Christopher D. Jones, PhD, MSW

Christopher D. Jones is the Director for CDC’s Program, Performance, and Evaluation Office (PEO). He works with PEO to strengthen CDC programs’ impact through continuous program improvement activities including monitoring, performance, evaluation, and strategy. He collaborates across CDC through PEO’s role as a liaison for the Director and Deputy Director to guide and advance the work of programs, connecting programs with Office of the Director resources and relationships. Dr. Jones brings extensive experience in policy evaluation and research, implementation science, knowledge translation, and strategic planning.

Chris joined PEO in 2020, after working for 10 years at CDC in several roles focused on implementation science, policy research, and evaluation of public health programs and policies. Prior to his current role, he led the Applied Research & Translation (ART) Team in DHDSP’s Applied Research & Evaluation Branch to conduct policy research, applied research projects, and develop products to promote using the best available evidence for cardiovascular disease prevention strategies. In 2020-2021, Chris served in a number of leadership positions within the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Response. Chris has also served as a senior scientist for the Office on Smoking and Health’s Evaluation Team and team leader for the Evaluation & Integration Team in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Prior to joining the CDC in 2010, Chris practiced clinical social work and conducted evaluation research in the areas of youth violence and child abuse and neglect. He specialized in the use of cognitive and behavioral interventions for youth and their families, often consulting on clinical practice and research for residential and outpatient treatment programs in Georgia and North Carolina.

He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Social Work from the University of Georgia, his Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Georgia, and his B.S. in Sociology from James Madison University.