ANNUAL REPORT 2025-26
MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Dear Global Health Institute Friends and Supporters, This past year, the Global Health Institute (GHI) focused on what we do best: bringing people and disciplines together to spark conversations, share knowledge, and identify solutions to global health challenges. Through Global Health Tuesdays, our weekly newsletter, Events+, social media, and our annual symposium, we remained committed to connection during a time of significant change for both GHI and the global health landscape. We also continued to celebrate the students and programs shaping the next generation of global health leaders. UW–Madison global health students bring diverse perspectives, curiosity, and a passion for making a difference. To share their experiences, we launched a new YouTube vlog series, GHI Journeys: Global Health Through a Student Lens, highlighting their experiences at UW–Madison and through study abroad opportunities. Their enthusiasm is a powerful reminder of the promise and possibility of the next generation of global health leaders. Our commitment to collaboration was also evident during the 21st Annual Global Health Symposium, presented in partnership with the Office of Global Health at the School of Medicine and Public Health and the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences. Focused on Establishing Trust for Emergency Preparedness, the symposium explored how universities, public health organizations, and communities can build and sustain trust through collaboration, consistent communication, and shared learning. Keynote speaker Dr. Ryan Westergaard drew on his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a Fulbright Scholar in Rwanda, while our multidisciplinary panel examined the challenges of misinformation and the importance of factual, consistent messaging. Together, the conversations reinforced a simple but important message: we are all connected, and public health depends on collaboration and trust. This year also brought an exciting opportunity to refresh our digital presence. As UW–Madison continues to upgrade its web platforms, the GHI team successfully launched our updated website in June—at the same familiar address, ghi.wisc.edu. We invite you to explore it and stay connected with our work. As GHI enters its 16th year at UW–Madison, we look forward to supporting the university’s continued leadership in global health and advancing opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and impact across Wisconsin and around the world. Thank you for your continued support and engagement. We are grateful to have you as part of the GHI community and look forward to connecting with you in the year ahead. With gratitude,
CALYN OSTROWSKI ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & DEVELOPMENT
2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
TEAM
SMALL & MIGHTY
Kendall Buehl Communications Intern John Chan Associate Research Professor Katie Newcomb Communications Director Calyn Ostrowski Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships & Development Khushi Tanna Administrative Intern
CONTACT US UW–Madison Global Health Institute 1050 Medical Sciences Center 1300 University Avenue Madison, WI 53706 globalhealth@ghi.wisc.edu ghi.wisc.edu
GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE
EVENTS & OUTREACH: The UW–Madison 2026 Global Health Symposium, Establishing Trust for Emergency Preparedness: The Role of Universitites & Alliance, was held in April. With more than 300 registered, guests met online and at the Discovery Building to hear engaging discussions, view multidisciplinary global health posters from across campus, and network with colleagues. The event was co-hosted by GHI, Office of Global Health at the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH), and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The keynote speaker was Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Professor of Medicine, SMPH. The fireside chat panel was moderated by Dr. James Conway, Office of Global Health Director, SMPH. Panelists included Dr. Craig Hedberg, University of Minnesota and MN Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence; Dr. Nan Li, Dept of Life Sciences Communication, UW–Madison; Crystal Potts, State Relations & Statewide Outreach, UW–Madison; and Dr. Keith Poulsen, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, UW School of Veterinary Medicine.
GHI again partnered with the Red Cross for a blood drive, as part of The Big Ten and Abbott’s We Give Blood campaign to address the nation’s largest blood shortage in a generation. UW–Madison had the most blood donations and earned the $1million for local and community health programs!
2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
SHARING CONNECTIONS ACROSS CAMPUS, WISCONSIN, & THE WORLD
WEBINARS GHI held eight diverse webinars featuring timely and engaging conversations with academic, industry, government, and global health leaders. The highly sought-after series provided a strong platform for connecting the GHI community with experts and exploring emerging issues in global health.
GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE
EVENTS & OUTREACH: GLOBAL HEALTH STUDENT NUMBERS 177 UNDERGRAD DEGREES 250 CERTIFICATES
69 CAPSTONE CERTIFICATE STUDENTS
GHI Journeys: Global Health Thru a Student Lens In FY26, GHI expanded its video campaign to include undergraduate students in the YouTube vlog series, GHI Journeys: Global Health Thru a Student Lens. GHI Communications Intern Kendall Buehl interviewed nine global health undergraduate major students about their experiences and perspectives on the program.
