Our deepest thanks to a profoundly important champion at GHC

By Kate Dodson, Global Health Council Board Chair

To my fellow members of the Global Health Council community:

As Chair of the Global Health Council Board of Directors, I am writing to you today with bittersweet news: after more than four years at the helm of Global Health Council, Loyce Pace has announced her resignation. Loyce has an incredibly exciting new opportunity on the immediate horizon, which she’ll be happy to share more about in the coming days.

As you know, in November, Loyce was tapped to serve on then-President-elect Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board. Her appointment to this critical role is a testament to the work she and her team have done over the past four years.

At a time when COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities and gaps in health systems around the world, Loyce’s leadership and vision as CEO of the Global Health Council (GHC) have been a much-needed positive force. Her tenure at GHC has laid essential groundwork and positioned the organization well for the global health challenges that lie ahead.

Under Loyce’s leadership, GHC has accomplished many impressive achievements that have reestablished the organization as a critical voice, including:

• Expanding GHC’s diverse and important membership by 33%;
• Doubling GHC’s major donor base and core staff;
• Restoring strong financial health to the organization, establishing the first organizational reserve in a decade and securing clean audits;
• Launching a new strategy and vision for GHC and the global health community, including a central focus on equity and tackling systemic racism and discrimination that impede health progress; and
• Deepening GHC’s policy engagement with the U.S. administration and in multilateral forums, establishing relationships with senior officials at the White House, World Health Organization and elsewhere.

And most important, as all of you who know Loyce understand, she’s inspired and motivated thoughtful leadership at all levels, with all who have the privilege to work with her. Loyce not only brings out the best in herself, but also brings out the best in all of us as a community.

While I am forever grateful to Loyce for sharing her immense skills with GHC over the past four years, I must also share my immense gratitude to the remarkable staff at GHC and my fellow Board members. I have every confidence that the team Loyce built over the past several years is well positioned to continue its important work.

All of us on the Board of Directors, including our three newest Board members, are committed to working closely with the GHC staff to ensure a smooth transition and that GHC continues to excel in partnership with you all.

This includes the search for a new President and Executive Director, which starts today. Under the capable leadership of our Board’s Nominating Committee, we are committed to ensuring GHC’s next leader has a profile that reflects equity and diversity in global health. In the meantime, I am particularly grateful to my fellow Board member John Ariale, who has agreed to step in on a voluntary basis to serve as interim executive director. John has deep experience on Capitol Hill and serves as Chair of our Membership Committee; I’m confident he’ll be a strong custodian during this transition period.

Loyce’s last day will be on Friday. I encourage you to read her last letter to the community. In the meantime, I know you will all join me in wishing her all the best as she moves into her new role. I want to express our collective gratitude for all that Loyce has helped GHC to achieve during her tenure. We look forward to working closely with her in her new capacity as we pursue our collective vision of sustainable funding and equitable policies to improve global health and wellness for all.

In solidarity,
Kate Dodson
Chair, Global Health Council