Katherine E. Bliss

Director and Senior Fellow, Immunizations and Health Systems Resilience, Global Health Policy Center
Katherine E. Bliss

Katherine E. Bliss brings her expertise in the social sciences, Latin American studies, and international relations to her work analyzing U.S. government support for health programs in low- and middle-income countries. She is particularly interested in how political and cultural perspectives shape approaches to such global health challenges as HIV/AIDS; vaccine-preventable diseases; and access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Trained as a historian, Katherine spent the early part of her career teaching at the university level and publishing books and articles on gender relations and public health in twentieth-century Mexico. A Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship enabled her to shift her focus to global health policy, placing her at the U.S. Department of State, where she worked on environmental health issues and the development of foreign policy approaches to pandemic preparedness. At CSIS, Katherine has previously served as deputy director and senior fellow within both the Americas Program and Global Health Policy Center, where she oversaw a multi-program project on the influence of the BRICS countries on the global health agenda and directed the Project on Global Water Policy. Her recent work has examined the health situation in the context of the Venezuelan political crisis and the challenges facing immunization programs within fragile or disordered settings. Katherine received her A.B. in history and literature, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and her Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago. She completed a David E. Bell Fellowship at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.

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The CommonHealth

Expanding Access to Immunizations in the Americas | The CommonHealth Live!

In this conversation, learn about immunization programs in the Americas, what works to close gaps and expand access to new vaccines, and the important roles schools, civil society organizations, and community groups play in sustaining momentum for immunization programs.

Podcast Episode by Katherine E. Bliss — April 30, 2026

The CommonHealth

The Sudan War in 10 Charts

Sudan's civil war has entered its fourth year as the world's largest, most underfunded, and most overlooked humanitarian crisis.

Commentary by CSIS Scholars — April 17, 2026

Audio Briefs

Preparing for the Consequences of Collapse in Cuba

An audio version of “⁠Preparing for the Consequences of Collapse in Cuba⁠,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS’s Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Katherine E. Bliss, Andrew Friedman, David Michel, Zane Swanson, and Henry Ziemer. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by CSIS Scholars — April 9, 2026

Audio Briefs

Preparing for the Consequences of Collapse in Cuba

CSIS experts explore the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Cuba, and lay out recommendations for the United States and international community to address growing need on the island. 

Critical Questions by CSIS Scholars — April 9, 2026