Rebecca Rosenthal Sale, EdD, MPH

Rebecca Sale, EdD, MPH is the Managing Director of Academics & Innovation and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Management at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Her work sits at the intersection of public health, healthcare, and higher education, where she designs and leads innovative learning experiences that prepare current and future leaders to navigate complex organizations, communicate effectively, and drive meaningful systems change.

Rebecca provides academic and strategic leadership for graduate education, executive education, and innovation initiatives within the Department of Health Policy & Management. She partners closely with faculty, students, and organizational leaders to develop curricula and experiential learning opportunities that strengthen leadership, communication, teamwork, and professional development across public health and healthcare settings.

She teaches Pivot: Strategic Professional Communications, a signature graduate course that integrates leadership development, strategic communication, teamwork, design thinking, and career readiness through highly interactive, practice-based learning. Rebecca also leads entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives across the Mailman School of Public Health in collaboration with Columbia University's Campbell Center for Entrepreneurship, helping faculty and students translate ideas into sustainable public health impact.

Rebecca's work extends beyond the classroom into nonprofit governance and community leadership. As Board Chair of Fresh Youth Initiatives, she partners with executive leadership to advance organizational strategy, strengthen board governance, and expand services for more than 1,300 immigrant and first-generation children, youth, and families in Northern Manhattan. She has helped guide the organization's growth, including the launch of El Centro, an Article 31 culturally responsive mental health clinic that expands access to integrated behavioral health services.

Across her teaching, scholarship, and leadership, Rebecca is committed to developing leaders who can communicate with purpose, build collaborative teams, and create innovative solutions to today's most pressing public health challenges.