Global Health

January 9, 2025

Marie Martin named to global health leadership roles at Medical Center, School of Medicine

She will be responsible for developing and expanding VUMC’s international institutional initiatives, as well as developing opportunities for VUMC and VUSM learners to engage in global health education.

Marie Martin, PhD, MEd, associate professor of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been named associate vice president for Global Initiatives for VUMC and assistant dean for Global Health Education at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSM). Her appointment was effective Dec. 1, 2024.

Marie Martin, PhD, MEd
Marie Martin, PhD, MEd

In these leadership roles, she will be responsible for developing and expanding VUMC’s international institutional initiatives, as well as reviewing and developing opportunities for VUMC and VUSM learners to engage in global health education.

Martin will retain her role as associate director for Education and Training at the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), a position she began in July 2019 after serving eight years as this institute’s assistant director. At VIGH, she has been instrumental in capacity building programs to improve public health, both domestically and internationally.

“Marie Martin has nearly two decades of extensive experience in international education and development,” said Donald Brady, MD, Executive Vice President for Educational and Medical Staff Affairs for VUMC and Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs for VUSM. “Her impressive track record of participation in, leadership of, and innovation in international collaborations and global health education efforts makes her the ideal choice for these key roles.

“With her vision and leadership, we will elevate VUMC’s international reputation and continue to build meaningful institutional collaborations that align with our mission as an academic medical center.”

Martin also co-directs the Global Health track of the MPH Program at Vanderbilt — a leadership role she has served in for 14 years after co-developing the track — and chairs the VUSM/VUMC Global Education Committee. She is the course director for Global Health Politics and Policy, Essential Skills in Global Health, and the Global Health Integrated Science Courses.

Globally, Martin partners with universities and governments in multiple countries to build robust training and educational programs. Her current grant-funded work in Zambia and Liberia is focused on faculty development, health policy, mentorship and health science education.

Martin was inducted into the VUSM Academy of Excellence in Education in 2017 in recognition of her substantive contributions to health professions education and currently serves on the AEE Board. She was further recognized with the Velji Global Health Award for Teaching Excellence by the Consortium of Universities in Global Health (CUGH) in 2020 and the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center Mentoring Award in 2021.

Martin also serves as co-chair of the CUGH Subcommittee on Master’s and Undergraduate Degrees in Global Health. She is on the Global Health Expert Advisory Board for the National Association of County and City Health Officials and serves as a board member of the Lwala Community Alliance (Kenya) and the Tennessee Global Health Coalition.

“This marks an exciting moment for VUSM and VUMC as we expand our global footprint to enhance research opportunities, strengthen clinical care, and build new education and training opportunities,” said Martin. “Once viewed as optional or supplementary, strategic global partnerships are increasingly understood as essential for improving health in our own communities and abroad.

“I am proud of our institutional commitment to supporting new and existing global initiatives and couldn’t be more excited to take on these two new roles.”

Martin received her undergraduate degree in English from Vanderbilt University and master’s degree in international education policy from Vanderbilt’s George Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

She completed her doctorate at Tennessee State University in Public Administration and Policy with an emphasis on global health policy and public budgeting.