The UW–Madison Global Health Undergraduate program within the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences was pleased to award 250 global health certificates and 177 global health undergraduate degrees for the 2025-26 academic year. The Graduate/Professional and Capstone Certificates in Global Health program within the Office of Global Health at the School of Medicine and Public Health had 69 students in the program, with eight graduating at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
SHARING CONNECTIONS ACROSS CAMPUS, WISCONSIN, & THE WORLD
NEWSLETTER: EVENTS+
123,312
12.3% Open Rate
Delivered Newsletters TOP ENGAGING POSTS
GHI Summer Interns in Colombia - LinkedIn
SOCIAL MEDIA
BlueSky was added to the GHI social media catalogue during this academic year. This contributed to GHI’s outreach and brand as a trusted source of global healthrelated news and events from across campus and beyond. 25
20
15
10
5
0
Thank you & Symposium highlights - LinkedIn
July
Aug
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
UNIQUE POSTS PER MONTH
206
Unique posts
World Ovarian Cancer Day recognition of UW–Madison Lang Lab & Dr. Jessica Lang - LinkedIn
Sept
7,000+ Followers
130K+ Impressions
(BlueSky not included)
GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE
MULTIDISCIPLINARY ADVISORY PERSPECTIVES FROM COMMITTEE: ACROSS CAMPUS Sumudu Atapattu Law
Kevin Eliceiri Medicine & Public Health
Erin Barbato Law
Shelby Ellison Agricultural & Life Sciences
Lyric Bartholomay Veterinary Medicine
Ann Evensen Medicine & Public Health
Sarah Beckham Center for South Asia
Marianne Fairbanks Human Ecology
Paul Block Engineering
Brian Fox Agricultural & Life Sciences
Dominique Brossard Agricultural & Life Sciences
Sundaram Gunasekaran Agricultural & Life Sciences Engineering
Carolyn (Carey) McAndrews Letters & Science
Peter Halfmann Veterinary Medicine
Sara McKinnon Letters & Science; LACIS
Jeff Hartman Medicine & Public Health
Maria Moreno Letters & Science
Bruce Christensen Veterinary Medicine Katie Collins Nursing James Conway Medicine & Public Health Todd Courtenay Agricultural & Life Sciences Will Cushman Strategic Communications Lori DiPrete Brown Human Ecology Amie Eisfeld Veterinary Medicine Johanna Elfenbein Veterinary Medicine
Joel Hill Medicine & Public Health Jessica Hite Veterinary Medicine Li-Ching Ho Education Krishnapuram Karthikeyan Agricultural & Life Sciences Richard Keller Medicine & Public Health Nancy Kendall Education
Lora Klenke Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association Karen Kopacek Pharmacy Jennifer Kushner Agricultural & Life Sciences Laurel Legenza Pharmacy Kristin Long Medicine & Public Health
Gregory Nemet La Follette School of Public Affair Susan Paskewitz Agricultural & Life Sciences Jonathan Patz Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Krishanu Saha Engineering; WID Wilmara Salgado Pabón Veterinary Medicine
Leigh Senderowicz Letters & Science Ajay Sethi Medicine & Public Health Dawd Siraj Medicine & Public Health Kurt Sladky Veterinary Medicine Marulasiddappa Suresh Veterinary Medicine Janis Tupesis Medicine & Public Health Johnny Uelmen Popluation Health Sciences Zoua M. Vang Human Ecology Alberto Vargas Latin American, Caribbean & Iberian Studies Frances Vavrus International Division Giri Venkataramanan Engineering Claire Wendland Letters & Science Mostafa Zamanian Veterinary Medicine
2025-26 ANNUAL REPORT
BOARD OF GLOBAL HEALTH INNOVATORS VISITORS: Ann Behrmann American Academy of Physicians, ICATCH
Steve Landry Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Retired)
Bill Checovich Illumina (Retired)
Ambassador John E. Lange (Ret.) United Nations Foundation
Gopola Krishna Dasika State of Tamil Nadu, India
Elisabeth Patton Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Adelaide Davis International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Linda Vakunta City of Madison, Wisconsin
Krishna Ella Bharat Biotech
Victor Villacrez Mundo Esperanza
Suchitra Ella Bharat Biotech
Mary Wilson University of California Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Luxme Hariharan GHI Medical Advisor John Holton CHESS Health, SCI Solutions Erik Iverson Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Caroline Zellmer Forsite Labs
DR. RYAN WESTERGAARD, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, 2026 GLOBAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM
ANNUAL REPORT
2025-26