Elisabeth Wilhelm

Behavior change communication expert

Infodemic manager and trainer

Strategic health communications advisor

Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Elisabeth Wilhelm

Behavior change communication expert

Infodemic manager and trainer

Strategic health communications advisor

Biography

I'm Elisabeth Wilhelm, an award-winning global public health professional with deep experience in health communication, behavior change strategies, and infodemic management.

  • Health areas: Immunization, HIV, malaria, misinformation, child health
  • Expertise Program management, strategic planning, training, policy development, M&E, communications
  • Previously worked with USAID, US CDC, UNICEF, WHO, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, PATH
Specializations
Vaccine Confidence

Expert in vaccine confidence and demand promotion strategic development and management

Infodemic Management

Fostered global field of infodemic management in public health during COVID-19

Developing Communications Strategies

Planned and led national-level health strategies and campaigns

Behavior Change Communications

Implemented behavior change strategies, campaigns and implementation science projects

Digital Content

Content and strategy development for digital health content, tools and interventions

Technical Assistance

Provided expert support to Ministries of Health on outbreak and immunization campaigns

Awards
US CDC Excellence in Emergency Response: Toby Merlin Award – International (International Task Force for COVID-19 Response): August 2022
US CDC Excellence in Emergency Response: Toby Merlin Award – Domestic (COVID-19 Emergency Response Staff): August 2022
US CDC Excellence in Communications (Joint Information Center): August 2022
US CDC Excellence in Program Delivery – Domestic (COVID-19 Vaccine authorization and Distribution-Vaccine Task Force): August 2022
US CDC Center for Global Health Director’s Global Health Strategy Award to Team on Global Vaccine Safety, 2018
In the Press
Resume
Experience
Senior Social Behavior Change Advisor
Mar 2023-Present
Senior Social Behavior Change Advisor
USAID

Serving as a contractor (Eagle Health) on the COVID-19 Response Team in the USAID Bureau for Global Health to provide technical expertise on COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake globally.

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Social Scientist for Infodemic Management Consultant
Oct 2022 - Mar 2023
Social Scientist for Infodemic Management Consultant
UNICEF

As a consultant, build infodemic management strategy to address vaccine misinformation and support global vaccine demand to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

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Health Communication Specialist
Oct 2016 - Aug 2022
Health Communication Specialist
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Served as civil servant and contractor, conducting implementation evaluation of vaccine communications, infodemic and demand projects in low and middle income countries. Deployed to lead domestic COVID-19 vaccine confidence work during COVID-19 vaccine introduction.

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Advocacy & Communications Officer
July 2014 - May 2016
Advocacy & Communications Officer
PATH

Served as a Global Health Corps fellow for first year of two-year stint supporting community engagement and behavior chance communications to support malaria elimination campaign and mass drug administration (MDA) research in Southern Province, Zambia.

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Education
The Johns Hopkins University
2011-2013
The Johns Hopkins University
Washington, DC

Awarded M.A. in Communication

Pratt Institute
2005-2009
Pratt Institute
Brooklyn, New York

Awarded B.F.A in Writing for Publication, Performance and Media

Fellowships
Visiting Fellow
2022-2023
Visiting Fellow
Providence, RI

Information Futures Lab at Brown University School of Public Health

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Global Health Corps Fellow
2014-2015
Global Health Corps Fellow
Lusaka, Zambia

Served at Advocacy & Communications Officer at PATH as part of a global health young leadership program

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Skills
Languages
  • English
  • German
  • French
Knowledge & Skills
  • Strong oral and written communication
  • Qualitative research skills
  • Health diplomacy and intercultural communication
  • Health strategy development
  • Digital content
  • Training and coaching
  • Program management
  • Monitoring and evaluation
Software Expertise
  • Image Editing and Design: Adobe Suite, Canva
  • Qualitative Coding: ATLAS.ti, DeDoose
  • Web Design Languages: CSS/XHTML, JS
  • Content Management Systems: Joomla, WordPress, Drupal
  • Survey Design and Deployment: SurveyMonkey, ODK, KoboCollect
  • Interactive Conference Tools: Zoom, Slido, Mentimeter
  • Learning Management Systems: Moodle
  • Video Editing: Adobe Premiere, FinalCut Pro
  • Audio Editing: Audacity
  • Productivity Tools: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Sharepoint and Teams, Google Suite
wapo
 
“Being confident in the vaccine and deciding to get vaccinated — those need to be voluntary, personal decisions,” said Elisabeth Wilhelm, a vaccine confidence strategist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We ask people to think very, very carefully when they talk about incentives, whether it’s a bag of rice for your kid getting vaccinated in Nigeria or getting a coronavirus vaccine in your workplace in the United States. It is a lever that can be used — it just should not be the first that you pull on.”
 
 
Published April 22, 2021
 
By Frances Stead Sellers and Bonnie Berkowitz
 
The Washington Post
Get in Touch
  • Email: contact@elisabethwilhelm.com
Contact Form