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Richard Besser

President & CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Former Chief Health & Medical Editor for ABC News

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Richard Besser Biography

Richard Besser is president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest private foundation in the country devoted solely to improving health. Before joining RWJF in April 2017, he was chief health and medical editor for ABC News, where he provided medical analysis and commentary for all ABC News broadcasts and platforms, including World News Tonight with David Muir, Good Morning America and Nightline. He also reported on the Zika outbreak in Brazil and Ebola in Liberia. In 2011, Besser led ABC's global health coverage, Be the Change: Save a Life, reporting on health issues from seven different countries.

Dr. Besser came to ABC News in 2009 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he served as Acting Director for the CDC from January to June 2009, during which time he led the CDC's response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic. He also served as director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response. In that role, he was responsible for all of the CDC's public health emergency preparedness and emergency response activities.

Dr. Besser began his career at the CDC in 1991 in the Epidemic Intelligence Service working on the epidemiology of food-borne diseases. Following this, beginning in 1993, he served for five years on the faculty of the University of California, San Diego as the pediatric residency director. While in San Diego he worked for the county health department on the control of pediatric tuberculosis. He returned to CDC in 1998, where he served in various capacities, including as epidemiology section chief in the Respiratory Diseases Branch; acting chief of the Meningitis and Special Pathogens Branch in the National Center for Infectious Disease; and as medical director of "Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work," the CDC's national campaign to promote appropriate antibiotic use in the community.

Dr. Besser volunteers as a Pediatrician with the Children's Aid Society in New York City. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The author and coauthor of hundreds of presentations, abstracts, chapters, editorials and publications, Dr. Besser has received many awards for his work in public health and volunteer service. He received the Surgeon General's Medallion for his leadership during the H1N1 response, and in 2011 he accepted the Dean's Medal for his contributions to public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. His investigative reporting into umbilical cord blood banking was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2011. In 2012, he received an Overseas Press Club award as part of ABC's coverage of global maternal health issues and 2 Peabody Awards as part of ABC News' coverage of Hurricane Sandy and Robin Roberts' health journey. His first book, Tell Me the Truth, Doctor: Easy-to-Understand Answers to Your Most Confusing and Critical Health Questions, was published by Hyperion in April 2013.

Dr. Besser received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Williams College and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a residency and chief residency in pediatrics at John Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Speaking Topics
  • Children's Health & Wellness

  • Pandemics, Preparedness & Public Health

  • Promoting Health: A View from Both Sides of the Camera

Videos
Books
Tell Me the Truth, Doctor: Easy-to-Understand Answers to Your Most Confusing and Critical Health Questions

Tell Me the Truth, Doctor: Easy-to-Understand Answers to Your Most Confusing and Critical Health Questions

News
FAQs
  • HOW TO BOOK Richard Besser?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Richard Besser for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Richard Besser, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Richard Besser or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Richard Besser?

    Speaking fees for Richard Besser, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Richard Besser charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Richard Besser, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Richard Besser?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Richard Besser for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Richard Besser for your next private or corporate function.
  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Richard Besser or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Richard Besser or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

President & CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Former Chief Health & Medical Editor for ABC News

Travels From:
New York, NY, USA
Speaking Fee:

Richard Besser Biography

Richard Besser is president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest private foundation in the country devoted solely to improving health. Before joining RWJF in April 2017, he was chief health and medical editor for ABC News, where he provided medical analysis and commentary for all ABC News broadcasts and platforms, including World News Tonight with David Muir, Good Morning America and Nightline. He also reported on the Zika outbreak in Brazil and Ebola in Liberia. In 2011, Besser led ABC's global health coverage, Be the Change: Save a Life, reporting on health issues from seven different countries.

Dr. Besser came to ABC News in 2009 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he served as Acting Director for the CDC from January to June 2009, during which time he led the CDC's response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic. He also served as director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response. In that role, he was responsible for all of the CDC's public health emergency preparedness and emergency response activities.

Dr. Besser began his career at the CDC in 1991 in the Epidemic Intelligence Service working on the epidemiology of food-borne diseases. Following this, beginning in 1993, he served for five years on the faculty of the University of California, San Diego as the pediatric residency director. While in San Diego he worked for the county health department on the control of pediatric tuberculosis. He returned to CDC in 1998, where he served in various capacities, including as epidemiology section chief in the Respiratory Diseases Branch; acting chief of the Meningitis and Special Pathogens Branch in the National Center for Infectious Disease; and as medical director of "Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work," the CDC's national campaign to promote appropriate antibiotic use in the community.

Dr. Besser volunteers as a Pediatrician with the Children's Aid Society in New York City. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The author and coauthor of hundreds of presentations, abstracts, chapters, editorials and publications, Dr. Besser has received many awards for his work in public health and volunteer service. He received the Surgeon General's Medallion for his leadership during the H1N1 response, and in 2011 he accepted the Dean's Medal for his contributions to public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. His investigative reporting into umbilical cord blood banking was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2011. In 2012, he received an Overseas Press Club award as part of ABC's coverage of global maternal health issues and 2 Peabody Awards as part of ABC News' coverage of Hurricane Sandy and Robin Roberts' health journey. His first book, Tell Me the Truth, Doctor: Easy-to-Understand Answers to Your Most Confusing and Critical Health Questions, was published by Hyperion in April 2013.

Dr. Besser received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Williams College and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a residency and chief residency in pediatrics at John Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Richard Besser Speaking Topics

  • Children's Health & Wellness

  • Pandemics, Preparedness & Public Health

  • Promoting Health: A View from Both Sides of the Camera

Richard Besser Videos

  • Richard Besser, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation CEO | Dean's ...
    Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, spoke with Stanford Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor about the ...
  • Richard Besser* / Washington Ideas 2017 - YouTube
    Richard Besser, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation With Martha Raddatz, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent, ABC News Produced by...
  • RWJF's New President Richard Besser Hits the Ground Learning ...
    Pediatrician, public health practitioner and journalist, Richard Besser, MD, begins his tenure as president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson...

Richard Besser Books

FAQs on booking Richard Besser

  • How to book Richard Besser?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Richard Besser for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Richard Besser, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Richard Besser or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Richard Besser?

    Speaking fees for Richard Besser, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Richard Besser charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Richard Besser, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • Who is the agent for Richard Besser?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Richard Besser for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Richard Besser for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Richard Besser or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Richard Besser or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

Richard Besser is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Children's Health & Wellness, Pandemics, Preparedness & Public Health and Promoting Health: A View from Both Sides of the Camera. The estimated speaking fee range to book Richard Besser for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Richard Besser generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are David Agus, Paul Rieckhoff, Norman Ornstein, Seth Berkley and Nicholas Burns. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Richard Besser for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Richard Besser Speaking Topics

  • Children's Health & Wellness

  • Pandemics, Preparedness & Public Health

  • Promoting Health: A View from Both Sides of the Camera

Richard Besser Speaker Videos

  • Richard Besser, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation CEO | Dean's ...
    Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, spoke with Stanford Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor about the ...
    Richard Besser* / Washington Ideas 2017 - YouTube
    Richard Besser, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation With Martha Raddatz, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent, ABC News Produced by Robert Wood J...
  • RWJF's New President Richard Besser Hits the Ground Learning ...
    Pediatrician, public health practitioner and journalist, Richard Besser, MD, begins his tenure as president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Richard Besser News

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Richard Besser

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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