The most influential people during COVID-19
While working on research for my book about my work during COVID-19, I wanted to include those who also fought for science, transparency, and the public’s right to access honest and accurate information and data.
So I cheated. I asked AI to generate a list of the most influential experts during COVID-19 with a brief description of their notoriety during the pandemic.
I’m familiar with all of these people, though I will note that many of the people included were certainly “influential,” they did not have a net positive impact on public health.
I’m putting this out there to see if you have any suggestions for your own heroes during COVID that I should include. Not everyone has to be a public official or director of a major health office. Local leaders often stepped up and defied the tides of disinformation in protecting people. Private organizations, community groups, and faith groups also led the charge in making up for the inadequacies of our state and federal systems.
After reviewing the list, please add your own recommendations in the comments below, and share this piece so that others might contribute. I’m nearing the end of the research phase of my book and want to, at a minimum, recognize those who helped keep the world from falling apart in any way they could.
I. Epidemiology & Infectious-Disease Modeling
1. Anthony Fauci, MD
Director of NIAID for nearly 40 years, Fauci served as chief medical adviser to two presidents during the pandemic. He became the public face of scientific guidance, widely trusted for clear communication on risks, variants, and vaccines.
2. Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH
An infectious-disease physician and former CDC director, Walensky became known for leading the agency during the vaccine rollout and Delta surge. Her expertise in HIV epidemiology shaped her evidence-focused approach to public health policy.
3. Ashish Jha, MD, MPH
A global-health and pandemic-preparedness expert, Jha led the Brown School of Public Health and later served as White House COVID Response Coordinator. He became widely known for translating complex public-health data into actionable guidance.
4. Caitlin Rivers, PhD
A Johns Hopkins epidemiologist specializing in outbreak modeling and biodefense, Rivers became a trusted interpreter of real-time data trends. She also helped build the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, guiding state-level response.
5. Natalie Dean, PhD
A biostatistician at Emory specializing in vaccine effectiveness and outbreak analytics, Dean became a leading public explainer of vaccine trials and real-world protection data. Her clear communication made her a frequent source for national media.
6. Trevor Bedford, PhD
A computational biologist at Fred Hutch, Bedford became pivotal for early genomic tracking of SARS-CoV-2, warning about community spread weeks before official acknowledgment. His Nextstrain analyses were essential for variant surveillance.
7. Marc Lipsitch, PhD
A Harvard epidemiologist focusing on transmission dynamics, Lipsitch helped lead national modeling efforts in early 2020. He also co-founded the CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA).
8. Yosef (Yossi) Rapoport, PhD
Johns Hopkins computational epidemiologist known for modeling hospital capacity, ICU stress, and local transmission scenarios. His work guided state and hospital network planning.
9. Justin Lessler, PhD
A University of North Carolina infectious-disease modeler, Lessler produced widely used forecasts on transmission, risk by age, and vaccine impact. He co-led national modeling hubs used by CDC and states.
10. Nicholas Reich, PhD
A UMass biostatistician who led the COVID-19 Forecasting Hub—one of the country’s most influential multi-model forecasting systems. His ensemble projections were used by CDC throughout the pandemic.
II. Virology, Immunology, and Molecular Biology
11. Kizzmekia Corbett, PhD
A viral immunologist at NIH, Corbett co-led development of the Moderna mRNA vaccine. She became a national figure for her groundbreaking scientific role and advocacy for vaccine equity.
12. Barney Graham, MD, PhD
Deputy director of the NIH Vaccine Research Center, Graham oversaw the team that designed the stabilized spike protein used in major COVID vaccines. His decades of work on viral immunology became central to global vaccine success.
13. Peter Hotez, MD, PhD
A Baylor vaccinologist who long warned about pandemic threats, Hotez became one of the most outspoken defenders of vaccines against misinformation. He co-developed a low-cost COVID vaccine distributed globally.
14. Angela Rasmussen, PhD
A Columbia and VIDO virologist known for explaining viral behavior, airborne transmission, and variant threats. Her communication made complex molecular science accessible to the public.
15. Florian Krammer, PhD
A Mount Sinai virologist whose lab created one of the first reliable antibody assays for SARS-CoV-2. He became central to explaining immunity, reinfection, and vaccine response.
