Member Profiles

Suzet M. McKinney, DrPH, MPH, CEO/Executive Director, Illinois Medical District

Dr. Suzet M. McKinney currently serves as Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District that includes 560 acres of medical research facilities, labs, a biotech business incubator, universities, raw land development areas and more than 40 healthcare related facilities. Dr. McKinney is the former Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), where she oversaw the emergency preparedness efforts for the Department and coordinated those efforts within the larger spectrum of the City of Chicago’s Public Safety activities.

Dr. McKinney serves on numerous committees and advisory boards. Most recently, she was appointed to the Board of Directors for Thresholds, Good City Chicago and the African-American Legacy of the Chicago Community Trust. Dr. McKinney is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies and is a member of the IOM’s Standing Committee on Health Threats Resilience.

In academia, Dr. McKinney serves as an Instructor in the Division of Translational Policy and Leadership Development at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. She also serves as a mentor for the Biomedical Sciences Careers Project, also at Harvard University.

Dr. McKinney holds her Doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, with a focus on preparedness planning, leadership and workforce development. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Brandeis University (Waltham, MA) where she was also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. She received her Master of Public Health degree (Health Care Administration) and certificates in Managed Care and Health Care Administration from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.

Brent Pawlecki, MD, Chief Health Officer, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Akron, Ohio

Dr. Brent Pawlecki is the Chief Health Officer at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., a position he has held since 2011. His responsibilities in this role include global health strategy, providing leadership for Goodyear’s medical clinics, fitness facilities, health benefits, health improvement and wellness programs, Employee Assistance Programs, and health related emergencies.

Prior to his current role, he was the Corporate Medical Director at Pitney Bowes, overseeing all health-related issues for the organization, including the Pitney Bowes’ award winning corporate clinics, wellness programs and absence management department, and served as the Chief HIPAA Privacy Officer.

During his career, he worked in a private medical practice as well as the Emergency Department. He attended college and medical school at St. Louis University and completed a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics from Bridgeport Hospital and Yale University. He also completed the Master of Medical Management Business Degree from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Pawlecki received the 2015 Global Leadership in Corporate Health Award, recognizing his career focused on developing and promoting workplace health programs. He is involved with numerous organizations, including the National Business Group on Health, National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), and the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care. His current focus works toward improvements in health quality, global health, advanced illness and end of life care.

Alonzo L. Plough, PhD, MPH, Vice President for Research and Evaluation and Chief Science Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Princeton, New Jersey

Alonzo L. Plough, PhD, MPH, joined the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as vice president, Research-Evaluation-Learning and chief science officer in January 2014. He leads the Foundations long standing focus on building the evidence base to foster innovation in health services and systems and improve population health. He is also responsible for Foundation-wide organizational learning and the two program areas that support those activities, the global and pioneer teams.

Dr. Plough brings to the Foundation his extensive leadership experience in public health, most recently at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Plough also served 10 years as director and health officer for the Seattle and King County Department of Public Health and before that served as director of public health in Boston for eight years.

Dr. Plough served as vice president of strategy, planning and evaluation for The California Endowment, a Los Angeles based health foundation from 2005–2009. He led the Endowment’s strategic planning and development, evaluation, research, and organizational learning activities.

His academic career includes his current appointment as professor of health services at the University of Washington, School of Public Health in Seattle and previous faculty positions at Harvard University School of Public Health, Tufts University Department of Community Medicine, and Boston University School of Management. He has been the recipient of numerous awards for public service and leadership and is the author of an extensive body of scholarly articles, books, and book chapters.

Plough earned his PhD and MA at Cornell University, and his MPH at Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. He did his undergraduate work at St. Olaf College, where he earned a BA.

