About Us

Global Renaissance Enterprises is a consulting practice operating at the intersection of science, policy, and strategy, focused on translating complex evidence into actionable insight for global health and related fields.

Led by Dr. Jessica Taaffe, the firm brings together scientific expertise and interdisciplinary thinking to support research, policy development, and programs in global health and related areas.

About Dr. Jessica Taaffe

Dr. Jessica Taaffe is a biomedical scientist and global health expert with more than 20 years of experience spanning infectious disease research, vaccine research and development, and global health policy. Her work has focused on influenza, HIV, malaria, and emerging pandemic threats, with a particular emphasis on translating scientific evidence into strategy, policy, and public health impact.

She has worked with leading global health organizations, including the World Health Organization, the World Bank, UNAIDS, and the US National Institutes of Health, contributing to research, programs, and policy development. Her experience includes leading analytical work on next-generation influenza vaccines, assessing global vaccine manufacturing capacity, supporting pandemic preparedness efforts, and conducting epidemiological and program science research to inform HIV prevention strategies.

Across these roles, she has worked at the interface of science and decision-making—engaging governments, international organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders to translate evidence into actionable insight.

Her work focuses on bridging scientific evidence and real-world decision-making across global health systems.

Areas of Work and Approach

Global Renaissance Enterprises provides integrated support across research, policy, and program strategy, including::

  • Scientific and policy analysis

  • R&D strategy and landscape assessment

  • Evidence synthesis

  • Stakeholder engagement

  • Project management

  • Scientific communication

Our work is grounded in a rigorous scientific foundation while recognizing that complex global challenges require perspectives that extend beyond any single discipline.

We have experience working across academic, governmental, and international settings, and can operate at both technical and strategic levels.

A Renaissance-Inspired Perspective

Innovation often emerges at the intersections between disciplines, sectors, and perspectives.

Inspired by the Renaissance tradition of studia humanitatis—the integration of science, the humanities, and public life—Global Renaissance Enterprises embraces an interdisciplinary approach to addressing complex global challenges.

This perspective reflects the belief that scientific expertise is most impactful when combined with broader ways of thinking about human behavior, communication, and society. It shapes how problems are framed, solutions are developed, and knowledge is translated into action.

Public Engagement and Recognition

Speaking and Engagement

Dr. Taaffe is an active science communicator and public speaker, engaging diverse audiences on topics including global health, infectious diseases, and women in STEM. Her activities have included hosting and contributing to public-facing platforms such as the YouTube series This Week in Global Health, participating in podcasts and media engagements, publishing in outlets including PLOS Blogs and Global Health Now, and delivering invited talks and guest lectures on global health topics.

Recognition and Media

Her contributions to global health and science communication have been recognized through distinctions including being named among 100 Women Leaders in Global Health by The Graduate Institute Geneva and serving as an IF/THEN Ambassador with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She was also featured in the 3M-produced docuseries Not the Science Type, which was screened at events at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

Beyond the Work

Outside of her work in global health, Dr. Taaffe is an accomplished classical singer and performs with the Schola Cantorum at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, DC. She is drawn to spaces where ideas, creativity, and public life intersect, and brings that same curiosity and perspective into how she approaches her work.