Dr. John N.Nkengasong is an Ambassadorat Large and serves as the U.S. Department of State’s U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Health Diplomacy. In this role, Dr. Nkengasong overseesthe U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief–PEPFAR; which is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, prevent millions of HIV infections, save lives, and make progress toward ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Previously, Dr. Nkengasong served as the first director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Through his leadership, a framework for transformingAfrica CDC into a full autonomous health agency of the Africa Union was established.As Africa CDC director, Dr. Nkengasong alsoled the COVID-19 response in Africa, coordinatingwith heads of state and governments across the continent, among other achievements to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, hehelped secure 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines at the height of vaccine scarcity. During his tenure, he was appointed as one of the World Health Organization’s special envoys on COVID-19 preparedness and response.Dr. Nkengasong also served as acting deputy principal director of the Center for Global Health, as well as the Division of Global HIV and TB’schief of the International LaboratoryBranchat the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.As aworld-renowned public health leader, Dr. Nkengasong’scontributions to global health have been recognized by numerousprestigiousawards and honors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,2020 Global Goalkeeper Award; Time Magazine, 2021 Time 100 List of MostInfluential People; Fortune magazine, 2021 World’s 50 Greatest Leaders; Bloomberg, 2021 Bloomberg 50Influential People; and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shepard Awardand William Watson Medal of Excellence.In 2022, he became the first laureate of the Virchow Prize for Global Health. Dr. Nkengasong also holds the rare honor of being knighted by the governments ofSénégal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon.