Marcos Espinal MD, DrPH ’95, MPH ’90 is the director of the Department of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of Health at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization. In PAHO, he leads the inter-American effort to fight communicable diseases such as Zika, Ebola, Chagas, HIV, and TB. Before joining PAHO, Espinal served as Executive Secretary of the WHO Stop TB Partnership, a global movement aiming at the elimination of TB as a public health problem.

On public health and the challenges we face

Public health is the backbone of healthy nations, healthy states, healthy cities, and, more importantly, healthy people.

“Berkeley moment”

Walking through campus every day to class and enjoying the beauty and quality of the School was a lifetime bonding principle that we can dream and achieve.

Theme song while at Berkeley

“Imagine” by John Lennon because the School is the best example of inclusiveness and equity.