Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH

Senior Public Health Advisor

Demetre C. Daskalakis, MD, MPH, is a physician, public health leader, and nationally recognized expert in infectious diseases and emergency response. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at Columbia University, his Doctor of Medicine from NYU School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health, followed by residency, chief residency, and fellowship training in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess and Partners Healthcare.

Dr. Daskalakis has held pivotal roles at the local, national, and global levels. From 2014 to 2020, he served at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, first as Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control and later as Deputy Commissioner of Disease Control. In these roles, he oversaw a portfolio of HIV, TB, STD, immunization, and laboratory programs, managed budgets of over $250 million, and commanded responses to outbreaks including measles, Legionella, and the first 11 months of COVID-19 in New York City—the largest emergency response in the agency’s history.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Daskalakis directed the Division of HIV Prevention and later led the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), one of CDC’s largest centers with a budget of $7 billion. At NCIRD, he guided strategy and response for influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory threats, and launched organizational reforms to strengthen workforce resilience post-pandemic. He oversaw the transition of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine program to commercialization, directed the national respiratory virus response, and managed measles and avian influenza outbreaks. His trauma-informed leadership during the August 2025 shooting at CDC was widely recognized for protecting and supporting staff during a defining moment for the agency.

He also served as Deputy Coordinator of the White House National Mpox Response, where his syndemic strategy and vaccine innovations drove a more than 99% reduction in daily cases, as well as in senior leadership roles in CDC’s COVID-19 response, advancing equity in vaccination and data transparency.

Across his career, Dr. Daskalakis has been a visible advocate for health equity, LGBTQ+ health, and science-based policy. His leadership has shaped national and international HIV prevention strategies, advanced innovative vaccination programs, and informed congressional oversight of public health agencies.