President of the Global Development Program

President of the Global Development Program, leads the foundation’s efforts to accelerate the delivery of proven healthcare products and solutions to those who need them most – especially women and children. Focusing on appropriate and sustainable strategies with the potential to improve the health of hundreds of millions of people in underserved communities, the Global Development’s program is focuses on five program areas: Family Planning; Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health; Nutrition; Polio; and Vaccine Delivery.

Dr. Elias most recently served as the president and CEO of PATH, an international, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the developing innovative health technologies, strengthening healthcare systems, and encouraging healthy behaviors. He serves on various advisory boards, including the Creigton University Board of Trustees, the Advisory Committee to the Director, CDC, and the University of Washington Global Health External Advisory Board. He also represents the Gates Foundation as the chair of the Polio Oversight Board of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the chair of the Investors Group of the Global Financing Facility, and co-chair of the FP2020 Reference Group.

Dr. Elias holds an MD from Creighton University, having completed postgraduate training in internal medicine at the University of California San Francisco, and an MPH from the University of Washington. He was a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Creighton University.