Jay Wenger

Dr. Jay Wenger leads the foundation’s polio eradication efforts. He manages a high-performing team and works across the foundation to drive instrumental advocacy work, resource mobilization, communications, and research and product development. Jay represents the foundation both internally and externally and helps to shape and execute the polio eradication strategy.

Prior to joining the foundation, he served as the Associate Director for Science in the Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and focused on surveillance, prevention, and control programs for invasive bacterial diseases. Jay was formerly detailed to the World Health Organization (WHO) for five years as project manager for the National Polio Surveillance Project in collaboration with the Government of India. Prior to working in India, he coordinated the introduction of new vaccines and developed a regional network of WHO medical officers as the medical officer and coordinator for the Accelerated Vaccine Introduction Priority Project with the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) at the WHO. Jay received his medical degree from Temple University in Philadelphia and training in epidemiology at the CDC.