The sixth annual Bill Foege Global Health Awards were presented by MAP International on Thursday, September 22, at the Delta Flight Museum. Among those honored at the event were James Curran, MD, MPH, and Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, FACR, two leaders in Emory’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center recognized for outstanding commitment to advancing the field of global health.

James “Jim” Curran, a pioneer in HIV/AIDS prevention, was among this year’s recipients of the Bill Foege Global Health Award, named in honor of emeritus professor Dr. Bill Foege, a global hero best known for eradicating smallpox. The award recognizes individuals and organizations whose contributions to the progress of global health measure substantially.

Curran joined the Rollins School of Public Health as dean and professor of epidemiology in 1995 following 25 years of leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1981, Curran was tapped to lead the CDC task force charged with determining what was behind the first cases of what we now know as AIDS. He led the nation’s efforts in the battle against HIV/AIDS for 15 years before joining Emory as dean.

During his tenure at Emory, Curran served as co-director of the Emory Center for AIDS Research and has held faculty appointments in the Emory School of Medicine and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. In 2009, the Rollins School of Public Health deanship was endowed and named the James W. Curran Dean of Public Health in his honor.

Under Curran’s leadership, the Rollins School of Public Health had unprecedented growth and is now ranked No. 4 among accredited schools and programs of public health by U.S. News & World Report. As dean, his personal approach fostered a strong sense of community among faculty, staff and students, and as a result, Rollins developed a reputation for being a collaborative work and learning environment. Curran, the longest-serving dean at Emory and among schools of public health in the U.S., stepped down from his role as dean in June this year.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber presented Jonathan S. Lewin with the Heroes of Global Health Award, which recognizes world leaders in global health in the metro Atlanta region. Lewin joined Emory in 2016 and served as executive vice president of health affairs at Emory University, CEO and chairman of the board for Emory Healthcare and executive director at Woodruff Health Sciences Center. During his six years in simultaneous leadership roles, he led record-breaking growth in clinical volumes, research funding and patient quality outcomes.

Lewin has been widely recognized as a consensus builder within Atlanta and the region throughout the pandemic and spearheaded efforts to reach all Georgia communities with world-class COVID-19 information and care. Under his leadership, Emory Healthcare achieved COVID-19 survival rates that are among the highest in the world. He has been named a most-admired CEO by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 most influential physicians. He is a recipient of the National Medical Fellowships Pioneer Award and the American Jewish Committee National Human Relations Award, among other honors.

Since 2016, Lewin led unparalleled growth in Emory Healthcare, reaching annual total operating revenues of $5.5 billion—an increase of more than 80%. In 2022, Emory University Hospital was named the number one hospital in Georgia and metro Atlanta for the 11^th year in a row; Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital ranked number two for the seventh consecutive year; and Emory University Hospital Midtown ranked number five for a fourth year. Emory Healthcare was also named one of the 10 most trusted brands in health care in the U.S., and the only health system in Georgia, based on the most recent survey conducted by Monigle, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development (SHSMD) of the AHA.

Lewin is a staunch advocate and champion of health sciences research that focuses on improving lives and providing hope to individuals around the world. Emory’s health sciences research enterprise continues to experience unprecedented annual growth and ranks among the nation’s most elite academic health centers. In 2021, Emory University was one of the top-ranked institutions for research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with the Emory School of Medicine, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and the Rollins School of Public Health all ranking in the top 20 in their respective categories.

In September 2022, Lewin transitioned to Emory’s faculty — returning to his roots in innovation, education and technology development.

“This year’s event was more important than ever because of the ongoing impact of the global COVID pandemic coupled with the conflict in Europe. In addition to their work around the world, the team at MAP International has been supplying desperately needed medicine to war-ravaged Ukraine. Thus, we are humbled to have the opportunity to say thank you and pay tribute to each of our honorees,” says MAP International president and CEO Steve Stirling. “They represent the most important force in the fight for global health equality and deserve our unconditional support and gratitude.”