Aug. 21, 2024 (New York, NY) – Vital Strategies, a global public health organization, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary-Ann Etiebet, M.D. as President and Chief Executive Officer to guide the organization into its third decade. Dr. Etiebet is a distinguished global health leader, health care executive, and staunch advocate for women’s health and health equity. She will lead an organization that has become a major force in global health, with an annual budget of $110 million, a team of world-class talent, and programs in over 80 countries. Today, more than 3.3 billion people around the world are covered by public health policies that Vital Strategies helped achieve.
“Joining Vital Strategies as CEO is a tremendous honor,” said Dr. Etiebet. “At this pivotal moment of global change, I look forward to collaborating with Vital’s talented staff and extensive network of partners to fulfill our mission of strengthening public health systems for everyone, everywhere. I have served on Vital’s Board of Trustees since 2021, and I have long admired the organization’s accomplishments and passion for improving systems and policies to protect health, challenging the status quo that perpetuates poor health and deepens health inequities, advancing scientific knowledge, and fostering local leadership. These attributes are essential to addressing our unprecedented challenges, from growing inequity to the climate crisis.”
Dr. Etiebet comes to Vital Strategies from Merck, where she first served as the Lead and Executive Director of Merck for Mothers, the company’s global health initiative created to help end preventable maternal deaths. Under her leadership, Merck for Mothers increased access to high-quality and respectful maternal health care for more than 30 million women in more than 70 countries. Dr. Etiebet later served as Merck’s Associate Vice President for Health Equity, developing the company’s first enterprise-wide health equity strategy, developing partnerships to improve health outcomes for underserved communities, and driving efforts to increase access to health in low- and middle-income countries.
“Dr. Etiebet’s expertise makes her the ideal leader for Vital Strategies’ next stage,” said Bruce Mandell, Chair of Vital Strategies’ Board of Trustees. “Her extensive experience in all aspects of public health, including philanthropy, the public and private sectors, and clinical care, spans the globe. Equally important is her profound commitment and passion for driving large-scale change, which underpins the Board’s confidence in her leadership of Vital Strategies.”
Dr. Etiebet began her career as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Disease at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she also served as the Senior Technical Advisor of the Institute of Human Virology-Nigeria, leading the development of their PEPFAR-supported HIV/AIDS public health and clinical service delivery programs that reached over 70,000 people across Nigeria. As the Director of Ambulatory Care Strategies for New York City Health and Hospitals and later as a Principal Consultant in the Population Health Management team at Premier, Inc. she was responsible for implementing various Medicaid and Medicare delivery system reforms and value-based payment initiatives in hospital systems across New York City and state.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization: “My congratulations to Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet for her appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of Vital Strategies. Vital Strategies is a valued partner, from our work together on improving data systems to addressing noncommunicable diseases and injuries.”
Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., Director, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO): “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet on her appointment as the new President and CEO of Vital Strategies. Her exceptional leadership and dedication to public health will undoubtedly enhance our collaborative efforts toward achieving health for all. This appointment builds on a 15-year collaboration between our organizations, and I am confident that under Dr. Etiebet’s guidance, our joint efforts will continue to yield significant advancements in global health.”
Kelly Henning, M.D., MPH, Bloomberg Philanthropies: “Congratulations to Dr. Etiebet on her exemplary career and appointment as CEO of Vital Strategies. We look forward to continuing to partner with Vital under Dr. Etiebet’s leadership and advancing our shared commitment to strengthening public health globally across key focus areas, including road safety, tobacco control, food policy, overdose prevention, health data strengthening, and healthy cities.”
Mary T. Bassett, M.D., MPH, Director, FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University: “Congratulations to Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet. It is encouraging to see an organization with Vital Strategies’ track record in public health bring in a leader who understands deeply the importance of health equity. Building on her service as a physician, public health practitioner, global health innovator, and advocate Dr. Etiebet brings a diverse set of perspectives and a proven track record of advancing health equity in communities around the world.”
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE of Freetown, Sierra Leone said: “As one of over 70 cities participating in the Partnership for Healthy Cities, I am very happy to welcome Vital Strategies’ new leader, Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, who recognizes how important cities are to protecting the health of large populations coping with the most devastating effects of myriad global crises.”
Sandro Galea, M.D., DrPH, Dean and Robert A Knox Professor, Boston University School of Public Health: “Dr. Etiebet’s experience and commitment to public health are unmatched. I have no doubt that under her leadership, she will guide Vital Strategies to new heights in its bold mission to improve the health and well-being of communities worldwide.”
Katie Dain, Chief Executive Officer, NCD Alliance: “We’re thrilled about the appointment of Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet as Vital Strategies’ President and CEO. Fifteen years ago, NCDA and Vital became partners in the run-up to the 2011 High-Level Meeting on NCDs, a critical turning point for action on the leading cause of death and disease—noncommunicable diseases like cancer and lung disease. We look forward to many more years of progress under Dr Etiebet’s leadership.”
Dr. Etiebet earned her M.D. and MBA from Yale University. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell and her fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center, becoming board-certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. She is a member of the Board of Directors at the Center for Global Development and has served on numerous global health advisory councils, including the World Bank’s Global Financing Facility Investors Group, the World Health Organization’s Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, the United Nations Population Fund High-Level Commission for ICPD25, and the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council. She has been a member of Vital Strategies’ Board of Trustees since 2021.
About Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies believes every person should be protected by an equitable and effective public health system. We partner with governments, communities, and organizations around the world to reimagine public health so that health is supported in all the places we live, work, and play. The result is millions of people living longer, healthier lives.
To find out more, please visit www.vitalstrategies.org or follow us on LinkedIn.
Media Contact: Christina Honeysett, Vice President, Communication
choneysett@vitalstrategies.org; +1-917-720-4775