Medical Director

Staff Bio

Romeo Galang, MD, MPH

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Dr. Galang works to advance public health science and strengthen links between health care and public health in his role as the center's medical director.

Romeo Galang

Role at CDC

Romeo Galang is the medical director for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP). In this role, he works closely with center leaders and staff to support public health activities related to chronic disease and strengthen connections between health care and public health.

Previous experience

Dr. Galang previously led emergency preparedness and response work within the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH). His focus has been on addressing the needs of maternal and infant populations during disasters and public health emergencies. He has contributed to public health surveillance, research, clinical guideline development, and training for health care professionals in emergency planning.

During his time at CDC, Dr. Galang has played a key role in responses to various diseases and disasters, including Ebola, HIV, Zika, COVID-19, Mpox, Dengue, Oropouche, chemical incidents, and natural disasters. He has also worked with organizations and government agencies to build capacity at different levels of government for addressing maternal and infant health needs in emergency preparedness planning.

From 2021 to 2022, Dr. Galang served as the acting health equity lead for DRH. He provided strategic leadership aligning DRH's work with CDC's CORE Health Equity Science and Intervention Strategy. He also contributed to the development of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis as a representative on the White House Maternal Health Sub-Interagency Policy Committee on Perinatal Workforce.

Dr. Galang is a recognized expert in reproductive health, disasters, and public health emergencies. He is a two-time Charles C. Shepard award winner and has been nominated by NCCDPHP for his contribution to reproductive health across all-hazards responses. He collaborates with various committees within professional organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine.

In addition to his role at CDC, Dr. Galang volunteers at Grady Memorial Hospital and serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. He is dedicated to advancing health equity and improving outcomes for underserved populations.

Education

Dr. Galang holds degrees in medicine from the University of Rochester and in public health from Tulane University. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard University.