Q&A with Dr. Megan Ranney, Yale School of Public Health Dean

Dr. Megan Ranney became the new dean of the Yale School of Public Health on July 1, 2023. An emergency physician and innovative leader in public health, Ranney is nationally known for her advocacy and research on firearm injury prevention as well as her community-driven approaches to addressing longstanding and emerging public health problems. As dean, she will oversee the school’s historic transition to a fully independent, self-sustaining professional school.

In this Q&A, Dean Ranney lays out the four pillars of our school that she believes define the future of our field: inclusivity, innovation and entrepreneurship, communication, and data-driven leadership. She also discusses how the public health community can make an even more meaningful impact on society, her leadership style, and opportunities for firearm injury prevention at Yale and with the community.

“I believe that the Yale School of Public Health has the chance to define public health, scholarship, education, and practice for the next century,” says Ranney. “To define who's part of public health, how we do it, how we identify and address health problems in an inclusive, equitable, and impactful way.”