Board of Visitors

On April 23, the Office of Government and Community Affairs (OGCA) team hosted the annual Board of Visitors’ (BoV) spring luncheon at the Emory Conference Center Hotel. More than 100 former and current BoV members attended the lunch and fireside chat between President Gregory L. Fenves and Alex Dolle, Emory scholar and OGCA intern. As we close out the first year of the OGCA-BoV partnership, we remain excited about building bridges between Emory and our community.

Pictured below is the OGCA team at the annual BoV spring luncheon.

Federal Affairs

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins visits Emory Healthcare Veterans Program
On April 14, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins visited the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program (EHVP) to learn about their work treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, anxiety and depression. The visit highlighted the importance of the partnership between the VA and EHVP and how they can work together to improve health outcomes for our veterans.

Emory on the Hill
On April 8, Nahara Vargas Maldonado, a fourth-year PhD candidate in immunology and molecular pathogenesis at Emory, attended the AAAS CASE workshop in Washington, D.C. Vargas Maldonado met with policymakers and their staff to advocate for her research focusing on influenza A virus transmission and infection. On April 22, Emory’s National Emerging Special Pathogens Training & Education Center (NETEC) team was on Capitol Hill advocating for sustained funding. They had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Shamie Das, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow and Emory emergency care physician working on Capitol Hill. Emory continues to be well represented on Capitol Hill — if you are heading to Capitol Hill, please reach out to Jenna Lawler.

Emory Healthcare signs ARPA-H community letter for FY 2026
Emory joined 77 organizations in sending a letter to House and Senate Appropriations chairs thanking them for their work and urging them to provide at least $1.7 billion, to be available through FY 2028, for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The letter states that ARPA-H’s charge to support transformative health breakthroughs for the benefit of all Americans is unique within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and it is crucial that this agency be maintained as a distinct entity funded independently of other health-focused agencies. Read the letter here.

Share your experience — help protect vital research

We are looking for powerful stories from:

Patients with firsthand experience participating in clinical trials or medical research.
Caregivers who have witnessed how medical advancements have improved their loved ones’ quality of life and extended their lives.
Medical researchers, providers and experts who understand the value of continued progress.

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is collecting these stories from across all diseases and research domains on behalf of a broad coalition of patient groups. If you have a story you are willing to share, please get in touch at stories@usagainstalzheimers.org.

Your story will always remain yours to tell. Sharing is completely voluntary. There is no requirement for your story to be made public and you can decide how it’s used. Together, we can make a difference.

State Affairs

Tort reform signed into law
On April 21, the State Affairs team attended the bill signing for two major tort reform measures passed during the 2025 legislative session: Senate Bills 68 and 69. At the press conference, Gov. Brian Kemp emphasized that these bills are designed to lower insurance costs, support businesses and strengthen Georgia’s economy. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Speaker of the House Jon Burns also delivered remarks in support of the legislation, representing a sweeping overhaul of the state’s civil litigation system. The comprehensive reforms include provisions aligned with two of Emory’s legislative priorities: limiting anchoring during jury trials and permitting truth in damages. Emory is grateful for the passage of this historic legislation and appreciates the General Assembly’s efforts to advance meaningful tort reform in Georgia.

Post-Session Activity
Gov. Brian Kemp’s office is currently in the 40-day bill review period, during which all passed legislation is considered for signature. While the tort reform package has already been signed into law, the State Affairs team is closely monitoring additional legislation still awaiting the Governor’s signature — including the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget. This year, Emory secured two new budget line items:

$3 million in one-time 4:1 matching funds to enhance and stabilize behavioral and mental health services in the Emergency Department at Emory University Hospital Midtown.
$1 million to expand research and wraparound services at the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program for the treatment of PTSD, supporting Georgia veterans and their families.

The State Affairs team continues to engage with the Governor’s office to advocate for these critical investments, as well as other bills of interest to Emory.

Georgia Independent College Association board meeting
On April 14, the State Affairs team joined President Gregory L. Fenves at the Georgia Independent College Association’s board meeting. Senate Higher Education Chairman Max Burns addressed the group of college presidents, sharing his outlook on the state of higher education and how the General Assembly may continue to shape education policy in Georgia. The conversation focused on the importance of academic freedom and the role of private universities as responsible partners in educating the next generation of Georgia’s leaders.

Community Affairs

Emory Climate Reality Project
Emory was proud to welcome DeKalb Commissioner Ted Terry to campus on April 22 as the Emory Climate Reality Project held a symposium to commemorate Earth Day. Commissioner Terry shared the myriad of sustainability initiatives underway in the county and fielded questions from attendees about how to advocate on similar issues.

State of DeKalb Animals Address
DeKalb Commissioner Michelle Long Spears is hosting the second annual State of DeKalb Animals (SODA) Address and Luncheon on May 16 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Emory Conference Center Hotel. This year’s event will focus on the many advances and successes of SODA and showcase ways to improve the lives of companion animals and those who care for them. This is a free event; however, seats are limited. Register in advance for tickets.

Health & Wellness Discovery Day
On Saturday, May 3, Emory will partner with Privi for their 2nd Annual Health & Wellness Discovery Day. The event will feature a panel discussion on violence prevention and firearm safety, among other important topics. We are grateful to our partners at the Emory Hillandale Violence Prevention Program, the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for their participation. This event is free to attend and open to the public. Use this link to register.

1599 Clifton Road, NE, Suite 5.201, Atlanta, GA 30322 | 404-727-4088 | kendra.price@emory.edu