Lorraine Francis

Lorraine Francis is an Associate Professor of Practice at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in Public & Ecosystem Health. She serves as the Emergency Preparedness & Management Concentration Chief in the Master of Public Health Program, focusing on infectious disease epidemiology and environmental health challenges exacerbated by climate change in Small Island Developing States.

• Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) - University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
• Master of Public Health (MPH) - University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad
• Master of Health Administration (MHA) - University of Trinidad and Tobago
• Master of Arts in Disaster Management - Florida International University
• Bachelor of Science in Biology - University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad

Her research focuses on communicable disease epidemiology, particularly emerging/re-emerging diseases and vector-borne illnesses, with strong emphasis on emergency preparedness and climate change impacts on public health systems in tropical regions. She has contributed to understanding disease outbreaks across Caribbean nations and developing coordinated response strategies.

Recent publications analyze arbovirus infections, Zika and Chikungunya outbreaks in the Caribbean, and environmental health challenges, demonstrating her expertise in tropical disease dynamics and public health infrastructure. Her work bridges veterinary medicine and human health through ecosystem-based approaches.

Lorraine maintains professional affiliations with the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID), Global Foodborne Infections Network (GFN), and Caribbean animal health network (CaribVET), supporting her interdisciplinary approach to public health challenges.