Seton Hall Welcomes Matthew Brown, Sergio Vieira de Mello Visiting Chair in Post-Conflict Diplomacy

The School of Diplomacy and International Relations is honored to welcome Matthew Brown, Ph.D., as its next Sergio Vieira de Mello Visiting Chair in the Practice of Post-Conflict Diplomacy. Professor Brown recently served in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), in the Office of Health Diplomacy. He led health diplomacy efforts across South Central Asia, the Near East and Europe. Prior to July 2025, he served as deputy director for Program Quality for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). 

At Seton Hall,  Brown teaches graduate courses in Global Health Security and Bioterrorism. His career focuses on the intersection of global health, national security and international systems, with particular emphasis on advancing the practice of health diplomacy. With more than 30 years of experience and a strong record of scholarly publication, he is widely recognized as a leader in this emerging field. 

Brown continues to lecture, mentor student research and maintain academic affiliations with institutions including the University of California, San Diego; George Washington University; and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is also a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. 

A seasoned practitioner, Brown has advised governments, international organizations and biotechnology and health security firms, from startups to large enterprises, on entering and operating in emerging markets. His research examines how countries and institutions collaborate to address transnational public health threats in an increasingly interconnected world.

In his federal career, Brown has held leadership roles at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DoD), with multiple long-term overseas assignments. 

From 2021-23, Brown served as deputy country director for CDC Ethiopia, leading a team of more than 90 staff supporting PEPFAR programs, vaccine-preventable disease initiatives and collaborations with Africa CDC. From 2020-21, he was deputy health attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, coordinating across CDC, FDA and NIH offices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, he directed the NIH Fogarty International Center’s China Office (2018-20), advancing bilateral research programs and data-sharing initiative — work recognized with an NIH Director’s Award in 2021. Between 2016 and 2018, he led the NIH National Cancer Institute’s China Office, supporting joint initiatives in tobacco control, HPV vaccine trials and cancer research. He also helped re-launch a trans-NIH funding partnership with the National Science Foundation of China, supporting collaborative research across leading institutions, resulting in more than 30 awards and several patents. 

Brown has held additional long-term assignments in Kazakhstan, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti and China, contributing to CDC’s global health mission.

A graduate of Concorida College’s Political Science and Philosophy, he earned an M.P.S. in Policy Science and Program Evaluation from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a Joint Ph.D. in global public health from San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros. 

During his time at Seton Hall, Professor Brown has engaged students through courses, workshops and research mentorship. His presence provides a unique opportunity to explore pressing global health challenges through both academic and practitioner lenses. 

Emily Harrast, a graduate student in the M.A. in Diplomacy and International Relations program, noted,

Having a career professional like Professor Brown at Seton Hall has provided valuable insight into the topics we are studying and our potential career paths. His experience is truly inspiring, and his course has strengthened my ability to analyze global health challenges and think critically about solutions.

Professor Brown encourages students to pursue international experience through study abroad, internships and fieldwork,

Engage in international service through hands-on experience, practice empathy, and take every opportunity afforded to you to explore the world. In an increasingly interconnected world, the challenges to global health have never been greater, and career professional who understand how to work across diverse communities, cultures, and languages are going to be key to our survival as a species.

Students are welcome to connect with Professor Brown and participate in ongoing research and workshop opportunities as he continues to collaborate with the Seton Hall community.

Categories: Education, Nation and World