Rachel Idowu, MD, MPH
Global Health Research Topics: Community Health, Epidemiology, Global Health Diplomacy, Global Health Policy, Global Health Security and Surveillance, Global Health Systems/Delivery, Public Health, Refugee and Immigrant Health
Captain Rachel T. Idowu, a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service, has consistently prioritized excellence in her leadership roles across various teams and organizations. She identifies with a concept expressed by Jim Collins in Good to Great, which highlights individuals who are motivated to improve everything they encounter. Throughout her career, she has shown that high performance can be achieved even in resource-constrained environments.
In 2014, Rachel was the first U.S. diplomat tasked with developing a framework for the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in response to the African Union Commission's proposal. Her work was presented for ratification to 51 African Heads of State in 2015. She later became the first Technical Advisor from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the Africa CDC, contributing to its launch in 2017 and its initial development.
During her tenure as the U.S. CDC Branch Chief for Adult HIV Care and Treatment in Mozambique, she helped increase the percentage of people aware of their HIV status and receiving treatment from 46% to 66%. Additionally, long-term retention in the HIV treatment program rose from 68% to 91%. In 2021, Rachel was appointed as the U.S. CDC Country Director and DGHP Program Director in Liberia, where she successfully oversaw the scaling of COVID-19 vaccinations, achieving over 80% population coverage in a challenging geographical context.
Rachel's impactful work, tenacity, and winsome blend of diplomacy and clear-eyed candor have benefited U.S. CDC initiatives in over 20 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. From 2024 to 2025, she served as the Director of Biological Threat Surveillance & Response at The National Security Council at The White House. Her academic credentials include undergraduate and medical studies at the University of California (Berkeley) and the University of California (San Francisco), and post-graduate training at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where she also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Health Policy.
Education
MD, University of California (San Francisco)
MPH, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine