David A. Kessler

David A. Kessler is the board chair and director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and serves as a professor of pediatrics and of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Kessler served as commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration, appointed by President George H. W. Bush and reappointed by President Bill Clinton. He has also held the position of dean at the medical schools of Yale and the University of California, San Francisco.

Kessler's background includes research, clinical medicine, education, administration, and law. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Amherst, earned a JD from the University of Chicago Law School, and an MD from Harvard Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital and earned an advanced professional certificate from NYU Graduate School of Business Administration.

Kessler is the author of several books, including "A Question of Intent," which chronicles his tenure at the FDA and the agency's battle against tobacco, "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite," and "Capture: Unraveling the Mystery of Mental Suffering." He has published articles in medical journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. Kessler is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has received awards for contributions to public health, including recognition for his leadership as chief science officer for the U.S. government's COVID-19 response. He serves on the boards of various organizations and is known for his expertise in public health policy and regulatory science.