Leadership and Expert Bios
Sarah Bacon, PhD
Senior Advisor on Adverse Childhood Experiences
Dr. Sarah Bacon is Senior Advisor on Adverse Childhood Experiences and supports the Injury Center from her position in the Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI). In this role, she provides strategic leadership and coordination across a range of injury and violence topics as they relate to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Grant Baldwin, PhD, MPH
Director, Division of Overdose Prevention
Dr. Grant Baldwin is the Director of the Division of Overdose Prevention at CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. He leads the division in monitoring trends in the drug overdose epidemic and other emerging drug threats, identifying and scaling up prevention activities to address the evolving drug crisis, and supporting local drug-free community coalitions.
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. 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, Division of Injury Prevention
Ms. Laurie Beck, MPH, has served as an epidemiologist on the Transportation Safety Team within the Division of Injury Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center since 2003. She works to prevent motor vehicle injuries and deaths, with research interests that include safe transportation for older adults and seat belt use.
Gwen Bergen, PhD, MS, MPH
Behavioral Scientist, Safety Promotion Team
Gwen Bergen serves as a senior behavioral scientist on the Safety Promotion Team in the Division of Injury Prevention 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 Injury Prevention 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, Safety Promotion Team
Elizabeth Burns is a health scientist on the Safety Promotion Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Injury Center. She supports research determining the effectiveness of clinical falls prevention.
Alex E. Crosby, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer in the Division of Injury Prevention
Alex Crosby, MD, MPH, is the Chief Medical Officer in the Division of Injury Prevention at 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 at 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
Epidemiologist, Division of Injury Prevention
Jill Daughtery, PhD, is an Epidemiologist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Injury Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center. Her work focuses on understanding the public health burden of and sociodemographic disparities in TBI.
Nicole Davis, PhD, MPH
Lead Epidemiologist, Division of Overdose Prevention
Nicole Davis, PhD is a Lead Epidemiologist and Overdose Mortality Team Lead in the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch of the Division of Overdose Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center. In this role, she manages the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS).
Sarah DeGue, PhD
Senior Scientist, Research and Evaluation Branch, Division of Violence Prevention
Sarah DeGue, PhD, is a Senior Scientist in the Research and Evaluation Branch of the Division of Violence Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center, and lead for CDC’s Dating Matters® teen dating violence prevention initiative. Her work focuses primarily of the etiology and prevention of sexual violence.
Ann M. Dellinger, PhD, MPH
Chief, Division of Injury Prevention
Ann M. Dellinger, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and the Chief of the Applied Science Branch in the Division of Injury Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center. Dr. Dellinger and her colleagues conduct studies in several areas of transportation safety, including: child occupants, impaired driving and older adult mobility.
Debbie Dowell, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer
Debbie Dowell, MD, MPH is Chief Medical Officer for CDC’s Injury Center and leads CDC’s Opioid Response Coordination Unit (ORCU). In this role, she leads development of agency-wide strategy to prevent opioid overdose and other opioid-related harms and oversees coordination of opioid-related efforts and messaging across the agency.
Molly Evans, MD, MPH
Medical Officer, Division of Overdose Prevention
Dr. Mary (“Molly”) Evans is a medical officer in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Injury Center. She focuses on implementation of the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, medication assisted treatment, opioid overdose prevention in tribal communities, and opioid prescribing for older adults.
Mark Faul, PhD, MA
Senior Health Scientist, Division of Overdose Prevention
Mark Faul, PhD, MA is a Senior Health Scientist in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Injury Center.
Corinne Ferdon, PhD
Deputy Associate Director for Science, Division of Violence Prevention
Corinne Ferdon, PhD, is the Deputy Associate Director for Science within the Division of Violence Prevention at the 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
Economics Team Lead, Data Analytics Branch, Division of Injury Prevention
Dr. Curtis Florence is the Economics Team Lead for the Data Analytics Branch in the Injury Center’s Division of Injury Prevention. Dr. Florence leads a team of economists providing estimates on the economic burden of injury and violence.
