Learning from the West African Ebola Epidemic: The Role of Governance in Preventing Epidemics

Students settle in at the Carnegie Center before the conference

Conference speakers Frank Mahoney and Michael Osterholm

Audience members prepare for the conference

Roger Berkowitz opens the conference

Wilmot James opens the first panel discussion

Wilmot James and conference speaker Andrew C. Weber

Audience members listen in on the discussion between Wilmot James and Andrew C. Weber

Attendees participate in a Q&A with conference speakers

Wilmot James answers a conference attendees' question

Michael Osterholm examines the history of the Ebola epidemic

Roger Berkowitz and Michael Osterholm in conversation

Janusz Paweska poses a question to the panel

Speakers Helene Epstein and Amy Savage with Roger Berkowitz and Wilmot James

Speaker Frank Mahoney presents his talk

Bard student attendees gather for a photograph

Frank Mahoney in discussion with Helen Epstein

Speaker Michael Osterholm presents a question

Frank Mahoney wrapping up his panel discussion with Helen Epstein

Janusz Paweska presents to the conference

Amy Savage and Janusz Paweska in discussion

A panel discussion with Kristina Talbert-Slagle, Theresa Whalen and Wilmot James

Conference speaker Theresa Whalen in conversation

Audio Sessions

Helen Epstein

Helen Epstein is a writer specializing in public health and a Visiting Professor of Human Rights and Global Health at Bard College. She has advised numerous organizations, including the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, Human Rights Watch, and UNICEF. She is the author of The Invisible Cure: Why We Are Losing the Fight Against AIDS in Africa and has contributed articles to many publications, including The New York Review of Books and The New York Times Magazine. Research for her article in the December 18, 2014 issue was supported by a grant from the Investigative Fund at ?the Nation Institute.

Frank Mahoney

Frank Mahoney is an infectious disease epidemiologist seconded by CDC to the Health Department at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He received his Medical Degree from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston and completed a residency in Family Medicine at Baylor University in the Texas Medical Center. He joined CDC in 1989 as an Epidemic Intelligence Surveillance Officer and completed a Preventive Medicine Residency in 1992. He has worked on a variety of domestic and international assignments throughout his career with a focus on emerging infectious diseases, outbreak response and immunization.  He was the CDC team lead for Ebola response in Nigeria and Liberia.

Michael Osterholm

Michael Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology. He is a member of the National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine. Dr. Osterholm led investigations into infectious disease outbreaks during his 15 years as state epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health. He is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. He served as a special advisor to former D.H.H.S. Secretary Tommy Thompson on issues regarding public health preparedness.

Muhammad Ali Pate

Muhammad Ali Pate is the former Minister of State for Health in Nigeria. His appointment in July 2011 follows his success as the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Abuja, Nigeria. He resigned as Nigeria's Minister of State for Health to take up the position of Professor at Duke University's Global Health Institute, USA. He also serves on the agenda committee of the World Economic Forum.

Janusz Paweska

Janusz Paweska is the Head of the Special Pathogens Unit of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). His field of interest is in viral diagnostics with the focus on development of novel techniques for rapid pathogen detection and discovery, epidemiology and ecology of Arboviruses and viral hemorrhagic fevers and virus-host interactions. Dr. Paweska has been a part of international research expeditions and international outbreak response missions for Ebola, Marburg disease and Rift Valley fever. He led the discovery of a new Old World Arenavirus that he named Lujo Virus.

Amy Savage

Amy Savage is the Director of the Citizen Science Program and Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology at Bard College.  At Bard College, Dr. Savage directs Citizen Science, a core curricular academic experience intended to develop and elevate scientific literacy of the College’s first-year class. Emphasis is placed on identifying different forms of evidence and its appropriate use, and the tools used to gather, interpret, evaluate and communicate scientific data. Engagement with scientific critical thinking embedded in the societal context in which science occurs is foundational for subsequent work in the sciences, as well as for informed decision making outside of the classroom. Dr. Savage is a molecular parasitologist specializing in zoonotic and vector borne infections of medical and veterinary importance. Her doctoral and postdoctoral work focused on the human and animal pathogen, Trypanosoma Brucei, the causative agent of a fatal neurological disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. 

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Kristina Talbert-Slagle

Kristina Talbert-Slagle, Ph.D., is the Senior Scientific Officer of the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute and a Lecturer in the Yale School of Public Health.  As an experienced virologist with postdoctoral training in mathematical modeling, health policy, and global health, her research focuses on exploring parallels and intersections among complex molecular, individual, community and population systems, with a focus on global health security. She is interested in better understanding how viruses like HIV and Ebola exploit fragility in national systems and how to anticipate and protect against similar infectious disease outbreaks worldwide.  Dr. Talbert-Slagle has recently engaged with colleagues at Yale and in Liberia to support efforts to strengthen health management in Liberia post-Ebola.  She teaches courses at Yale University on the biology and social context of HIV/AIDS, health systems strengthening in Liberia post-Ebola, and methods of global health research.  Dr. Talbert-Slagle received her B.S. and B.A. degrees from the University of Kentucky and her Ph.D. from Yale University in the Epidemiology of Microbial Disease.

