Voices from the Field: The NAAMA NextGen Podcast

Ep. 6 | Dr. Joseph C. Kolars - Leading Global Health Partnerships

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we speak with Dr. Joseph C. Kolars [https://medschool.umich.edu/profile/4675/joseph-c-kolars], a practicing gastroenterologist, medical educator, and global health leader at the University of Michigan. He serves as Director of Strategic Development for Global Collaboration at the University of Michigan Medical School and is the former Leslie D. Yamada and Tachi Yamada M.D. Director of the U-M Center for Global Health Equity [https://globalhealthequity.umich.edu/]. Dr. Kolars joins Neil Nakkash to discuss his journey into global health and the lessons he has learned from more than four decades of building health professions education programs and international academic partnerships. He reflects on his experience helping establish one of China's first Western-style healthcare systems, the importance of creating sustainable and equitable global collaborations, and how strengthening education and health systems can improve healthcare worldwide. He also shares his perspectives on physician leadership, medical education, and what continues to inspire him after a career spanning clinical medicine, education, and global health. This episode offers valuable insights for students interested in global health, medical education, healthcare leadership, and international collaboration. Follow NAAMA NextGen on Instagram @NAAMA_NextGen to stay updated on our events, initiatives, and other content. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave us a review.  If you'd like to watch this episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/@naama_nextgen See you next time on Voices From the Field.

Ep. 5 | Dr. John Ayanian - Understanding Medicaid Expansion and Its Real-World Outcomes

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we speak with Dr. John Ayanian [https://ihpi.umich.edu/director-john-z-ayanian-md-mpp], a practicing internist and leading health policy researcher at the University of Michigan. He is the Director of the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation [https://ihpi.umich.edu/] and the Alice Hamilton Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Policy. Dr. Ayanian joins Neil Nakkash to discuss Medicaid expansion and what it has revealed about real-world health outcomes. Drawing on his leadership of the long-term evaluation of Michigan’s Healthy Michigan Plan, he shares insights into how Medicaid expansion has impacted healthcare access, financial security, and population health. He also reflects on the gap between policy design and patient experience, the challenges of evaluating large-scale health reforms, and what his work reveals about the broader forces shaping health in the United States. For students interested in health policy, healthcare delivery, and population health, this episode offers an in-depth look at how major policy changes translate into real-world impact. Follow NAAMA NextGen on Instagram @NAAMA_NextGen to stay updated on our events, initiatives, and other content. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave us a review.  If you'd like to watch this episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/@naama_nextgen See you next time on Voices From the Field.

Ep. 4 | Dr. Bilal Butt - Rethinking Global Health through Environment & Place

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we speak with Dr. Bilal Butt [https://seas.umich.edu/research/faculty/bilal-butt], a Professor in the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability [https://seas.umich.edu/] and Senior Advisor at the U-M Center for Global Health Equity [https://globalhealthequity.umich.edu/] whose work sits at the intersection of environmental justice, conservation, and global health. Dr. Butt joins Neil Nakkash to discuss how geography and environment shape global health challenges, drawing from his experiences working with communities in East Africa and within academic institutions in the United States. He reflects on the tensions between conservation and local livelihoods, the limitations of top-down approaches to global health and development, and the importance of understanding health through place, land, movement, and environmental change. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Butt shares insights on environmental geopolitics [https://envgeopolitics.com/], community-engaged research, and the broader systems that influence global health inequities. For students interested in global health, environmental justice, sustainability, and international fieldwork, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on rethinking global health beyond the clinic. Follow NAAMA NextGen on Instagram @NAAMA_NextGen to stay updated on our events, initiatives, and other content. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave us a review.  If you'd like to watch this episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/@naama_nextgen See you next time on Voices From the Field.

Ep. 3 | Dr. Nahid Bhadelia - From the Frontlines to the White House: Global Outbreak Response & Preparedness

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we speak with Dr. Nahid Bhadelia [https://www.bu.edu/ceid/about-the-center/team/nahid-bhadelia-md-mald/], a board-certified infectious diseases physician. She is the founding director of Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID) [https://www.bu.edu/ceid/] and a former Senior Policy Advisor for the White House COVID-19 Response Team. Dr. Bhadelia joins Neil Nakkash to discuss her experiences on the frontlines of global health crises, from Ebola treatment units in West Africa to coordinating the United States’ global COVID-19 vaccine response. She speaks on the reality of outbreak response, the intersection of medicine and policy, and the challenges of preparing for future pandemics in an interconnected world. She also shares insights on global health security, vaccine equity, and the systems needed to respond effectively to emerging infectious threats. For students interested in infectious disease, public health policy, and global health leadership, this episode offers a powerful look into what it takes to respond to the world’s most urgent health challenges. To learn more about the latest infectious disease updates, visit Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network (BEACON) [https://beaconbio.org/en]. Follow NAAMA NextGen on Instagram @NAAMA_NextGen to stay updated on our events, initiatives, and other content. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave us a review.  If you'd like to watch this episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/@naama_nextgen See you next time on Voices From the Field.

Ep. 2 | Maha Freij - Nonprofit Leadership & Sustaining Impact

In our second episode of Voices from the Field, we sit down with Maha Freij [https://www.accesscommunity.org/about-us/maha-freij], President and CEO of ACCESS [https://www.accesscommunity.org/], the largest Arab American nonprofit in the country. Freij reflects on decades of nonprofit leadership, sharing lessons on sustaining large-scale initiatives, balancing service delivery with advocacy, and building strong relationships with donors and community partners. This conversation offers insight into what it takes to lead impactful, community-rooted institutions at scale. Follow NAAMA NextGen on Instagram @NAAMA_NextGen to stay updated on our events, initiatives, and other content. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave us a review.  If you'd like to watch this episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/@naama_nextgen See you next time on Voices From the Field.