Special Skills, Qualifications, and Board Experience
Over 25 years of professional experience and brings a unique perspective in shaping bold ideas to tackle our biggest global challenges.
Reputation as a leapfrog innovator, strategic disruptor, and transformation specialist and is recognized for his exemplary leadership, innovative mindset, communication skills, and proven track record of success.
Belief in the game changing power of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors working together. That by doing so, as local and global communities, we can reimagine sustainable financing for public health delivery systems, aggressively deploy new medical technologies, and accelerate access to lifesaving services.
Currently serves as Chief Investment Officer, Innovative Financing and Sustainable Investing at the U.S. Department of State to better achieve leveraged and aligned investments for the over 50 countries for HIV epidemic control and COVID emergency response.
Recognized at the U.S. State Department during the COVID-19 pandemic for outstanding leadership, management of people capital, exemplary problem solving and negotiation skills, global coalition team building, and goto turnaround specialist.
Elected board positions include: Board Member for the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region (WCNCR), Executive Vice President Elect for the Chevy Chase Elementary School (CCES), and Council Member, Martin’s Addtions, Chevy Chase Maryland.
I have the privilege of serving as an elected board member for the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region (WCNCR) since 2020. My tenure has almost entirely been during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Essentially requiring us to avoid traditional event functions, with 100% virtual participation. But now with great hope and anticipation we will again revert to more traditional, in-person content and networking.
In addition to my position on the WCNCR Board, I have worked very closely with many Wharton Students, Alumni, and friends over the past 30 years. This has been in the context of several roles including student, ‘superhero’ alumni interviewer, Vice-Chair Community Service - PENN Board Class of ’93, board member for the Wharton Club of New York, C-Suite executive, academic advisor, foundation president, and most recently public servant.
These activities and many others have been seen as meaningful for the students, businesses, and local communities served, by impacting many millions of lives. I will continue to apply all these lessons and experiences to help continue to build our regional club’s network and brand to sponsor programs for public service, global development, blended finance, and health care.
I am a devoted to family and annually participate in the #Kennedy50 walk, leading long distance team training walks for local/regional residents throughout the year along the C&O canal.
Diversity & Inclusion
Throughout my professional and academic career, I have championed activities for financial inclusiveness of investments as well as an advocate for expanding diversity of applicants and geographic reach of the Wharton School and University of Pennsylvania. These activities include:
Championing and standing up the newly formed WCNCR ESG, Impact, and Inclusion Affinity Group focusing on exploring new public and private blended and venture backed financing models focusing on diversity, equity, and underserved populations.
Starting a US 501 (c)(3) foundation with seed capital support from a Wharton Alumnus. The mission is to advance public-private-partnerships to improve access to medical services in underserved communities, and
Working in my current role as Chief Investment Officer at our U.S. State Department alongside business leaders (including fellow Wharton Alum) to expand access to health care through shared value collaborations and innovations to end the HIV/AIDS by 2030 in over 50 countries globally.
Hosting at the US Embassy in Tanzania in the early 2000’s the first ever MBA information/recruiting session in Dar es Salaam.
Personally, mentoring dozens of MBA’s/Undergrads on volunteer summer internships in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Vision
It is my firm belief that the most valuable asset of this esteemed alumni community is our ability to coordinate, network, learn from one another, and innovate to make an impact locally and globally. As a community we are at a unique infection point to be advocates and leaders that build upon the traditional core professional strengths of the Wharton Alumni base inclusive of business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and venture capitalists. Furthermore, importantly taking up call’s to action by CEO's and The Business Roundtable to strengthen the role of the corporation to better support the communities they serve and ESG portfolios. This becomes even more imperative in the near term to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and opportunities to develop transformative innovations and partnerships.
Embracing these traditions and emerging trends within its program planning will further set our regional club from the rest of the pack. Furthermore, capture the growing interest, passion, and imagination of young alumni and future graduates.
If I have the honor of being re-elected I will work alongside other board members to continue to:
- Support new event programming with special guest keynote speakers and facility.
- Champion relationships with other global clubs within the US and abroad.
- Expand our membership base with local alumni and current students, and
- Build relationships to promote volunteer opportunities within our local communities.
- Directly lead the newly formed WCNCR ESG, Impact, and Inclusion Affinity Group.
- Serve as liaison to our Affinity group teams to strengthen event programming and content that is meaningful and of interest to our members.
- Further explore and build awareness of on-line learning and career development opportunities.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyblander/
Bio
Dr. Jeff Blander
Chief Investment Officer
Officer for the Office of The Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy
U.S. Department of State, PEPFAR
Dr. Jeffrey Blander is a leapfrog innovator, strategic disruptor, and transformation specialist. Jeff is recognized for his exemplary leadership, innovative mindset, communication skills, and proven track record of success. Embedded within his DNA, is the belief of the game changing power of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors working together. That by doing so, as local and global communities, we can reimagine sustainable financing for public health delivery systems, aggressively deploy new medical technologies, and accelerate equitable access to lifesaving services.
Jeff has over 25 years of professional experience and brings a unique perspective in shaping new ideas to tackle our biggest global challenges. Experience includes: Current positions as the Chief Innovation Officer and Coordinator, PEPFAR Program Management at the U.S. Department of State, supporting the global battle against two pandemics for HIV/AIDS and COVID-19.
Jeff received his Doctorate and Masters Degrees from The Harvard School of Public Health and his Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.