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Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben joined The Carter Center in 1992 after more than 27 years of service as a commissioned officer of the U.S. Public Health Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 1998, Dr. Ruiz-Tiben has served as director of the Carter Center's Guinea Worm (Dracunculiasis) Eradication Program. In this capacity, he works in conjunction with the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Research, Training, and Eradication of Dracunculiasis at the CDC, monitoring and disseminating information about the status of the global campaign, and providing technical assistance to national eradication programs.

During his tenure at CDC, Dr. Ruiz-Tiben headed the Helminthic Disease Branch, Division of Parasitic Disease, National Center for Infectious Diseases. He has worked to control the disease schistosomiasis in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, Brazil, Egypt, and Liberia, and dengue fever in the Caribbean area. For this outstanding work, he received special commendations from the U.S. Public Health Service. Additionally, in recognition of his contributions to the global initiative to eradicate dracunculiasis, the CDC in 1990 awarded him the U.S. Public Health Service's Outstanding Service Medal.

Dr. Ruiz-Tiben holds a master's degree from the University of Puerto Rico and a doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Texas, School of Public Health at Houston.