Professor of Pediatrics
School of Medicine & Public Health l Department of Pediatrics
Hometown: Madison, WI
Dr. James Conway is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine & Public Health, where he serves as Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program Director and Director of the Office of Global Health, as well as Medical Director for UW Health Immunization Programs. He also chairs the American Board of Pediatrics Pediatric Infectious Diseases Subboard.
Dr. Conway has spent much of his career working to improve immunization systems and access to vaccines, both in the US and abroad. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, where he serves as a Global Immunization Sustainability advisor, and received an AAP Special Achievement Award in 2009 for his global immunization projects and another in 2016 for HPV vaccine advocacy. Throughout the pandemic he served on the UW System & UW-Madison Emergency Operations Committees as well as the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee on COVID19 vaccines. He is a consultant for multiple pharmaceutical and public policy organizations, has been engaged in clinical trials for a variety vaccines, as well as studying the causes and impact of vaccine hesitancy.
Testimonials
“One of our greatest speakers presenting an important topic with humor and wisdom.”
“Excellent topic and excellent presentation. Clarified a great deal of misinformation on the topic of people opting out of having their children immunized.”
“Excellent topic and excellent authoritative speaker.”
“He was captivating and in command of content. He did a great job, I thought, making complex issues easy to understand for lay people.”
– The Rotary Club of Milwaukee event attendees
Talks:
Comprehending Incomprehension: Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy
Vaccines represent one of the most important other public health interventions in history. However, increasing numbers of people question the importance of these lifesaving measures, leaving vulnerable populations and individuals. Understanding the importance of community immunity, the causes of vaccine hesitancy, and approaches to communication are critical to managing this public health threat.