World TB Day
CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions
Meet the 2022 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions
There are many individuals and organizations working in effective and engaging ways to end tuberculosis (TB) in the United States. The CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions Project provides an opportunity to recognize accomplishments and learn best practices from individuals who are making significant contributions to eliminating TB in the United States.
TB adversely affects groups that have historically experienced greater obstacles to health, and efforts to eliminate TB must reach those who are at higher risk. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in staff roles and responsibilities in public health departments and healthcare facilities across the United States. In recognition of the way organizations and individuals have adapted to the changing landscape and the important role they have played in addressing health equity and the COVID-19 response, we are seeking nominations that:
- reflect the important contributions that TB agencies, organizations, and partners have made to the COVID-19 response, and/or
- showcase the innovation and adaption needed to maintain TB elimination activities in a challenging public health environment.
We are sharing these inspiring success stories through CDC’s website, Twitter, and Facebook accounts, and hope that they help and inspire others. Check out past and present TB Champions below!
Tell your story or your organization’s story by answering any of the following prompts:
- Describe how the nominee(s) has applied principles of health equity in their work to think, test, and treat TB.
AND/OR
Describe how the nominee(s) has continued their work to end TB during the COVID-19 pandemic or applied TB control skills to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- What impact have these efforts made in the community?
Between now and February 25, 2022:
- Submit via email to tbinfo@cdc.gov, including:
- Completed nomination form word icon[DOC – 48 KB]
- Photo or video (along with the names of individuals included)
- Photo Release Form pdf icon[PDF – 9 KB]
AND/OR
- Submit via social media using the hashtag #TBEliminationChampion
If you have any questions, please contact tbinfo@cdc.gov.
- Photo Requirements
- Photo Release Form pdf icon[PDF – 9 KB]: please complete and include with submission via email.
- Make sure photos demonstrate adherence to CDC’s COVID-19 guidelines.
- For group nominations, consider a photo collage or a screenshot of a group on a video conferencing platform
- Types of Image Files: JPEG (or JPG) – Joint Photographic Experts Group or PNG – Portable Network Graphics
- Video Suggestions pdf icon[PDF – 65 KB]
- Record a 15 to 20-second video answering the above prompts. Make sure to tell us who you are, where you are, and what you do. You can email the video to tbinfo@cdc.gov with your submission or post on social media using the hashtag #TBEliminationChampion.
U.S. TB Champions
- Breathe Easy South Texas (B.E.S.T.) Project- San Antonio, Texas
- Dr. Connie Haley, Medical Consultant and Comprehensive TB Clinical Course Co-Director, Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center
- Harris County Public Health Tuberculosis Program- Houston, Texas
- Amy Hill, RN, TB Program Manager, Oklahoma State Department of Health
- Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital, Infection Prevention Team- Los Angeles, California
- Monterey County Public Health Department TB Control Unit- Salinas, California
- Solano County Public Health Tuberculosis Control Program- Fairfield, California
- TB Elimination Alliance
- Breathe Easy South Texas (B.E.S.T) Project – San Antonio, Texas
- Gerald Barnett, Contact Investigation/Special Populations Supervisor, Dallas County Health and Human Services, Texas
- Dr. Otto F.W. Boneta, Tuberculosis Elimination Program Physician, Texas Department of State Health Services
- The California Tuberculosis Control Branch (TBCB) – Richmond, CA
- Chima Mbakwem – TB/Hansen’s Diseases Program Manager, Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services
- DTBE Cooperative Agreement Awardee Mycobacteriology Public Health Laboratorians
- Harris County Public Health Tuberculosis Elimination Program, Texas
- Housing for Health, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
- Jefferson County Department of Health TB Program, Alabama
- Michele Koenig, RN – Southeastern National TB Center at the University of Florida
- Tenzin Kunor, MDR-TB Survivor and member of We are TB
- Dr. Michael Lauzardo, Director and Principal Investigator, Medical Consultant for Florida State Department of Health, Division of TB Elimination, Southeastern National TB Center at the University of Florida and the Florida Department of Health
- Dr. Scott Lindquist, Communicable Disease Epidemiologist, Washington State Department of Health
- New York City Bureau of Tuberculosis Control (BTBC) Telehealth Team
- San Diego County TB Elimination Initiative (TBEI), County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Services
- TB Nurses in the United States, All Public Health Departments
- TB Program Evaluation Network (PEN) Committee Members- CDC, Atlanta, GA
- Texas Department of State Health Services Region 4/5 North Tuberculosis Elimination Team, Tyler, TX
- Texas TB Programs Supporting TB Services Along the Texas/Mexico Border- Harlingen, TX
- Jeannette Aldous, MD – Clinical Director of Infectious Disease, San Ysidro Health, California
- Breathe Easy South Texas (B.E.S.T) Project – San Antonio, Texas
- CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Laboratory Branch and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Outbreak, Investigations Branch/Molecular Epidemiology Activity
- Bruce Chandler, MD, MPH – Medical Officer with the Division of Public Health, State of Alaska and Public Health Division, Municipality of Anchorage
- DeKalb County, Georgia Board of Health Refugee and Tuberculosis Program
- Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, New York
- Hope Clinic LTBI Team – Hope Clinic & Houston Health Department Bureau of TB, Texas
- Jefferson County Department of Health, Alabama
- Karen Landers, MD F.A.A.P – District Health Officer, Medical Consultant for State TB Program, Alabama Department of Public Health
- Julie Low, MD– TB Controller, Orange County Health Care Agency, California
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories
- Marisa Moore, M.D., MPH – U.S public Health Service, Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health
County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency, California - Eric Morgan, BS, MPH, DIPM – Statewide TB Manager/Prison Liaison, Coordinator for Minority Health, Alabama Department of Health, Division of TB Control
- Saint Louis County Department of Public Health Chest Clinic, Missouri
- Jacek Skarbinski – Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente Oakland/Richmond, California
- Dr. Chris Spitters – Interim Health Officer, Snohomish Health District, Washington
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)
- Florida Department of Health, Duval County
- Kate O’Brien, We Are TB, TB Survivor
- Laura Smock, MPH, Epidemiologist, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands TB Program
- Daria Szkwarko, DO, MPH, Assistant Professor, Brown University
- Monroe County, New York, Department of Public Health TB Control
- Neha Shah, MD, MPH, Project Director, TB Free California
- Dr. Greg Stern, Health Officer for Whatcom County Public Health
- We Are TB, TB Survivor Network
Read more about the 2017 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions who are expanding latent TB infection testing and treatment in their communities.
- The Allentown Health Bureau Control Team
- Julie Vaishampayan
- Jason Stout
- Breathe Easy South Texas
- Pennan Barry
- Tennessee Collaborative Services
- Lynn Community Health Center
- Stephanie Quinn and Luvette Baldwin
- The Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness Tuberculosis Program
- Jonathan Iralu
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Community Health Services
- Denver Metro TB Clinic
- Becky Scoggin
Read more about the 2016 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions who are working in one of the five areas that support CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Strategic Plan, 2016-2020.
- Supporting TB Control
- Building Partnerships
- Expanding Testing and Treatment
- Focusing on Prevention
- Maximizing Resources
Page last reviewed: March 17, 2022
Content source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination