Barbara Bush and Jonny Dorsey

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2009

Barbara Bush and Jonny Dorsey

Global Health Corps

Palo Alto, California, United States

Health

The Bold Idea:

The Bold Idea: Build the next generation of global health leaders and improve the quality of healthcare services for the poor by connecting outstanding young professionals from around the world with health-focused organizations.

2 million people died from AIDS in 2007 (UNAIDS), 1 million people died from malaria (Washington Post), and 9.7 million children die before the age of five, from illnesses like diarrhea, and pneumonia (Global Health Council). These deaths are almost all due to preventable and treatable diseases, and only occur because of insufficient and ineffective health promotion and delivery mechanisms. Resources do not reach those who need them most—for example, the African region bears 24 percent of the world's disease burden, but only 3 percent of the world's health workers live there. The system requires an infusion of human capital, but even more importantly, a new set of leaders.

Global Health Corps (GHC) partners with organizations with proven success but limited resources to host international teams of young professionals for a yearlong fellowship. GHC works with the organizations to identify specific needs and outline a measurable assignment for the fellows. GHC recruits outstanding fellows from the U.S. and abroad who possess skills that will add immediate value to the organization and who show strong leadership potential. GHC provides extensive training and the fellows receive mentoring, professional development, and social and financial support.

Biography:

After college, Barbara Bush worked for Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Capetown, South Africa and interned for UNICEF in Botswana. She has traveled with the UN World Food Programme, focusing on the importance of nutrition in ARV treatment. She most recently worked for the Smithsonian Institution. Jonny Dorsey founded FACE AIDS, a nonprofit organization mobilizing student activism around global health, and served as Executive Director for two years. He is currently the Chair of the Board of FACE AIDS and graduated from Stanford in 2009 where he served as student body president.

Moment of Obligation: What experiences led to the desire to start your own organization?
BARBARA: After working at Red Cross Children’s Hospital in South Africa and interning for UNICEF in Botswana, I witnessed firsthand the power and importance of effective health delivery. I also saw the impact young energetic professionals with varying skill-sets and experiences can make in improving health delivery services for the poor. Global Health Corps aims to connect these talented young professionals with organizations working for global health equity.

JONNY: I spent a summer working in a refugee camp in northern Zambia, and saw the impact of ineffective health systems. I was infuriated seeing countless people—many of them new friends—suffer from preventable and treatable diseases, from malaria to pneumonia to AIDS. The death of a friend from AIDS, a preventable and treatable disease, is what set me off the edge, and compelled me to devote myself to global health. I knew I had to do something about it, and I was sure others in my generation would want to get involved, too.

Gall to Think Big: What has given you the ability to dream big and take on deeply entrenched social and difficult problems? (Such as experiences, skills, events, etc.)
BARBARA: Exposure to successful health delivery organizations and committed health workers inspired me to work in the health field. Meeting several recent college graduates and young professionals who desire to serve in the fight for global health equity validates the mission of Global Health Corps. Because millions of people are affected by preventable and treatable diseases (for example, HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria) I felt the responsibility to do my best to connect and empower young professionals to apply their talents to fight these preventable and treatable diseases.

JONNY: I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by amazing people. Starting in high school, I had amazing mentors challenge me to reach higher. Then in college, I started working with teams or people who inspire me every day. And when I started asking for advice and help from leaders in global health, they flipped the question, and told me it is up to my generation to find the next solutions that will bring greater health to the world, and then offered to help.

New and Untested: What's innovative about your new idea for social change?
BARBARA and JONNY: Global Health Corps recruits talented recent college graduates and young professionals with skill-sets not traditionally drawn to the health field (technology, economics, business management, etc.) from the U.S. and abroad and places them within health organizations in disadvantaged communities. Fellows from different countries are paired, creating fellowship teams that will work together for the entirety of the program. We partner with organizations with proven success but limited resources to host these teams of exceptional young people. During their one-year fellowships, GHC teams focus on a specific challenge they have the expertise to tackle. Thus, they have an immediate impact on the organization and the people they serve. GHC supports fellows financially and professionally by providing training, mentorship, career guidance, and a financial stipend. Upon completion of the fellowship, GHC fellows will join an alumni corps and remain connected to their mentors, host organizations, and fellowship team members throughout their professional careers. Fellows’ impact will reach beyond the fellowship year as they form a pipeline of young leaders to bring new skills and innovative approaches to the field of global health. By growing this simple model, GHC will catalyze a movement for health equity.

Seeing Possibilities: What are the most important qualities to be a successful social entrepreneur?
BARBARA: Flexibility, creativity, and HARD work.

JONNY: Traits like dedication and perseverance certainly come to mind, but I think one underrated quality is humility. There is so much emphasis on single entrepreneurs in this space, but all great organizations are built by men and women who strive to build a team of people who are better at certain things than them, and then empowering them to lead, too. And it seems to me that all great movements are built by organizations willing to act the same way by supporting other organizations and sharing the spotlight. I also believe strongly in connecting with ones emotions and sharing them—sometimes sharing your joy, and sometimes sharing sadness.

Which musical artists/albums get you going and keep you inspired?
BARBARA: Paul Simon and Belle and Sebastian.

JONNY: I like to listen to Sevendust when I need to get a little pumped up and Gustavo Santaolalla while I work. I’m starting to get more into jazz, too.

What books do you recommend (pleasure, work and anything in between)?
BARBARA:

• Mountains Beyond Mountains
  
• Cradle to Cradle
• The History of Love
• A Prayer for Owen Meany

JONNY: I think everyone should read Mountains Beyond Mountains – it captures the soul of the global health movement: nobody should die in another country, or in this country, from something they would not die from the best hospitals in the United States. I also love dorky management and leadership books: Good to Great, True North, and Leading at the Edge stand out.

Which websites do you visit often (work and/or personal)?
BARBARA:

• www.designobserver.com

JONNY:

• www.nytimes.com
• www.politico.com
• and, let’s be honest...www.facebook.com

What advice or quote do you keep close to your heart as a social change leader?
BARBARA: "As for jobs, you have to do something you want to do and that you can do, something you love, something you are good at, and if you're really lucky something that makes a difference." - Howell Ferguson.

JONNY: "What we have before us are some breathtaking opportunities disguised as insoluble problems." - John Gardner.