Claire Sterk

Claire Sterk is President Emerita and a Charles Howard Candler Professor of Public Health, at Emory University. During her term as President, she led the Emory enterprise, including Emory Healthcare, through times of significant disruption, using her skills in organizational change, financial restructuring, and business innovation. She is a Financial Expert and considered an expert in governance. Claire has has five years of for-profit board experience, including service on the boards of two start-up companies in the fields of biotech and digital health. As an active member in the community, Claire currently also serves as a board member of the Woodruff Arts Center, the Atlanta Police Foundation, and the Atlanta Community Foodbank, and she is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta and the Council of Foreign Affairs.Previously, she was a board member of the Atlanta Committee for Progress, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Truist (formerly SunTrust) Atlanta Advisory Board, Georgia Research Alliance, The Carter Center, and the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences. Among her professional recognitions are the election to the American Association of Arts and Sciences (2018) and the National Academy of Medicine (2019). She is a sought-after speaker at high profile industry events on topics such as health, innovation, equity and inclusion, and the impact of technology. 

At Emory, Claire served as 20th President (2016-2020) and 6th Provost (2012-2016). As President she launched One Emory: Engaged for Impact -- a call for reimaging the roles and responsibilities of research universities, and during her tenure as Provost she led Emory’s strategic planning process, Thinking and Acting Strategically. Additionally, she served as Senior Vice Provost (2005-2012). Claire has been on the faculty of the Rollins School of Public Health since 1995, where she also served as inaugural Associate Dean for Research (2004-2005) and Chair of the Department of Behavioral Science and Health (2000-2005). She has served on 37 dissertation committees and chaired more than 50 master’s theses, while serving as a committee member on an additional 25+ thesis committees.  As Charles Howard Candler Professor in Public Health, she is actively engaged with the doctoral program in the Departent of Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences at the Rollins School of Public Health.