Leaning into Public Health Values: What Bill Foege Brought to Public Health

Leaning into Public Health Values: What Bill Foege Brought to Public Health, a Conversation with Dr. Judy Monroe William H. Foege made a tremendous impact on public health leadership and practice, with contributions spanning the eradication of smallpox, his leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and decades of global work to improve childhood survival, forge health partnerships, and combat river blindness, malaria, and other neglected diseases. His passing in January 2025 prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the global health community. In this conversation with Dr. Judy Monroe, who worked with Dr. Foege at the CDC, we will explore the principles that guided his public health work and reflect on what they mean for public health today in an environment that is testing our ability to do our work.