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Headshot of a man in his 20s who has heritage from India with medium skin tone and black short cut hair; he is wearing a black blazer, black v-neck sweater, light blue button up shirt and a red tie, he is smiling at the camera
Meet the Fellows

Nirav Shah

Principal Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship awarded in 2005 to pursue an MD in Medicine at University of Chicago.

Nirav Shah is the child of immigrants from India.

About Nirav Shah

NIRAV SHAH is the Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control. Previously, he served as Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Director of the Illinois Department of Health.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Shah served as the Chief Economist of the Ministry of Health of Cambodia, during his tenure as a Henry Luce Scholar. In Cambodia, he worked on a variety of public health programs aimed at reducing corruption in the health care system. In particular, he designed a system that reduced the number of administrative steps required to transfer funds from the central Ministry to rural hospitals, thereby reducing opportunities for corruption and graft. Dr. Shah completed both his medical and law degrees at University of Chicago. After graduating from college, he studied economics at Oxford University. 

Education

  • BS in Biology and Psychology, University of Louisville
  • JD in Law, University of Chicago
  • MD in Medicine, University of Chicago

Professional Fields

Work History

  • Director, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Principal Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control
  • Director, Illinois Department of Health

Nirav's Links

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