Melinda Frost is a leader in global public health communication and education with a focus on infectious disease, immunization, non-communicable disease and health security. She is currently the ‘Translate Science’ team lead – Infodemics Pillar for the World Health Organization’s response to COVID-19. In this role she represents the risk communication and community engagement response (RCCE) for the Organization.

Prior to COVID-19, Melinda led RCCE capacity building for WHO under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework. She directly supported more than 40 countries in building their emergency RCCE preparedness and response capabilities under the International Health Regulations. She co-led and designed the Emergency Communications Network and SocialNet deployment trainings which collectively prepared 300+ media and emergency risk communicators and social and behavior scientists for deployment. She also designed the WHO European Region’s Emergency Risk Communication 5 – Step capacity building package as well as numerous journalist trainings.

Prior to 2013, Melinda was the Director for Emergency Risk Communication for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) in Beijing, China for 6 years and developed and led new communications programs from the agency headquarters for more than 10 years. Melinda has also consulted for UNICEF, FAO and IFRC to assess national existing communication capacity, coordinate multi-sector partnerships, develop communication strategy and facilitate programs to strengthen national and sub-national level communication response.

Melinda’s experience spans more than 25 years as a manager, director of programs, project officer, health communicator, writer, producer, instructional designer and educator. She holds a Master’s degree in Global Public Health, a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology – Cognitive Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications.