Dear School of Public Health Community,

I write to share that after nearly two decades at Brown as a medical resident, graduate student, professor and academic leader, Dr. Megan L. Ranney has been named dean of the Yale School of Public Health. Megan will step down from her current role as deputy dean of Brown’s School of Public Health effective July 1, 2023. I hope you will join me in congratulating her on this tremendous opportunity. Megan will be missed here at SPH — her contributions to our community have been immeasurable, and her commitment to the success of our students will better our school for years to come.

When Megan departs to pursue this incredible opportunity at Yale, she’ll leave a long and significant legacy at Brown. A prominent advocate with an international reputation for innovative approaches to health and patient care, she is a physician-scientist who has held faculty appointments at both the Warren Alpert Medical School and at the School of Public Health since its inception in 2013. She is a practicing emergency physician, researcher and educator with a particular focus on intersections among digital health, violence prevention and population health. Her career is distinguished by a deep commitment to working with patients and communities to address complex public health and medical challenges, especially those that burden members of historically underserved populations.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Megan served on the front lines in the emergency departments at the Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital. She co-founded GetUsPPE.org, a startup dedicated to matching donated personal protective equipment to those who need it most. She is a leading public voice on urgent topics in health and medicine ranging from COVID-19 to firearm injury, to mental health, to working conditions for health care providers, offering expert analysis through testimony to Congress, appearances on broadcast news networks, op-eds in major media outlets and guidance for non-governmental organizations. Megan has been outspoken about the need to approach gun violence as a public health issue, with physicians playing an important role — an issue at the core of her research on firearm injury prevention. Known for her ability to synthesize data and human stories on complicated health issues, she continues to be an in-demand speaker.

Megan has been a tireless advocate for patients, students, fellow faculty and medical practitioners — and for advancing creative ideas and approaches to public health. Her scholarship has had a significant impact on real-world issues facing patients, and she’s inspired and informed everyone from students at Brown to people across the country who count on her expert analysis on timely health issues. She’s been a champion for the mission of the School of Public Health, and we’re grateful for the extensive impact she’s had on our community.

At Yale, Megan will serve as dean of the School of Public Health, which has traditionally functioned as a department within Yale’s School of Medicine and is transitioning to operating as an autonomous, self-supporting school with financial and administrative independence. She will lead the school through the transition and is charged with inspiring and implementing a unifying vision for the future success of its scholars and students. You may read Brown’s news announcement about Megan’s new role on the Brown.edu website.

In the ten months that I have served as interim dean of the School of Public Health, I have valued Megan’s leadership and friendship as we worked together to support a world-class community of students and scholars. She has been a remarkable public health leader, and a dedicated mentor and teacher to aspiring physicians and public health professionals. I am confident she will continue to make an impact and be a much-needed voice in our community, at Yale and beyond.

In the coming months, Sara Walsh and I will be working closely with Megan to develop a plan to ensure steady forward progress on the positive momentum we have built as we fulfill SPH’s bold aspirations. Together, we will all continue our commitment to implementing the priorities of the School, with the support of the University.

Please join me in congratulating Megan on this exciting opportunity and in looking forward to her successful future at Yale.

Sincerely,

Ronald Aubert Ph.D., MSPH
Interim Dean, School of Public Health