Gary R. Gleason
Associate Professor,
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University

Project Director,
Iron Deficiency Project Advisory Service

Vice-President Development and Communication,
International Nutrition Foundation

Dr. Gleason is an Associate Professor at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. He has been working with the INF since 1992 and currently serves as Vice-President, Development and Communication. He is Project Director of the Iron Deficiency Program Advisory Service, (IDPAS), and INF Project that provides proactive technical documentation and assistance services to those working in and for developing countries on projects, research and other issues related to iron deficiency.

At the Friedman School, he will teach a graduate course on micronutrients in the spring of 2008 and is working on continuing medical education modules on nutrition issues for medical staff working in the Arab countries of the Gulf. 

Since 2005, he has directed three international workshops on improving nutrition research planning, management and communication for national research institute teams from Vietnam, Ghana, Thailand, India and other countries. His co-facilitator is INF President Prof. Nevin Scrimshaw.  Recent consulting work with the Friedman School and with the INF includes advising the Government of China on flour fortification, development of a national nutrition strategy for the Government of Kenya and  work on communication strategies to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and control and on nutrition and HIV in the Kenya, Sudan, Syria, Djibouti, and Turkmenistan.

He is the Co-Chair of the Working Group on Micronutrients of the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition and coordinates an annual global report on activities, research and interventions related to key vitamins and minerals. Dr. Gleason's national interests in nutrition include a conceptual plan for an American Nutrition Museum called "Eat the Pyramid," dominated by interactive exhibits and linkage with community activities to improve heating habits and physical activity..

His background includes 14 years with UNICEF and FAO based in Ghana, Nigeria, Turkey, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. For the UN, he led program planning, evaluation and communication support in several countries. In five central Asian countries,  he planned and initiated five national scale efforts to prevent and better control iron deficiency anemia in children and women.

His countries of work include Algeria, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

Dr. Gleason has a doctorate in Mass Media and Communication from the University of Iowa.

Selected Publications and Technical  Reports

“Information, Education and Communication in Support of HIV/AIDS/STI Prevention in Turkmenistan" for UNICEF and the National health information center, Asgabat, Turkmenistan, 2007.

“An Overview of the Functional Consequences of Iron Deficiency,” Gleason, G. and  Scrimshaw, N.S.S., Nutritional Anemia, Kraemer, K. and Zimmnermann, M (eds) Sight For Life, Zurich: Switzerland, 2007.

Strengthening Public Nutrition Planning and Policy in the People’s Republic of China: Focused Synopsis of research and Expert Consultations on Public Nutrition and the 11th Five Year Development Plan, compiled by Gary R. Gleason, Christopher ad Hoa Jensheng, Asian Development Bank, Beijing,  2006.  

"UNICEF Regional Communication Strategy on Prevention of HIV/AIDS for the Middle East and North Africa Region," September 2003.

"Preventing Iron Deficiency in Women and Children: Technical Consensus on Key Issues," INF and Micronutrient Initiative, (consultation rapporteur and report editor with Nevin Scrimshaw for the United Nations University at the request of the United Nations Agency Coordination Committee, Sub Committee on Nutrition,) 1999,

"Report of A WHO/UNICEF Regional Consultation on Iron Deficiency," (Consultation rapporteur and report editor for the UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic States). 1999,

Country Program Recommendation for Program of Cooperation on Children and Women (1995-1999) UNICEF Governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan," (team leader/principal author) 1995,

"Rapid Assessment Methodologies for Planning and Evaluation of Programs of Primary Health Care," Nevin S. Scrimshaw and Gary R Gleason, G. (eds.), INF, 1992. "Research Communication Planning for Effective Use of Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Data," Gleason, G., Istanbul, March 1992, published conference paper.

"The Facts on the Facts for Life in Turkey," Gleason, G. and Kartoglu, U, Hygiene (International Journal of Health Education), 1989. *

"The Implementation of a Community Health Education System (CHES) in Turkey,", (co-author /presenter with Dr. Umit Kartoglu) for Global Conference of International Union of Health Education. Houston, Texas 1988

Contact: Gary R. Gleason, Ph.D. International Nutrition Foundation, 150 Harrison Avenue, Room 220, Boston, MA 02111
E-mail: gary.gleason@tufts.edu