Leadership and Expert Bios
The Injury Center Leadership and Expert Bio section provides information for journalists on CDC Injury Center experts who often speak to the press. While this is not an exhaustive list of the CDC employees available for interviews, this page provides an opportunity to learn more about our leaders and experts. Please call our press contact at (770) 488-4902 if you would like to interview one of our experts. If you are interested in finding an expert to speak at your organization’s event, please contact the CDC Speakers Bureau.
Grant Baldwin, PhD, MPH
Director, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
Grant Baldwin, PhD, MPH, is the Director of the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Injury Center. He has served in this capacity since September 2008.
Mick Ballesteros, PhD
Branch Chief, Statistics Programming and Economics Branch
Dr. Mick Ballesteros is the Branch Chief for the Statistics Programming and Economics Branch in the Injury Centers’ Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration. Dr. Ballesteros leads work on injury and data surveillance systems, including the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS).
Kathleen C. Basile, PhD
Senior Scientist, Office of the Associate Director for Science
Kathleen C. Basile, PhD, serves as a Senior Scientist in the Office of the Associate Director for Science in the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. She is responsible for providing leadership, planning, and guidance to Division management and staff on scientific policy, training, and research priorities on violence prevention topics.
Laurie Beck, MPH
Epidemiologist, Transportation Safety Team
Ms. Laurie Beck, MPH, is an epidemiologist on the Transportation Safety Team within the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. Her research interests include seat belt use and pedestrian safety.
Gwen Bergen, PhD, MS, MPH
Behavioral Scientist, Home and Recreation Team
Gwen Bergen serves as a Behavioral Scientist on the Home and Recreation Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. She works to prevent older adult falls, to understand older adult mobility issues, and on investigating better sources of surveillance and economic data for unintentional injury.
Matt Breiding, PhD
Team Lead, Traumatic Brain Injury Team
Matt Breiding, PhD, is a behavioral scientist and serves as team lead of the Traumatic Brain Injury Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. His work at CDC has been focused on surveillance of traumatic brain injury, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and child abuse, both domestic and international.
Elizabeth Burns, MPH
Health Scientist
Elizabeth Burns is a health scientist within the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center.
Alex E. Crosby, MD, MPH
Branch Chief, Surveillance Branch, Division of Violence Prevention
Alex Crosby, MD, MPH, is the Branch Chief of the Surveillance Branch of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) in the Injury Center.
Linda L. Dahlberg, PhD
Senior Advisor to the Director, Division of Violence Prevention
Linda Dahlberg, PhD, is the Senior Advisor to the Director in the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) within CDC’s Injury Center. She provides senior executive leadership in the design, conceptualization, and implementation of initiatives aimed at preventing violence and in the application of scientific findings into practice to improve the nation’s health. She also serves as an expert consultant on global research, surveillance, and programmatic initiatives.
Jill Daugherty, PhD
Health Scientist, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
Jill Daughtery, PhD, is a Health Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. Her work focuses on understanding the public health burden of and sociodemographic disparities in TBI.
Ann M. Dellinger, PhD, MPH
Branch Chief, Home, Recreation, and Transportation Branch
Ann M. Dellinger, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and the Branch Chief for the Home, Recreation, and Transportation Branch within the Division of Unintentional Injury (DUIP) at the Injury Center. Dr. Dellinger and her team conduct studies in the area of motor vehicle safety focusing on older drivers, child occupant and pedestrian injury, and injury risk behavior.
Lara (Lace) DePadilla, PhD
Behavioral Scientist, Traumatic Brain Injury Team
Lara (Lace) DePadilla, PhD, is a Behavioral Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. She currently works in the area of TBI, developing a national surveillance system with a specific focus on youth sports- and recreation-related TBIs.
Mark Faul, PhD, MA
Senior Health Scientist
Mark Faul, PhD, MA is a Senior Health Scientist at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Corinne Ferdon, PhD
Deputy Associate Director for Science
Corinne Ferdon, PhD, is the Deputy Associate Director for Science within the Office of the Director of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) in CDC’s Injury Center. She assists the ADS in providing leadership, planning, and guidance to DVP management and staff on scientific policy, research methodology, and priorities for research activities.
Curtis Florence, PhD
Health Economics and Policy Research Team Lead, Statistics Programming and Economics Branch
Dr. Curtis Florence is the Health Economics and Policy Research Team Lead for the Statistics Programming and Economics Branch in the Injury Center’s Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration. Dr. Florence leads a team of economists providing estimates on the economic burden of injury and violence.
Beverly L. Fortson, PhD
Behavioral Scientist, Research and Evaluation Branch
Beverly L. Fortson, PhD, currently works as a behavioral scientist on the Child Maltreatment and Sexual Violence Team in the Research and Evaluation Branch of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) in CDC’s Injury Center.
Arlene Greenspan, DrPH, MS, MPH
Associate Director of Science, Office of the Associate Director of Science
Arlene Greenspan, DrPH, MS, MPH, is the Associate Director of Science, Office of the Associate Director of Science (OADS) in the Injury Center. She conducts research in the area of motor vehicle safety focusing on child occupant and teen driver and occupant injuries. She is currently serving as a member of the agency-wide Adolescent Health Goal Team at CDC.
Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD
Senior Health Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team
Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD, is a Senior Health Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center.
