John Finnegan

John R Finnegan Jr, PhD, MA, joined the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in 1980 as a doctoral student and former journalist. Working with SPH faculty Henry Blackburn, MD, MPH, and Russell Luepker, MD, MS, he led a staff of media professionals supporting the Minnesota Heart Health Program, one of the largest NIH-funded community trials focusing on heart disease prevention. In 1986, he joined the SPH faculty specializing in community campaigns and health communication research utilizing the media. In 2005, he was named Dean of the school and served for 17 years until his retirement in February 2022.