Mylo Schaaf has had a remarkable and varied career, both at UCSF and in a number of other settings, often overseas. She came to UCSF as a resident in the DGIM program of internal medicine. Since that time, she has focused clinically on underserved individuals and populations: low-income patients in the SFGH TB Clinic and Emergency Department, patients with chronic pain or addiction issues at Kaiser San Rafael, uninsured and under-insured patients at the Marin Rotary Free Clinic and the Marin Community Clinic, and patients living in low-resource countries, specifically India, Mexico, El Salvador, Bolivia, Liberia, Haiti, Honduras, and Kenya. In these locations, Mylo has worked with local medical personnel to improve health delivery systems, teach public health classes, and train healthcare workers.

In 2011, she returned to UCSF as the Global Health Advisor for the School of Medicine, engaging with hundreds of trainees eager to help the medically underserved. Along with teaching, advising, and mentoring, Mylo has focused on improving the supervision and safety of students by careful evaluation of foreign research or rotation sites. She brought together a cross-campus group of faculty and staff to collaborate on the issues facing trainees who work overseas. This group, the Trainee International Issues Council, created a website to provide knowledge and security resources for students. Mylo was also recruited to be one of the co-directors of the School of Medicine Inquiry Funding Board and assist with multiple application reviews and manage the global health funding portfolio.

Eight years ago, Mylo – now an Adjunct Professor of Medicine – was named the first UCSF Senior International Officer and Director of Global Health in the EVCP Office. With a steadfast and collegial approach, she has helped to manage cross-campus administrative and affiliation issues. These efforts have resulted in the creation of several UCSF websites to provide information and resources on International Delegations, International Affiliations, Travel Risk Resources for the UCSF Community, the Global Hub, and – during the COVID epidemic – the COVID Travel and Guest webpages. Other significant efforts involved the creation of the International Research Support Office, advising on travel risk for the COVID Emergency Operations Center and the Recovery Operations Center, supporting Global Programs as a Board member, and serving with a thoughtful and committed spirit on a number of UCSF and UCOP committees, and local, national, and international global health organizations.

Mylo is also the author of Blown Into Now – Poems for a Journey, published by Blue Light Press. These poems were written after the death of her 24-year-old son, Alex. They describe her twelve-year exploration from hopelessness toward joy, and became a guide for those who mourn. Alex’s photos of wild and beauty accompany each poem, providing a pause from grief and a glimpse of wonder.