Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH, dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, has been recognized by the Pittsburgh Business Times as part of its 2026 Women of Influence awards. The honor recognizes leaders across the region for their professional accomplishments, community impact and leadership.
The following is excerpted from the Pittsburgh Business Times article (subscription required) announcing the honorees:
Originally from Suriname, Lichtveld has built a global career in public health leadership and environmental health research. Before joining Pitt in 2021, she served in a variety of national and international public health leadership roles. At Pitt Public Health, she oversees seven academic departments, an approximately $100 million National Institutes of Health-funded research portfolio, and hundreds of students, faculty and staff. She also serves as professor of environmental and occupational health and Jonas Salk Professor of Population Health.
In the article, Lichtveld reflected on how her early experiences as a physician in the Amazon rainforest shaped her career in public health. “While I never imagined working without a stethoscope around my neck, it became quickly clear — even as a young physician practicing in the Amazon rainforest of my native country Suriname — that there must be a smarter way to treat hundreds of patients with preventable diseases,” she said. “My public health ‘aha’ moment!”
The Pittsburgh Business Times celebrated this year’s Women of Influence honorees during an awards event at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on May 14.
-Clare Collins
