Global health leader to lead University of Michigan public health school

The University of Michigan School of Public Health has recommended Dr. Charles Holmes as its next dean, following a national search. Holmes, a physician-scientist with extensive experience in international health policy, will begin a five-year appointment on July 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents at its June 25 meeting in Ann Arbor. He will succeed Lynda Lisabeth, who has served as interim dean since June 2025. Holmes currently serves as the inaugural director of Georgetown University’s Center for Innovation in Global Health and as a professor of medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. His career includes leadership roles such as chief medical officer and deputy U.S. global AIDS coordinator for PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and CEO of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, where he managed a 1,000-person institute and secured over $150 million in funding. Since 2023, Holmes has also advised the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute on global health strategies, including tuberculosis vaccine development. He earned his Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan in 1995, where he will now return to lead the school ranked No. 4 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools. Holmes expressed gratitude for the opportunity, noting Michigan’s influence on his career and the school’s reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and public service. He plans to strengthen the school’s impact, support future public health leaders, and address critical societal health challenges. His appointment marks a significant step for the University of Michigan in advancing global and national health initiatives.