W. David Helms, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor

Dr. Helms is President and CEO of AcademyHealth in Washington, D.C. – the professional society for health services researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners, and a leading, non partisan resource for the best in health research and policy. Its programs are dedicated to stimulating the development, understanding, and use of the best available health services research and health policy information by public and private decision makers.

In addition to leading AcademyHealth, Dr. Helms serves as President and CEO of the Coalition for Health Services, AcademyHealth's advocacy arm. The Coalition provides a unified voice for enhanced federal funding of health services research and data to inform health policy and practice.

Dr. Helms serves as senior advisor to two AcademyHealth national programs sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The RWJF Health Care Financing & Organization Program provides funding for investigator-initiated research on health care financing and the RWJF State Coverage Initiatives Program provides support to states to address pressing health coverage and access problems.

Dr. Helms is frequently invited to facilitate consensus processes on health policy issues and on the development of research agendas. He also serves on a number of health related boards and advisory committees.

Prior to his current position, Dr. Helms founded and directed the Alpha Center where he was president from 1976-2000. The Alpha Center was a non-partisan, non-profit health policy center that provided expert technical assistance, objective analysis and research; comprehensive education and facilitation services.

Dr. Helms received his doctorate in public administration and economics in 1979 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.