Dr. Horigian brings extensive experience in academic leadership, curriculum innovation, and community-engaged research to this new role. As vice chair of education, she will provide strategic oversight of the department’s academic programs, working to enhance teaching, expand experiential learning, and ensure curricula meet the evolving needs of the public health workforce.

“The role of vice chair of education represents an opportunity to drive impactful changes in our academic programs by aligning them with the department’s mission of fostering excellence in teaching, research, and service,” said Dr. Horigian. “Education is the cornerstone of progress, and my vision is to ensure our programs inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong passion for learning.” 

Dr. Horigian serves as director of the Americas Initiative for Public Health Innovation and director of the Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Public Health programs. She has led major initiatives, including the redesign of the M.P.H. and M.S.P.H. curricula, the launch of the M.P.H. online program, the development of 4+1 pathways, and the creation of the Learning Collaboratory. Her work has strengthened accreditation efforts, expanded faculty development through teaching retreats, and enhanced mentorship and experiential learning opportunities for students. 

As executive director of the Florida Node Alliance of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN), Dr. Horigian leads partnerships across Florida, Georgia, and Puerto Rico that integrate research and practice to improve substance use treatment. She has spearheaded capacity-building initiatives in Mexico, Ecuador, and Chile, and received the 2015 National Institute on Drug Abuse International Program Award of Excellence for her leadership in international research collaboration.

Her priorities as vice chair include expanding project-based and experiential learning, strengthening partnerships with employers and community organizations, and fostering faculty innovation. “I am particularly eager to champion initiatives that focus on experiential learning, such as project-based learning in partnership with current and future employers,” said Dr. Horigian. She also remains committed to interdisciplinary collaboration through programs such as the CHANGE training initiative, which prepares the next generation of HIV behavioral scientists to address persistent health disparities in Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ communities.

Dr. Horigian also contributes nationally as a member of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning group of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, as a representative to the Miller School’s Academic Affairs Section, and through advisory roles in behavioral health and addiction technology transfer.

Her appointment as vice chair of education builds on a record of leadership that continues to strengthen the department’s academic programs and prepare students to meet complex public health challenges.

Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published on June 30, 2025.