On Friday, April 28th, members of the HVO global health community came together at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. for our 30th Anniversary Symposium. This event was an opportunity for long-time HVO volunteers and partners and new members alike to celebrate three decades of impact, and collaborate to grow the organization’s global reach.
The day began with a welcome address from HVO Executive Director Nancy Kelly, MHS and remarks by Dr. James Tielsch, a member of the HVO Board of Directors and Chair of the Department of Global Health at the Milken Institute.
Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to choose between multiple sessions featuring speakers and panel discussions on topics ranging from medical ethics when volunteering abroad to lessons learned from 30 years in the global health sector to future trends in global health as they relate to HVO’s mission. Panelists included HVO volunteers from a variety of specialties, leaders from HVO’s international partner institutions and representatives of HVO sponsors and peer organizations.
Other highlights from the day included a keynote speech on global philanthropy and volunteerism from Global Impact CEO Scott Jackson and a farewell address from the Chair of the HVO Board of Directors, Jody Olsen, PhD, MSW. Themes that emerged included the continued relevance of HVO’s mission, the sustainability of the HVO model in light of current global health trends, and the importance of sharing stories as a means of engaging the next generation of HVO volunteers.
Individuals who were unable to attend the symposium in-person were invited to follow the action online through live updates shared on HVO’s social media channels. Stay tuned – we will be sharing more content from this event in the coming weeks!
HVO would like to thank our event sponsors – Global Impact, the American Dental Association, and the American Dental Association Foundation – for their generous support of the Symposium.