Benita L. Harris is a visionary public health leader with over 40 years of experience championing health equity and ethical practices in the workplace and community. As a Senior Public Health Analyst and Vaccine Equity Subject Matter Expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), she has led transformative initiatives to reduce health disparities and improve vaccination access for underserved populations. She has successfully managed a multi-million-dollar portfolio for the CDC’s Partnering for Vaccine Equity program (P4VE), supporting over 500 national community-based organizations and stakeholders to advance adult immunization equity.

Her leadership spans critical community and public health initiatives. As Deputy for the Racial and Ethnic Populations Team on the National COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, Benita played a pivotal role in reducing vaccination disparities, earning prestigious honors such as a Congressional Letter of Honor and the Excellence in Partnerships Domestic Award. As Senior Public Health Advisor with the CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, she advanced women’s health, fostered workforce diversity, and mentored future public health leaders through flagship programs, including the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars and the Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Graduate Fellowship. Benita has also contributed to major public health responses, including the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Hurricane Katrina, Zika, pandemic influenza, Mpox, and COVID-19 while developing innovative strategies to address health disparities and publishing significant contributions to public health literature.

Benita exemplifies her commitment to public health and community service through her active involvement with esteemed organizations. She serves with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) International Health Commission, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), Black Ladies in Public Health, and the American Public Health Association (APHA). She has also served as a Board Liaison for the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc., advisor to STEM Atlanta Women, Inc., advisor to the Conference of National Black Churches, Inc. (CNBC), and facilitator for UnidosUS, Inc. Additionally, she has held leadership roles with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (MECCA Chapter) and is a life member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).

Ms. Harris holds a Master of Public Health in Health Education and Promotion and a bachelor’s degree in Social and Developmental Psychology from the University of South Carolina. A proud resident of Henry County, Georgia, for over 25 years, she lives in Rex with her son, Duro Haynes, and their beloved rescued Staffordshire Pitbull, Comet.