Michael Cotter

Michael Cotter’s career in the US Foreign Service spanned over three decades and was spent largely in the developing world—he served in overseas posts in Bolivia, Ecuador, Zaire, Turkey, Chile, and Vietnam, and in 1995 he was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan where he served until 1998.

His experiences gave him an appreciation for the health challenges that face humanity globally and convinced him that while assistance and expertise from developed countries is indispensible for improving health in the developing world, the primary motivation and effort must come from the people in those regions.

“IntraHealth International is at the forefront of nongovernmental organizations which appreciate the need to engage local people to lead efforts to improve health practices in their countries,” says Michael, an IntraHealth Global Health Advisory Committee member. “That in a nutshell is why I’ve chosen to associate myself with IntraHealth and is how I would describe it to a friend or colleague.”

Since retiring, Michael has volunteered in a number of organizations—some with a local focus and others reflecting his broader international interests. He is currently on the board of a Triangle-based online journal of international affairs, American Diplomacy. Michael says he is a is a strong believer that we are all obligated to give back to our community and to our globe in an effort to make them better places to live.

“Through my service with IntraHealth,” he says, “I hope to help broaden public knowledge of and interest in the important work it is doing.”

---