David Helms

David Helms, Ph.D., is president and CEO of AcademyHealth, a professional society for health services researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners, and a leading, nonpartisan resource for health research and policy. In addition, 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 health data to inform health policy and practice. Prior to his current positions, Dr. Helms founded and directed the Alpha Center, where he was president from 1976 to 2000. The Alpha Center was a nonpartisan, nonprofit health policy center that provided expert technical assistance, objective analysis and research, and 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 and his bachelor’s in political science in 1965 from Colorado College.