Printable Biography of Helene Gayle

As President and CEO of CARE USA, Helene D. Gayle is responsible for providing overall leadership, management and direction to one of the world’s premier international relief and development organizations. With programs in over 60 countries, CARE helps people in poor communities expand the control they have over their own lives to advance positive, enduring social change. CARE helps millions of people recover from natural disasters and other acute emergencies, prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and gain access to health care, nutrition, education, safe water and improved sanitation.

Dr. Gayle received her B.A. from Columbia University, her M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins University. She is board certified in Pediatrics, completing a residency in Pediatric Medicine at the Children's Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. After completing her residency, she entered the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a training program in epidemiology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), followed by a residency in Preventive Medicine. She then remained at CDC for a career that spanned 20 years and a variety of positions. She rose through the ranks at CDC to become the first Director of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP), at that time CDC’s largest Center. At CDC, she also was involved in studying problems of malnutrition in children in the United States and internationally, evaluating and implementing child survival programs in Africa and working on HIV/AIDS research, programs and policy. Dr. Gayle’s work on HIV/AIDS issues has focused on women, children, adolescents, U.S. minorities and international populations. On assignment from CDC, Dr. Gayle also served as the AIDS Coordinator and Chief of the HIV/AIDS Division for the US Agency for International Development (USAID). She has served as a health consultant to international agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the World Bank and UNAIDS and has worked extensively in Africa, Asia and the Americas. She also served as the Director of CDC’s Washington Office. Prior to assuming her current position, she was the Director of the HIV, TB and Reproductive Health Program for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, responsible for research, program and policies related to HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive health issues and tuberculosis.

Dr. Gayle has published numerous articles on public health, especially related to HIV/AIDS, and has received many awards for her contributions. She attained the rank of Rear Admiral (Assistant Surgeon General) in the U.S. Public Health Service. She is also on the boards of the Institute of Medicine and the Council on Foreign Relations.