Institute for Health & Humanity

Institute for Health & Humanity We are dedicated to advancing research and education for health and humanity. Community Health: Imbalances and disparities are at the heart of community health.

Through scholarship, teaching, consultation, community engagement, and partnerships, we generate knowledge and solutions that promote improved health across the life course. The Institute for Health & Humanity is focused on researching the root causes of health disparities in our communities, and advancing the best ideas to foster health equity throughout the world. We target populations with abno

rmally high rates of disease and injury – urban and rural alike – and then we find out why. Partnering with community health collaborators who live and work closest to the most vulnerable populations, we are making an impact on reducing those disparities, one community at a time. Bioethics & Medical Humanities: The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities is committed to helping health care professionals, students, policy makers and community members explore the challenging ethical questions that have accompanied scientific advances and changes in our health care delivery system. Center for Sustainability, Health and the Environment (SHE Center): The mission of the SHE Center is to be a distinguished leader and innovator to foster a healthy and equitable environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste, and help prepare our healthcare system and the patients we serve to resiliently adapt to climate challenges. Working to pioneer environmentally sustainable paths to a healthier world, the Center will be guided by MCW’s four missions to collaborate across MCW departments, centers and institutes, as well as with our healthcare system partners, government agencies, tribal nations, non-profit organizations, academic institutions and businesses to advance its efforts. It’s about solving the mystery of why one group of people has a higher incidence of a specific disease than the rest of the population, and then determining how to balance the scale. We search for biological, environmental, socioeconomic, racial, behavioral, and a host of other variables to find the root causes for poor outcomes. Then, we bring scientists, researchers, clinicians and the community advocates who know the target population best to work together and improve health for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Epidemiology: The biggest health threats of our time are not only diseases like cancer. At MCW, our epidemiologists are taking on the challenge of finding answers to violence, drug addiction and many other public health threats that have not traditionally been viewed through the same lens as disease. We analyze the patterns, causes and effects of a wide range of public health threats to help shape the research, policy, clinical and societal solutions that can save countless lives. It’s all about creating outcomes that result in a healthier community. We are dedicated to locally, nationally, and internationally recognized innovation and excellence in Bioethics Education, Bioethics Research and Scholarship, Bioethics Consultation and Bioethics Community Service.

Interested in furthering your career in public health and developing the competencies needed to succeed in the public he...
02/06/2026

Interested in furthering your career in public health and developing the competencies needed to succeed in the public health workforce? Attend the MCW Master of Public Health Program’s virtual Info Session on Friday, February 20 from 12-1pm CT to learn more about MCW's completely online MPH and Certificate programs. Register here: https://slate.to/71rQ6rQj.

Please join us in celebrating the Institute for Health & Humanity faculty and instructors who were recognized by the MCW...
11/07/2025

Please join us in celebrating the Institute for Health & Humanity faculty and instructors who were recognized by the MCW School of Graduate Studies with Outstanding Educator Awards!

Your dedication to teaching, mentorship, and student success strengthens our programs and advances our mission each day. We are grateful for the expertise, compassion, and enthusiasm you bring to our learners and to the MCW community.

Thank you — and congratulations!

Dr. Abby Collier
Dr. Matthew Dellinger
Dr. Julia Dickson-Gomez
Dr. Craig Fleischer
Tifany Frazer
Lance Gable, JD
Dr. Tarakee Jackson
Dr. Marta McMillion
Dr. David Nelson
Dr. Julie Willems Van Dijk
Dr. Wei Xu
Dr. Kaija Zusevics

10/31/2025

🚐 Help bring healthcare on the move! 🚐
Join the Medical College of Wisconsin as a Project Coordinator for the CAREScan Mobile Screening Center of Excellence — a statewide initiative bringing life-saving screenings and preventative care to communities across Wisconsin. Be part of the team that keeps innovation and compassion rolling. Apply now:

Dr. Constance Kostelac along with state and local partners have been working for several years to advance legislation ar...
09/11/2025

Dr. Constance Kostelac along with state and local partners have been working for several years to advance legislation around fatality reviews in Wisconsin. This year, with the support of MCW’s Government Relations team, the legislation was reintroduced as . Dr. Kostelac testified yesterday, along with local and state partners, to highlight why this legislation is such an important step forward.