Catherine C. Slemp, MD, MPH, State Health Officer and Commissioner, Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Charleston, West Virginia

Dr. Cathy Slemp is the State Health Officer and Commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health. In 2008-09 she chaired ASTHO’s Directors of Public Health Preparedness. She has also worked extensively in risk communication, serving as lead agency spokesperson for a wide variety of public health emergencies. Prior to these roles, she was the founding director of the state’s Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology. Throughout her career, Dr. Slemp has worked closely with public health agencies, health care facilities, and other partners to build both epidemiology and emergency preparedness infrastructure within communities.

Dr. Slemp’s current activities include serving as an action-learning coach for the Public Health Institute’s National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health, working with multi-sector teams to advance health equity in communities. She also continues to work on various efforts to both model, measure, and advance our nation’s health security and resilience. In addition, to the Board of Scientific Counselors, Dr. Slemp serves on the National Preparedness and Response Science Board, US Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

Dr. Slemp is board certified in both Public Health / Preventive Medicine and in Family Practice. She undertook her medical training at Duke University, her Preventive Medicine Residency and MPH at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, and her Family Practice Residency at St. Margaret Memorial Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and has undertaken leadership training through both the Southeast and National Public Health Leadership Institutes.

Kasisomayajula Viswanath, PhD, MA, MCJ, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and McGraw-Patterson Center for Population Sciences at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts

Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath is also the Faculty Director of the Health Communication Core of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC). He is the founding Director of DF/HCC’s Enhancing Communications for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Laboratory. He chairs the Steering Committee for the Health Communication Concentration (HCC) at HSPH and teaches health communication courses within this concentration.

Dr. Viswanath’s work, focuses on translational communication science to influence public health policy and practice. He has written more than 200 journal articles and book chapters concerning communication inequalities and health disparities, knowledge translation, public health communication campaigns, e-health and digital divide, public health preparedness and the delivery of health communication interventions to underserved populations. Dr. Viswanath has received awards including the Joseph W. Cullen Memorial Award For Excellence in Tobacco Research, American Society for Preventive Oncology (2014), the Dale Brashers Distinguished Mentorship Award, National Communication Association (2013), Outstanding Health Communication Scholar Award (2010) jointly given out by the International Communication Association and the National Communication Association and the Mayhew Derryberry Award from the American Public Health Association (APHA) for his contribution to health education research and theory (2009). He was a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) of the U. S. Department of Health & Human Services and Chaired its Working Group on Vaccine Acceptance (2012-2016) and is a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness, CDC. His research is supported by funding from private and public agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dawn P. Wooley, PhD, SM [NRCM], RBP, CBSP, Associate Professor, Wright State University

Dawn P. Wooley, PhD, SM [NRCM], RBP, CBSP is an Associate Professor at Wright State University and a certified biosafety professional. Her research expertise includes the molecular mechanisms of HIV mutation, recombination, and pathogenesis, the use of viral vectors for gene transfer, and the biosafety of viral vectors in laboratory and animal research. Dr. Wooley conducted postdoctoral research with Nobel Laureate Howard Temin at the University of Wisconsin. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Virology from Harvard and an honors B.S. degree in Microbiology from The Pennsylvania State University.

Sally Phillips, RN, PhD

Dr. Sally Phillips has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Office of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and Requirements for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since October 2015. In this position, Dr. Phillips is responsible for leading preparedness and response policy development and analysis, strategic planning, and evaluation- to ensure that sound policy and strategy are at the foundation of public health and medical response operations – to enable ASPR and HHS to save lives, and protect the Nation from 21st Century threats.

In August 2010, Dr. Phillips joined the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Health Affairs (OHA) in Washington, DC as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director for the Health Threats and Resilience Division. Later in her tenure she served as Act­ing Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary within DHS OHA.

In fall of 2001, Dr. Phillips joined the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as a Senior Nurse Scholar, where she managed a portfolio ranging from bioterrorism pre­paredness to multidisciplinary safety education and related healthcare workforce initiatives. In 2002 Dr. Phillips was appointed Director of the Bioterrorism Pre­paredness Research Program (later referred to as the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Research Program) and she served in that capacity until July 2010.

