About me
José Luis Castro’s appointment demonstrates WHO's commitment to prioritizing respiratory health. His efforts will support WHO in shaping policies, building partnerships, and driving actions to improve the health of people worldwide.
In June 2024, José Luis completed his tenure as President and CEO of Vital Strategies, the global health organization he founded and led for 20 years. During his tenure, Vital Strategies grew from a small nonprofit primarily focused on lung health to an organization with a budget of US$ 100 million and a global team of more than 400 people working on global health issues ranging from tobacco control to air quality to overdose prevention and data for health. The organization now works in 80 countries and has impacted the lives of hundreds of millions of people.
In October 2020, Mr. Castro concluded his six-year term as the executive director of The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. During his leadership, the organization expanded its global portfolio and forged new strategic partnerships, including with the Global Fund, USAID, DFID and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
He served from 2017 to 2019 as the first president of the NCD Alliance, a network of over 2,000 civil society organizations in more than 170 countries dedicated to combating the global noncommunicable disease epidemic.
José Luis earned his Masters of Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Pace University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and a member of the European Respiratory Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
