William Steiger, Ph.D., OGHA Director and Special Assistant to the Secretary

William (Bill) Steiger was appointed in 2001 as the Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA) and Special Assistant to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Office of Global Health Affairs directly advises the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on global health, international family and social affairs issues, and policy development in the U.S. Government interagency process and at multilateral organizations.

Dr. Steiger, in his role as Special Assistant for International Affairs, represents the Secretary at various multilateral organizations or for major U.S. Government global initiatives. These have included serving as the U.S. Member of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization; President of the Executive Committee to the Pan-American Health Organization; and U.S. Member on the Board of Directors of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

He is the Secretary's liaison to the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator in the implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and to the Steering Committee that manages the President's International Malaria Initiative.

Under his leadership, the Office of Global Health Affairs assists in the active U.S. interaction with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and various United Nations agencies, such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in addition to others.

Dr. Steiger previously served as Education Policy Advisor for Tommy G. Thompson, then Governor of Wisconsin. His portfolio included finance and policy matters for primary, secondary, university, and technical education in the state.

Dr. Steiger has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He earned a Ph.D. in Latin American History at U.C.L.A. and a B.A. in History from Yale. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Last revised: July 25, 2007