Dr. Phillips was a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow and Health Policy Analyst for Senator Tom Harkin, for two years. She has also had a distinguished academic career in the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at the University of Colorado, Health Science Center. Dr. Phillips received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University, a master’s degree from the University of Colorado, and a doctorate from Case Western Reserve University. Her primary area of clinical practice is the care of women, infants and children, with a specialty in the care of high-risk neonates.

Christina Egan, PhD, CBSP, Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Chief, Biodefense Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health Albany, NY

The ability to rapidly detect and respond to the intentional release of pathogens and toxins is vital in protecting the health and well-being of New Yorkers. The intentional release of Bacillus anthracis through the US Postal Service in 2001 highlighted the need for improved diagnostics in the field of Biodefense. Research at the Biodefense Laboratory focuses on the development of diagnostics for the detection of biothreat agents using platforms such as real-time PCR, DNA sequencing, and microsphere immunoassay and nucleic acid arrays.

Characterization and identification of biothreat agents is performed through analysis of multiple and varied sample types such as clinical specimens, food, water, powders, and other environmental samples. Often, these samples can be difficult to test and specialized protocols are necessary in order to perform nucleic acid testing. This work includes the development and validation of assays that can detect agents such as C. botulinum neurotoxins, Staphylococcal enterotoxins, Orthopoxviruses, Francisella tularensis, Brucella spp. Bacillus anthracis, Ricin toxin, and Yersinia pestis in different samples types in a multiplex format. Additional interests include the evaluation of biothreat samples.

In addition to serving as the Director of the Biodefence Laboratory at Wadsworth, Dr. Egan serves as Faculty Member and as the Director of Scientific Education, at the Wadsworth School of Laboratory Sciences.

Laura Magaña, PHD President and Chief Executive Officer Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH)

In August 2017, Dr. Laura Magaña Valladares became President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH).

Prior to joining ASPPH, Dr. Magaña dedicated over 30 years to leading the transformation and advancements of public and private universities in Mexico, educational organizations in the United States, United Nations programs, and non-governmental organizations in Central America and Europe. She was most recently the academic dean of the National Institute of Public Health, and ASPPH-member, in Mexico. Her diverse portfolio features research, training, and technological developments in national and foreign universities, with a focus on learning environments and the use of technology in education.external icon

Dr. Magaña is an active member of professional and scientific educational committees around the globe, including the Public Health Institutes of the World, World Federation of Public Health Associations, Association of Schools of Public Health in Europe, Latin-American Global Health Association, National System of Researchers, and the National Academy of Medical Education in México. Dr. Magaña also has served as the ASPPH representative to the Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She also participates in editorial boards, including Public Health Reviews and the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER), the Chilean Journal of Public Health, and the Journal in Eastern Europe.

Dr. Magaña holds a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, Master of Science in Educational Technology, and a PhD in Educational Administration.

Parham Jaberi, MD, MPH, Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Chief Deputy Commissioner for Public Health and Preparedness, Richmond, Virginia

Parham Jaberi, MD, MPH, is a board-certified preventive medicine physician with 10 years of experience as a public health official in Virginia and Louisiana.

In his current role at VDH, Dr. Jaberi provides direct oversight to the offices of Emergency Preparedness, Radiological Health, Environmental Health Services, Drinking Water, Chief Medical Examiner, and Emergency Medical Services.  Prior to his current role, Dr. Jaberi served as Louisiana’s Assistant State Health Officer and Assistant Secretary for Public Health and in prior years has served as a local health director in both Virginia and Louisiana.

Dr. Jaberi obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Johns Hopkins University, his Medical Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Medicine; and he completed his Preventive Medicine Residency and Master of Public Health at Tulane University.

