What the Eyes Don’t See
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Pediatrician, Scientist, Activist & Author | Associate Dean for Public Health at Michigan State University
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is the Associate Dean for Public Health and C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She is the founding director of the Pediatric Public Health Initiative, an innovative partnership of MSU and Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint, Michigan.
A pediatrician, scientist, activist, and author, Dr. Hanna-Attisha was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and recognized as one of USA Today’s Women of the Century for her role in uncovering the Flint water crisis and leading recovery efforts. She has testified multiple times before the United States Congress, lectures at dozens of colleges and universities, and frequently contributes to national media outlets championing the cause of children in Flint and beyond. Dr. Hanna-Attisha is the author of the widely acclaimed and New York Times 100 most notable book, What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City.
With concentrations in environmental health and health policy, she received her bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan. She completed her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and her residency and chief residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.
"Challenging injustice means standing up for the weak, the vulnerable, the abused, and the forgotten - be it in health, employment, education, or the environment."
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Mona’s Topic: What the Eyes Don’t See
Galvanizing a team of researchers, parents, friends and community leaders, Hanna-Attisha led the battle to convince state officials that the drinking water was poisoning her city’s residents, particularly children, from lead in the pipes.
She has since headed a multiprong effort to offset the harmful effects of exposure on Flint, Michigan’s children, testified before Congressional committees, and authored the bestselling book What the Eyes Don’t See.
In her own words: “The Flint story is not about me. … I was the last domino in the story. But when you work together with others, you can accomplish and change so much more.” In an intimate fireside chat, Hanna will share her story of leading a team with a diverse group of partners with overwhelming success, and inspire us to “find your passion, find your people, be prepared and be persistent…” to make a difference in the world.
