2025 Commencement Speakers Announced

Joneigh S. Khaldun, MD, a nationally recognized public health and health care executive will serve as the 2025 commencement speaker for Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. Khaldun currently serves as president and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board, the sole accrediting body for governmental public health in the United States. She is an advocate for state and local public health departments and workers and also for the value of public health equity. 

Prior to her current position, Khaldun served as the inaugural chief health equity officer for CVS Health, chief deputy director for health for the state of Michigan, health commissioner for Detroit, and chief medical officer for the Baltimore City Health Department. In 2021, she was appointed to the nation’s Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, she has received numerous professional awards and is active on several boards and committees. 

Student Speaker 

Ever year, Rollins students nominate a student speaker to address their graduating class. This year’s student speaker is Akshay Deverakonda, who will be graduating with an MSPH in epidemiology and certificate in infectious disease epidemiology. 

This year’s degree candidate recognition ceremony will take place on May 10 at 10 a.m. at the Woodruff Physical Education Center on Emory University’s main campus. A live stream will be available on our commencement web page for those unable to attend in person.