EcoHealth Alliance Announces Election of Charles Hirschler to Board of Directors
NEW YORK – December 11, 2020 – EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of animal, environmental, and human health on a global scale, announced today the election of Charles Hirschler to its Board of Directors. Amidst a global pandemic, EcoHealth Alliance’s work to understand the underlying causes of disease spillover has never seemed as pertinent as it does now. An advisor to FitBiomics, Inc. and Whoop, Inc., a managing member of CHMBR Partners LLC, and a member of the Family Shareholders Committee for Bunge Limited, Mr. Hirschler brings more than 40 years of business, nonprofit, and NGO experience to the EcoHealth Alliance Board of Directors.
Mr. Hirschler cites EcoHealth Alliance’s focus on better understanding the human cause of disease spillover as what attracted him to the organization.
“West Nile virus presents an excellent example of this: throughout the 20th century, millions of acres of land was converted to lawns in urban and suburban America. Songbirds disappeared and robins–which are extremely effective at spreading West Nile–came in,” Mr. Hirschler said. “Our meddling in natural environments set up a perfect storm which led to the spread of West Nile virus. Today, COVID-19 serves as another grim reminder of the threat that new and emerging diseases pose.”
Mr. Hirschler holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business Administration. He also sits on the Board of Advisors for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders USA.
About EcoHealth Alliance:
Building on 45 years of groundbreaking science, EcoHealth Alliance is the premier nonprofit organization committed to a One Health approach to track the migration of deadly viruses from animals into humans. EcoHealth Alliance research has led to major breakthroughs on the origins and spread of new and emerging diseases like Ebola, SARS, MERS, Nipah virus, and, now, SARS-CoV-2. EcoHealth Alliance works globally in hotspot regions where the threat of outbreaks is highest. Through innovations in research, training, capacity building, and policy initiatives, we develop tools and interventions to prevent pandemics and promote conservation.
Press contact: Robert Kessler, (212) 380-4469 or kessler@ecohealthalliance.org.