Rebecca G. Baker, Ph.D., is the director of the Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM Initiative, or NIH HEAL InitiativeSM, in the Office of the Director, NIH. Dr. Baker helped develop the NIH HEAL Initiative and leads coordination of HEAL programmatic activities between the Office of the Director and relevant Institutes and Centers (ICs), NIH HEAL Initiative staff, and governance committees. She also provides expert advice to and represents the NIH Director on initiative-related activities, including interagency efforts and partnerships in pain and opioid research and policy. Prior to holding this position, Dr. Baker was special assistant to the NIH Director, working directly with NIH leadership to develop new scientific initiatives, and analyze scientific, legislative, communications, and policy issues. Previously, she worked as a postdoctoral scientist using next-generation DNA sequencing to identify novel disease-causing genes in patients with rare immunological diseases. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and her bachelor's degree from Cornell University.