Shortly after he arrived at Boston University, Dean Galea and I wrote an article on “aspirations and strategies” for public health which remains as relevant after the Covid pandemic as it was before.

Two points illustrate Galea’s broad and challenging view of the field of public health.  First the aspirations of public health. One: Take a leadership role in confronting and influencing the social, political, and economic factors that determine population health. Two: Take a leadership role in reducing inequities by working to narrow health gaps across groups in ways that promote social justice and human rights.” There is more in the article that encourages us all to take a broad and challenging view of public health’s agenda. But as a combination “thank you and good fortune” is a reminder that you don’t have to be stationed in Boston to continue to forge an ever-challenging and aspirational public health agenda (in fact, there may even be some advantages).

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Nine years ago, I was a rebellious pre-med student, newly captivated by the utilitarian ideals of public health. Having just learned about the levels of prevention and marveling at seatbelts as one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century, I began to question why so many efforts focused on mitigating the effects of crashes rather than preventing them entirely. Driver’s education programs existed, but I felt there was untapped potential to combine public health principles with city planning to design healthier, safer urban environments.

Facing resistance to these ideas, I nearly abandoned them and resigned myself to the pre-med path. While volunteering at Brigham and Women’s Hospital to gain patient-facing experience, an older couple struck up a conversation with me about my future. I shared my story, and to my surprise, they were deeply encouraging. They told me my ideas about connecting urban planning and public health echoed the urban health work of the new dean at the BU School of Public Health and urged me to reach out to him through a personal connection. I never did, but their words made a lasting impact. I realized I wasn’t alone in my vision.

Six years later, I serendipitously joined Dean Galea’s team and discovered just how deeply his leadership and ideas aligned with my own. His work has always pushed the boundaries of public health, challenging the status quo of individual health to address the broader, systemic forces that shape our well-being. Working alongside him has been an honor and a thrill—helping to move the needle on urban health under his guidance has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. Long before we met, his influence rippled to change the course of my career. To have worked with him and seen firsthand the brilliance and compassion he brings to his mission is something I will carry with me forever.

I have had the privilege to work with Sandro for the past six years as a part of the Dean’s Office team at SPH, and it has been the opportunity of a lifetime to learn from him. It is rare to encounter someone who truly leads with kindness and compassion, someone who is committed to doing what is right and good for the world. That is what Sandro embodies as a leader and as a human. Sandro can best be summed up by his signature email sign off—“warmly.”

Sandro is not just a prolific scholar but an empathetic, patient, and generous mentor and leader. Until I worked with him, I didn’t realize that you could find all of those traits together in the same person! I think he’s shown us that we can have a huge impact with our work while genuinely caring for one another.

The term “mentor” comes from the Greek classics. Mentor, a friend of Odysseus, was entrusted with raising Odysseus’ son Telemachus while Odysseus left for the Trojan war. We entrust mentors with the influence and shaping of minds, of action, and of character. When you ask Dean Galea what he is most proud of in his career so far, he will tell you, decisively, it is his mentees. Beyond the 1,000+ peer-reviewed articles, 24 books, and 100+ global presentations, Dean Galea’s legacy lives in the countless people he has taught, trained, mentored, and inspired through his work. 

For those lucky enough to work with Dean Galea, they know that he has record-response time, consistent presence, and compassionate comments. During his ten years as Dean, he mentored students, faculty, and staff to be their best. He was the first one in the Talbot Building when it opened and the last one out every day. He showed us all what it meant to Think, Teach, Do. For the Health of All—with excellence. He took his role as mentor seriously, as a responsible guardian of the school during his tenure, nurturing the community, inspiring its ambition, and building the infrastructure to execute on its endless potential. 

Will Durant interpreted Aristotle to say, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” What Dean Galea has created in his leadership and mentorship is a legacy of habitual excellence. It is not in any one action, in any one day, in any one paper or product or post. It is the continued commitment, the aspiration and the search for something that is greater than ourselves. 

When I was interviewing to work at Boston University School of Public Health almost ten years ago, I asked Dean Galea what he hoped the school would accomplish. He said, “at the end of the day, we are trying to change the world for the better.” And that he has.

