Dr. Yach's research has appeared in over 250 articles submitted to leading scientific publications, such as Science and Nature, The BMJ, the Journal of the American Medical Association and Lancet.
SOUTHPORT, CT, May 01, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Derek Yach has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected based on current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all considered during the selection process.
Driven by a deep and abiding desire to make a positive difference in the world, Dr. Yach has dedicated his career to the improvement of global health. Hailing from a multifaceted career that goes back over four decades, his extensive experience in tackling complex health challenges has led him to positions of leadership in both the private and public sectors. Now active as a global health advocate and independent consultant, his primary areas of expertise reside in chronic conditions, mental health wellbeing, and the intersection of private and public entities with emerging technologies to address the global challenges of obesity and smoking.
As a student at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Dr. Yach was keenly aware of disparities in social class and racial inequality in his home country – most especially the way such issues manifest in public health outcomes. After earning his undergraduate degree in 1979, he went on to study epidemiology at Stellenbosch University, where he graduated with honors in 1982. Following this accomplishment, he received a Master of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 1985.
After serving as a director of the Centre for Epidemiological Research, where he created a national infrastructure for epidemiological research across all universities from 1985 to 1995, Dr. Yach was invited to join the World Health Organization, where he worked as an executive director for noncommunicable diseases and mental health. He led initiatives to develop global dietary guidelines and to establish WHO's first treaty. It addresses tobacco use and has been adopted by most governments. After nearly a decade in this capacity, he relocated to the United States, where he joined the faculty staff at Yale University as a professor of global health and took up several successive roles in both the private and nonprofit sectors. Starting as the director of global health at The Rockefeller Foundation, he subsequently as the senior vice president of global health and agricultural policies at PepsiCo from 2007 to 2012 – notably, he was among the first at PepsiCo to be retained explicitly for his expertise in health outcome research.
Remaining at PepsiCo until 2012, Dr. Yach went on to distinguish himself by leading the Vitality Institute, in New York-based organization, funded by Discovery, South Africa, It promotes positive behavior change through incentives for health behaviors across life and health insurance companies worldwide. He subsequently founded the independent Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, a nonprofit organization, through funding from PMI in 2017. The main goal of it being to end smoking and the toll its takes on health.
Departing from this role in 2021, he has since worked as a global health advocate via his independent consultancy, Global Health Strategies LLC. In this capacity, he seeks to synthesize the vast experience he has gleaned over the course of his career to foster better integration between nonprofit organizations, private entities, and new technology in the quest toward improving structural health outcomes – primarily through fostering behavioral modifications among diverse populations and incentivizing corporations to promote healthier lifestyles. Understanding that no one individual can make a difference alone, Dr. Yach has sought to leverage the complex network he has built throughout his professional journey to this end.
Well-regarded for his scholarly prowess, Dr. Yach's research has appeared in over 250 articles submitted to leading scientific publications, such as Science and Nature, The BMJ, the Journal of the American Medical Association and Lancet. Several prominent media outlets, including the BBC, NPR, the Guardian, and the New York Times have also cited his work. Additionally, he has sat on the boards of several influential health organizations – among them are the Clinton Global Initiative, National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center, the ABInbev advisory board, Oxford Health Alliance, and the Chicago Global Council.
In recognition of his contributions to public health and policy, Mr. Yach has received numerous accolades, including an honorary Doctor of Science from Georgetown University, and qualifying as a finalist for the Nelson Mandela Award in South Africa. He was also honored as the Heath Clark Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Mr. Yach is passionate about mentoring others and maintaining his own health especially through open water swimming. Looking toward the future, he aspires to explore the ethical use of artificial intelligence when combined with emerging innovations in biotechnology to accelerate global health for all. Motivated by a deep conviction that the world can be a better place, he remains hopeful regarding the transformative potential of such technologies in the years to come.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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