Good timing

The multi-faceted career of Julie Gerberding ’77, MD ’81, includes success as a scientist, an infectious disease expert, and her history-making role as the first woman to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now she will lead the board of Case Western Reserve University at a time when multidisciplinary research is a top priority.

Gerberding, a resident of suburban Philadelphia, talks like someone stepping into her comfort zone.

“I am honored to be elected chair of my alma mater’s board of trustees and help guide this illustrious institution into its next century,” she said in a statement. “Throughout my career — whether in hospitals, government, or industry — the key to my success has been interdisciplinary teamwork, and I’m eager to see how we can work to enhance the exceptional academics and research happening across this campus each day.”

Her four-year term will begin in June of 2025 as she succeeds current board chair Fred DeSantos, who will stay on as a trustee. A member of the board since 2011 and its current vice chair, Gerberding was elected chair at the February board meeting.

Gerberding earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from Case and went on to the CWRU School of Medicine for her medical degree. In 1998, she joined the CDC, where she played prominent roles during public health scares brought on by the AIDS epidemic and anthrax attacks. In 2002, she made history when she became CDC director, responsible for a $10 billion budget and a staff of 15,000.

She went on to lead the vaccines division at pharmaceutical giant Merck before becoming CEO of FNIH, a nonprofit that supports the National Institutes of Health.

Gerberding’s experience with interdisciplinary research comes at an opportune time for CWRU, which is building a $300 million research flagship designed for team-based research and discoveries.

“That’s my comfort zone,” Gerberding told CWRU Medicine magazine, “bringing in diverse points of view, disciplines, and interests to create a ‘wise crowd’ that can solve really hard problems.”