Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr. Samira Asma is the Chief of the Global NCD Unit in the Division of Global Health Protection, Center for Global Health, at CDC. In this role, Dr. Asma provides leadership for CDC’s global NCD strategy, communications, and program development. Previously, Dr. Asma served as Chief of the Global Tobacco Control Branch in the Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC. Under her leadership, CDC established the Global Tobacco Control Branch in 2000 with its flagship initiative - the Global Tobacco Surveillance System spanning 180 countries to systematically track tobacco use and control policies.
A dentist with training in public health, Dr. Asma received her degree in dentistry from Bangalore University, India, and a master’s in public health from the University College London, United Kingdom. After working with WHO, Dr. Asma joined CDC in 1997. Dr. Asma has over 100 publications ranging from research, policy and practice on tobacco control, chronic disease prevention and health promotion as well as key position papers, evidence based reports and atlases. Dr. Asma is a recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Developing Leadership in Substance Abuse fellowship and the Jeffery P. Koplan Award on outstanding and sustained leadership and achievement in global tobacco prevention and control. In 2014, Dr. Asma received the World No Tobacco Day award from the Ministry of Health, Government of Turkey, for exemplary support of tobacco control program in Turkey.