Pierre Vigilance

Associate Dean for Public Health Practice & Associate Professor of Health Policy & Management. A leader in public health practice, research, and advocacy, Dr. Vigilance has more than 20 years of experience in public health leadership, programming, and administration. He became SPHHS’s Associate Dean for Practice and an Associate Professor of Global Health in July 2013 after serving the school as the Visiting Professor for Public Health Practice since 2011. He continues to expand the school’s Practice collaboration network, assist students in finding work experience opportunities including internships and practica, teach and mentor graduate and undergraduate students, and establish strategic partnerships with a number of organizations including a few focused specifically on development in the Caribbean.

Dr. Vigilance departed government service in 2011 after working as the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health. He led the Department’s promotion of health and wellness through innovative physical activity and nutrition projects such as community-level “Ward Walks,” the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, and “Live Well DC”. He also supported the development of an ongoing HIV testing, education, and prevention strategy including “the Rubber Revolution.” His focus on performance management guided the Department in developing and implementing performance metrics that address the District’s unique health needs, resulting in increased productivity and accountability, and improved health outcomes. He also increased the Department’s capacity in data collection and analysis, which led to the publication of the District’s first HIV/AIDS epidemiology reports; the Preventable Causes of Death Report (the first city-level report ever produced); the Obesity Report, and the Obesity Action Plan.

Prior to joining the DC DOH, Dr. Vigilance served as Director of the Baltimore County Department of Health, and as the Assistant Commissioner for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Baltimore City. As the city’s Assistant Commissioner, Dr. Vigilance directed an aggressive HIV outreach and education campaign “Live, Love, Be Safe,” which resulted in increased awareness of HIV/AIDS in Baltimore City. He continues to serve as an advocate for expanded access to HIV testing, and de-stigmatization of HIV/AIDS. Before entering the government, his early public health work focused on the development of a community-based substance abuse program along with other social justice oriented community-based interventions in East Baltimore. Dr. Vigilance is an avid soccer fan, promoter of physical activity, and a lover of the arts, music and travel.