Jirair Ratevosian

Dr. Jirair Ratevosian is a distinguished Health Science expert specializing in global health policy and security. He earned his BS from the University of California, Los Angeles, MPH from Boston University School of Public Health in 2007—for which he later received the Distinguished Alumni Award—and DrPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2022, with his dissertation on the early implementation review of COVAX and implications for equitable COVID-19 vaccine access. With over two decades of experience, he has held roles including Acting Chief of Staff and Health Equity Advisor to Ambassador John Nkengasong at the U.S. State Department (2021-2023), leading the $15.8 billion Global Fund replenishment; Corporate Social Responsibility Director at Gilead Sciences, advancing access in 127 countries; Legislative Director for Congresswoman Barbara Lee (2010-2014), contributing to PEPFAR reauthorization and the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus; and Deputy Director at amfAR. Currently, he serves as Associate Research Scientist at Yale School of Nursing, Hock Fellow at Duke Global Health Institute, non-resident Senior Associate at CSIS, and holds board seats with the American Public Health Association and Physicians for Human Rights. Awards include 40 Under 40 Health Leader (National Minority Quality Forum, 2018) and Out in National Security recognition (2021).

Ratevosian's academic interests center on the progression of HIV policies, strategies to address prevention and treatment gaps, market-driven incentives for access to innovative health technologies in underserved populations, ethical integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare, and strengthening pandemic preparedness and response systems. His influential publications include "Addressing transnational exploitation and armed conflict in the response to mpox" (The Lancet, 2024), "Legal and policy barriers for an effective HIV/AIDS response" (The Lancet, 2023), "Build on HIV investments for future pandemic preparedness" (BMJ Global Health, 2021), "Governance for health: the HIV response and general global health" (Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2019), and the Lancet Commission on advancing global health and the HIV response (2018). Through advocacy and policy work, he has helped raise billions for the global HIV/AIDS response and modernize laws aligned with public health evidence.

Professional Email: Jirair.Ratevosian@duke.edu