While working as Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at CDC, he worked closely with the agency’s Director to lead the first large-scale modernization of the CDC's strategic direction since 1977. Brad has a long list of other distinguished leadership and research accomplishments at the CDC, including successful efforts in the United States and worldwide to control bacterial meningitis and other epidemic prone infections diseases; founding and leading many of CDC's emergency response efforts over the last decade, including leading CDC's 2001 anthrax bioterrorism response; and more recently, leading CDC's efforts to broaden a too narrowly focused U.S. health and healthcare reform debate across government, civil organizations, and businesses.

Perkins holds a Bachelor of Arts in Microbiology and Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was an Intern and Resident Physician in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston and served as Chief Medical Resident at the Houston Veteran Administration Medical Center. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, he also holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University.