Louisa Messenger (Environmental and Occupational Health) and Karen Figueroa Chilito (Public Health) were invited by United to Beat Malaria, a grassroots campaign of the United Nations Foundation, to represent the state of Nevada during their annual Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. from Mar. 11-12. 

Together, they met with staff members of Senator Jacky Rosen (NV), Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto (NV), Senator Tim Kaine (VA), Senator Mark Warner (VA), Representative Dina Titus (NV), Representative Donald Beyer Jr. (VA), and Representative Jennifer Wexton (VA) to advocate for sustained funding for the President's Malaria Initiative, the CDC, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF.

Messenger also participated as a guest speaker during the summit's plenary panel on "Tackling Malaria Together: From Research to Advocacy."

Figueroa Chilito is a doctoral student.