Biography

William Foege was born on March 12, 1936 in Decorah, Iowa, USA. He was married to Paula Ristad. He died on January 24, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

Renowned epidemiologist and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director who has served as global health advisor to the Bill Gates and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Best known for developing a ring containment deployment strategy for smallpox vaccinations in the 1970s - eradicating the deadly disease that up until that point claimed millions of lives per year.