Katherine Fowler, PhD
Senior Scientist, Mortality Surveillance Team, Division of Violence Prevention
Katherine Fowler, PhD, is the Senior Scientist on the Mortality Surveillance Team in the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). As the Senior Scientist on the team she provides leadership, planning, and guidance to other scientists regarding technical and scientific operations of the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), management and design of research projects using NVDRS data, and helps set priorities for NVDRS research activities.
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 at 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.
Gery P. Guy Jr., PhD, MPH
Team Lead, Division of Overdose Prevention
Gery Guy, PhD, MPH is a health scientist and serves as the team lead for the Applied Research, Evaluation and Integration team in the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP).
Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD
Senior Health Scientist,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 Injury Prevention at the Injury Center.
Kristin M. Holland, PhD, MPH
Lead Behavioral Scientist, Division of Violence Prevention
Kristin Holland, PhD, is the Team Lead for the Morbidity and Behavioral Surveillance Team in the Division of Violence Prevention’s Surveillance Branch at the Injury Center. Her work at CDC has focused on the surveillance and prevention of suicide, sexual and intimate partner violence, and youth violence.
Debra Houry, MD, MPH
Director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Debra Houry, MD, MPH, is the Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) at CDC. In this role, Dr. Houry leads innovative research and science-based programs to prevent injuries and violence and to reduce their consequences.
Christopher M. Jones, PharmD, DrPH, MPH
Deputy Director (DD)
Dr. Christopher Jones currently serves as Deputy Director of the Injury Center. As Deputy Director, he drives the Center’s strategic direction by overseeing the refinement of the scientific research agenda and the coordination of center priorities. He oversees and enhances collaboration among the Office of Science, Office of Informatics, Office of Strategy and Innovation, and Opioid Response Coordinating Unit. He has published extensively on substance use, drug overdose, mental health, and adverse childhood experiences.
Megan C. Kearns, PhD, MPH
Behavioral Scientist, Research and Evaluation Branch, Division of Violence Prevention
Megan C. Kearns, PhD, is a senior behavioral scientist in the Division of Violence Prevention at the Injury Center. Her research interests focus on primary and secondary prevention of intimate partner violence, including evaluation of community and policy-based prevention approaches.
Robin Lee, PhD, MPH
Team Lead, Division of Injury Prevention
Robin Lee, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and the team lead for the Safety Promotion Team within the Applied Science Branch in the Division of Injury Prevention 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. Topic areas include falls, drowning, fire and burns, infant suffocation, playground safety, and sports-related injuries.
Jan L. Losby, PhD, MSW
Branch Chief, Division of Overdose Prevention
Jan L. Losby, PhD, MSW is a behavioral scientist and serves as the Branch Chief for the Health Systems and Research Branch, in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Injury Center.
Karin Mack, PhD
Associate Director for Science, Division of Injury Prevention
Karin Mack, PhD, is the Associate Director for Science (ADS) in the Division of Injury Prevention at the Injury Center.
Christine Mattson, PhD
Senior Health Scientist, Division of Overdose Prevention
Christine Mattson, PhD is a Senior Health Scientist on the Overdose Mortality Team in the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Angela Marr, MPH
Branch Chief, Program Implementation and Evaluation Branch, Division of Injury Prevention
Angela Marr, MPH, is the Branch Chief of the Program Implementation and Evaluation Branch in the Division of Injury Prevention at the Injury Center.
Greta Massetti, PhD, MPH
Senior Scientist, Division of Violence Prevention
Dr. Greta Massetti is a Branch Chief of the Field Epidemiology and Prevention Branch in the Division of Violence Prevention at the Injury Center. In this role, Dr. Massetti leads the division’s efforts to address the global burden of violence against children and youth.
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.
Christina Mikosz, MD
Lead Medical Officer, Division of Overdose Prevention
Dr. Christina Mikosz is a Lead Medical Officer in the Health Systems and Research Branch in the Division of Overdose Prevention, where she leads the Clinical Practice Team.
