ColoradoSPH Gratitude in Action: Celebrating Success, Embracing What’s Next

As we return from a brief, but welcomed, Thanksgiving break, I hope each of you found moments to rest, reconnect, and restore your energy. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday—a time when I can be with my two children (Colin and Matthew, their plus ones and an abundance of dogs) along with friends and family. It’s a time to reflect and feel grounded in gratitude.

I also realize that gratitude can feel difficult, at this time, for many in public health. We are witnessing the dismantling of agencies we depend on for facts, leadership, and courage. Trusted science and the institutions leading this work are repeatedly called into question. And, while many of us are navigating profound uncertainty about what comes next, it is worth noting we have some important work to do. Now is not the time to falter.

Still, I find that gratitude is always possible and coexists with strength. In moments like these, I ask myself, “Where were our successes?” and “Are we positioning ourselves to boldly respond to what is next?”

What I see at ColoradoSPH is clear: we have been a beacon of hope, resilience, and relevance, even in the most challenging landscape our field has faced in decades. Below are just a few of the successes that make me proud of who we are:

Philanthropy: Unprecedented Momentum

This year brought extraordinary generosity and belief in our mission. We secured new scholarships, the first new endowed chair in years, and significant gifts to support mental health through a public health lens. We welcomed new benefactors who, after seeing our work, chose to join the school and have courageously supported what we do. Schools of public health are critical community assets. The trust of our donor base is humbling, and it fuels our mission. We are on track to have the best fundraising year since our school’s founding.

Community Partnerships: Showing up When it Matters

Our strength has always been our communities. This year, we deepened those ties through the statewide public health outreach initiatives led by Dr. Molly Gutilla, Dr. Tiffany Sanchez, and the assistant dean of external relations, Travis Leiker. Collectively, they are meeting directly with communities across Colorado to understand their needs and respond through new opportunities like paid internships, research, and peer mentoring.

When federal support waned and policy direction shifted, we did not turn away. Instead, we leaned in. The school stood with communities experiencing uncertainty and helped co-create solutions with them. We provided hard data and real-life stories about the impact of ending programs like SNAP-ED and scaling back Medicaid. While these were difficult setbacks, communities are finding new supports for those in need, and Coloradans are turning to our faculty, staff, and students to bolster the health and well-being of the state.

Research: Science With Application and Impact

Our researchers faced setbacks in funding early in the year, but they did not retreat. They recalibrated, pursued new avenues, and succeeded. Our researchers received significant grants across diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, climate, autism, and global health—investments that reflect both scientific excellence and the urgency of our work. The NIH awarded the Injury and Violence Prevention Center, led by Dr. Ashley Brooks-Russell, an R25 grant to train nurse scientists in firearm injury research and prevention. Dr. Tran Doan found that routine depression screening for teens in primary care can be cost-effective for families and providers alike. Even amid frustration and setbacks, many at our school leaned forward and got important work done.

Relevance: Colorado Turns to ColoradoSPH

When the state needed trusted science, it came to ColoradoSPH. We have produced the nation’s strongest scientific synthesis on the harms of high-concentration cannabis products on youth and at-risk populations. Our education campaign reached more people at a lower cost than previous efforts. States such as New York, Hawaii, and others are turning to us and asking “How do we do this?” We were selected to model pathways for single-payer health options for the state. We are leading research on long COVID and cancer risks—work so essential that it recently captured the attention of the state’s leadership. These are just a few examples of how we are the school this state turns to first, and we are answering the questions shaping Colorado’s future.

Looking Ahead: Are we Positioned for Success?

Even in the face of adversity and uncertainty, we built community, played kickball, served others through our schoolwide volunteer efforts, and wrote outstanding grants that were later awarded. My philosophy is that success is not accidental. It is built, and every day, we make decisions that lead to that success. As we celebrate what we have accomplished, we must also ask: Have we done everything we can to set ourselves up for the year ahead?

Where We Go From Here

We grow our influence by doing what we do best: building statewide partnerships, producing essential science, and remaining relentlessly relevant.

At the same time, we strengthen our foundation through education, broaden our alliances with the public and private sectors, and elevate our communications. ColoradoSPH has shown repeatedly that we can rise to the moment—even when the moment is unstable.

As we look to the year ahead, I hope you’ll consider what part of this story resonates most with you. Each of us contributes to ColoradoSPH’s impact—through teaching, research, service, advocacy, leadership, or generosity. Your voice, your expertise, and your presence matter.

Whatever your role, I invite you to stay connected, remain vocal, and be proud of the work we do together. Every conversation you spark, every collaboration you form, every act of generosity or leadership—large or small—helps advance public health when it is needed most.

Together, we are not just responding to the moment. We are shaping what comes next.