The Colorado School of Public Health is excited to announce that Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and internationally recognized infectious disease expert, will deliver the keynote address at the school’s 2026 Convocation Ceremony. The event will take place on May 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. on the Parade Grounds of the University of Colorado Anschutz Campus.
Dr. Walensky, known for her leadership during the COVID 19 pandemic and her decades of groundbreaking work in HIV/AIDS research, public health policy development, and global health, will address more than 250 graduates preparing to embark upon the next phase of their public health careers.
A Leader During a Critical Time in Public Health History
Dr. Walensky previously served as the 19th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021–2023), where she guided the nation through some of the most challenging periods of the COVID 19 pandemic. During her tenure, she communicated extensively with the public, worked in close coordination with international partners to combat the virus, and closely collaborative with officials across the US government to craft solutions amid a period of grave uncertainty not witnessed in more than a century.
Before joining the CDC, she held numerous prominent academic and clinical roles, including Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (2012–2021; 2025–present) and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital (2017–2021).
An infectious disease clinician and researcher, Dr. Walensky has authored more than 300 publications. Her mathematical modeling work has shaped national and global HIV policy—informing changes to U.S. HIV testing and immigration policy, expanding access to treatment and prevention, and improving screening practices in underserved communities and resource limited settings. She has contributed to policy discussions at the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIV Guidelines Committee, and the NIH Office of AIDS Research.
Offering Perspective for a New Generation of Public Health Leaders
ColoradoSPH leadership emphasized the significance of Dr. Walensky’s message for the graduating Class of 2026.
“Dr. Walensky has led through some of the most turbulent public health moments of our time,” said Dean Cathy Bradley, PhD, MPA. “Her experience navigating uncertainty with clarity and courage, while upholding scientific integrity and the value of public health institutions, will provide invaluable guidance to our graduates as they step into a world.”
“Dr. Walensky’s career reminds our students that principled leadership is not only possible in times of uncertainty—it is indispensable,” said Madiha Abdel Maksoud, MD, PhD, MSPH, Associate Dean for Academic & Student Affairs. “I am thrilled that she can join us for this year’s convocation celebration.”
A Career Dedicated to Science, Service, and Integrity
Dr. Walensky is an elected member of the American Academy of Physicians, the National Academy of Medicine, and the Council on Foreign Relations. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Doris Duke Foundation and The Carter Center, and is a founding member and Medical Affairs Adviser to the Vaccine Integrity Project, which provides science based information to support informed vaccine decisions.
She holds a BA degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Washington University in St. Louis, an MD from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and an MPH in clinical effectiveness from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She completed her internal medicine residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and an infectious diseases fellowship at the Massachusetts General/Brigham and Women’s Hospital program.
The 2026 ColoradoSPH Convocation Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. on the Parade Grounds of the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, where graduates, families, and guests will gather to celebrate this milestone occasion.
More information for graduates and guests will be shared in the coming weeks.