Deputy Director for Science and Program
Barbara Marston, MD
Deputy Director for Science and Program
Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria
Barbara “Barb” Marston is the Deputy Director for Science and Program in the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria. An infectious diseases specialist with extensive clinical experience, Dr. Marston brings more than 20 years in public health expertise to the division.
During her CDC career, Dr. Marston has worked on a wide range of domestic and international public health programs. She has been engaged in CDC’s Ebola response since August 2014, where she assisted in deploying and coordinating international field teams. Prior to working on the Ebola response, she led the Division of Global Health Protection’s Health Systems Recovery Team in the Emergency Response and Recovery Branch and helped coordinate CDC’s response efforts in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. The Haiti program supported broad public health efforts, including the establishment of general disease surveillance, establishment of a Field Epidemiology Training Program, work toward elimination of lymphatic filariasis and malaria, response to the cholera epidemic, expansion of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and work to reduce maternal mortality, control tuberculosis, and strengthen immunization programs.
Dr. Marston also has worked as a medical epidemiologist in the Care and Treatment Branch of the Global AIDS Program, serving as CDC’s core team representative for Tanzania and Kenya. From 2001 to 2005, she was stationed in Kenya, coordinating HIV care and treatment programs and serving as the overall coordinator of CDC’s HIV program activities in Western Kenya. During that time, she supported establishment of more than 90 clinics for people with HIV, and the numbers of Kenyans on antiretroviral treatment grew from hundreds to more than 65,000.
Dr. Marston holds a Bachelors in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College and a medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine. Following Internal Medicine Residency and Chief Residency at Oregon Health Sciences University, she joined the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) in the Respiratory Diseases Branch at the National Center for Infectious Disease. Following EIS, she completed Infectious Disease Fellowship training at Emory University, then joined the Emory faculty, returning to CDC after several years focused on HIV clinical care.
Dr. Marston has received several awards for outstanding public health service including the Global AIDS Program Humanitarian Award and the Center for Global Health Director’s Medal of Excellence in Global Health, an award that commends her contributions to public health in Haiti. She is the author of several book chapters and over 60 scientific publications related to a range of global public health issues.