Theresa Whelan

Ms. Whelan currently serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).  She brings to the position over twenty-eight years of experience as a career civil servant in the defense intelligence, defense policy and national intelligence communities, twenty two of which have been focused on African issues.  Her prior leadership positions include those of National Intelligence Officer for Africa on the National Intelligence Council, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Homeland Defense Domains and Defense Support to Civil Authorities, DASD for Defense Continuity and Crisis Management and DASD for African Affairs.  Other positions in OSD included those of Principal Director for African Affairs, NATO Team Chief on the Balkans Task Force and Countries Director for Southern Africa and West Africa respectively. 

Andrew C. Weber

Andrew C. Weber is the former Deputy Coordinator for Ebola Response at the U.S. Department of State. In this role, Mr. Weber helped lead diplomatic outreach to ensure a speedy, effective and truly global response to the Ebola crisis. President Barack Obama emphasized the need for a whole-of-government response that utilized global resources and talent to stop the epidemic. Mr. Weber worked with partners from across our government and around the world to bring the epidemic under control.

10 AM

Welcome & Introduction

Wilmot James, MP SA and Roger Berkowitz, HAC Bard College

10:15 AM, Keynote 1: Andrew Weber

Former Deputy Coordinator Ebola Response, US Department of State
Moderator: Wilmot James
[40 min presentation; 20 min Q&A]

11:15 AM, Keynote 2: Michael Osterholm

Moderator: Roger Berkowitz, Bard College
[40 min presentation; 20 min Q&A]

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM: Lunch Break

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Lunch will not be provided, however, there are plenty of local options to choose from near the Carnegie Council. We'll provide a list of suggestions at the Registration Table.

1:15 PM: Session on Trust

Frank Mahoney, CDC Atlanta,
In conversation with Helen Epstein (Bard College)
[40 min of conversation. 20 min Q&A]

 

2:15 PM: Session on Outbreak Prediction

Janusz Paweska
In conversation with Amy Savage (Bard College)
[40 min of conversation. 20 min Q&A]

 

3:15 PM: Short Break

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Short Break

3:45 PM: Closing Session: Where to from Here?

Muhammad Pate (Former Minister of Health, Nigeria; Duke University)
Theresa Whelan, (Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict)
Kristina Talbert-Stagle (Yale Global Health Leadership Institute)
In conversation with Wilmont James

5:15 PM: Closing Remarks

Wilmot James, MP SA and
Roger Berkowitz, Academic Director
Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College

NEW YORK CITY

The Conference takes place in the Merrill House at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs in New York City. New York City is located about 90 miles south of Bard College.

Merrill House
170 East 64th Street
New York, NY 10065-7478
(212) 838-4120

Map: Click Here (opens a new window)

Bard Students (Annandale)

The Citizen Science Program will organize a bus from Bard to NYC for those students who are interested in attending the one-day conference. You must sign up. Please visit RKC 202 to place your name on the list. If you have any questions, please contact the Citizen Science Program at Phone: 845-752-2369 (or) [email protected]

Wednesday, March 30

[One day before the conference] Bard College's Globalization and International Affairs (BGIA) Program and CEU-NY Alumni Associations present a conversation with Dr. Wilmot James and discussant Professor Drew Thompson of Bard College's programs in Africana and Historical Studies. This event is co-sponsored and hosted by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice.

The Honorable Dr. Wilmot James is collaborating with the Hannah Arendt Center to host the Ebola Conference on March 31st. He is a noted South African academic-turned-politician, who currently is an a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA). He was born in Paarl in 1953. Dr. James serves as the country's Shadow Minister of Basic Education and is the Federal Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance. He is an Honorary Professor of Sociology (University of Pretoria) and in the Division of Human Genetics (University of Cape Town). He is also chairperson of the board of the Africa Genome Education Institute.

James has a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison (1982) and a B.A. (Hons) cum laude from the University of the Western Cape (1977). He has held visiting positions at Yale University, Indiana University, American Bar Foundation (Chicago), the California Institute of Technology, and Edinburgh University. He served as chairperson of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and the Immigration Advisory Board of South Africa. He is also a former trustee of the New York-based Ford Foundation.

*This event will not be held at BGIA's 39th Street location.*
Location:  42 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036 (MAP)
RSVP Here for "South Africa and the World"

For more information: , or e-mail [email protected], or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1807596969467611/.