Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1363384
First, Morita consulted with leadership at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, where she has served as executive vice president since 2019. A major private philanthropy dedicated solely to improving the nation's health, the nonpartisan organization maintains strict guidelines around campaign involvement, and Morita wished to avoid any conflict of interest, whether real or perceived. In addition, serving on the task force would occasionally pull Morita away from her full-time duties guiding the foundation's programming, policy, research and communications activities. While foundation leadership supported Morita's involvement, the Chicago native and mother of two still faced one sizable hurdle: convincing herself she was a worthy member of this high-stakes national effort. "I want to add value in anything I do," she says. "I'm not interested in simply filling a seat." To others, Morita's worthiness proved an easy sell. A pediatrician turned public-health advocate who was an Epidemic Intelligence Answering the Public Health Call B Y D A N I E L P . S M I T H J JULIE MORITA, MD '90, remembers her phone ringing some time between morning yoga and breakfast. An unfamiliar voice presented an unexpected offer. A member of then-candidate Joe Biden's campaign staff began detailing plans for a COVID-19 advisory task force. In the event of a Biden victory in November, the former vice president wanted a team of doctors, scientists and public health experts advising his transition team on plans to combat the pandemic, including disease control, vaccines, treatments and communications. Amid mounting caseloads and persistent frustration with the pandemic's toll on American life, the Biden team needed a prudent coronavirus action plan in place by Inauguration Day. "Would you be interested in participating in this?" the staffer asked Morita. Though intrigued and honored by the request, Morita requested some time to consider the offer. "I couldn't let my excitement get the better of me," she confesses. Alumna helped to shape Biden transition team's COVID-19 planning "I want to add value in anything I do," says Julie Morita, MD '90 , who took time to ponder the Biden transition team's offer. "I'm not interested in simply filling a seat." P H O T O : D I A N E S M U T N Y continued on page 30 Illinois Medicine | 29