José Luis Castro Email & Phone Number

Geneva, Switzerland

Raise awareness and promote solutions: Highlight chronic respiratory disease issues and support WHO’s strategies to address them.• Engage global and local support: Encourage cities, countries, and stakeholders to integrate respiratory health into local health policies.• Support WHO initiatives and funding: Promote WHO’s CRD programme, supporting CRD integration into primary health care, and seek increased investment from governments and donors.• Enhance public engagement and advocacy: Collaborate with media, governments, and organizations to raise awareness and spread WHO’s health messages.

New York City

Vital Strategies works with governments and civil society in 73 countries to design and implement evidence-based strategies that tackle their most pressing public health problems. As founder and CEO, José Luis Castro has overseen the rapid expansion of Vital Strategies’ portfolio, building the organization’s reputation as a trusted partner of governments and civil society organizations around the world. The organization now reaches into 73 countries, with offices in six, and has touched the lives of more than 2 billion people.

Paris Area, France

Under the leadership and vision of José Luis Castro, The Union expanded its global portfolio of projects and forged new strategic partnerships, including with the Global Fund, USAID, DFID, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Under Mr. Castro’s leadership, The Union’s flagship world conference grew to reach over 4000 delegates and positioned The Union as the convener of the TB community, patients, advocates, doctors, researchers, allied professionals, policy makers, royalty, celebrities, Ministries of Health and the corporate sector. The conference was successfully transitioned into a fully virtual event in 2020 to ensure the dissemination of cutting edge lung health science against the backdrop of COVID-19.During Mr. Castro’s tenure, The Union’s Project Axshya in India reached approx. 20.5 million vulnerable and marginalised households with information about TB and identified and facilitated testing of over 1.1 million presumptive TB patients, resulting in diagnosis and treatment of over 100,000 patients. The Union office in Myanmar provided anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to over 32,000 patients – almost double the number of patients receiving ART at the start of Mr. Castro’s mandate.In 2014, Mr. Castro co-founded, with the Rt. Hon. The Lord Nick Herbert of South Downs CBE PC of the U.K., the Global TB Caucus, an international network of over 2,300 parliamentarians from more than 132 countries, to accelerate progress against the tuberculosis epidemic. This revolutionary initiative remains one of the world’s largest political networks dedicated to advancing a global health priority. At the end of Mr Castro’s tenure, The Union had a global staff of over 700 and over 15,000 community health worker volunteers.

Paris, France

- Oversaw and provided leadership to a global organization with more than 350 staff and consultants implementing projects in 89 countries.- Represented the organization at high-level international meetings, official functions, and managed donor relations.- Mentored and coached young managers and public health students.

Paris, France And Worldwide

- Oversaw and provided leadership in the academic, fiscal and fundraising activities of the organization.- Represented the organization at high-level international meetings, official functions, and managed donor relations.- Established the International Management Development Programme (IMDP), which has trained more than 4,000 managers from 30 countries.- Assisted in the oversight and coordination of The Union’s 350 scientific and program staff and consultants who implemented technical assistance projects in 48 countries; education activities in 57 countries; research projects in 15 countries; tobacco control grants in 34 countries; TB-HIV programs in 6 countries; TREAT-TB partners in 12 countries; and non-communicable disease advocacy and activities in 6 countries.- Oversaw the Department of Tobacco Control, the Department of Education and Development and the Department of Finance.

Paris, France And Worldwide

- Reorganized and staffed the Department of Finance and Development and assisted in raising and managing over $520 million for new projects and activities. Helped the organization increase its annual operating budget from $4 million to $54 million and sustain it at that level.- Coordinated the establishment of new offices in 14 countries, including legal registration, recruitment of board members, staffing and implementation of public health projects.- Founded The Union’s South East Asia Regional Office in New Delhi in 2003, which today is self-sustaining and managing large Global Fund projects for tuberculosis control in India.

New Delhi, India

Directed implementation of two pilot projects of public-private partnerships for tuberculosis control. One between the largest self-employed women’s association of India and the government of Ahmedabad City and the other between a private hospital and the city of Hyderabad. President Clinton visited this project on World TB Day during his visit to India in the 2000.-Provided technical, financial management, and logistical assistance to the Central Tuberculosis Division of the India’s Ministry of Health during program expansion nationally.-Managed consultant engagement for operational research and systems strengthening.-Drafted the technical specifications for involvement of NGOs in tuberculosis control that were approved as national policy by the Government of India.-Consulted frequently with officials of WHO, the British International Development Agency (DFID), the Danish Agency for International Development (DANIDA), the World Bank, and other international agencies and donors.

New York City

Directed human resources, financial management, procurement, grants and contracts, facilities management, and capital improvement program for a complex organization with 860 full time staff, 17 different labor unions, 22 sites, and a fleet of 150 vehicles in the City of New York. Supervised a team of 4 senior managers and over 70 staff.-Implemented customer service program that fostered creativity and innovation, making the Bureau of TB Control one of the most desirable places to work in the Department of Health.-Exceeded Bureau’s staff training and education targets by 100%, setting four consecutive annual performance records.-Ensured that 100% of staff received performance evaluations annually during four consecutive years.-Improved contracting and procurement services and implemented a contract monitoring system that received recognition from City and State officials. Contract processing time was reduced significantly.-Selected by Department of Health to be part of a task force of managers responsible for implementing change initiatives across the agency.-Appointed temporarily Deputy City Registrar of Vital Records to help clear a backlog of review and issuance of death certificates in New York City.

New York City

Directed program expansion of grants and contracts worth $35 million annually, managing over 77 grants to academic institutions, hospitals, and community based organizations. Supervised the work of 5 staff and 40 contractors.-Oversaw the preparation and negotiation of multi-million dollar grants from donors such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NY State AIDS Institute.

New York City

Developed New York City’s Municipal Public Health Services Plan and negotiated with State Health Department officials in order for the City to receive $90 million annually. Before my arrival, the plan submitted by NYC had been rejected by the State. -Developed and negotiated funding proposals for improving AIDS testing and laboratories, tuberculosis control, lead poisoning, and environmental health. This resulted in revenue of $240 million over 3 years.-Provided policy and budget analytical support to the Commissioner of Health and the Division of Disease Intervention.-Assisted in the preparation of the Department’s section of the Mayor’s Management Report annually.

New York City

Taught undergraduate courses in political science and international relations. Designed and taught two innovative courses: 1) Presidents, Prime Ministers and Other Chief Executives 2) Congresses, Parliaments, and other Legislatures. Also taught a course Dealing with Bureaucracy, International Issues and Trouble Spots, and American Government and Political Institutions which is part of the core curriculum.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Provided policy analysis to the City’s chief financial officer during the City’s worst fiscal crisis.-Assisted in management of the City’s $70 million Productivity Improvement Fund-Interacted extensively with community based organizations, City Council members, state legislators and other high level officials of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Assisted in development of funding proposals for innovative maternal and child health program involving the City government, a teaching hospital, and children advocacy groups.-Represented the Commissioner in meetings with community based organizations, public health advocates, and service providers.

Mpa, Government Administration

Master Of Arts - Ma, International Relations And Affairs

Specialism in Strategic Studies

Ba, Political Science

Activities and Societies: Model United Nations team Dyson College Society of Fellows

Education record

Completed program of study on High Impact Leadership designed by University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Education record

MIT Media Lab—Completed short course Beyond Smart Cities: Emerging Design and Technology.

Education record

Completed the Executive Program - Neuroscience for Business.

Education record

Completed the Executive Program - Leading the Future of Work