On November 13, 2025, the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences celebrated its 25th anniversary, highlighting its public health advances while charting a course forward during a time of great uncertainty.
The program showcased the outstanding global health science being done at IGHS. Speakers included founding executive director Haile Debas, MD, Ambassador John Nkengasong, PhD, MSc, W. Kamau Bell, in conversation with scholar-in-residence and social justice activist Mamphela Ramphele, MBChB, PhD, and Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, among many others.
The celebration kicked off the prior evening with a live storytelling event, where five brave members of the IGHS community shared moving personal stories about balancing work, family life and everything in between. Based on the enthusiastic response, IGHS plans to incorporate more storytelling into its communications in the coming year.
A New Strategic Plan
The 25th anniversary event also provided an opportunity for IGHS Executive Director Payam Nahid to introduce the new strategic plan that will guide the Institute during the next five years. The year-long strategic planning process began with an assessment of the needs of partners, including the professional schools at UCSF, faculty, study teams, staff and learners. Learn more about the new strategic plan.
IGHS Giving Campaign
In the spirit of partnership, and to commemorate 25 years of global health impact, IGHS has launched a new giving campaign to support the IGHS mission to create healthier communities worldwide. Please consider supporting the work of IGHS through a one-time or monthly gift today.
Event Highlights
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS, and Executive Director Payam Nahid, MD, MPH, set the stage for a day of reflection, innovation, and global health vision.
Celebrating IGHS at 25
Founder and Past Executive Director, Haile Debas, MD, honors 25 years of impact and leadership in global health with a video Message from Bill Gates.
Keynote Address: Charting a Course Forward for Global Health
Ambassador John Nkengasong, PhD, MSc, delivers a powerful keynote on the future of global health — guiding us as we chart new paths for equity, partnership, and innovation.
Justice in Global Health
W. Kamau Bell and 2025–2026 IGHS Visiting Professor Mamphela Ramphele, MBChB, PhD, engage in a thoughtful dialogue examining justice, equity, and a moral framework shaping global health.
IGHS Global Partner Spotlights
Moderator and Deputy Director of IGHS, Andrea DeLuca, MHS, and panelists Daudi Jjingo, PhD, MRes; Ally Olotu, MD, DPhil; Ha Phan, MD, DrPh; and Isménia Simbine, MD, share their stories, visions, and lessons from work across the globe.
Emerging Partnerships and Initiatives: From Local Innovation to Global Health Impact
Moderator Vice Chancellor and UCSF 2024–2025 Presidential Chair, Address Malata, FAAN, PhD, MSc, and panelists Chris Collins, MPP, President and CEO, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; Joe DeRisi, PhD, President Emeritus, CZ Biohub San Francisco; and Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, Board of Directors, OpenAI, explore how science, philanthropy, communications, and advocacy intersect to drive meaningful change, and how the Bay Area can turn cross-sector collaboration, ethical leadership, and a commitment to human health into real-world impact.
Reflections on Path Forward
Moderator Vice Chancellor and UCSF 2024–2025 Presidential Chair, Address Malata, FAAN, PhD, MSc, and panelists: Martin Lajous, MD; Julius Oyugi, PhD, MSc; Sumeet Patil, PhD; and Edna Tallam-Kimaiyo, PhD, RN, MPH, share what resonated most, what must change now, and what gives them hope—offering a grounded vision for the future of global health rooted in equity and local leadership.