Dr. Demetre Daskalakis

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis is an infectious disease specialist and public health leader recognized for his work in HIV/AIDS prevention, outbreak response, and vaccine advocacy. He earned his MD from NYU School of Medicine, completed postgraduate training at Harvard Medical School, and a fellowship in Clinical Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. He also holds an MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Daskalakis served as Director of the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention and held leadership roles at the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, including acting director and deputy coordinator for the national mpox response. Previously, with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene he led multiple outbreak responses including measles and COVID-19 and changed the paradigm for HIV treatment and prevention with the introduction of the "status neutral" approach to service delivery. A champion for health equity, he has authored numerous publications and frequently contributes expert commentary on infectious disease policy and practice.