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.
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in Global Health Global public health is at a breaking point, and to meet today’s escalating threats, we must replace outdated, donor-driven systems with a resilient, locally led, and investment-based architecture for the future.