UNC leadership announced Dr. Nancy Messonnier as the next dean of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health on Wednesday. Messonnier will also serve as the Vaughn and Nancy Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health.

Dr. Barbara K. Rimer, current dean of the Gillings School, previously announced she would step down from the position effective June 30, 2022.

Messonnier earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania and her medical degree from University of Chicago School of Medicine. She started her career working for the CDC as an epidemic intelligence officer.

“Her many accomplishments include leadership roles in developing and implementing a low-cost vaccine to prevent epidemic meningitis in Africa; in responding to the 2001 anthrax attacks; and in promoting vaccine confidence and addressing disparities in immunization coverage,” university leadership said in a message to campus.

Additionally, Messonnier served as the CDC’s chief architect of the COVID-19 vaccine program, which eventually helped roll out vaccines across the country. She later led the Skoll Foundation as executive director focusing on building a global preparedness program aimed at preventing future pandemics.

The university said Messonnier joins the Gillings School during an exciting time.

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. (Photo via UNC.)

“The school is ranked the No. 1 public school of public health and second overall by U.S. News & World Report,” UNC leadership said. “The Gillings School has been ranked among the top schools and programs of public health since the magazine first ranked public health schools in 1987. Gillings also ranks No. 1 among schools of public health in funding from the National Institutes of Health, and faculty members have received more than $1 billion in research since 2016. This funding supports groundbreaking research, education and practice in all 100 North Carolina counties, 47 countries and five continents.”

Messonnier will begin her position as dean September 1 according to the university.

Photo via UNC.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Youth Anti-Smoking Events Planned For Wednesday
Young people across the country will gather on Wednesday to say no to smoking. Kick Butts Day, like cigarette butts, is a day of activism against big tobacco companies and youth smoking. Gustavo Torrez is the director of youth advocacy for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. He says tobacco companies spend billions of dollars […]
This Thursday, Join The "Great American Smoke-Out"
The Great American Smoke-Out is held every year by the American Cancer Society. Here's what's happening locally.
'This is Not Over': UNC Scientist on Decline in Overdose Deaths, Fighting Opioid Epidemic
U.S. drug overdose deaths did not increase from the year before, as data published by the Centers for Disease Control show an estimated 80,400 overdose deaths in the country last year — 27% less than 2023. But rather than this being an abrupt change, UNC epidemiologist […]
Here’s Where Jobs and Programs Are Being Cut at the Nation’s Top Health Agencies
Thousands of people were laid off Tuesday at the United States' top health agencies. Here are what positions and efforts were cut.
Chatham County Sheriff Charges 9 Businesses for Selling Tobacco Products to Underage Buyers
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office revealed Friday its efforts to run a sting operation to limit the sales of nicotine vape and tobacco-related products to underage buyers, sharing several businesses that were found to have violated the law. A release from the office said throughout August, Chatham County investigators visited 29 stores to observe any […]
Thousands of Unauthorized Vapes Are Pouring Into the US Despite the FDA Crackdown on Fruity Flavors
Written by MATTHEW PERRONE The number of different electronic cigarette devices sold in the U.S. has nearly tripled to over 9,000 since 2020, driven almost entirely by a wave of unauthorized disposable vapes from China, according to tightly controlled sales data obtained by The Associated Press. The surge stands in stark contrast to regulators’ own figures, which […]
Loneliness Poses Risks as Deadly as Smoking, Surgeon General Warns
Written by AMANDA SEITZ Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic. About half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in […]
Local Officials Denounce Violence Against LGBTQ+ Community
On November 14, over 125 elected officials and organizations in North Carolina crafted and signed a statement denouncing violence and hateful rhetoric against the LGBTQ+ community.
First Case of Monkeypox Identified in Orange County
The Orange County Health Department has received its first reported case of monkeypox in the community. In a release Wednesday afternoon, the county heath department said its communicable disease team is in direct communication with the case. Per recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the person has been referred to isolate. The […]
UNC Names Next Dean of Gillings School of Global Public Health
UNC leadership announced Dr. Nancy Messonnier as the next dean of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health on Wednesday.
›