Dr William KARESH

Executive Vice President for Health and Policy, EcoHealth Alliance

Dr. William (Billy) Karesh is an internationally recognized expert on infectious diseases, wildlife conservation and the environment. He is the Executive Vice President for Health and Policy for EcoHealth Alliance and is a member of WHO’s IHR Roster of Experts. Dr. Karesh also serves as the Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group and the President of the OIE Working Group on Wildlife. In 2016, he was appointed as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He works with government agencies and is an invited expert for intergovernmental and development organizations including UNISDR, FAO, WHO, and the World Bank. Dr. Karesh has pioneered initiatives focusing attention and resources on solving problems created by the interactions among wildlife, people, and their animals.  In 2003, he coined the term “One Health” to describe the interdependence of healthy ecosystems, animals and people.