WASHINGTON, D. C., – The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is proud to announce that Sandro Galea will be awarded the Honorary Fellow Award during the 2025 SOPHE Annual Conference in Long Beach, April 16-18.
“It is an honor to receive SOPHE’s Honorary Fellow Award,” said Galea, an epidemiologist, physician, and author. “It is particularly meaningful to join the company of the 2024 awardee, my WashU colleague, Dr. Ross Brownson, whose work I have long admired.”
This award recognizes a non-SOPHE member who has made significant and lasting contributions to health education and the public’s health.
“This award reflects a shared commitment to the pursuit of excellence in academic public health, with the understanding that the future of public health depends on the future of public health education,” said Galea.
Sandro Galea currently serves as the Margaret C. Ryan Dean of the School of Public Health, and the Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis. He previously held academic and leadership positions at Boston University, Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine.
After earning his medical degree from the University of Toronto, he traveled to Somalia with Doctors Without Borders. It was there that he had a defining realization about the limits of individual care and the need to address systemic issues. “I got this feeling, like I’m standing on the side of the river, pulling people out…but I also knew that once I left, the same thing would keep happening,” he reflected. This experience inspired him to pivot toward a public health career, eventually earning graduate degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities and becoming a national leader in public health education.
“This award offers a chance to continue the conversation about public health pedagogy and how to shape approaches that position students for success in public health schools and programs,” said Galea.
Galea embodies this award through his unwavering dedication to reimagining public health education and leadership. His career reflects a commitment to elevating the discipline while empowering future practitioners to address health inequities and societal challenges at their root.
“I would like to thank SOPHE for all you are doing to support the next generation of public health thinkers and leaders,” Galea added.
SOPHE will present all awards and scholarships to public health professionals, health education researchers, faculty, programs, and practitioners at the 2025 SOPHE Annual Conference. These awards and scholarships recognize significant advancements in the profession of health education and health promotion and outstanding contributions of veterans and rising stars to improving the public’s health.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit association that supports leaders in public health, health education, and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE members work in health care settings, communities, organizations, schools, universities, worksites, and in local, state, and federal government agencies. For more information visit www.sophe.org.