010-Fall 2010). Dr. McDonough served until January 2010 as Senior Adviser to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He was Chief Adviser on health care reform to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and previously served as the Executive Director of Health Care For All, a Massachusetts consumer health advocacy organization.
During his time at Roosevelt House, Dr. McDonough taught a graduate course on the politics and policy of health care reform, and lead an interdisciplinary faculty seminar dealing with current public health issues, which culminated in a conference entitled, "National Health Reform and Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care." Among other accomplishments, he organized and led a Brown Bag lunch discussion in conjunction with the Hunter College chapter of Roosevelt Institute Campus Network on national health care reform, and co-convened a Food Policy Summit with Dr. Nick Freudenberg to discuss New York City's past, present and future food systems and led the Joan H. Tisch Public Health Forums.
