2026 ACNSL and University of Utah Seminar on Global and Behavioral Health
ACNSL and the Hinckley Institute of Politics hosted a multi-day seminar on Global and Behavioral Health. The seminar featured panels hosted by the ACNSL Global Health and Health and Readiness Committees, and presented subject matter experts from the military, State Department, public health institutions, and prominent universities.
Livestreams of each event will be posted to this webpage.
Dates: April 8-9, 2026
Panel 1: Global Health in Action - Case Studies on US Interventions in the Area of Global Health
Panelists discussed lessons learned from personal experiences in global health interventions such as PEPFAR, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and immunization efforts in Guatemala.
Date: April 8th
Panelists
Ambassador Donald Booth
US State Dept, Retired
Moderator
Major General Scott Gration
US Air Force, Retired
Panelist
Major General Dean Sienko
US Army, Retired
Panelist
Mr. Thomas Staal
USAID
Panelist
Panel 2: Careers that Impact and Improve Global Health
Panelists discussed what led to their careers in the field of Global Health, and explain the different career options available to students today. Panelists also gave vignettes from their professional experiences in the field of Global Health.
Date: April 8th
Panelists
Major General Margaret Wilmoth
US Army, Retired
Moderator
Lieut. General John Castellaw
US Marines, Retired
Panelist
Lieut. General Ronald Blanck
US Army, Retired
Panelist
Dr. Ashley Leak Bryant
UNC Chapel Hill
Panelist
Panel 3: Medical Operations in Ukraine
Panelists discussed the current state of Medical Operations in the Ukraine War, the medical innovations used in Ukraine, and how medical operations will evolve in future conflicts.
Date: April 9th
Panelists
Dr. Jeremy Cannon
UPenn Perelman School
Panelist
Dr. Richard Thomas
Uniformed Services University
Panelist
LTG Ronald Blanck
US Army, Retired
Moderator
Dr. Matthew Bradley
Uniformed Services University
Panelist
Panel 4: Mental Health/Conversations on Suicide
Panelists discussed how mental health affects military force readiness, the rising suicide rate in the military, and how recent lowering of recruitment standards only exacerbates mental health issues.
Time: 2:00 PM MT, April 9th
Panelists
Corie Weathers
Author
Moderator
BG Stephen Xenakis
US Army, Retired
Panelist
Dr. Harold Kudler
Duke University
Panelist
Dr. Michael Schoenbaum
Health Economist
Panelist