Julie Gerberding, the first woman to direct the CDC, guided the agency through rapid globalization and more than 40 health emergencies – including anthrax, SARS, and influenza threats. Her career started on the front lines of HIV at UC San Francisco, where she pioneered HIV prevention research and still provides patient care. She joined CDC in 1998 to lead its patient safety and healthcare quality programs. As Director, she oversaw an $11 billion budget in more than 45 countries to combat chronic diseases, injuries, and global threats like HIV, malaria, TB, and polio. She also developed new National Centers for research in zoonotic diseases, health marketing, and public health informatics. She has authored 160 scientific publications, is on the Editorial Board of JAMA, and was elected to the Institute of Medicine. In 2005 Time Magazine named her one of the world’s 100 most influential people for her CDC leadership