• Dr. Blumenthal serves as amfAR’s Senior Policy and Medical Advisor, has organized many Capitol Hill briefings on a range of issues related to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and established amfAR’s Allan Rosenfield Public Policy Fellowship program. Her work has included a focus on HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the pandemic in the early 1980s. Dr. Blumenthal convened the first NIH Conference on Women and AIDS in 1985, contributed to the first Surgeon General’s Report on AIDS in 1987 that was sent to all Americans, coordinated behavioral research at NIH on HIV prevention strategies, and established as well as chaired the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Task Force on Women and AIDS. At amfAR, Dr. Blumenthal works on a broad range of global health issues including HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, COVID-19, and the opioid epidemic. She also advocates for the dual benefits of HIV/AIDS research for increasing knowledge about the treatment and prevention of other infectious and chronic diseases.

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• Dr. Blumenthal served as the Medical Director of the Beat the Virus COVID-19 social media campaign and website. The campaign and website received millions of visits during the pandemic.

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•  Dr. Blumenthal served as Senior Global Health Advisor in the Office of Global Health Affairs within the Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and was involved in the national public health response to terrorism, emergency preparedness, and emerging disease threats including the anthrax attacks against America, SARS, avian flu and HIV/AIDS. In this position, she established several international health diplomacy collaborations including a Middle East Health Initiative. Dr. Blumenthal was also involved in the establishment of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The HHS Office of Global Health Affairs represents the Department to other governments, other Federal Departments and agencies, international organizations, and the private sector on international and refugee health issues. The Office develops U.S. global health policy and strategy positions and facilitates the involvement of the U.S. Public Health Service in collaborations with other agencies and organizations. The Office also promotes cooperation by the PHS Operating Divisions with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and provides leadership and coordination for bilateral programs with selected countries.

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• ​Dr. Blumenthal served as the U.S. representative for international collaborations on women’s health. She convened and chaired conferences with Canada, Mexico, and in the Middle East; and was the United States delegate to the WHO Global Commission on Women’s Health.​

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• Dr. Blumenthal led the health diplomacy initiatives at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress including a USAID funded program to promote health activities between Israel and Palestine.