During my time in Thailand, I had the incredible honor of meeting the Princess of Thailand.

Of all the experiences I had during this trip, this is one I will carry with me for a very long time.

What made the opportunity especially meaningful was her commitment to disaster preparedness and response, a field that has shaped so much of my own life and career.

For more than two decades, my work has taken me from emergency departments and ambulances to disaster deployments, public health response, classrooms, and communities around the world. Through all of it, I have learned that disaster preparedness is ultimately about people.

It is about what we do before something happens. How we prepare our healthcare workforce. How we strengthen communities. How we educate the next generation. How we build systems that can continue functioning when circumstances are anything but normal.

Having the opportunity to meet the Princess and see that commitment to disaster work represented at this level was incredibly meaningful to me.

I came to Thailand to teach and share my experiences, but as always happens when I travel internationally, I left having learned just as much as I taught.

Different countries. Different systems. Different experiences, but the responsibility to prepare, protect, and serve people when they are most vulnerable is universal.

I am incredibly grateful to Thailand for the hospitality extended to me, for the people I met, for everything I learned, and for this extraordinary moment.

Service before self has no borders.

An honor I will never forget. 🇹🇭