Staff in focus

Cornelius Williams

Assistant Director of Admissions

What most interests you about your job? I really enjoy speaking with prospective students and learning their “why.” No two stories are the same, and it keeps me on my toes.

How do you unwind? I enjoy working out, riding my motorcycle and spending time with my family.

What do you think is the biggest issue in public health today? I think the biggest issue in public health currently is access to fair and affordable health care.

Brad Mallard

Director of Foundation Relations and Industry Engagement

What most interests you about your job? I enjoy collaborating with faculty and staff to identify philanthropic support from private foundations and corporations. Through these philanthropic efforts, I am able to help strengthen our teaching, research and practice work and advance the school’s mission of improving public health in North Carolina and beyond. Our faculty and staff are doing some incredible things, and I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from them and partner with them!

How do you unwind? I unwind by spending time with my wife and daughter, often by taking in my daughter’s high school color guard and winter guard programs. Our family is also very involved at our church, as our faith is important to us. For personal hobbies, I enjoy exercising, reading and cheering for the Tar Heels and Carolina Panthers.

What do you think is the biggest issue in public health today? One of the biggest public health issues today is misinformation. Many people have perceptions about public health but genuinely don’t understand what it is and how it influences people’s lives for the better. We have a great opportunity at the Gillings School to share positive stories of impact about how public health is improving our state, nation and world, and I am glad to help share these stories as I work with our philanthropic partners.

Naya Villarreal

Global Health Director

What most interests you about your job? The people! I get to work with a variety of people from students, faculty, staff, alumni and global partners to help promote, create and manage global health programming at the school. Knowing I have a hand in helping our school’s global efforts by working alongside the best people (I’m biased) is something I do not ever take for granted.

How do you unwind? I don’t! I’m a doctoral student in my spare time, but I try to unwind by treasuring the time I spend with my family (like at dinner time, taking neighborhood walks with our dog and getting hugs from my daughter).

What do you think is the biggest issue in public health today? At this moment in time? Misinformation. Misinformation is being spread and used to dismantle global public health. It is also being used to sow doubt into public health research and practice (e.g., vaccines).

Anne Glauber

Director of Innovation

What most interests you about your job? I love the opportunity to establish relationships with the great people at the Gillings School and across Carolina, learn about what they are doing and what they want to achieve, and then jump into the challenge with them to help them achieve their dreams.

How do you unwind? I am re-energized by being outside and try to prioritize that every day. I’m fortunate enough to have several ways to do that naturally built into my day, with a dog that keeps me honest about multiple daily walks and a commute by bike to campus! I am also a beekeeper, and, believe it or not, spending time with an open hive ‘working the bees’ is incredibly relaxing.

What do you think is the biggest issue in public health today? I think climate change is the biggest threat to our environment and to public health. Rising temperatures, habitat destruction and air pollution all have detrimental effects on public health. I also think the lack of effective communication between people with differing opinions is a real threat to the fabric of our society.