There’s a moment in every public health career—whether in a classroom, at a community meeting, or during a crisis briefing—when you realize the stakes are higher than you first thought. Maybe it’s the parent asking why their child’s vaccine schedule changed, or the local official who insists that clean water is a luxury, not a right. These moments demand clarity, humility, and a willingness to learn more about the thinking behind the situation leading up to that moment. That same lesson applies at the institutional level. As Dean, I’ve come to believe that our most strategic and resilient decisions begin not with what we think we know, but with a curiosity about what we might be missing. With that in mind, I shaped my thoughts for leading the ColoradoSPH around three concepts: learn what you don’t know, lead with values, and communicate often.
“Learn what you don’t know.” This flips the old adage—“You don’t know what you don’t know.” In times of uncertainty, this mindset can be the difference between reaction and resilience. At ColoradoSPH, we are navigating a complex and evolving public health landscape. Federal budgets are tightening, the student loan system faces new threats, and misinformation spreads faster than facts. These are not just headlines; they are our reality. Despite this, our school is moving forward. Grant funding is up. Student enrollment is up. Nonetheless, we cannot afford complacency or the temptation to “wait out” current events. This is a moment for thoughtful action.
It is tempting to leap to solutions, especially when surrounded by very smart people with an urgent mission. I feel that impulse, too. However, acting without fully understanding the context in which we operate can create fragile foundations. Consider our remarkable growth in research: a $55 million enterprise on the Anschutz campus alone, and nearly $70 million when including our colleagues at our Fort Collins campus. This success places us among the nation’s top 20 schools of public health. Yet, doubling down on research as our sole pillar, especially amid threats to research funding, is risky. We must both celebrate and diversify.
Earlier this month, I shared with the school’s executive council how our revenue portfolio has become unbalanced. We benefit greatly from research but lose opportunities when other sources—particularly tuition and philanthropy—are underleveraged. Counting primarily on research funding is not a long-term strategy. Instead, we must rebalance: strengthen tuition revenue, bolster public funding, and expand programs that reflect emerging public health priorities. This is not a retreat from research—it’s a reinforcement of our foundation.
Understanding our reality requires facing uncomfortable truths and asking hard questions. How do our fund flows work across the campus? Where do we lose critical resources in cross-institutional transfers? What assumptions are we making about growth and sustainability? These are complex paths to navigate, but they are necessary if we want to make bold, value-driven choices that last.
Public health embraces complexity, but when the conversation turns to money, we sometimes fall silent. Financial realities can feel antithetical to the mission-oriented mindset of our field. After all, how do you measure the value of generational health, clean air, or a child protected from measles because a trusted community health worker patiently addressed vaccine misinformation? These tensions do not have to be in conflict. Our school’s core values—collaboration, health for all, trust, belonging, spirit of possibility, and action and impact—anchor our financial decisions in meaning. They ensure our strategies serve our mission.
This becomes even more relevant as public health itself faces skepticism. Vaccine hesitancy is no longer confined to isolated communities. It’s a global concern. Misinformation around topics such as climate change and pandemic response poses real threats to public well-being. The next generation of public health leaders must be prepared not only with technical skills but with the resilience to confront these forces. That is why our educational mission must evolve to meet these needs, with urgency and vision.
In times of uncertainty, communication is a key leadership responsibility. I am fortunate to lead an organization filled with smart, mission-driven people who want to see ColoradoSPH not only endure but thrive. We are surrounded by a broader community—our alumni, partners, donors, and friends—who care deeply about public health and believe in its power to improve lives. That is why it is incumbent upon me to communicate openly and frequently about where we are, what we face, and how we will move forward.
Sharing assessments of our financial position, explaining how funds flow, and clarifying why certain shifts are necessary are not just internal exercises—they are acts of trust. Clear, consistent communication builds alignment. Whether we are navigating budget constraints or launching new academic programs, our ability to stay connected—to understand each other’s roles, challenges, and contributions—is one of our greatest strengths.
I see three essential ways forward that will position ColoradoSPH—and the communities we serve—for strength and stability.
First, we must secure earmarked state funding for public health education. As a school that spans three universities, we are uniquely poised to serve all of Colorado—urban, suburban, rural, and frontier. Dedicated public funding would allow us to expand rural outreach, bolster community-based partnerships, and build a pipeline of students who reflect the region. Public health must not be seen as an expense, but as an essential service with a measurable return on investment. We have already begun advocating for this change, and the road ahead will require persistence.
Second, we must grow our tuition base, not just in volume but in alignment with the evolving demands of the field. There is rising interest in areas such as infectious disease modeling, artificial intelligence in public health, and climate-health analytics. These are disciplines for the future. At the same time, workforce realities have shifted. Health departments face budget constraints and limited hiring capacity, which means enhanced training for the existing workforce will be critical. Through concentrated programs, short courses, and hybrid formats, we can reach professionals who are already serving in the field and want to lead with sharper tools. We must also equip our students to enter sectors beyond government, such as private industry, biotechnology, and digital health. These sectors may become the home for public health experts and those employees the advocates for public health initiatives in the future.
Third, philanthropic investment must match our aspirations. We have done more with less for years, and we have done it well. But if we aim to be one of the top ten schools of public health in the country—an achievable goal—we must invite others to build it with us. Early investments paid off, and now is the time to grow that base. Philanthropy can seed innovation, expand access, and provide the stable foundation from which big ideas can flourish. We already have a compelling story to tell. Now we need the storytellers and the champions to carry it forward.
Our strength lies not only in what we know but in our willingness to question, learn, and adapt. We have the data, the people, and the purpose. Here’s my call to action: Let’s recommit to curiosity and clarity. Let’s make decisions that reflect our values and prepare our students and faculty for the public health future, not the one we wish for, but the one that is coming. Whether you are a student entering the field, a faculty member refining your next grant, an alum working on the front lines, or a community partner advocating for change, this is your school. Our success is shared, and our responsibility is mutual.
ColoradoSPH was built with vision and tenacity. That spirit still guides us. We are not in crisis. We are in a moment of strategic possibility. Let’s embrace it.
