Gary Saffitz

Gary Saffitz is an international consultant with over 40 years of experience in strategic communication, social marketing, and behavior change communication programs that have helped improve the lives of millions of families across the globe.  He has worked in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Near East and Europe/Eurasia; developing innovative and often game-changing programs with host country governments, not for profits, and the commercial sector; working at the global, regional, national and local levels, with a focus on family planning, child survival, maternal health, safe water, hygiene, pandemic preparedness, malaria, HIV, nutrition, tobacco control, and chronic diseases.

His career spans working in the private sector, academia, non-profits and the foundation sector.  Career highlights include: Executive Director of AID Village Clinics; Manager of Advocacy at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN); Senior Associate Faculty and Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (CCP); Director of the Communication Group and International Programs for Prospect Associates; President of Saffitz, Alpert & Associates, and Vice President/Account Group Head at Porter Novelli.

Currently, he is the lead consultant with the Gates Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Challenge Initiative, a next generation, business unusual model for scaling up high impact family planning interventions among the urban poor.