Deborah Birx

Deborah Birx
Birx in 2020
White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator
In office
February 27, 2020 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byJeff Zients
United States Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy
In office
January 20, 2015[a] – January 20, 2021
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byEric Goosby
Leslie V. Rowe (acting)
Elizabeth Jordan (acting)
Succeeded byJohn Nkengasong
4th United States Global AIDS Coordinator
In office
April 4, 2014 – January 20, 2021
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
DeputyMark N. Brown
Angeli Achrekar
Preceded byEric Goosby
Succeeded byJohn Nkengasong
Personal details
Born
Deborah Leah Birx

(1956-04-04) April 4, 1956 (age 68)
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
SpousePaige Reffe
RelationsDonald Birx (brother)
Children3
EducationHoughton University (BS)
Pennsylvania State University (MD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1980–1994 (reserve)
1994–2008 (active)
RankColonel
AwardsLegion of Merit
Birx with Vice President Mike Pence in March 2020

Deborah Leah Birx (born April 4, 1956) is an American physician and diplomat who served as the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Donald Trump from 2020 to 2021. Birx specializes in HIV/AIDS immunology, vaccine research, and global health.[1] Starting in 2014, she oversaw the implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program to support HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs in 65 countries.[2][3] From 2014 to 2020, Birx was the United States global AIDS coordinator for presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump and served as the United States special representative for global health diplomacy between 2015 and 2021. Birx was part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force from February 2020 to January 2021.[4][5] In March 2021, Birx joined ActivePure Technology as Chief Medical and Science Advisor.[6]


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ Das, Pamela (November 2016). "Deborah L Birx: on a mission to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic". The Lancet. 388 (10060): 2583. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32227-9. PMID 27894655. S2CID 36199963.
  2. ^ Rushton, Mary (2015). "Six Prominent Women Scientists Making a Difference in the AIDS Fight". IAVI Report. 19 (2): 9–16. PMID 26233966. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  3. ^ "Can Deborah Birx save us from the coronavirus?". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  4. ^ Pence, Mike (February 27, 2020). "Vice President Pence Announces Ambassador Debbie Birx to Serve as the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator". whitehouse.gov (Press release) – via National Archives.
  5. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (March 6, 2020). "Top Coronavirus Official for U.S. Has Fought an Epidemic Before". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Mason, Jeff (March 12, 2021). "Former Trump coronavirus coordinator Birx takes job at Texas air purifier maker". Reuters. Retrieved March 28, 2021.