It’s impossible to capture Sandro’s impact in a brief quote. There is nobody like Sandro. He lifts up everyone around him, and did that for all of us at BUSPH in good times, and some extraordinarily difficult times, over the last 10 years. On a personal note, Sandro has helped guide my career beyond what I ever believed it could be, and I am so lucky that he took the time to share that vision with me. I will be forever grateful for his leadership, mentorship, sponsorship, and friendship. 

Since joining BU, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing Dean Galea’s incredible leadership up close. His genuine openness to student concerns and his efforts to create a supportive environment have made a lasting impression on me. He has a remarkable ability to connect with students, listen with intention, and respond thoughtfully, which shows just how deeply he cares about nurturing the next generation of public health leaders. Dean Galea is more than a leader, he’s a changemaker who challenges the norm and inspires everyone around him to aim higher. His tenure at BU has been truly transformative, leaving a legacy that will continue to shape the field for years to come.

Dean Galea,

Your leadership at Boston University School of Public Health has been nothing short of award-winning. Under your guidance, we’ve transformed the curriculum, held an impressive array of community conversations and seminars on the most important topics, and increased our national visibility and rankings. All of this reflects the excellence you’ve championed.

But honestly, what I’ll remember most isn’t just the big wins or the bold vision. I’ll remember the heart you brought to everything. Your genuine warmth and approachability have fostered a community where collaboration thrives.

I recall the time when a group of students were upset (I don’t even remember the issue anymore). They came to the meeting angry—very angry. You listened, asked questions, proposed a plan of action, and then listened some more. By the end of the meeting, the students left comforted, knowing they had been heard.

On the other hand, I have to admit, I’ve always been intimidated by your ability to respond to emails seemingly within five minutes. Sometimes I would spend a good chunk of time composing, editing, and re-composing a message to you, thinking I had fulfilled my task once I hit “send.” Almost immediately, my email bell would ring with your response—complete with questions and next steps. This has become a hallmark of working with Sandro: he is fast. Just get used to it.

Most of all, I’ll treasure your friendship. You’ve managed to be both a leader and a confidant. You are the rare kind of person who can tackle the toughest issues while still reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously.

Thank you for being the guiding star in our constellation of public health. You leave us better, braver, wiser and kinder than when you found us.

I feel great gratitude for the opportunity to have worked alongside Dean Galea. He believed in my potential while his ability to motivate me, has allowed me to grow as a leader and team player.  His thoughtful notes and guidance has allowed me to understand the challenges and opportunities in public health, and allowed me to look at things in different perspective. Working with Dean Galea has been a privilege. His vision, dedication, and ability to inspire those around him has left a deep impact in me. 

Thank you, Dean Galea, for your mentorship and your confidence in me. Your support has been a cornerstone in my development, and I’m looking forwards to carry forward the guidance you have shared.

For the past decade, Dean Galea has been an outstanding leader for this community. The school is better, and the world is healthier, for his dedication to the work of public health. Thank you, Sandro, for all you do!

Reflecting on nearly a decade of mentorship from Sandro Galea, I am struck by how profoundly he has shaped my career and perspective. His encouragement was instrumental in my transition from clinical medicine to public health research, a move that felt uncertain at the time but now feels like the most natural path. His guidance wasn’t about grand pronouncements or elaborate plans, but about consistent, meaningful nudges that gradually reshaped my professional trajectory, and I am deeply grateful for his unwavering support over the years.

Sandro’s thoughtfulness, work ethic, and efficiency are as remarkable as they appear—qualities that consistently inspire those around him. What sets him apart, however, is his genuine commitment to fostering the success of others, not for personal gain, but because he believes in enabling meaningful work. That ethos has profoundly influenced how I approach my own relationships and career. Sandro embodies the principles he teaches, and his mentorship has been a true privilege—one that has shaped not just my professional trajectory, but my understanding of what leadership and generosity in academia can look like.

Renaissance person
Scholar, writer, visionary
We salute you now.

Communication
Your super-power of words
Challenges us to think.

Fearless intellect
Comprehensive, holistic
Making connections.

Enlivening BU
Engaging our minds and hearts
Imagining the future.

Profound thanks to you
Legacy reverberates
Think. Teach. Do. Repeat.