The George Washington University has announced that Kelly A. Gebo will be the next Michael and Lori Milken Dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health, effective Oct. 1. She will also be a professor of epidemiology.
Gebo has spent over two decades at the Johns Hopkins University in various roles, working to improve the well-being and health outcomes of local, national and global populations. She is currently a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with a joint appointment at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in epidemiology. She is the deputy director of the Johns Hopkins University Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, which bridges communication of clinical discoveries between the community and researchers. She also serves as director of the Johns Hopkins KL-2 Clinical Research Scholars Program, training scholars for independently funded careers in clinical and translational research.
“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Gebo as the new dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health,” President Ellen M. Granberg said. “At a time when the importance of public health has never been more evident—from global pandemics to persistent health disparities—Dr. Gebo brings a distinguished record of academic leadership, translational research, and education. Her bold vision for the future of public health embraces science and innovation, fosters collaboration and prepares students to lead in an increasingly complex global health landscape. I look forward to working with her to advance the school’s momentum, grow its impact and shape the next generation of public health leaders.”
From 2005 to 2016, Gebo served as director of the public health undergraduate studies program, a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Gebo grew the program from a small interdisciplinary major into the largest major on campus and led the development of a core curriculum and five-year B.A.-M.H.S. programs, as well as international electives in undergraduate public health education. She launched the honors program in public health, served as a consultant to other colleges and universities building undergraduate public health programs and assembled a dynamic team of full- and part-time faculty and staff in teaching and advising positions. Gebo’s achievements with this program earned recognition among colleagues at other colleges and universities, and she received the inaugural Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Reigelman Award, named for Milken Institute SPH founding dean Richard Reigelman, for outstanding contributions to undergraduate public health education.
“Dr. Gebo has a proven commitment to innovation, scholarship, academic excellence and strategic leadership in public health,” Interim Provost John Lach said. “We are also very impressed with her track record of fostering interdisciplinary, collaborative work. She is eminently qualified to lead the Milken Institute School of Public Health as its next dean, and I look forward to her many contributions to GW.”
Gebo served as Johns Hopkins’ inaugural vice provost for education from 2014 to 2017, when she was responsible for the undergraduate and graduate programs of all nine divisions of the university. In this role, she coordinated with the vice deans of education to devise, implement and revise university-wide educational policies. She developed interdivisional cross-disciplinary programs and research connections at the undergraduate and graduate levels, implemented individualized learning plans for all Ph.D. students and enhanced the doctoral student experience.
Following a national search, Gebo was recruited to be the inaugural chief medical and scientific officer for the All of Us research program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a national initiative advancing precision medicine through large-scale data collection and patient engagement. From 2018 to 2020, Gebo worked with senior leadership at the NIH and across federal health agencies. She coordinated with local, national and global leaders and patient groups to recruit research participants from groups traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research, built a scientific team and developed a scientific roadmap for the program.
Gebo expressed her gratitude for the mentorship, collaboration and teamwork she experienced at Johns Hopkins and the NIH and emphasized her excitement for the opportunity to lead Milken Institute SPH.
“I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by President Granberg, Interim Provost Lach and the search committee,” Gebo said. “It is a privilege to lead the Milken Institute School of Public Health and to build upon the extraordinary legacy of Dean Goldman, who elevated the school to national prominence. Thanks to her leadership, we are well-positioned to expand our impact. I have been inspired by the passion, talent, and dedication of the faculty, staff and students. As the only school of public health located in the nation’s capital, we are uniquely positioned to shape public health policy and practice. I look forward to working with the GW community to advance public health education, research and practice by driving innovation and creating meaningful change in local and global communities.”
A scholar in health care disparities, access to care and health care utilization, Gebo has a deep understanding of how to support faculty growth and apply for research and programmatic support from a wide variety of sources to facilitate a thriving research enterprise. In addition to managing large and complex budgets, she has been a principal investigator (PI) or co-PI on grants from foundations and federal sources including the NIH, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
“Lori and I are pleased to welcome Dr. Gebo as the next Michael and Lori Milken Dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health,” Michael Milken said. “Her career reflects the core values of the school—a deep belief in the power of prevention, a dedication to rigorous research, and a commitment to excellence in public health education and practice. We look forward to working with her and building upon the school’s remarkable foundation.”
Gebo also previously served as director of the Johns Hopkins infectious diseases postdoctoral fellowship program. She began as an assistant professor of epidemiology and medicine in 2001 following a clinical fellowship in infectious diseases and completion of the Robert Wood Johnson clinical scholars program in 2000.
She was inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2013. She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Disease Society of America, and the HIV Medical Association and is a member of the American Public Health Association. She received her M.P.H. from what was then the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and her M.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Lynn R. Goldman, Michael and Lori Milken Dean of Public Health, has graciously agreed to remain in her role until Gebo joins GW. She voiced her strong support for Gebo’s selection.
“With impressive scientific, academic and administrative leadership experience and a keen understanding of the landscape of academic public health, Dr. Gebo is poised to help shape a promising and impactful future for our school of public health,” Goldman said. “Her commitment to fostering a collaborative and innovative environment will strengthen our community, impel our school to new levels of excellence in public health science, policy and practice, and contribute to producing committed and resilient public health leaders who will help shape the future of public health in communities and nations across the world.”
Chaired by Department of Prevention and Community Health Professor Amita Vyas, a committee of Milken Institute SPH faculty, trustees, staff, students and an alumna led the national search for the next dean.
“At a time when public health and higher education are both at critical crossroads, Dr. Gebo brings the bold vision, deep expertise, and inclusive leadership our school needs to thrive,” Vyas said. “Her commitment to collaboration and academic excellence will elevate our school of public health—raising the visibility of the vital work we do and positioning us to reach even greater heights. Dr. Gebo’s leadership, grounded in kindness and purpose, is exactly what this moment demands.”
