Celebrating a Distinguished Addition to the Meharry School of Global Health: Celeste Philip, MD, MPH Joins as Professor of Public Health Practice
Celebrating a Distinguished Addition to the Meharry School of Global Health: Celeste Philip, MD, MPH Joins as Professor of Public Health Practice
Nashville, TN – The School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College is delighted to announce the appointment of Celeste Philip, MD, MPH, as the newest Professor of Public Health Practice. A seasoned physician leader with a remarkable two-decade career, Dr. Philip brings an impressive and unique background leading at the intersection of public health and medicine.
Most recently, Dr. Philip served as Deputy Director for Non-infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as acting director for CDC’s Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (CSTLTS) where she led the CDC’s four non-infectious disease centers with a combined budget of $2.5 billion. She also provided leadership and guidance to the CDC Director to advance the agency’s cross-cutting disease priorities such as data modernization, modernization, social determinants of health, health equity, mental health, and wellbeing. At the CDC she played a key role in shaping the agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to other non-infectious diseases. Her innovative model for operationalizing data modernization efforts across national centers garnered widespread success.
During her tenure at the Florida Department of Health, Dr. Philip served for a decade in various local and state roles. Appointed by the Florida Governor, she held the position of Florida’s Surgeon General and Secretary of Health, where she led over 13,000 employees and a $3 billion annual budget. Notably, she played a pivotal role in leading the state’s crisis response initiatives from managing the spread of the Zika virus in South Florida, to overseeing the state’s public health and medical responses during several hurricanes, including Irma and Michael.
“I’m delighted and honored to be the first faculty member to join Meharry Medical College’s School of Global Health to share my experiences to train the next generation of global health professionals. Over the course of my nearly two decades in governmental public health at the local, state, national and international levels, I’ve encountered challenges in leadership, preparedness and response, risk communication, media opportunities, shared decision-making, community engagement and financing,” said Dr. Philip. “I look forward to sharing these experiences and making the connection to current global challenges in tangible and meaningful ways. I am also inspired by the prospect of both imparting and gaining knowledge from students and colleagues all over the world, as we grow the School in the coming years.”
The School of Global Health will be hiring additional faculty members in the upcoming months, and is looking forward to welcoming diverse perspectives and expertise that will enrich its academic environment and foster innovation. Concurrently, this spring, the School will officially introduce new degree programs that underscore its commitment to strengthen its position as a leader in global health equity education and research by upholding its vision of making health inequities history.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Celeste Philip to our academic community at the Meharry School of Global Health. Her extensive leadership experience, particularly in crisis management and disease prevention at the CDC and the Florida Department of Health, greatly enriches our scholarly environment. Dr. Philip’s contributions align seamlessly with our commitment to meaningfully address global health challenges. Her expertise will undoubtedly enhance the academic discourse within our school, providing students with a nuanced understanding of strategic public health initiatives. We eagerly anticipate the scholarly contributions and mentorship that Dr. Philip will bring to our academic community,” said Daniel E. Dawes, JD, Founding Dean of the School of Global Health and Senior Vice President of Global Health at Meharry Medical College.
The School of Global Health welcomes Dr. Celeste Philip with open arms, confident in her ability to significantly contribute to our mission of advancing global health education, research, scholarship, and service. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Philip as she embarks on her role as Professor of Public Health Practice.
About the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College
The School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, is rooted in Meharry’s nearly 150-year legacy of leading on health equity issues. The School is committed to preparing the next generation of global health scholars and leaders to find solutions and respond to our communities’ complex and evolving health challenges with a global perspective. A hub for research and academic innovation in global health, mental health, environmental health, population health, health communications, social and political determinants of health and more, the School is a trusted resource for health equity approaches and actionable solutions to the inequities affecting our most vulnerable, under-resourced, and marginalized communities. Learn more at MeharryGlobal.org.
For media requests please contact: Mahia Valle at mvalle@mmc.edu