Neetu Abad is a seasoned leader who has implemented high-impact public health strategies in mental and behavioral health, vaccine-preventable diseases, and emergency response domestically and globally. In July 2025, she was named the first director of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program following the merger between The Carter Center and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.
Abad previously led the Behavioral Health Coordinating Unit in the National Center for Injury Control and Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. In this role, Abad worked to elevate, advance, and coordinate the CDC’s activities to promote mental well-being and prevent mental distress, substance misuse, overdose, and suicide through a primary prevention approach. She also served as the CDC’s primary mental health subject matter expert and led the development of the CDC’s first mental health strategy and mental health data channel.