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As the COVID-19 virus rapidly spread around the world, Sami Jarrah ’07 led the team at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health that was charged with setting up a 250-bed field hospital and providing some of the most vulnerable with food, toiletries and medication.

His team counted and tracked COVID cases and secured the protective gowns, masks and gloves for health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic, all while tamping down on misinformation and doing the myriad things a health department does when there’s not a pandemic raging. Friday, Sept. 19, he’ll deliver the SPEAS Lecture at »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË at 7:30 p.m. in the Alvarez College Union David and Pam Sprinkle Room. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Jarrah gained an on-the-ground perspective during his five years of service as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer in Philadelphia before taking on a $3 billion budget and staff of 300 as deputy commissioner and chief financial officer for the New York City Health Department. Now, he serves as vice dean for finance and administration and executive director of public partnerships for Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, a role designed to create connectivity and strengthen the ties between public health academics and government officials. Jarrah discusses his new role  with Columbia University. 

Jarrah has led coalitions focused on preemption, gun violence, public health workforce, and federal and state policy and funding for public health. He earned a bachelor’s degree from »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË, where he majored in English, an master of public health degree from University of Washington, and is pursuing a public health doctorate from Johns Hopkins University.