I’m writing to share the news that Margaret “Maggie” McDonald, PhD, MFA, associate vice chancellor for academic and global affairs, health sciences, has announced her plans to retire in January 2025.

Jessica Griffin Burke, PhD, MHS, vice dean for the University’s School of Public Health, will assume the role of associate vice chancellor for global affairs, health sciences, effective Sept. 1, partnering with Maggie through a months-long transition period.

Maggie, who also holds appointments as associate professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health, and associate professor of psychiatry, School of Medicine, joined the University of Pittsburgh 40 years ago after a career as a science and medical journalist in Washington, D.C. She has served in a variety of roles during her tenure with the health sciences and has made many significant contributions.

Notable accomplishments in her current role include, in partnership with colleagues, the development of a new medical school at Nazarbayev University in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, the MD program of which was recently awarded full accreditation by a regional agency recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education. It is the only graduate-level MD program in Central Asia. She also played a key role in developing the collaborative education and research agreement to bring Tsinghua University (dubbed “the MIT of China”) medical students to Pittsburgh for biomedical research training.

For 19 years, she was the organizer and thought leader for the University’s annual, three-day celebration of science and innovations, which showcased research from the region’s scientific community, fostered collaboration among academic and industrial scientists, and hosted lectures from local scientists and Nobel Prize winners.

A psychiatric epidemiologist, Maggie’s research interests are health and risk communication, communication to effect health behavior change, and the global burden of mental illness and its associated stigma. She has been a long-time contributor to the Fogarty International Center-funded PRIIA training program for mental health intervention across India. This project addresses the extreme burden of unmet mental health needs in India by continuing two decades of success in building implementation research capacity.

A longtime patron of the arts, Maggie possesses a keen eye for design, reflected in our marketing, as well as in her personal style. A strong writer and editor with an unwavering eye for detail, she holds a wealth of institutional knowledge, which has made her a go-to person for many.

The University’s six schools of the health sciences are key drivers of Pitt’s reputation both within the United States and globally. Dr. Burke will build on Maggie’s leadership in continuing to enhance that reputation, leveraging this key strength to improve health among underresourced populations around the globe.

Dr. Burke’s experience living in Thailand for seven years and training in cultural anthropology, global health, social epidemiology and social and behavioral sciences are the foundation for her participatory approach to developing community relationships. The approach has allowed for contextual understanding and strategic, tailored interventions for improved health outcomes. Her 2014 book, “Methods for Community Public Health Research: Integrated and Engaged Approaches,” outlines this agenda in detail.

She has built several successful global health research-practice partnerships around the world, including current work in Nepal and Madagascar, and is particularly passionate about using engaged and creative methods to facilitate dialogue and action. The collaborative filmmaking method she cocreated with public health faculty member Sara Baumann, PhD, MPH, is an example of her exceptional ability to innovate and use nontraditional approaches to promote global health.

Dr. Burke is a professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and directs the Concept Mapping Institute and the Community-Based Participatory Research and Practice certificate program. She was a founding codirector of the Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health and previously served as associate dean for academic affairs.

Prior to arriving at Pitt in 2005, Dr. Burke held academic and administrative roles at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; the Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University; and the Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. 

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Burke and congratulating Maggie on work extremely well done as she transitions toward retirement.