Dr. David Mannino, MD, is a highly esteemed Medical Director at the COPD Foundation, recognized for his extensive contributions to respiratory health research and advocacy. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College) in Philadelphia in 1981, Dr. Mannino completed his internship and residency at Lankenau Hospital before pursuing a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at West Virginia University School of Medicine/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown.

Dr. Mannino’s distinguished career includes over a decade at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch, where he served from 1991 until his retirement from the US Public Health Service in 2004. During his tenure at the CDC, he played a pivotal role in developing the National Asthma Program and led significant efforts in producing the Surveillance Reports that documented the burden of asthma (1998) and COPD (2002) in the United States.

Following his retirement, Dr. Mannino joined the University of Kentucky faculty, where he made impactful contributions both as a clinician in the College of Medicine and as a teacher, researcher, and administrator in the College of Public Health. From 2012 to 2017, he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, holding a joint appointment in the Department of Epidemiology.
As a key figure in the establishment of the COPD Foundation in 2004, Dr. Mannino served on its Board of Directors from 2004 to 2015, chaired the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee from 2010 to 2015, and held the position of Chief Scientific Officer from 2015 to 2017. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the Foundation’s direction and impact.

Dr. Mannino has authored over 350 publications and serves as an Associate Editor or Editorial Board Member for several leading journals, including the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chest, Thorax, European Respiratory Journal, Journal of the COPD Foundation, The International Journal of COPD, and The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. He also contributed to the Surgeon General’s Reports on Tobacco published in 2008 and 2014, underscoring his commitment to advancing public health.