Julia Martin the new Head of its Strategy and Policy Department the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. Photo from U.S Department of State
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has announced the appointment of Julia Martin as the new Head of its Strategy and Policy Department, effective early November 2025.
Ms. Martin joins the Global Fund with over 25 years of deep experience in global public health and diplomacy, including significant leadership roles within PEPFAR and the Global Fund’s governance structure.
A Veteran Public Health Leader
Ms. Martin’s career path blends strategic stewardship, clinical care, and governance insight.
She has served in high-level positions within the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) since 2010, including Deputy Coordinator for Program Quality and Chief Operating Officer.
In these roles, she oversaw critical operations spanning budget management, technical guidance, multilateral collaboration, country-level program delivery, and human resources skills directly transferable to the strategic demands of the Global Fund.
Her early career was rooted in nursing, where she worked in diverse settings including Canada, Zambia, and the Dominican Republic, providing her with vital on-the-ground insights into health delivery systems and community-level impact.
Deep Governance Engagement with the Global Fund
Martin has maintained a longstanding relationship with the Global Fund, serving on its Board in key leadership capacities.
She previously served as Chair of the organization’s Strategy Committee from 2023 to 2025 and most recently served as Vice‑Chair of the Ethics & Governance Committee, a role confirmed by the Board during the 52nd Board Meeting in April 2025.
Those appointments underscore her deep institutional knowledge and commitment to the Fund’s governance model.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund since March 2018, expressed strong support following Martin’s appointment.
“Julia has worked closely with the Global Fund in multiple capacities for more than 13 years,” he stated upon the announcement.
“She has a proven track record in public health leadership and an excellent history of diplomacy, partnership, IP, and results – essential traits for working through the challenging times global health is currently experiencing.”
Building Strategy & Policy for Impact
In her new position, Ms. Martin will play a central role in steering the Global Fund’s strategic vision:
- Translating strategic direction into policy frameworks aligned with the 2023–2028 Global Fund Strategy, emphasizing equity, community-driven health systems strengthening, and sustainable impact.
- Monitoring and managing performance, including the oversight of key performance indicators across divisions to ensure strategic alignment and results orientation.
- Coordinating policy and implementation across Secretariat functions and Divisions while working closely with the Global Fund Board to translate strategy into practical outcomes.
Positioned at a Strategic Inflection Point
Julia Martin steps into this leadership role at a pivotal juncture.
The Global Fund’s 2023–2028 strategic cycle calls for greater focus on impact, sustainability, equity, and value for money.
Having helped shape policy during her time on the Board, Ms. Martin now brings that expertise to the Secretariat, where she will lead the operational translation of strategic commitments into action at scale.
Particularly accelerating progress in countries heavily burdened by HIV, TB, and malaria.
Looking Ahead
As Julia Martin assumes her role in early November, she will be stepping down from her Vice‑Chair role on the Ethics & Governance Committee to avoid conflicts of interest.
Her appointment brings together clinical roots, global-scale operational oversight, and strategic governance knowledge ingredients critical to guiding the Global Fund through its current strategic period.
Her arrival is expected to reinforce the Fund’s ability to deliver on its ambitious goals, including expanding access to lifesaving prevention, treatment, and community health systems in countries most in need.
About the Global Fund
Established in January 2002, the Global Fund is headquartered in Geneva and works as one of the world’s primary financiers of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria programs through grants disbursed across in-country partners (ministries, NGOs, civil society organizations).
Over its history, the Fund has raised and invested tens of billions of dollars to save millions of lives and reduce the burden of these diseases.
Its governance is built around a diverse Board and three core standing committees: Strategy, Ethics & Governance, and Audit & Finance.
Each is governed by clear charters and chaired by individuals drawn from a balance of donor, implementer, civil society, and private sector constituencies.
