Alpha Kappa Alpha Inducts Leading Vaccine Scientist Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire as an Honorary Member

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated has welcomed one of the world’s leading vaccine scientists into its ranks. Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire was inducted as an Honorary Member of the sorority during its 72nd Boule in Las Vegas.

Dr. Corbett-Helaire is one of the world’s leading vaccine scientists and viral immunologists. She serves as the Melvin J. and Geraldine L. Glimcher Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. Her research program is focused on understanding human immune responses to viral pathogens and translating those discoveries into next-generation vaccines.

Over nearly two decades, Dr. Corbett-Helaire has helped redefine modern vaccinology through innovations that have advanced vaccines and antibody therapies against some of the world’s most pressing infectious diseases. Her patented technologies underpin vaccines developed by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Novavax, as well as Eli Lilly’s COVID-19 antibody therapies. Her foundational coronavirus research at the National Institutes of Health helped enable the rapid development of one of the first COVID-19 vaccines.

Beyond the laboratory, Dr. Corbett-Helaire is a nationally recognized leader in science communication, mentorship, and public engagement. Named one of TIME’s 2021 Heroes of the Year, she has committed her work to advancing scientific discovery while inspiring the next generation of scientists and strengthening public trust in biomedical research.

Dr. Corbett-Helaire was inducted as part of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 2026 Honorary Member Class, alongside LaTanya Jackson, Merline Saintil, Salli Richardson Whitfield, Pauletta Washington, and Robin Washington.

The induction came as more than 25,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha converged on Las Vegas for the sorority’s 72nd Boule, its international meeting, held July 18 through July 24, 2026, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center. Under this year’s theme, “Soaring Together: Celebrating Our Impact on Service & Sisterhood,” the sorority anticipated as many as 27,000 members from around the world for a week of community service, leadership and educational sessions, business meetings, and celebrations of the organization’s history, all under the leadership of International President and CEO Danette Anthony Reed.

Since 1913, Alpha Kappa Alpha has reserved Honorary Membership for women from all backgrounds whose extraordinary accomplishments carry the spirit of service and selflessness that lives in the sorority’s DNA.

We at Watch The Yard would like to congratulate Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire on her induction as an Honorary Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

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