Deborah Hastings, MD, MS
Medical Epidemiologist, Older Adult Fall Prevention Team
Lieutenant Commander Deborah Hastings, MD is an internal medicine physician and medical epidemiologist on the Older Adult Fall Prevention Team of the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. She currently works on improving the ability for clinicians to conduct fall risk screening and assessments by collaborating on projects to implement the Stopping Elderly Adults Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) initiative with healthcare, academic, and government partners.
Debra Houry, MD, MPH
Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) at CDC
Dr. Houry leads innovative research and science-based programs to prevent injuries and violence and to reduce their consequences. She has received several national awards for her work in the field of injury and violence prevention.
Amelia (Amy) Jewett, MPH
Epidemiologist, Transportation Safety Team
Amy Jewett, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Transportation Safety Team, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. She works to prevent motor vehicle-related injuries and deaths. Her research interests include drugged driving, teen driving and bicycle safety.
Joanne Klevens, MD, PhD, MPH
Epidemiologist, Sexual Violence and Child Maltreatment Team
Joanne Klevens, MD, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) at the Injury Center. She provides technical assistance to colleagues, programs, and grantees on research methodology; evaluation; prevention of child abuse and neglect, sexual violence, partner violence, and youth violence; and addressing social determinants of health.
Robin Lee, PhD, MPH
Team Lead, Home and Recreation Team
Robin Lee, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and the Team Lead for the Home and Recreation Team within Home, Recreation and Transportation Branch, Division of Unintentional Injuries (DUIP) at the Injury Center. Dr. Lee and her team conduct research and implement programs on how to prevent the occurrence of unintentional injuries at home, school, and in recreational areas.
Jan L. Losby, PhD, MSW
Team Lead, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
Jan L. Losby, PhD, MSW is a behavioral scientist and serves as the team lead for the Opioid Overdose Health Systems Team, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at CDC.
Karin Mack, PhD
Associate Director for Science, Division of Analysis, Research, and Practice Integration
Karin Mack, PhD, is the Associate Director for Science (ADS) for the Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration (DARPI) at CDC’s Injury Center.
Angela Marr, MPH
Branch Chief, Practice Integration and Evaluation Branch, Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration
Angela Marr, MPH, is the Branch Chief of the Practice Integration and Evaluation Branch in the Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration at CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Melissa C. Mercado, PhD, MSc, MA
Behavioral Scientist, Division of Violence Prevention
Melissa Mercado, PhD, MSc, MA is a behavioral scientist in the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) at CDC’s Injury Center.
James A. Mercy, PhD
Director, Division of Violence Prevention
James A. Mercy, PhD, is the Director of the Division of Violence Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center.
Melissa T. Merrick, PhD
Senior Epidemiologist, Surveillance Branch, Division of Violence Prevention
Melissa T. Merrick, PhD, is a Senior Epidemiologist with the Surveillance Branch in the Division of Violence Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center.
Christina Mikosz, MD
Medical Officer, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
Dr. Christina Mikosz is a Medical Officer on the Opioid Overdose Health Systems team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Erin M. Parker, PhD
Deputy Associate Director for Science (Deputy ADS)
Lieutenant Commander Erin Parker, PhD, serves as the Deputy Associate Director for Science (Deputy ADS) in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). As Deputy ADS, Dr. Parker is responsible for ensuring the scientific quality and integrity of the Division’s work in opioid overdose prevention, motor vehicle injury prevention, older adult fall prevention, and traumatic brain injury.
Alexis Peterson, PhD
Epidemiologist, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
Alexis Peterson, PhD, is an Epidemiologist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. As an epidemiologist, her role on the TBI team is to promote the accurate reporting of TBI incidence and burden to inform the general public and stakeholders.
Judith Qualters
Director of the Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration
Dr. Judith (Judy) R. Qualters is the Director of the Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration (DARPI) at the Injury Center. Dr. Qualters has extensive experience leading public health surveillance, research, and state prevention programs.
Kelly Sarmiento, MPH
Public Health Advisor
Kelly Sarmiento, MPH, serves as a public health advisor in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention’s Traumatic Brain Injury Team. Kelly’s expertise is in pediatric mild traumatic brain injury and she is responsible for leading the HEADS UP campaign.
Erin K. Sauber-Schatz, PhD, MPH
Team Lead, Transportation Safety Team
Erin Sauber-Schatz, PhD, MPH, serves as the team lead of the Transportation Safety Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at CDC’s Injury Center. She is responsible for overseeing all of CDC’s transportation safety activities which includes motor vehicle injury prevention, a CDC winnable battle.
Ruth Shults, PhD, MPH
Senior Epidemiologist, Transportation Safety Team
Ruth Shults, PhD, MPH, is a senior epidemiologist on the Transportation Safety Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at CDC’s Injury Center. Her area of concentration is motor vehicle crash prevention.
Thomas R. Simon, PhD
Associate Director for Science
Thomas Simon, PhD, is the Associate Director for Science in the Office of the Director of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP). As the Associate Director for Science, he provides leadership, planning, and guidance to Division management and staff on scientific policy, research methodology, and priorities for research activities.
Dana Waltzman, PhD
Behavioral Scientist, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team
Dana Waltzman, PhD, is a Behavioral Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. Her work focuses on understanding the public health burden, prevention, and long-term effects of TBI.
Bethany West, MPH
Epidemiologist, Transportation Safety Team
Bethany West, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Transportation Safety Team, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) in the Injury Center. She works to prevent motor vehicle-related injuries and deaths among vulnerable populations including children, older adults, and minorities.