Rachel M. Cohen

Rachel M. Cohen joined the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) as the Director of DNDi North America in January 2011.

Rachel has worked in the global health and humanitarian field for more than 20 years. Prior to joining DNDi, she worked for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) from 1999-2010. She served as Head of Mission for MSF in South Africa and Lesotho for four years, overseeing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, sexual violence, and migrant health programmes. Before working for MSF in the field, Rachel held numerous positions with MSF in New York, including U.S. Director for MSF’s Access Campaign, where she directed policy advocacy activities in the U.S. related to drug pricing, intellectual property, and medical innovation for neglected diseases. From 2009-2015, she also served on the Board of Directors of MSF’s Operational Center in Brussels.

Prior to working with MSF, Rachel was the Director of Foundation & Corporate Giving at Housing Works, the largest grassroots AIDS service organization in the U.S., and before that, served as Program Coordinator for the U.S.+Cuba Medical Project, where she directed medical aid, educational, and advocacy programmes.

Rachel has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, co-authored dozens of reports, and been quoted extensively in the media. She is currently a member of the Steering Committee of the Global Health Technologies Coalition.

Rachel earned her Master’s in Public Policy with a Certificate in Health and Health Policy from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.