Dr. Naveen Rao is Senior Vice President of the Health Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation, where he leads efforts to build climate-resilient, equitable health systems and reimagine the future of global health. He previously directed the Foundation’s Covid-19 response, global vaccination strategies, and pathogen surveillance initiatives. Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Rao spent 25 years at Merck & Co., where he led Merck for Mothers, a $500 million initiative to reduce maternal mortality. Earlier in his career, he practiced Internal Medicine in New York City and served as Associate Director of Medicine at Beekman-Downtown Hospital. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Sep 24 2025 Perspective When Communities Lead, Heat–Health Solutions Save Lives The Rockefeller Foundation is advancing climate and health resilience by supporting locally driven solutions, strengthening community systems, and investing in global cooperation through its $50 million Build the Shared Future initiative.
May 18 2025 Perspective A Chance for Transformation in Global Health Global public health is at a breaking point, and to meet today’s escalating threats, we must replace outdated, donor-driven systems with a resilient, locally led, and investment-based architecture for the future.