University Announces Next Columbia Mailman School Dean
Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, a nationally and globally recognized public health leader, has been appointed to be the next dean of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, effective March 2.
Below is the text from today’s announcement of the appointment by Claire Shipman, Acting President, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Katrina Armstrong, MD, Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Columbia University.
January 23, 2026
Dear members of the Columbia community,
We are delighted to share the appointment of Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, as the next Dean of the Mailman School of Public Health and Senior Vice President, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), effective March 2. Dr. Mermin is a nationally and globally recognized public health leader whose career has been defined by a deep commitment to scientific rigor, health equity, and public service. We are delighted that he will bring his experience and vision to lead Columbia Mailman in its next chapter.
A distinguished physician, epidemiologist, researcher, and organizational leader, Dr. Mermin has spent decades advancing public health research, practice, and policy at the highest levels. He most recently served as Director of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention (NCHHSTP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he oversaw an annual budget of $1.5 billion and 1,800 staff, and led national efforts to prevent infectious diseases, reduce health disparities, and translate evidence into effective public health action. In this role, he oversaw a broad portfolio of surveillance, research, policy, and development, and supported health department and community-based prevention programs impacting millions of people in the United States and around the world. Dr. Mermin is also a retired two-star Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service.
Throughout his career, Dr. Mermin has been deeply committed to strengthening public health systems and mentoring the next generation of leaders, whether in the U.S. or over the decade he was Director of CDC-Uganda and CDC-Kenya. He has played a central role in shaping federal and global public health strategy, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and guiding responses to complex public health challenges. His leadership has consistently emphasized data-driven decision-making and collaboration with communities most affected by health issues.
Dr. Mermin has authored and co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications. He has also been a trusted advisor to national and international public health organizations.
Dr. Mermin earned his BA from Harvard University, his MD from the Stanford University School of Medicine, and his MPH from the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. He completed his internal medicine residency at the University of California, San Francisco, his preventive medicine residency at the CDC and the California Department of Public Health, and he was an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the CDC.
We would like to thank Shih-Fu Chang, Dean of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the entire search committee for its work.
We are also deeply grateful to Kathleen Sikkema, Interim Dean, for her exemplary leadership, generosity of spirit, and unwavering commitment to students, faculty, and staff during this transitional time.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Mermin and welcoming him to the Columbia community.
Regards,
Claire Shipman
Acting President, Columbia University in the City of New York
Katrina Armstrong, MD
Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Columbia University