16. Shane Crotty, PhD
An immunologist at the La Jolla Institute whose studies defined how T-cells respond to COVID-19 and variants. He became widely cited for explaining the durability of immune protection.
17. Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
A Yale immunologist known for pioneering work on mucosal immunity, viral pathogenesis, and long COVID. She became a key advocate for research on long-term outcomes.
18. Eric Topol, MD
A molecular medicine expert and Scripps Research physician-scientist, Topol became a leading voice on variant risks, boosters, and real-time research analysis. His newsletter and public commentary shaped scientific understanding.
19. Stanley Perlman, MD, PhD
A veteran coronavirus researcher at the University of Iowa, Perlman provided decades of expertise on SARS and MERS. His work informed understanding of immune responses and pediatric disease.
20. John Nkengasong, PhD
A renowned virologist and director of Africa CDC (later U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator), Nkengasong’s U.S. collaborations and global leadership shaped genomic surveillance and equitable vaccine access.
III. Public Health Leadership & Government Response
21. Vivek Murthy, MD
The U.S. Surgeon General, Murthy became known for guiding national messaging on vaccines, youth mental health, and pandemic misinformation. His bulletins shaped federal communications strategy.
22. Deborah Birx, MD
The White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Trump, Birx oversaw national mitigation, data interpretation, and interagency coordination. Her behind-the-scenes scientific role became widely discussed after leaving office.
23. Robert Redfield, MD
CDC director during the early pandemic, Redfield oversaw the first waves of federal response and initial testing guidelines. Despite controversy, he remained a central figure in public-health communication.
24. Michael Osterholm, PhD
A prominent infectious-disease expert at the University of Minnesota, Osterholm served on Biden’s advisory board and warned early about supply chain issues and variant spread. His long expertise in biodefense made him a trusted source.
25. Leana Wen, MD
An emergency physician and former Baltimore health commissioner, Wen became a leading media communicator about balancing COVID mitigation with public-health goals. She helped translate evolving risks for everyday audiences.
26. Anne Schuchat, MD
CDC principal deputy director known for her decades of field epidemiology leadership. She was a calm, consistent scientific presence early in the pandemic.
27. Tom Frieden, MD
Former CDC director and president of Resolve to Save Lives, Frieden provided trusted guidance on ventilation, masking, and global response strategies.
28. Jha Bharel, MD
Massachusetts state health commissioner who guided one of the most data-transparent state responses. She oversaw testing expansion and state-level policy science.
29. Scott Gottlieb, MD
Former FDA commissioner who became a leading commentator on vaccines, variants, and regulatory strategy. His early warnings about spread proved prescient.
IV. Frontline Clinical Medicine & Treatment
30. Vincent Rajkumar, MD
A Mayo Clinic oncologist who became widely followed for clear explanations of treatment data, monoclonal antibodies, and disease severity across variants.
31. Gitanjali Pai, MD
An infectious-disease clinician who gained visibility for clear, practical frontline communication in rural and underserved communities.
32. Paul Offit, MD
A pediatric infectious-disease physician and FDA vaccine advisory committee member, Offit explained vaccine safety, myocarditis, and risk-benefit analysis to national audiences.
33. Céline Gounder, MD
An infectious-disease physician and medical journalist, Gounder served on Biden’s transition COVID advisory board. She was widely trusted for nuanced explanations of risk mitigation.
34. Syra Madad, DHSc
An infectious-disease epidemiologist specializing in special pathogens at NYC Health + Hospitals, Madad became known for preparedness and hospital safety leadership.
35. David Boulware, MD, MPH
A University of Minnesota infectious-disease physician who led trials on outpatient COVID therapeutics. His balanced approach to early drug debates made him a trusted scientific voice.
V. Data Science, Surveillance, Genomics & Transparency
36. Rebekah Jones, MS
A data scientist and geographer who built and led Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard before blowing the whistle on political interference in data transparency. Her independent COVID data portal became one of the most visited public-health resources in the country and influenced national reporting standards.
37. Anne-Marie Gloster, PhD
A public-health data scholar who analyzed disparities and data gaps, bringing clarity to structural inequities in case detection and outcomes.