Join us in shaping healthier communities! MCW is seeking a Student Worker to assist with health policy, data analysis, a...
08/25/2025

Join us in shaping healthier communities! MCW is seeking a Student Worker to assist with health policy, data analysis, and public engagement. A great opportunity to learn, grow, and make a difference. Flexible hours, impactful work, perfect for a student in a professional degree related to public health. Learn more and apply here:

PurposeUnder direct supervision, provide support to health, social, and behavioral research, to inform and understand issues affecting the health of nearly one million residents and visitors of Milwaukee County as a health policy analyst for Dr. Ben Weston...

Congratulations to Dr. Christopher Simenz, PhD, MS who is newly promoted to Director of the Master of Public Health Prog...
07/11/2025

Congratulations to Dr. Christopher Simenz, PhD, MS who is newly promoted to Director of the Master of Public Health Program in the Institute for Health & Humanity at MCW, effective July 1, 2025!

Congratulations to Greer Jordan, PhD, MBA, BSEE on her promotion to Associate Professor in the Division of Community Hea...
07/11/2025

Congratulations to Greer Jordan, PhD, MBA, BSEE on her promotion to Associate Professor in the Division of Community Health in the Institute for Health & Humanity. Dr. Jordan serves as the Vice President of Anchor Partnerships at MCW.

Congratulations to Jenny Geurts, MS, CGC on her promotion to Associate Professor as of July 1st, 2025!  Jenny is the ama...
07/11/2025

Congratulations to Jenny Geurts, MS, CGC on her promotion to Associate Professor as of July 1st, 2025! Jenny is the amazing Director of the MS Genetic Counseling Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in the Institute for Health & Humanity.

Save the Date!  July 28th - 30th for the 3rd Annual Lac Du Flambeau Cultural Event: Connecting Tribal Communities Harm R...
06/26/2025

Save the Date! July 28th - 30th for the 3rd Annual Lac Du Flambeau Cultural Event: Connecting Tribal Communities Harm Reduction. Register using the QR code imaged below. Also join the Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl on July 29th!

In January 2025, Dr. Lisa Sanchez-Johnsen, Ph.D., M.S., received the “2024 Hawaii Psychological Association Significant ...
05/15/2025

In January 2025, Dr. Lisa Sanchez-Johnsen, Ph.D., M.S., received the “2024 Hawaii Psychological Association Significant Professional Contribution Award” from the Hawaii Psychological Association. Dr. Sanchez-Johnsen is a Professor in the Institute for Health and Humanity, Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Surgery, and Family and Community Health, and Associate Director for Workforce Engagement and Well-Being at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center. Dr. Sanchez-Johnsen received this award for outstanding scholarly contributions and achievements in psychology.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Lisa Sanchez-Johnsen, or as she is known affectionately in our community, “Dr. Lisa”, on these outstanding awards for her contributions in the areas of behavioral health and health issues in the Hispanic/Latino community!

Dr. Lisa Sanchez-Johnsen splits her time between Wisconsin, Illinois, and Hawaii, where she is a Professor in the Institute for Health and Humanity, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Surgery and Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is also the Associate Cancer Center Director for Workforce Engagement and Well-Being in the MCW Cancer Center and an MCW Cancer Center Research Scholar Endowed Chair. Dr. Sanchez-Johnsen is the Director of the LANI Research Program (Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander) and the Multicultural Health, Obesity, and Cancer Health Equity Research Scholars Program, which are research, mentorship, and training programs for those interested in population health research on a national basis.
Dr. Sanchez-Johnsen is also a Board Member of the Hawaii Psychological Association, where she is the elected Diversity Representative and Chair of the Diversity and Equity Steering Committee. She is also a Board Member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. In addition, Dr. Sanchez-Johnsen is a Clinical Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Psychiatry. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Hawaii, Illinois, and Wisconsin and she specializes in behavioral medicine, obesity, and culture-based physical and behavioral health interventions for diverse groups.

We're hiring! Join MCW’s CAREScan team as a Program Director II and execute the planning, development, and implementatio...
05/14/2025

We're hiring! Join MCW’s CAREScan team as a Program Director II and execute the planning, development, and implementation of impactful initiatives that drive real change. If you're a strategic thinker and leader, apply today!
📍Milwaukee, WI
🔗Apply now: https://bit.ly/4mhPp1F

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Dr. Jamila Kwarteng on receiving the 2025 WPHA Excellence in Public Health Resear...
05/08/2025

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Dr. Jamila Kwarteng on receiving the 2025 WPHA Excellence in Public Health Research! This honor recognizes her contributions to the field of Community Health. We’re proud to celebrate this well-deserved achievement!

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