Dean Ashish Joshi elected to Board of Directors of Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
December 11, 2024 - MEMPHIS—Ashish Joshi, Distinguished University Professor and Dean of the University of Memphis School of Public Health, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.
Representing more than 153 accredited schools and programs in the US and abroad, the ASPPH is the leading voice and authority on academic public health. The organization trains the next generation of public health professionals, convene leaders, generate evidence, and advocate for policies that improve the health and well-being of everyone, everywhere. The ASPPH Board of Directors comprises of up to 17 members elected to three-year terms, with the next term beginning in March.
Dr. Joshi was appointed Dean and Distinguished University Professor of the University of Memphis School of Public Health in August 2022. He is an innovator, entrepreneur, educator, researcher, administrator, and mentor and brings with him tremendous public experience of engaging community-based organizations, academic and other institutions, government agencies, policymakers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds across dozen countries.
Prior to Dr. Joshi coming to Memphis, he was a founding member of the CUNY SPH and utilized SMAART model to make significant contribution to advancing the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy SPH by providing leadership for the planning and implementation of all components of the academic programs. Dr. Joshi was presented with the inaugural CUNY SPH Legacy Award for his crucial role in the establishment of CUNY SPH as an independent graduate school within the CUNY system. Dr. Joshi led CUNY SPH efforts to implement the NYC Resource Navigator Test and Trace Program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was presented with the Distinguished Service Award by the NYC Test and Trace Corps program for his extraordinary dedication and contributions to reversing the COVID-19 outbreak and protecting and promoting the safety and well-being of New York residents.
As a Dean of the University of Memphis School of Public Health, adapted SMAART model to create “SPH CARES” framework with a vision of making the school as one of the most impactful schools of public health that is Community Engaged, Anchor Institute, create Research based solutions, support Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is Student Centric translating excellence in public health education towards greater community impact. Through his inspirational, creative, and innovative, data driven, evidence informed academic and administrative approach, he has transformed UofM SPH in a short span of 2 years by bringing systems change, organizational transformation, through collaborative, coordinated and operationally effective processes resulting in significant growth in student enrollment (20% increase), more than 400% increase in research funding, establishment of two federally funded research centers, developed a National model of public health education in high schools through public health dual enrollment, RE-AIM public health IDEAS clubs, and global level public health hackathons. Dr. Joshi also established the Nation’s first Public Health Diplomacy Lab and organized inaugural public health diplomacy summit in Memphis by bringing together representatives spanning across 15 countries including participants from 7 regional public health associations globally, WHO, and the World Federation of United Nations .
UofM SPH in April 2024 was recognized nationally after being a recipient of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) 2024 Harrison C Spencer Award for its outstanding community service. He also chairs the ASPPH Technology and Public Health Advisory Group. Dr. Joshi led the development of a new UofM SPH Strategic plan SPH CARES 2023-2028 and his research focuses on population health interventions using digital interventions and innovations to advance health equity through the lens of human centered design, social cognitive models, public health workforce, global health, public health innovation and entrepreneurship and impact of social determinants of health towards improving good health and well-being.
Dr. Joshi has secured in his academic career more than $25 million in grant funding and contracts by several Federal, State, and international government agencies and other private foundations and has published more than 145 research papers in peer reviewed international journals and presented his research at various national and international forums.
‘I am honored to be elected to this role and look forward to working alongside my peers across various schools and programs of public health and help advance ASPPH mission and vision to prepare the next generation of public health workforce, and grow research-based solutions using data driven, evidence informed innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to address public health challenges of the 21st century,” Dean Joshi said.