Georges C. Benjamin, M.D. became executive director of the American Public Health Association, the nation's oldest and largest organization of public health professionals, in 2002. Prior to that, he was secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where he played a key role in developing Maryland's bioterrorism plan, following four years as the department’s deputy secretary for public health services. Dr. Benjamin started his medical career in 1981 in Tacoma, Washington, where he managed a 72,000-patient visit ambulatory care service as chief of the Acute Illness Clinic at the Madigan Army Medical Center. A few years later, he served as chief of emergency medicine at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After leaving the Army, he chaired the Department of Community Health and Ambulatory Care at the District of Columbia General Hospital. He was promoted to acting commissioner for Public Health for the District of Columbia and later directed one of the busiest ambulance services in the nation as interim director of the Emergency Ambulatory Bureau of the District of Columbia Fire Department. Dr. Benjamin is a member of several committees, including CDC’s director's advisory committee. He is currently serving on IOM’s Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, and has served on several other IOM and IOM/NRC committees: training physicians for public health careers; measures to enhance the effectiveness of CDC quarantine station expansion plan for U.S. ports of entry; evaluation of the metropolitan medical response systems program; and research and development needs for improved civilian medical response to chemical or biological terrorism incidents. He also serves on the boards of Partnership for Prevention and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. Dr. Benjamin is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is an IOM member.