Executive Leadership & Expert Bios

Captain Jennifer McQuiston, DVM, MS

Epidemiology Activity Leader, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch

Captain Jennifer McQuiston, DVM, MS, serves as the Epidemiology Activity Leader in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch in the Division of Vectorborne Diseases (DVBD) at the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).

Dr. McQuiston joined CDC in 1998 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer, conducting research and the investigation of outbreaks related to zoonotic diseases (diseases that are transmitted from animals to people).

She has worked extensively on rickettsial diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Q fever, typhus, and cat scratch disease. From 2005 to 2007, she also served as Zoonoses Team Leader in CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, managing issues related to animal importation and the infectious disease risks they pose.

Jennifer McQuiston attended Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, where she received a DVM in 1997 and a Masters degree in Molecular Biology in 1998. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, and has been the recipient of national awards, including as the Daniel E. Salmon award from the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, and the James H. Steele Award from CDC, for outstanding work on veterinary public health issues.

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