Leaders

Vicki Benard, PhD, is an epidemiologist with more than 20 years’ experience working in CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. In her current position as Chief of the Cancer Surveillance Branch, she leads the National Program of Cancer Registries capturing cancer incidence data from 46 states, the District of Columbia, and 3 territories.

As the Associate Director for Science in CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Nicole Dowling, PhD, provides leadership and oversight to ensure that all of the division’s scientific work, publications, and communications meet the highest standards of quality and integrity and comply with all human subjects and other ethical standards.

Jacqueline Miller, MD, FACS, is a board-certified general surgeon and a Captain with the U.S. Public Health Service. She joined CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in the Division of Adult and Community Health. Currently, she is the Medical Director for CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

Mona Saraiya, MD, MPH has worked on issues related to skin cancer epidemiology and cervical cancer prevention and control. Her cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) research portfolio includes an initiative to characterize the HPV-associated cancer burden in the United States, and adherence to cervical cancer screening guidelines.

Judith Lee Smith, PhD, is a co-creator of AMIGAS, a bilingual educational outreach intervention designed to help lay health educators increase cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women who have rarely or never been screened for cervical cancer. Her research interests include investigating the factors that impact cancer-related health disparities and cancer survivorship.

Felicia Solomon Tharpe, MPH has applied expertise in health education, program planning, training, and capacity building to support dissemination of evidence-based interventions. Ms. Solomon Tharpe serves on the management team in the Program Services Branch, where she contributes to strategic planning for division and branch priorities.

Melonie Thomas, MBA, is hands-on in advancing cancer prevention and control strategies through development of protocols, procedures, tools, and guidelines that support the Program Services Branch. She coordinates and implements programmatic initiatives for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and Colorectal Cancer Control Program.

Hannah K. Weir, PhD, MSc, is a senior epidemiologist in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control’s Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch. Prior to coming to CDC, Dr. Weir was an epidemiologist at Cancer Care Ontario (Canada). Dr. Weir’s research focuses on cancer surveillance, particularly on population-based cancer survival.

Mary C. White, ScD, has broad experience in the development, implementation, and translation of population-based health research. In her current position as Chief of the Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Dr. White directs a program of applied research and science dissemination to support CDC programs and address national priorities in cancer prevention and control.

Debra Younginer, BS, manages the Program Services Branch’s personnel and workload while maintaining oversight of the branch’s budget. She also actively participates in setting the strategic direction of the branch and implementing branch priorities.