Dr. Jordan Tappero is a distinguished medical epidemiologist currently serving as Deputy Director of Global Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His career spans over three decades of dedicated service in global public health with a focus on disease eradication and emergency response. Prior to joining the foundation in 2018, Dr. Tappero completed a 25-year tenure with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where he served at the highest levels of the U.S. Public Health Service. His distinguished service culminated in his retirement at the rank of rear admiral and assistant surgeon general in 2017 following significant leadership roles across multiple continents.
Dr. Tappero leads strategic initiatives focused on the eradication of Guinea worm disease and the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis, human African trypanosomiasis, and visceral leishmaniasis. His work has been instrumental in advancing progress against neglected tropical diseases through supporting public health surveillance, vector control, and mass drug administration programs worldwide. During major health crises including the West African Ebola epidemic and Haiti cholera outbreak, he served as CDC incident manager demonstrating exceptional leadership in complex humanitarian emergencies. His expertise proved critical during the global pandemic when he provided direct foundation support to WHO in Geneva to establish a global surveillance system for COVID-19. He subsequently returned in early 2021 to develop WHO surveillance guidance for SARS-CoV-2 variants, further contributing to the global pandemic response.
As a member of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication, Dr. Tappero contributes to strategic direction for global disease elimination efforts across multiple platforms. His leadership extends to the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and advisory roles within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. With global health experience spanning four continents and fourteen years of overseas residency as CDC country director in Botswana, Thailand, Uganda, and Haiti, he brings unparalleled perspective to addressing health inequities. Dr. Tappero continues to champion the foundation's mission to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life through advancing tools and strategies to combat neglected tropical diseases.
