Debrework Zewdie

Dr. Debrework Zewdie, Distinguished Scholar at the Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy of the City University of New York (CUNY) and Senior Leadership Fellow at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is a committed, dynamic, and inspiring public health leader with more than 35 years of experience in international development. Most of her career has been dedicated to mitigating the cross-sectorial impact of the HIV epidemic, women’s empowerment, and poverty.

Over the course of 16 years, Dr. Zewdie has held several key leadership positions at The World Bank, including Manager of the AIDS Campaign for Africa (1999-2002) and Lead Population and Reproductive Health Specialist for the Africa Region (1994-1999). During her tenure, she conceptualized and managed the groundbreaking US$1 billion multi-country HIV/AIDS Program that changed the AIDS funding landscape and pioneered the large scale multi-sectoral response with direct financing to civil society and the private sector. As Director of The World Bank’s Global HIV/AIDS Program, she provided strategic vision and direction for the coordinated resource mobilization efforts of a global HIV/AIDS funding portfolio totaling US$4 billion.

Dr. Zewdie also served in several pivotal roles that contributed to the transformation of The Global Fund, serving as Interim Director of Country Programs (2007-2008), Deputy Executive Director (2010-2012), and Deputy General Manager (2012-2013).

In addition to her work with these leading multilateral organizations, Dr. Zewdie was Deputy Regional Director and Special Assistant to the Director for FHI 360’s USAID-funded AIDS Control and Prevention Project in the Africa Region (1992-1994). In this capacity, she established and managed a highly effective regional office, providing managerial and technical guidance to staff, leading teams and developing short- and mid-term HIV plans for 17 African countries in coordination relevant stakeholders. She acted as focal point for AIDS programming for women.

Dr. Zewdie has published articles on a broad range of subjects in more than 100 journals and textbooks, and serves on a number of nonprofit Boards and scientific committees.