38. Ellen Johnson, MS
A developer behind several major COVID data trackers who became known for improving accessibility, usability, and public understanding of regional trends.
39. Lauren Gardner, PhD
A Johns Hopkins engineering professor who co-built the world’s most widely used COVID-19 dashboard. Her system became the global standard for reporting cases, deaths, and trends.
40. Youyang Gu, MS
A data scientist whose independently built SEIR model became one of the most accurate national predictors of deaths and vaccine trajectories. His transparency and accuracy gained wide public trust.
41. Billy Quilty, PhD
A modeler known for evaluating travel restrictions, regional spread, and mitigation scenarios. His analyses guided understanding of importation risk.
42. Chartr/Wesley Co
Data visualization experts who became influential for clear, digestible COVID charts that helped explain complex trends to the general public.
43. Saloni Dattani, PhD
A geneticist and science editor who became a key figure in summarizing and interpreting global COVID data through Our World in Data and related analyses.
VI. Behavioral Science, Risk Communication & Mental Health
44. Sandra Crouse Quinn, PhD
A behavioral health researcher known for explaining vaccine hesitancy and trust dynamics in communities of color. Her work guided equitable outreach efforts.
45. Heidi Larson, PhD
An anthropologist and vaccine-confidence expert whose analyses of trust, fear, and misinformation guided national messaging strategies.
46. Susan Michie, PhD
A behavioral scientist specializing in adherence and policy interventions, Michie became well known for explaining how human behavior influences outbreak trajectories.
47. Zeynep Tufekci, PhD
A sociologist whose early writing influenced U.S. masking policy and public-health communication. She became a major voice explaining airborne transmission and why institutions were slow to adapt.
VII. Environmental & Aerosol Science (Ventilation, Masks, Airborne Transmission)
48. Linsey Marr, PhD
An environmental engineer and one of the world’s top aerosol scientists, Marr played a pivotal role in proving airborne transmission. Her work transformed ventilation and masking guidelines nationwide.
49. Jose-Luis Jimenez, PhD
A chemist and aerosol scientist at University of Colorado who provided influential real-time risk models for indoor air safety. He was instrumental in pushing global health authorities to acknowledge airborne spread.
50. Kimberly Prather, PhD
A leading atmospheric chemist who explained how viral particles behave in air and how ventilation reduces risk. She became central to policy debates on indoor safety.
VIII. Pediatric COVID, Schools, and Child Health
51. Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH
A pandemic-response expert who analyzed school reopening safety, testing strategies, and community risk. Her commentary shaped debates on how to safely maintain in-person schooling.
52. Danielle Dooley, MD
A pediatrician who became known for explaining children’s risk, mental health, and school safety measures.
53. Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH
An infectious-disease doctor at UCSF who offered nuanced guidance on balancing mitigation and children’s developmental needs. Widely followed for her focus on layered risk reduction.
54. Jason Wang, MD, PhD
A child-health researcher at Stanford who provided policy frameworks for safe school reopening, testing programs, and ventilation planning.
IX. Public-Facing Science Communication
55. Ed Yong
A Pulitzer Prize–winning science journalist whose COVID reporting in The Atlantic became the gold standard for clarity and depth. He helped the public understand systemic failures and evolving scientific knowledge.
56. Helen Branswell
A STAT News infectious-disease reporter known for decades of outbreak expertise. Her COVID coverage influenced both public understanding and expert discourse.
57. Apoorva Mandavilli
The New York Times’ lead COVID science reporter, Mandavilli became a national voice explaining vaccines, variants, and airborne transmission.
58. Carl Zimmer
A science writer who explained complex virology and immunology to broad audiences through clear storytelling in The New York Times.
59. Brian Resnick
A Vox science journalist known for accessible explanations of uncertainty, risk, and decision-making during the pandemic.
Eric Feigl-Ding, epidemiologist and public health researcher. Started sounding the COVID alarm on social media early on.
Katelyn Jetelina, writing as Your Local Epidemiologist. I don't remember when she started writing her newsletters -- may not have been right at the beginning of covid -- but she has been a voice of sanity, evidence-based public health information, and advocacy for several years.