Leveraging Law and Health
By Jordan Pai (H’27)
On April 1, 2025, the Conversations in Health: Global to Local class had the opportunity to hear from Susan C. Kim, J.D., MPH, MBA, a distinguished leader in global health policy. Kim, who most recently served as principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), shared insights from her career journey and reflections on the evolving landscape of global health.
Kim’s path into global health was shaped by her upbringing in an immigrant family in Los Angeles, where the expectation was to become either a doctor or a lawyer. Not naturally inclined toward math, she chose law, attending all-girls schools for both high school and college. These experiences helped her find her voice.
During law school, the tragic loss of her younger brother shifted her focus toward health law, leading her to pursue a Master of Public Health at the University of Michigan. There, she met a mentor who would later become the assistant secretary for global affairs at HHS, introducing her to the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown Law.
Joining Georgetown as a law fellow, Kim played a pivotal role in shaping the O’Neill Institute into the powerhouse it is today, working alongside Lawrence Gostin, J.D., founder of the O’Neill Institute and a distinguished university professor. Kim collaborated with University of Maryland researchers on HIV community engagement initiatives across Africa and helped secure funding to launch a global health team in Cameroon. She noted the O’Neill Institute’s uniqueness as one of the only publicly funded law centers in the United States, underscoring its commitment to public service.
Recognizing the need for financial expertise in global health negotiations, Kim pursued an MBA at Georgetown University. She explained how learning “how money talks” allowed her to engage with pharmaceutical companies and private industry on healthcare reform. This skillset became invaluable in her work at the HHS Office of Global Affairs, where she led multilateral engagements on the Global Health Strategy, the Border Health Commission, and the International Health Regulations (IHR).
During the discussion, Kim addressed the challenges of sustaining global health investments, particularly within the IHR framework. She noted the troubling trend of countries shifting toward domestic health investments while international funding decreased. While the short-term consequences of this transition may be difficult, Kim expressed optimism in a new funding landscape, with new contributors such as Thailand stepping up to fill the gap.
One of the most compelling aspects of Kim’s talk was her ability to bridge legal, policy, and financial perspectives. She emphasized that true progress in global health requires perspectives from all levels, including policy experts, industry leaders, and grassroots organizers working together. Kim’s journey reinforced the importance of adaptability and interdisciplinary thinking in public health. Her story was a powerful reminder that expertise in law, business, and policy is necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of global health. As we move forward in our own careers, her insights encourage us to think broadly about how we can contribute to building a more equitable and resilient global health system.
Jordan Pai (H’27) is an undergraduate student at Georgetown University majoring in global health. He is a student in the Conversations in Health: Global to Local class.