Craig Rubens is co-founder and for 11 years served as Executive Director of the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS). This initiative was launched by Seattle Children’s Hospital to unravel the mysteries surrounding prematurity and stillbirth and to promote an aggressive research and development and advocacy agenda that will lead to prevention of these two significant global perinatal health problems. Dr. Rubens is currently an Affiliate Professor of Global Health in the Department of Global Health, University of Washington School of Medicine and a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist. He is a member of several prestigious societies, including the American Society of Clinical Investigators and the American Pediatric Society. He has held several leadership positions over his 35 year career in academia, board and advisory council positions in government and non government organizations, and professional societies.

Dr. Rubens is a physician-scientist with a strong background in infectious diseases and microbiology, with a special focus on perinatal infections that lead to poor pregnancy and neonatal health outcomes. His research, based on the premise that the battle between infectious agents and the immune system is at the heart of disease, has focused on understanding the mechanisms of infection-induced preterm labor and severe neonatal infections. The GAPPS initiative is an extension of his work to develop research opportunities for prevention of prematurity and stillbirth and to improve maternal and newborn survival around the world. GAPPS became a non profit organization and separated from Seattle Children's in July 2017. He now serves as President, GAPPS Board of Directors and provides technical advisory services. He provides maternal child health consulting services via Rubens Consulting.