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Biography

Dr. Richard Besser is president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), a position he assumed in April 2017.  At RWJF, Dr. Besser leads the largest private foundation in the country devoted solely to improving the nation’s health. In his role, Dr. Besser is a leading voice on the importance of health equity, advocating for racial justice, full inclusion of people with disabilities, and a COVID-19 response and recovery that prioritizes those most impacted. Previously, as the former chief health and medical editor at ABC News, Dr. Besser provided medical analysis and reports for all ABC News programs and platforms. His weekly health chats on social media reached millions. The author or co-author of hundreds of presentations, abstracts, chapters, editorials, and publications, Dr. Besser has earned many awards for his work in public health and for his volunteer service. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. He received the Surgeon General's Medallion for his leadership during the H1N1 response, and in 2011 he accepted the Dean's Medal for his contributions to public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Dr. Besser received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Williams College and medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.  For nearly 30 years, Dr. Besser practiced as a volunteer pediatrician in community clinics around the country.