Phyllis Holditch Niolon, Ph.D.
Behavioral Scientist, Division of Violence Prevention
Phyllis Holditch Niolon, PhD, is a behavioral scientist in the Division of Violence Prevention at the Injury Center. Dr. Niolon serves as a senior subject matter expert (SME) on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Teen Dating Violence (TDV).
Erin M. Parker, PhD
Deputy Associate Director for Science, Division of Overdose Prevention
Lieutenant Commander Erin Parker, PhD, serves as the Deputy Associate Director for Science (Deputy ADS) in the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) at the Injury Center.
Alexis Peterson, PhD
Health Scientist, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team
Alexis Peterson, PhD, is a health scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Injury Prevention at the Injury Center. As a health scientist, 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 Injury Prevention
Dr. Judith (Judy) R. Qualters is the Director of the Division of Injury Prevention at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Dr. Qualters has extensive experience leading public health surveillance, research, and state prevention programs.
Wesley Sargent, EdD, EdS, MA
Health Scientist, Division of Overdose Prevention
Wesley Sargent, EdD, EdS, MA serves as a Health Scientist for the Clinical Practice Team in the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) at CDC’s Injury Center. His work at CDC has been focused on translating and implementing CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, and serving as a Science Officer on the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) cooperative agreement.
Kelly Sarmiento, MPH
Health Communications Specialist, Division of Injury Prevention
Kelly Sarmiento, MPH, serves as a public health advisor in the Division of Injury Prevention’s Traumatic Brain Injury Team at CDC’s Injury Center. 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, Division of Injury Prevention
Erin Sauber-Schatz, PhD, MPH, serves as the team lead of the Transportation Safety Team in the Division of Injury Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center. As a team lead, she is responsible for overseeing CDC’s transportation safety research and activities.The team’s focus areas include impaired driving, data linkage, seat belt use, child passenger safety, and older adult mobility.
Puja Seth, PhD, PhD
Branch Chief, Division of Overdose Prevention
Puja Seth, PhD, is the Branch Chief for the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch in the Division of Overdose Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center. In this role, she oversees the conceptualization and implementation of the surveillance components of CDC’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program.
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 at CDC’s Injury Center. 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.
Deborah M. Stone, ScD, MSW, MPH
Behavioral Scientist, Division of Injury Prevention
Deb Stone is the Lead Behavioral Scientist on the Suicide Prevention Team within the Applied Science Branch in the Division of Injury Prevention at CDC’s Injury Center. Dr. Stone serves as a subject matter expert in suicide prevention.
Steven A. Sumner, MD, MSc
Senior Advisor for Data Science and Innovation
Dr. Steven Sumner, MD, MSc, serves as Senior Advisor for Data Science and Innovation at CDC’s Injury Center. He coordinates, supports, and oversees data science initiatives in priority public health areas of drug overdose, suicide/mental health, and violence and injury prevention.
Alana Vivolo-Kantor
Lead Health Scientist, Division of Overdose Prevention
Dr. Alana Vivolo-Kantor is a Senior Health Scientist and Overdose Morbidity Team Lead in the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Injury Center. In this role, she manages the nonfatal overdose surveillance data collected from health departments funded by CDC’s Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance (ESOOS) and the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) cooperative agreements.
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 Injury Prevention at the Injury Center. Her work focuses on understanding the public health burden, prevention, and long-term effects of TBI.
Bethany West, MPH
Epidemiologist, Division of Injury Prevention
Bethany West, MPH, has served as an epidemiologist on the Transportation Safety Team in the Injury Center since 2008. She works to prevent motor vehicle-related injuries and deaths among vulnerable populations including children, older adults, and minorities.
Lindsay S. Womack, PhD, MPH
Health Scientist, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team
Lindsay Womack, PhD, MPH, serves as a health scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team, in the Division of Injury Prevention. Her work focuses on understanding the public health burden, prevention, and long-term effects of TBI.