Christopher Howson

Christopher P. Howson is Vice President for Global Programs at the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation and responsible for developing the Foundation’s international outreach. Prior to joining the March of Dimes in 1998, Chris served as Director of the Board on International Health of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine in Washington, DC. He is an epidemiologist and author and editor of numerous articles, books and reviews on a broad range of existing and emerging health problems in lower-income countries. His professional interests have focused on assessing population health needs in lower-income countries and partnering with developing country experts to help design and implement public health interventions in response. His work at the March of Dimes centers on the creation of global networks and individual national partnerships to promote exchanges of knowledge, experience and expertise among developing country experts, with the goal of improving health outcomes across the preconception, maternal, newborn and child health continuum. In his 13 years at the March of Dimes, Chris has partnered with developing country experts in 33 countries on four continents bringing the extensive research, scientific and educational resources of the Foundation to bear on projects directed to reducing the incidence of and mortality and disability from birth defects and preterm birth. In addition to his work at the March of Dimes, Chris has been a long-term member of several committees of the U.S. National Academies dealing with the redirection of biologic weapons specialists in the former Soviet Union and the contribution of the biosciences to public health, counter-terrorism and non-proliferation activities in Russia and Pakistan. He is also an expert advisor to a number of international research and program initiatives of the WHO and European Union. He received a B.A. from Swarthmore College and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of California at Los Angeles.