President and CEO, CDC Foundation

Dr. Judith Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, has dedicated her career to protecting people and saving lives. She joined the CDC Foundation in February 2016 as president and CEO, following her role as a deputy director of CDC and director of CDC’s Office of State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support.

In her work at the CDC Foundation, Dr. Monroe advances priority programs that improve the health of people around the world and prepare other nations to better prevent, detect and respond to dangerous health threats. The CDC Foundation mobilizes philanthropic and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection work, managing hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 130 countries. The CDC Foundation is
supporting several states with their response to the opioid epidemic and is also collaborating with CDC to establish public-private partnerships designed to reduce high blood pressure in the private-sector workforce and communities.

Under Dr. Monroe’s leadership the Foundation responded to the Zika epidemic as an implementing partner in addition to mobilizing resources; supported the response and recovery from the 2017 hurricane season; and
serves as CDC’s strategic partner for global health security. Dr. Monroe currently co-leads a Global Health ATL team focused on improving humanitarian logistics during disasters. In 2019 she was recognized by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce with a MAC Heroes of Global Health award.

Prior to the CDC Foundation, Dr. Monroe oversaw key activities and technical assistance at CDC supporting the nation’s health departments and the public health system. Throughout the 2014–15 Ebola epidemic she served as senior advisor for the domestic response. During her tenure as the state health commissioner for Indiana she served as president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials through the H1N1 pandemic. She envisioned and founded the ASTHO president’s challenge in 2008. This leadership platform resulted in initiatives with significant health improvements and focus of ASTHO annual meetings.

Dr. Monroe currently serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Global Health Alliance and is a member of the Milken Institute’s Public Health Advisory Board. She also is a member of the Executive Management Team for the Food Fortification Initiative. Additionally, she serves as a member of the World Health Organization Foundation’s Advisory group, as well as many national advisory committees and boards. Dr. Monroe was recognized in 2019 with the American Public Health Association’s Presidential Citation for her work to improve the health and well-being of people around the world, and for her commitment to the future of public health as a mentor to young physicians and public health students.

Monroe received her doctor of medicine from the University of Maryland and a bachelor of science degree from Eastern Kentucky University. She completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Cincinnati, a rural faculty development fellowship through East Tennessee State University, and a mini-fellowship in obstetrics through the University of Wisconsin. She also participated in the State Health Leadership Initiative at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and received an honorary doctorate from Purdue University in Health and Human Services.