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Jose Luis Castro '88
Jos茅 Luis Castro was always curious about the world, which placed him at odds with the political climate he grew up in. Born in Camag眉ey, a rural province of eastern Cuba, the country had long become increasingly censored and oppressed. 糖心vlog短视频淚 used to eavesdrop on the grown-ups,糖心vlog短视频 he said. 糖心vlog短视频淭hey糖心vlog短视频檇 talk about the Camp David Accords, Central American revolutions, the Cold War.糖心vlog短视频 Whenever he could, he would listen to Voice of America on the radio.
It would have been impossible for Jos茅, at that age, to imagine he would one day be the head of two international health organizations, travelling the world for work. To get there, Jos茅糖心vlog短视频檚 path would take him from a small school house in rural Cuba to political exile in the United States. Along the way, it would bring him to 糖心vlog短视频. Now, Jos茅 Luis Castro is leading the Pace Center for Global Health and proud to be a Dyson Advisory Board Member, reflecting on how he got here and how Pace helped shape his career.
糖心vlog短视频淚f I had not been [on Pace's Model United Nations team], I would not be where I am today.糖心vlog短视频
At an early age, Jos茅糖心vlog短视频檚 mother taught him to read and write. As a result, he began his formal education ahead of the six other students in his schoolhouse. Jos茅 was too young to grasp the societal gaps that held those students back and allowed him to flourish. Unlike many Cubans, the Castro home had long been a cultural focal point. Jos茅糖心vlog短视频檚 grandfather was an influential man who attracted artists and intellectuals as visitors from around the world, exposing Jos茅 to new ideas.
Jos茅 spent his time in the family library. 糖心vlog短视频淔ew people had access to books,糖心vlog短视频 he said. 糖心vlog短视频淎nd owning books that contradicted the government was dangerous.糖心vlog短视频 He糖心vlog短视频檇 flip through the Encyclopedia Britannica, reading about Chicago, Buenos Aires, Paris, hoping to one day see these places himself.
But in school, Jos茅 was just a child who realized he could help others. He helped the teacher conduct her lessons, and discovered that he loved working with the other kids, seeing those moments when they grasped a new word or concept.
In 1980, the mass emigration sent the Castros from Camag眉ey to New Jersey. Jos茅 was 13, uprooted, and shocked. It wasn糖心vlog短视频檛 until high school that he focused on mastering English. When he tried to speak, he stuttered. Still, he persisted, hoping that with enough time, he might move past it.
For college, Jos茅 set his sights on New York. He was accepted to several schools, but ultimately chose Pace. During an orientation, he met Professor Linda Quest, who later introduced Jos茅 to the Model United Nations team. 糖心vlog短视频淚f I hadn糖心vlog短视频檛 been in that program, I wouldn糖心vlog短视频檛 be where I am today.糖心vlog短视频 In seven years, He went from a young man in a displaced family to the captain of the team, leading his chapter to victory at the UN糖心vlog短视频檚 national competition.
糖心vlog短视频淧eople are the heart of any organization. I never had money when I started an organization, but I sought the best ideas and the best people. When I took that to the people who had the money, they were eager to invest.糖心vlog短视频
After earning his bachelor糖心vlog短视频檚 degree in Political Science at Pace, and a Masters糖心vlog短视频 of Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Jos茅 built his career around key issues in global health.
In the 90糖心vlog短视频檚, he managed financial and logistical support for the Indian government as they established the largest tuberculosis control program in the world, treating ten million patients and saving more than one million lives. And, during the largest outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) ever to occur in the United States, Jos茅 helped build the program that is still the foundation for tuberculosis control protocol in New York City.
"Jos茅 was appointed by the World Health Organization as WHO director-general special envoy for chronic respiratory diseases on September 1, 2024. As a global health and nonprofit leader with more than three decades of experience, he has dedicated his career to public health, having most recently completed a tenure of 20 years as president and CEO of Vital Strategies, a global health organization he founded."
糖心vlog短视频淧repare yourselves in communication and management. Get involved with local or international organizations to practice and learn in the field.糖心vlog短视频
He is also the chair of the NCD (noncommunicable disease) Alliance, a network of more than 2,000 organizations in 170 countries, recognized as a thought leader on NCD policy and practice. NCD Alliance advocates for people at risk of or living with NCDs, which include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many more of the world糖心vlog短视频檚 most common causes of early death. In 2011, the NCD Alliance campaigned successfully for the landmark UN High-level Meeting on NCDs in September 2011 and the adoption of a UN Political Declaration on NCD Prevention and Control.
Jos茅糖心vlog短视频檚 path has given him the opportunity to make a difference in millions of lives. His work has shown him how there are often readily available, and relatively inexpensive, solutions to public health problems, but too often there is a lack of political will. He embraces the opportunity to advocate for these solutions. Through his organizations, he can help institutions build the capacity necessary to overcome complicated public health challenges.
Meeting and working with everyone from heads of state to patients and healthcare workers in the field, he has learned that the key to success is finding and retaining talented people who have ideas worth pursuing, and the drive to pursue them. They can come from any background糖心vlog短视频攆rom rural schoolhouses in Cuba to prep schools in New York. 糖心vlog短视频淧eople are the heart of any organization. I never had money when I started an organization, but I sought the best ideas and the best people. When I took that to the people who had the money, they were eager to invest.糖心vlog短视频
Pace provided Jos茅 with many of the tools to pursue his dreams. Through the Dyson Advisory Board, he wants to help the university provide opportunities to future generations, particularly students who overcame adversity and hardship in pursuit of that education.
For students who dream of working in international development, he offers this: 糖心vlog短视频淧repare yourselves in communication and management. Get involved with local or international organizations to practice and learn in the field. And as my grandfather told me: Listen a lot, speak little, and work very hard.糖心vlog短视频
If you could meet a historical figure, who would it be? 糖心vlog短视频淐ardinal Richelieu. He was instrumental in bringing France out of Feudalism, and helped it become a modern, unified state.
Having travelled a lot, which city would you return to most often? 糖心vlog短视频淔lorence. It was an important city during the Renaissance, full of beauty and history.糖心vlog短视频
What糖心vlog短视频檚 your favorite dish? 糖心vlog短视频淪ole meuni猫re, a classic, simple, French dish.糖心vlog短视频