Dr. Richard Besser

president and CEO

Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more than a decade, including as acting director at the dawn of the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. Follow him on Twitter: @DrRichBesser.

America must lead the world to defeat COVID. Here are five ways to win

OPINION December 21, 2021

America must lead the world to defeat COVID. Here are five ways to win

COVID-19 is still killing well over 1,000 Americans every day; we cannot accept this as a ‘new normal.’

Drs. Besser & Morita: COVID vaccine questions – It's normal to have them. We did, too. Here's what we learned

OPINION March 22, 2021

Drs. Besser & Morita: COVID vaccine questions – It's normal to have them. We did, too. Here's what we learned

With millions of vaccinations happening every day in the U.S., and millions more on the horizon, people have understandably been asking a lot of questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Dr. Richard Besser: Despite coronavirus, science is NOT telling us to close schools

OPINION November 24, 2020

Dr. Richard Besser: Despite coronavirus, science is NOT telling us to close schools

Just a few months ago, I and other public health officials believed that until community spread of the coronavirus was controlled, schools should remain virtual. However, the science and data now tell us a much more nuanced story, and we must adapt as new information arrives