FOR RELEASE: May 15, 2025
Media contact: Francesca Heintz, Director of Communications, Population Council, fheintz@popcouncil.org
New York, NY – The Population Council’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointments of Patricia C. Vaughan and James Sailer as Co-Presidents. Since April 2025, Vaughan and Sailer have served as Interim Co-Presidents, a role they also held from August 2023 through August 2024. They will now assume these roles on a permanent basis.
“Pat and Jim bring decades of service to the Council and have been instrumental in shaping its strategic direction and impact. Their longstanding leadership and deep commitment to the Council’s mission, staff, and populations we serve will guide the Council during the unprecedented challenges our sector faces,” said Nyovani Madise, Chair, Board of Trustees. “On behalf of the entire Board, I welcome Pat and Jim to their permanent positions. We are confident that, together, they will chart a strong course for the Council’s future, driven by rigorous research and evidence-based solutions for underserved populations around the world.”
With their demonstrated experience in and dedication to global health and development, Vaughan and Sailer will provide strong and steady leadership and vision for the Council during this pivotal time, building on the Council’s nearly 75-year legacy of groundbreaking research.
Among its contributions, the Council pioneered the field of long-acting reversible contraceptives. Today, 170 million people are using a contraceptive product developed by or based on Council technology. The Council’s data and evidence have strengthened programs and policies to enhance health and well-being globally, including efforts to keep girls in school, eliminate gender-based violence, and deliver comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care.
“I am honored to assume this role, alongside Jim, and thank the Board for the appointment. I take great pride in the Council’s work, having collaborated with extraordinary colleagues to grow our research and product portfolios and expand the geographies in which we work,” said Patricia C. Vaughan, Co-President. “While we navigate the challenges ahead, it is more important than ever that we shape and implement a research agenda that delivers impact for women, girls, and vulnerable communities.”
“Thank you to the Board—and to my Co-President, Pat—for the opportunity to lead the Council during this critical moment. For nearly 75 years, the Council has conducted innovative research across our social science, public health, and biomedical portfolios, improving lives around the world,” said James Sailer, Co-President. “Even as we face difficult headwinds, we remain steadfast in our commitment to building an equitable and sustainable world and in the belief that our work is just, necessary, and life-affirming.”
Patricia C. Vaughan joined the Council in 1997 and has engaged in all aspects of the Council’s research and operations. As Vice President and General Counsel, she led the Council’s legal, regulatory affairs, and quality assurance work for more than 20 years, including the legal and regulatory aspects of pharmaceutical drug development and licensing. She was instrumental in establishing the Council’s subsidiary and affiliated organizations, including in Kenya, India, South Africa, and Pakistan, and oversees ethical research conduct through the Council’s Institutional Review Board. She is a board member of several international and domestic organizations focused on health, education, and development initiatives, including Vennue Foundation, the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, and Literacy Solutions NY. Vaughan is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to joining the Council, she was in private law practice in New York City.
James Sailer joined the Council in 2004 and has held both programmatic and operational leadership roles. For more than a decade, Sailer led the Council’s Corporate Affairs Division, including human resources, information technology, business development, and communications. Since 2016, he has been Executive Director of the Council’s Center for Biomedical Research—the leading innovator of high-quality, effective sexual and reproductive health products. He led the team that received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Annovera®, the first and only contraceptive product that provides an entire year of protection against pregnancy while fully under a woman’s control. Sailer served as chair of the board of InsideNGO (now Humentum) and is the chairman of the board of the International Contraceptive Access Foundation. Prior to joining the Council, Sailer was a New York City Department of Education executive and strategy consultant.
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About the Population Council: The Population Council is a leading research organization dedicated to building an equitable and sustainable world that enhances the health and well-being of current and future generations. We generate ideas, produce evidence, and design solutions to improve the lives of people around the world. Learn more at https://popcouncil.org/.