The Implications of the U.S. Withdrawal from the WHO
In-person, Members-only
Wednesday, February 26, 2025| 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
On his first day back in office, President Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), following through on a move he first attempted in July 2020. While his initial effort was halted due to the WHO’s one-year withdrawal notice requirement—and later reversed by President Biden in 2021—this latest decision marks a definitive shift in U.S. global health policy. The U.S. decision to withdraw from the WHO has sparked intense debate about the future of global health governance and America’s role in international health security. In a world where pandemics and emerging infectious diseases transcend borders, how will this move impact global coordination on health crises? What are the implications for disease surveillance, vaccine distribution, and emergency response efforts? With the WHO playing a critical role in managing public health threats, the U.S. departure raises urgent questions about the effectiveness of international cooperation in safeguarding global health as well as the vacuums and who might fill them.
Join us on Wednesday, February 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM ET for a timely discussion on these pressing issues with three leading experts in global health, Dr. Syra Madad D.H.Sc., M.Sc., MCP, CHEP, Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals and Co-Principal Investigator of the NYC Health + Hospitals Institute for Diseases and Disaster Management; Megan Diamond, Senior Technical Advisor at WHO; and Dr. Nikki Romanik, a Distinguished Public Health Leader and former Special Assistant to the President, Deputy Director, and Chief of Staff for the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy at the White House. The discussion will be moderated by Megan Carroll, leader at the Gates Foundation, the United Nations, The Carter Center, and the U.S. government.
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SPEAKERS:
Megan Diamond
Megan Diamond is a global health leader and strategist with over a decade of experience supporting vulnerable communities through evidence-based programming and multi-sector partnerships. Her work spans technical research, program implementation, and policy development, with expertise in building coalitions that drive systemic change. As Senior Technical Advisor at the World Health Organization (WHO), she leads an international emergency response network and shapes global strategy for wastewater and environmental surveillance. Prior to the WHO, Megan established and scaled the wastewater surveillance portfolio at The Rockefeller Foundation, strengthening cities’ capacity to conduct multi-pathogen monitoring and translate data into public health action. At the Harvard Global Health Institute and Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, she led research programs to strengthen health systems and advocate for the health needs of underserved populations. Megan is a recognized thought leader in public health surveillance – her work has been published in leading scientific journals and featured across major media outlets, where she regularly provides expert commentary on emerging health challenges. She holds an M.S. in Epidemiology from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and currently lives in New York City
Dr. Syra Madad D.H.Sc., M.Sc., MCP, CHEP
Dr. Syra Madad D.H.Sc., M.Sc., MCP, CHEP, is an internationally recognized public health and healthcare leader, biosecurity advisor, epidemiologist, and science communicator specializing in infectious disease preparedness and response. As the Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal healthcare system in the U.S., she leads efforts to enhance biopreparedness and special pathogen response. She is also the Co-Principal Investigator of the NYC Health + Hospitals Institute for Diseases and Disaster Management, driving research and innovation in infectious disease preparedness and mitigation. Dr. Madad has played a pivotal role in responses to numerous outbreaks, including Ebola, Zika, Measles, COVID-19, and MPox, and provides advisory expertise to organizations such as the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Forum on Microbial Threats, and the World Health Organization. Beyond her frontline work, Dr. Madad is a Fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, where she leads initiatives promoting diversity in STEM. She serves as Core Faculty at the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) and Affiliate Faculty at Boston University’s Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Policy & Research. She is also the Public Health Editor-at-Large at the New York Academy of Sciences, shaping discussions on critical global health issues. A widely published expert, she has written for The New York Times and The Washington Post and frequently appears on major media outlets. Dr. Madad has been featured in multiple documentaries, including the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak and the Discovery documentary The Vaccine: Conquering COVID, bringing global awareness to infectious disease preparedness and response.
Dr. Nikki Romanik
Dr. Nikki Romanik is a distinguished public health leader who most recently served as the Special Assistant to the President, Deputy Director, and Chief of Staff for the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR) at the White House. In this role, she led the recruitment and establishment of the inaugural office, driving key initiatives to enhance national preparedness and response to outbreaks, pandemics, and other biological threats.
With over 15 years of experience at the forefront of national and international public health initiatives, Dr. Romanik has consistently delivered impactful results. She played an instrumental role spearheading policy solutions on the White House National Mpox Response Team and forged strategic partnerships for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and The White House demonstrating her expertise in pandemic response, policy development, and emergency management.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Romanik established the CDC’s Partnership Team within the COVID-19 Incident Management System and activated the CDC Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. As a trusted senior advisor, she served as the CDC Liaison to the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and later provided critical counsel as the Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the U.S. Government’s COVID-19 Test-to-Treat Program. Her comprehensive expertise spans early detection and response, vaccine distribution, health equity, and stakeholder engagement.
A seasoned policy and partnership strategist, Dr. Romanik has a proven track record of cultivating robust collaborations with the private sector and key stakeholders. During her tenure at CDC’s Office of the Director, she was pivotal in establishing and strengthening public–private partnerships, emphasizing the importance of engaging civil society organizations and navigating complex crises in challenging political and social environments.
Dr. Romanik’s unique blend of strategic vision, operational excellence, and dedicated leadership continues to drive significant advancements in public health, underscoring her commitment to safeguarding communities and improving health outcomes worldwide.
MODERATOR:
Megan Carroll
Megan Carroll brings 20 years of experience at the intersection of international development, policy advocacy, and philanthropy. She has held leadership roles at the Gates Foundation, United Nations, The Carter Center, and the U.S. government, including serving as a White House Fellow in the Obama Administration. With expertise in democracy, governance, human rights, and global health, Megan has a proven track record in strategic program management, partnership development, and high-level stakeholder engagement. She has worked extensively in fragile states, including four years in South Sudan and Sudan. Earlier in her career, she managed and expanded Harvard University’s Scholars at Risk Program.
Megan holds a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a B.A. in Political Science from Amherst College, with additional studies at the London School of Economics. She serves on the Board of Sunday Funds and is a former Council on Foreign Relations Term Member. She is also a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow and recognized as a Young Leader by the French-American Foundation, US-Japan Foundation, and American Council on Germany.
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