French Legion of Honor: Medical professional former assistant Surgeon General and Northeastern Provost honored by the French government

Félicitations😀😊💙😍❗

Northeastern University in Boston Provost’s distinguished professor at Northeastern honored with France’s highest civilian distinction

Published in Northeastern Global News by David Nordman

Retired Rear Adm. Susan Blumenthal, M.D., a provost’s distinguished professor at Northeastern, was honored by French Ambassador Laurent Bili. Photos Courtesy of the Embassy of France

Retired Rear Adm. Susan Blumenthal, M.D., was reconized for her contributions to public health, global health diplomacy and women’s health equity.

Retired Rear Adm. Susan Blumenthal, M.D., a provost’s distinguished professor at Northeastern University in Boston and former U.S. assistant surgeon general, has been awarded the Insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour), France’s highest civilian honor.

The ceremony, held at the French ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C., recognized Blumenthal’s contributions to public health, global health diplomacy and women’s health equity.

French Ambassador Laurent Bili praised Blumenthal’s decades-long leadership in U.S. public health, highlighting her work across four presidential administrations and her unrelenting advocacy for mental health, chronic disease prevention, pandemic response and the fight against cancer.

“You have served at the highest level of the U.S. government … with signature integrity and humanity,” Bili said. “You co-chair the presidential initiative on breast cancer and have led groundbreaking efforts to improve detection, including the founding of the ‘Missiles to Mammograms’ initiative.”

Blumenthal also spearheaded the creation of the National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health and the National Women’s Health Information Center, helping to integrate technology into public health through award-winning digital platforms.