Benjamin P. Chan, MD, MPH

Benjamin Chan, MD, MPH has served as State Epidemiologist for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services since July 2014. He provides medical and epidemiology support to the Division of Public Health Services where he is intricately involved in public health emergency preparedness and response, which has included responding to emerging infectious disease threats such as Ebola and Zika, and to emerging environmental health concerns from perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) drinking water contamination. He has also been working closely with local, state, and national partners to prevent and respond to emergent antibiotic resistant infections through strengthening state and national surveillance and promoting antibiotic stewardship. He has made it a priority to work towards closer collaboration and integration between the fields of public health and clinical medicine.

Dr. Chan is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in the specialties of Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, and by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. He completed internal medicine residency and infectious disease fellowship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). He received his MD degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and his MPH degree through the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, with a focus on improving healthcare delivery systems. He maintains clinical and academic professional appointments at DHMC and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

Michele Askenazi, MPH
Tri-County Health Department
Director of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communicable Disease Surveillance

Michele Askenazi has worked in Public Health for 20 years and has been at the Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) for 12 years. Michele oversees the Emergency Preparedness and Response, Syndromic Surveillance, Communicable Disease and Workplace Safety and Security Programs at TCHD. Michele has served in a lead role for response efforts including outbreaks, mass casualty incidents, and natural disasters such as floods and fires, and established a Public Health Incident Management Team (PHIMT) for TCHD in 2010. The PHIMT is recognized as a NACCHO model practice, enhancing the agency’s depth and skills to provide management to all-hazards incidents, whether TCHD serves in a lead or support role. Michele has been key to the development of the ESF #8 system for the TCHD jurisdiction of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, where TCHD serves as the ESF #8 lead if activated by their partners in Emergency Management. In addition to serving on the CDC Board of Scientific Counselors, Michele also serves as the Chair for the NACCHO Preparedness Policy Advisory Group.

Before coming to TCHD, Michele was an Epidemiologist for the Michigan Department of Community Health, working in HIV/AIDS Surveillance. She then served as an Epidemiologist in Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention and then as a Research Analyst for the Bioterrorism Program at the Orange County Health Care Agency in Orange County, California. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan and her Master of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center.

Jamie Ritchey PhD, MPH

Jamie Ritchey is a solution-oriented public health practice epidemiologist with nearly 20 years of applied public health experience. Her key skills include: public health revenue generation, leadership, program evaluation, disease surveillance and epidemiologic analysis, report and publication development, and public speaking.

Dr. Ritchey has been in her current role as the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. Tribal Epidemiology Center (ITCA TEC) Director for over five years. In this role, her main focus is to enhance public health capacity in Tribal communities in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. The ITCA TEC currently supports Tribal programs through grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the Tribal Public Health Infrastructure Project and Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country, Indian Health Services TEC Core funding and IHS Behavioral Health Division funding to support Tribal Methamphetamine & Suicide prevention and Domestic violence prevention, National Institutes of Health funding to support disease surveillance and reporting activities, and a contract with National Indian Health Board for Zika virus preparedness activities.

Deputy Associate Director for Science

Designated Federal Officer, OPHPR Board of Scientific Counselors

Kimberly Lochner, ScD

Dr. Kimberly Lochner is Deputy Associate Director for Science (DADS) in the Center for Preparedness Response (CPR) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She provides guidance for and oversight of CPR’s scientific integrity and quality and Board of Scientific Counselors’ activities and is the Designated Federal Official for CPR’s Board of Scientific Counselors. Prior to joining CPR, Dr. Lochner was a senior researcher in the Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) where she led a comprehensive research and data development program on the health status of Medicare beneficiaries focused on chronic conditions, including the epidemiology and implications for Medicare spending and clinical care. She worked for CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) leading the Data Linkage Program, which links NCHS surveys to data collected from U.S. vital statistics records, Medicare/Medicaid, and the Social Security Administration. Before entering Federal service, she was a Program Officer with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and an advisor to the RWJF Health & Society Scholars Program. Dr. Lochner received her doctoral degree from the Harvard School of Public Health with a concentration in social epidemiology.