The Gates Institute is proud to celebrate Carolyn Combs, Financial Director, as the 2025 recipient of the PFRH Staff Citizenship Award—an honor recognizing outstanding commitment, integrity, and service within the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health (PFRH) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Carolyn has worked at Johns Hopkins University for over thirteen years in finance and administration, and she joined the Gates Institute in 2017. Since stepping into the role of Financial Director in 2022, she has led the Institute’s finance team with clarity, accountability, and a collaborative spirit. Her leadership ensures the smooth operation of critical administrative systems that support the Institute’s mission to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights globally.
Beyond her technical expertise, Carolyn is known for her dedication to building strong relationships across teams, her thoughtful mentorship of colleagues, and her steady presence through both routine challenges and major transitions. Her work reflects the very essence of the PFRH Citizenship Award: fostering a supportive, ethical, and community-oriented workplace.
Please join us in congratulating Carolyn on this well-deserved recognition!