Katherine E. Bliss

Director and Senior Fellow, Immunizations and Health Systems Resilience, Global Health Policy Center
Katherine E. Bliss

Katherine E. Bliss brings her expertise in the social sciences, Latin American studies, and international relations to her work analyzing U.S. government support for health programs in low- and middle-income countries. She is particularly interested in how political and cultural perspectives shape approaches to such global health challenges as HIV/AIDS; vaccine-preventable diseases; and access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Trained as a historian, Katherine spent the early part of her career teaching at the university level and publishing books and articles on gender relations and public health in twentieth-century Mexico. A Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship enabled her to shift her focus to global health policy, placing her at the U.S. Department of State, where she worked on environmental health issues and the development of foreign policy approaches to pandemic preparedness. At CSIS, Katherine has previously served as deputy director and senior fellow within both the Americas Program and Global Health Policy Center, where she oversaw a multi-program project on the influence of the BRICS countries on the global health agenda and directed the Project on Global Water Policy. Her recent work has examined the health situation in the context of the Venezuelan political crisis and the challenges facing immunization programs within fragile or disordered settings. Katherine received her A.B. in history and literature, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and her Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago. She completed a David E. Bell Fellowship at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.

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Preparing for the Consequences of Collapse in Cuba

CSIS experts explore the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Cuba, and lay out recommendations for the United States and international community to address growing need on the island. 

Critical Questions by CSIS Scholars — April 9, 2026

The CommonHealth

The Resurgence of Measles in the United States | CommonHealth Live!

Listen to the recent broadcast conversation with Katherine Bliss and Stephen Morrison on the current measles outbreaks, threats posed by sustained disease transmission, and opportunities for collaboration to prevent and respond to health security challenges.

Podcast Episode by Katherine E. Bliss and J. Stephen Morrison — March 12, 2026

The CommonHealth
The CommonHealth

Measles Outbreaks and Elimination in North America | The CommonHealth Live!

Listen to this broadcast from the ⁠CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security⁠ regarding measles outbreaks and elimination in the North American context and the implications of sustained measles transmission for regional and global health security.

Podcast Episode by Katherine E. Bliss — February 24, 2026

The CommonHealth
The CommonHealth

Prevention Intention: Linda-Gail Bekker on HIV Prevention with Purpose

In the first episode of the Prevention Intention mini-series, a series featuring conversations with leading female HIV clinical researchers, Katherine speaks with Linda-Gail Bekker, a medical doctor and director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre at the University of Cape Town.

Podcast Episode by Katherine E. Bliss — December 4, 2025

The CommonHealth
Audio Briefs

Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30

An audio version of “Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Noam Unger, J. Stephen Morrison, Katherine E. Bliss, Mathias Zacarias, Ray Cai, and Alexis Burns. This audio was generated using text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by CSIS Scholars — November 25, 2025

Audio Briefs