FPG student profile series: Susie Welty
Susie Welty, a doctoral student in public health at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, brings more than two decades of global health experience to her work at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG). Born and raised in Ecuador, Welty became interested in health equity after seeing Indigenous Quechua communities denied access to health care. That early experience helped shape a career focused on public health, data systems, epidemiology, and social impact.
Welty earned a degree in biology from Campbell University and a master’s degree in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of California, Berkeley. She has spent 25 years working in global health in academic settings, including eight years at Harvard University and 17 years at the University of California, San Francisco. Her work has included supporting HIV care and treatment data systems and surveillance systems in Tanzania, as well as assisting public health departments in San Francisco and California with COVID-19 contact tracing and training efforts.
Welty began the Doctor of Public Health program at UNC Gillings in August 2025 and is conducting her dissertation work with FPG Senior Research Scientist Ann Sam, PhD, on the AFIRM-AI project, which focuses on the responsible use of artificial intelligence to support social impact.
As part of our FPG student profile series, we recently spoke with Welty to learn more about how she came to be at FPG and her work here at the Institute. Here’s what she had to say.
On joining FPG, the work she does at the Institute, and future plans
After global health funding ended in 2025, Welty began looking for a new way to use her public health expertise. Around the same time, her 8-year-old twins were diagnosed with autism, and she quickly became an advocate for supporting autistic individuals and their families. She also developed a strong interest in the thoughtful and responsible use of AI for social impact.
When she read a press release about the AFIRM-AI project, Welty immediately felt connected to the work. She reached out to Ann Sam and Sam Odom, PhD, and soon began working with the project team.
“I’m excited to bring together my background in public health with my personal and professional interests in autism, AI, and social impact,” said Welty. “Working with the FPG team has given me a meaningful opportunity to explore how technology can be used thoughtfully and responsibly to support families and communities.”
Since joining the project team, Welty said she has been especially impressed by its inclusive leadership and its emphasis on centering lived experience in the work. And, although she is still early in the process, Welty said she is excited to be working with the FPG team and to connect her public health background with her growing focus on autism, AI, health, and social impact.
Welty is pursuing a Doctor of Public Health, an executive leadership program designed for mid-career public health professionals. She plans to finish the program in 2028 and hopes to continue working at the intersection of AI, health, and social impact.
You can learn more about AFIRM-AI and how FPG researchers are exploring the responsible use of artificial intelligence to support families, practitioners, and communities in the FPG web story, FPG researchers awarded $3.6 million for new AFIRM-AI project. And be sure to check out our other stories in FPG’s student profile series to learn how students are contributing to research, implementation, and impact across the Institute.
