From Student to Speaker

Luisa Ferrari (NHS’20, L’26) is the first alumna of the Conversations in Health: Global to Local course to join as a speaker. Graduating as a global health major less than six years ago, Ferrari discussed her time at Georgetown University and her early career path. Her story is a shining example of how to make the most of every opportunity, driven by the purpose of serving others.

Ferrari grew interested in global health long before arriving at Georgetown. Her father—a physician and HIV researcher—first brought her on a trip to Tanzania when she was eight years old. At fifteen, she travelled to Tanzania by herself. During these trips, she began to wonder why some communities had such limited access to health care.

Ferrari started on the pre-med track at Georgetown before realizing she had a passion for politics. With her roommate’s encouragement, she interned on Capitol Hill for her entire junior year. During her senior year, she interned at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa in the Republic of the Congo and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Washington (CDCW) office. She continued working at CDCW for several years after graduating.

Ms. Ferrari worked on a range of issues at CDCW, including COVID-19, public health data authority, and chronic disease. She supported CDCW’s mission of communicating public health information to Congress and responding to congressional inquiries. She began night classes at Georgetown Law two years into her time at CDCW.

Ferrari currently serves as the senior policy director of the Parkinson’s Foundation. After she graduates from Georgetown Law in May, she will work at a Washington, DC, law firm.

What resonated with me most about Ferrari’s story was her openness to new experiences. At WHO’s Regional Office for Africa, she learned about health financing for the first time. When she started at the CDCW in early 2020, she did not expect to be working there during a global pandemic. She took national security classes at Georgetown Law and learned about the connection between national security and global health.

Throughout her diverse experiences, Ferrari maintains her commitment to learning new things and serving others.

“I never want to stop learning,” she said during our conversation. For every experience, she asks herself, “Am I going to learn something new here?” She recalled Anthony Fauci’s advice during her time in Conversations in Health: What you do with your life should have some benefit to others.

As someone who aspires to have a career in health law, I especially connected with Ferrari’s story. Our conversation inspired me to remain open and curious as I graduate from Georgetown’s School of Health this spring and enter Georgetown Law in the fall. I love to learn, so I was thrilled to hear from Ferrari about all the learning that happens in the professional world. Like Ferrari, I hope to embrace unexpected turns, all while remaining committed to serving others.

Lauren Freed (H’26) is an undergraduate student majoring in healthcare management and policy at Georgetown University.