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UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

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Rebuilding trust in public health: Authenticity matters

With information overload, short attention spans and growing division, Gillings faculty work to rebuild trust between public health and the people it serves.

Take care

From Matthew Chamberlin
Associate Dean for Communications and Marketing

“Take care” may be a simple sign-off, but in public health it reflects a shared responsibility — one that asks us to look beyond ourselves and build conditions where everyone can thrive. Across North Carolina, our faculty, students and partners are strengthening trust, expanding access and meeting communities where they are. These stories show what’s possible when care is intentional, collaborative and rooted in the needs of people and places.

Public Health Foundation | Advisory Council | Alumni Association

Articles from Spring 2026

From the Dean, Spring 2026

Dean Nancy Messonnier on what ‘take care’ means in public health: building trust, expanding possibilities and helping communities thrive across generations.

Rebuilding trust in public health: Authenticity matters

With information overload, short attention spans and growing division, Gillings faculty work to rebuild trust between public health and the people it serves.

Taking public health to the street

Inside Burke County’s street medicine program, a partnership with Gillings that exemplifies academic and community engagement in rural North Carolina.

Gillings Career Services Cares for Students and Alumni Amid Federal Funding Cuts

After federal funding cuts shook public health, Gillings Career Services moved into crisis mode to help students and alumni navigate a tough job market.

Aging Requires an Ecosystem of Care

As Americans grow older, more face complex chronic conditions. Gillings faculty support them across the full ecosystem of geriatric care, from home to hospital.

How do I talk about AI in public health?

Yesenia Merino, Alessandra Bazzano and Anne Glauber on the promise and pitfalls of AI in public health, plus four things you can do as the technology evolves.

Fitzgerald Young, Meredith Henderson, Rhesia Lewis and Greg Bocchino share what they love about their work and the biggest public health issue they see today.

Where do I do public health? Brent Wishart

Facilities manager Brent Wishart has guided Gillings through twenty years of crises and emergencies. His office holds the School’s vast public health legacy.

Improving cancer care at every step

Gillings researchers and clinicians fill in cancer care’s information gaps, from making screening more accessible to making treatments precise and personal.

Community Spotlight: Dorothy Cilenti leads the Gillings School vision for practice

Dorothy Cilenti, DrPH, is the new associate dean for practice; the two-time Carolina grad has long advocated for North Carolina’s public health workforce.

The Pivot: U’Ronda Higgs helps students succeed on their path through the Gillings School

Assistant director for academic advising U’Ronda Higgs leads a team that supports students through their journeys while fostering well-being and balance.

Faculty Features: Ryan Cronk and Saame “Raz” Shaikh

Ryan Cronk on water, sanitation and hygiene in global maternity wards, and Raz Shaikh on his team’s precision nutrition framework for college athletes.

N.C. First Lady Anna Stein on Care and Community

First Lady Anna Stein, MPH ’12, on what ‘take care’ means in public health, how Gillings shaped her instincts and the resilience she sees across the state.

School news and awards, Spring 2026

Honors, grants and recognitions earned by Gillings students, faculty and alumni this year, plus In Memoriam tributes to Arnold Kaluzny and J. Michael Bowling.

Wootens’ philanthropy supports innovations in alcohol prevention and student well-being

Ronald and Ann Wooten’s sustained investment in Melissa Cox’s research is shepherding a real-time mHealth app from early concept toward students’ smartphones.