NEW YORK (Press Release) — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored Dr. Julie L Gerberding, president of Merck Vaccines, with the global advocacy organization’s Women’s Global Leadership Award. The award was presented Wednesday, April 30, at the AJC Women’s Leadership Spring Luncheon, held at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.
“Dr. Gerberding is a true champion of global health,” said AJC President Stanley M. Bergman, who presented the award to Gerberding. “Through Julie’s tireless advocacy, tremendous contributions to the development of innovative health solutions, and commitment to educating the next generation of health care leaders, she continues to improve the lives of countless individuals around the world.”
The AJC award recognizes Gerberding as an acclaimed global business leader, tireless advocate for access to medical care, and devoted healer and humanitarian. She is the first recipient of the AJC Women’s Global Leadership Award.
“Health is a precious resource, essential for building strong and prosperous communities throughout the world,” said Gerberding. “I’m passionate about helping to protect people’s health while in my role at Merck Vaccines and in my previous roles at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and University of California San Francisco. My tenure at these institutions has also reaffirmed my belief that women can be especially effective champions for global health promotion.”
Gerberding, a passionate advocate for sustainable solutions for global health, is responsible for Merck’s current portfolio of vaccines, planning for the introduction of vaccines from the company’s pipeline, and accelerating efforts to broaden access to Merck’s vaccines around the world. She served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2002 to 2009.
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In another award, AJC honored Chelsea Clinton and Linda Mills with the global advocacy organization’s Interfaith Leadership Award for co-founding the Of Many Institute at New York University. ….
“Your visionary leadership in advancing interfaith partnerships in pursuit of the common good has paved a vital pathway for all who seek to build a world based on generosity and mutual respect,” states the inscription on the award. Cori Berger, chair of AJC’s Women’s Leadership Board, and Betty Cotton, president of AJC’s New York Region, presented the award.
Following the award presentation, Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, and Mills, NYU’s Chancellor for Global Programs and University Life, engaged in a 30-minute conversation about their vision and work with AJC Executive Director David Harris. The Of Many Institute offers academic courses, dialogue programs and other events to deepen understanding among different faiths on campus and in the broader New York City community.
“I am deeply optimistic that this work will be taken up on other campuses and in other communities,” said Clinton. “It is important to recognize people’s potential for doing this work and to support them. Sometimes it is a rabbi and an imam, and sometimes students will be in the vanguard.”
The genesis of the Of Many Institute was the increasingly cooperative relationship between Imam Khalid Latif and Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, NYU’s Muslim and Jewish chaplains.
Mills emphasized that the relationship between Latif and Sarna set a tone for Jewish-Muslim interaction and cooperation that is the basis for the Of Many Institute. “When conflicts emerge, the tests for dealing with them are the bridges, friendships already built,” said Mills. “At NYU, we live in a much more embracing space. Of Many has built a bridge between Jewish and Muslim students that can allow us to get through a conflict.”
AJC has been a pioneer in interfaith relations for more than a century. AJC’s leadership in the 20th century advanced Christian-Jewish relations. Even as that commitment continues, AJC has expanded its dedication to furthering Muslim-Jewish relations in the United States and abroad in the 21st century.
Preceding provided by the American Jewish Committee