Brian joined de Beaumont as its third employee in 2012 and assumed the role of president and chief executive officer in 2018. Under his leadership, with the support of a dedicated team, the foundation has grown in both size and impact, becoming a prominent voice in health philanthropy and public health practice and driving transformative change to improve population health across the nation.
Brian’s strategic vision emphasizes collaboration between public health and various sectors, effective communication, and the enhancement of the nation’s public health infrastructure. His efforts have led to the development of the nation’s largest survey of the government public health workforce, the advancement of policies in major cities, the formation of business-public health partnerships, improvements in public health communication, and the strengthening of connections between clinical medicine and public health. He is also focused on building local health data ecosystems that prioritize health justice.
Brian has published widely in the lay press, including in The Washington Post, CNN, The Hill, STAT, The Daily Beast, and CNBC and has shared his insights through interviews with The New York Times, the Associated Press, Politico, MSNBC, NPR, BBC, and Fox News, among others. He is a regular contributor to Forbes.com. Brian was also prominently featured in the documentary series The Invisible Shield and was the co-executive producer of the award-winning documentary Outbreak: The First Response.
In addition to his practice experience, Brian is a seasoned public health researcher with expertise in public health systems and services, tobacco control and drug use, maternal and child health, health promotion, and chronic disease prevention. His recent research has concentrated on urban public health needs, data system improvements, and public health infrastructure advancements. He has authored nearly 100 scientific articles, which have been cited over 4,000 times, and has co-edited eight books.
Prior to joining de Beaumont, Brian spent a decade as an applied epidemiologist and held leadership positions at the Georgia Department of Health, Texas Department of State Health Services, and Philadelphia Department of Health. During his time in government services, he led programs including the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, Title X Family Planning program, and Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Brian holds a doctorate in public health leadership from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts degree in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University, where he delivered the 2023 commencement address for the Mailman School of Public Health and received the school’s Visionary Leadership Award. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science with the greatest distinction from North Carolina State University.
