Former Cabinet secretary, health commissioner will teach this spring as Menschel Fellows

Ashwin Vasan, until recently the health commissioner for New York City, and Marcia Fudge, until recently the U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development, will be on campus this spring to teach classes and mentor students as Richard M. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellows at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Ashwin Vasan served as commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene from January 2022 through October 2024, where he launched initiatives to improve life expectancy, reform the mental health system, reduce medical debt, and increase access to reproductive healthcare while strengthening data systems and workforce in the post-pandemic era. A Harvard Chan School alum, earning his Sc.M. in epidemiology in 2004, he has two decades of experience working to improve physical and mental health, social welfare, and public policy for marginalized populations locally and globally.

Vasan previously served as the president and CEO of Fountain House, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending social and economic isolation for people most impacted by mental illness. In 2016, he became the founding executive director of the Health Access Equity Unit in New York City — a first-of-its-kind government program focused on the intersection of clinical and social services for people in the justice system and other vulnerable populations. He began his career working on HIV/AIDS treatment with Partners In Health and later, the World Health Organization. He continues to work on global health issues including mental health, climate, biodefense, and pandemic preparedness.

Vasan will teach a Spring 1 course in the Department of Health Policy and Management tentatively called “Health Policy and Leadership.”

Marcia Fudge served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Biden administration from March 2021 through March 2024. During her tenure, she led initiatives to increase housing supply, reduce homelessness, end discriminatory practices in the housing market, and ensure compliance with fair housing rules.

Before joining the Cabinet, Fudge served for 13 years as the U.S. representative for Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. She was known for working across political ideologies to address the needs of her district and for chairing the Congressional Black Caucus.

Fudge began her political career as the mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, where she addressed issues including abandoned property, predatory lending, and the foreclosure crisis, and brought new residential development to the city.

She will teach a Spring 2 course in the Department of Health Policy and Management tentatively called “Health Policy and Leadership.”

The Menschel Senior Leadership Fellows Program offers a rare opportunity for those who have recently served in top-level positions in government, multilateral institutions, nonprofits, business, and journalism to spend time at the School mentoring and teaching students who aspire to similar roles.

Both Vasan and Fudge will hold regular office hours to meet with students, faculty, and staff during their time on campus.