Untold Stories of Public Health and Why They Matter

Dr. Tista S. Ghosh

Physician Epidemiologist, Executive, Author, and Speaker
Fmr. Director of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer for the State of Colorado

In conversation with:

Jillian Catalanotti, MD, MPH

Associate Dean for Clinical Public Health and Population Health Practice
GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences

At Busboys & Poets, 450K St 

Another pandemic is coming. It’s only a matter of time. It could be a novel flu virus, a biological weapon, even a prehistoric virus from melting glaciers—and we are not prepared. No one wants to endure the lockdowns and social isolation, the confusion and mixed messaging, or the fear and distrust that we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic ever again. Yet that’s exactly the path we’re headed down if we erase the last pandemic from our memories.

In this conversation, the public health expert Dr. Tista S. Ghosh implores us to remember. She shares the pandemic stories of everyday Americans from all walks of life—red and blue states, urban and rural areas. These gripping and relatable accounts recount the real-life struggles that Americans faced: a Colorado grocery store manager dealing with harassment over mask policies, an Indiana police officer encountering a growing mental health crisis, a rural Wisconsin physician fighting rising public distrust, a California company leader struggling to keep frontline workers safe, and an Ohio health official grappling with the decision to cancel the city’s largest tourist event. These and other powerful narratives not only preserve the history of the pandemic but also highlight the lessons we must learn before the next health crisis—not just politicians or scientists, but all of us.

Time will be allocated for Q&A.

"Those who don't learn from the follies of history are, famously, destined to repeat them. In Before the Next Crisis, Tista Ghosh reveals crucial errors in our responses to COVID-19 with an engaging storytelling approach. Past mistakes become lessons here—providing us all an important opportunity to make public health better." David L. Katz, MD, MPH, preventive medicine and public health specialist, founding director of Yale University Prevention Research Center

Co-sponsored by Yale, MIT, and Harvard Clubs of DC

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

Dr. Tista Ghosh is a physician, epidemiologist, and award-winning health journalist. She has served as Colorado’s Chief Medical Officer, an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer and U.S. Community Preventive Services Task Force appointee. Her writing has appeared in publications like Fast Company, Business Insider, Inc, and HuffPost. She has served as a guest expert on CNN, NPR, PBS NewsHour, Today, and The New York Times. Her latest book, Before the Next Crisis (Columbia University Press), shares powerful stories from everyday Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing essential lessons we need to learn before the next health threat.

Visit tistaghoshauthor.com to learn more.

Dr. Jillian Catalanotti is a Professor of Medicine and Professor of Health Policy & Management at the George Washington University, where she currently holds the roles of Associate Dean for Clinical Public Health & Population Health Practice at the School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) and Vice Chair for Academic Affairs for the Department of Medicine. Dr. Catalanotti graduated from Yale University School of Medicine, obtained a Master of PublicHealth degree from Harvard University School of Public Health, and completed Internal Medicine Residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In 2008, she joined SMHS in the Department of Medicine and the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Catalanotti is dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine.

In nearly 17 years on faculty, Dr. Catalanotti has practiced as a primary care physician and has consistently taught students and residents. She has held various academic leadership roles, such as course director for two undergraduate public health courses, assistant director for the primary care clerkship, course director for the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course for GW’s medical and physician assistant students, and internal medicine residency program director from 2013-2021. Dr. Catalanotti has a strong interest in caring for patients from underserved communities, leading her to co-design and direct the Underserved Medicine & Public Health track of GW’s internal medicine residency program, a position she has held for 13 years. Dr. Catalanotti has won multiple teaching awards, including Clinic Attending of the Year from the internal medicine residents, the Dr. Sol Katz Teaching Award from the DC Chapter of the American College of Physicians, the national Walter J. McDonald Award for Early Career Physicians from the American College of Physicians and the national Distinguished UniversityMedical Educator Award from the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine.