Partner organizations		Liaisons		Individuals

Liaisons

William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC Dr. Atkinson, a medical epidemiologist, develops technical and training materials for immunization providers and conducts training on vaccine-preventable diseases. His previous responsibilities at CDC included national measles surveillance, investigation, and vaccine consultation. He has conducted numerous vaccine research projects, served as a consultant to the World Health Organization, and published numerous articles and book chapters. The satellite broadcast of Atkinson's vaccine training course repeatedly receives rave reviews.

Stephen L. Cochi, MD, MPH

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC Dr. Cochi, pediatrician and preventive medicine specialist, is the former Acting Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and currently is Senior Advisor, Global Immunization Division. Dr. Cochi has spent more than 25 years at CDC working in the field of immunization, and since 1985 has served in what is now the NCIRD. He has had a major impact on the prevention of virtually every one of the vaccine-preventable diseases for which NCIRD/CDC has lead responsibility.

Lawrence J. D'Angelo, MD, MPH

Society for Adolescent Medicine Dr. D'Angelo, an internist, is chief, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Children's National Medical Center; professor of pediatrics, medicine, and health care sciences, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences; and professor of prevention and community health and epidemiology, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. His particular area of expertise is the clinical and epidemiologic aspects of HIV infection in teenagers.

Stanley A. Gall, MD

American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) Dr. Gall is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Emeritus Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and professor of Public Health and Information Sciences at the University of Louisville. In addition to being the ACOG liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Dr. Gall is also a member of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Medical Association. Dr. Gall's primary research interests are in infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology, and he has been doing HPV vaccine trials since 1999. Dr. Gall is a contributor to the literature in infectious disease issues and has a particular interest in immunization of pregnant women. Dr. Gall was the director of the ACOG seminar titled "Barriers to Maternal Immunization" held in April 2005. Dr. Gall is chairman of the ACOG presidential Working Group on Immunization.

Bruce Gellin, MD, MPH

National Vaccine Program Office, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Gellin, an infectious disease expert with training in epidemiology, has had broad experience in public health aspects of infectious diseases. He has held positions at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH),  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Rockefeller Foundation, and has extensive consultative experience with the World Health Organization.

Neal A. Halsey, MD

Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins University Dr. Halsey is a professor in the Departments of International Health and Pediatrics and the director of the Institute of Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. He has served on the Committee on Infectious Diseases ("Red Book Committee") for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for CDC. He has also served in varied capacities in the U.S. Public Health Service and on advisory committees for the World Health Organization.

Carol E. Hayes, CNM, MN, MPH

American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Carol Hayes is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing at Georgia State University. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife with a master's in nursing and public health with twenty years of clinical experience, as well as experience in education, conference planning, program management, and grant management. Her areas of interest include adolescent health, women's health, teen pregnancy prevention, sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and infectious diseases and HIV. She has contributed to training materials, curricula, and other documents published by a federally funded training center. She has published in a peer-reviewed journal and contributed to two abstracts. She has served as a clinical consultant to the CDC Group B Streptoccocus Task Force, representing nurse-midwives from 1995 to 1998. She has served on numerous committees nationally and locally for the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the Georgia Nurses Association and is a member of Nursing Honor Society Sigma Theta Tau.

Gregory James, DO, MPH, FACOFP

American Osteopathic Association Dr. Gregory James is currently the family practice residency program director at St. Petersburg General Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. Dr. James is a clinical professor in family medicine for Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU/COM) in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Dr. James received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) as well his Masters in Public Health (MPH) Degrees from NSU/COM. He completed a three year residency in family medicine at Sun Coast Hospital. Dr. James is a past president of the Florida Society of the ACOFP (American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians). He is also a past president of the Pinellas County Osteopathic Medical Society. In July 2006, he was voted Educator of the Year by the Florida Society of the ACOFP. In July 2004, Dr. James was recognized by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) as a Mentor of the Year. He has received the Outstanding Clinical Instructor award for the family medicine residency program three times and the Outstanding Lecturer award for the medical education program twice. Dr. James is on the board of directors for the AOBFP (American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians), the national certification board for all osteopathic family physicians. Dr. James serves on the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation for the AOA and on the National Convention Committee for the ACOFP. He served as the national program chairman for the 2004 National ACOFP Conference in Tampa. He is certified in family medicine, geriatrics, and long-term care for nursing homes.

Samuel L. Katz, MD

Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Dr. Katz chaired the ACIP of the U.S. Public Health Service from 1985 to 1993 and currently serves as the liaison to ACIP for the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Besides his service on numerous boards and committees, including past president of the American Pediatric Society, Katz is the Wilburt C. Davison Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC.

Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco, RN-CS, CPNP

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Ms. Koslap-Petraco is the coordinator of child health for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services in New York. She is also clinical assistant professor and preceptor to graduate and undergraduate students at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Ms. Koslap-Petraco is a NAPNAP fellow, immediate past chair of NAPNAP's Special Interest Group on Immunizations, and former president of the New York/Long Island chapter. She has published widely in the area of childhood immunization.

Marie-Michele Leger, MPH, PA-C

American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) Ms. Leger, a physician assistant, is director of clinical and international affairs, Division of Professional Education and Alliance Development, AAPA. She is the representative of the Academy to numerous clinical and policy organizations and serves as a staff advisor to AAPA's Clinical and Scientific Affairs Council, Education Council and Committee on International Affairs. She has published extensively and her areas of interest are women's health, diversity in health care, access to health care and infectious disease.

Harold S. Margolis, MD

Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative Dr. Margolis, pediatrician, is the director of the Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative, a project of the International Vaccine Institute in Seoul, Korea. He was formerly director of the Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Martin G. Myers, MD

National Network for Immunization Information (NNii) Dr. Myers is professor of pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), and director for Public Health Policy and Education, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, UTMB. Formerly he was director, National Vaccine Program Office, Department of Health and Human Services. He is executive director of NNii.

Kathleen M. Neuzil, MD, MPH

American College of Physicians Dr. Neuzil is clinical associate professor of medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Washington School of Medicine, and senior clinical advisor for immunizations, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), Seattle. She is a member of ACP's Adult Immunization Initiative Physician Advisory Board and is ACP's liaison representative to ACIP.

Paul A. Offit, MD

Vaccine Education Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Offit is chief of the division of infectious diseases and the director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition, Dr. Offit is the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of vaccinology and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He was also a recent voting member of the ACIP. Dr. Offit is the recipient of many awards and is the co-author of three books. In addition, he has published more than 120 papers in medical and scientific journals in the areas of rotavirus-specific immune responses and vaccine safety and is the co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine.

Walter A. Orenstein, MD

Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University Dr. Orenstein, pediatric infectious disease specialist, is director of the Program for Vaccine Policy and Development and associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center at the Emory University School of Medicine. He is a Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics. Prior to this, he served for many years as director of the National Immunization Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is a co-editor of the fifth edition of the textbook "Vaccines."

Mitchel C. Rothholz, RPh

American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Mr. Rothholz, pharmacist, is Chief of Staff for APhA. He is responsible for APhA's strategic planning and external collaborations and communications; governance; immunization and other public health initiatives; and awards and election processes. He is an active member of numerous state and national pharmacy organizations and immunization coalitions.

Thomas N. Saari, MD

American Academy of Pediatrics Dr. Saari practiced general pediatrics in Madison for 24 years before his appointment as professor of pediatrics in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Division of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998. Dr. Saari worked for many years with CDC on projects concerning vaccine safety, the control of hepatitis B and C in the U.S., the immunization of term and preterm infants, and strategies to promote community-based immunization activities. He served six years on the Committee on Infectious Diseases of the American Academy of Pediatrics beginning in 1998 and was appointed chair of the Wisconsin Council for Immunization Practices in 1999 until his retirement from the University in 2006. In the course of his career, he received numerous awards including the Wisconsin Pediatrician of the Year Award (1993), the AAP Special Achievement Award (1994), and the Wisconsin Public Health Association Distinguished Service Award (2005) for his immunization advocacy efforts. Dr. Saari currently serves on the AAP Immunization Task Force for review of financial and supply barriers to effective delivery of vaccines in the private and public sector settings.

William Schaffner, MD

Infectious Diseases Society of America Dr. Schaffner, an internist, is professor and chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine, and professor of medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Dr. Schaffner, liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, is also a member of the Physician Advisory Board of the Adult Immunization Initiative of the American College of Physicians and the associate hospital epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Hospital. Dr. Schaffner received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College.

Anne Schuchat, MD

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC Dr. Schuchat, an internist and epidemiologist, is director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). Prior to this, she served as acting director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases and chief of the Respiratory Diseases Branch at CDC. She has worked on pre- and post-licensure evaluation of bacterial conjugate vaccines and made important contributions to the prevention of infectious diseases in children and adults.

Thomas E. Stenvig, RN, PhD

American Nurses Association Dr. Stenvig, RN, PhD, MPH, CNAA, is associate professor with the College of Nursing at South Dakota State University in Brookings. He also is past president of the National Network of Immunization Nurses and Associates. Professor Stenvig's research program focuses on nursing behavioral issues related to immunizing children and nurses' participation in vaccination. Previously, he was involved in immunization programs for the Indian Health Service for many years while a U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Officer.

Litjen Tan, PhD

American Medical Association (AMA) Dr. Tan is director, Infectious Disease, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine at AMA. He is responsible for all scientific and policy issues that pertain to infectious diseases and ensures that AMA remains abreast of critical happenings in infectious diseases. He has been active in issues pertaining to vaccine safety; vaccine accessibility for children, adults, and high-risk groups; and increased vaccination coverage. Dr. Tan is AMA's liaison representative to ACIP, and co-chair of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, cosponsored by the AMA and CDC.

John W. Ward, MD

Division of Viral Hepatitis, CDC Dr. Ward, internist and prevention medicine specialist, is the director of the Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) within the Coordinating Center of Infectious Diseases at CDC. Dr. Ward most recently served as editor of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and as acting director of the Division of Scientific Communications, in the proposed National Center for Health Marketing, National Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service. Dr. Ward joined CDC in 1984 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer in what was then known as the high-profile AIDS Activity. He remained in CDC's evolving AIDS program through 1998, working on many high-profile investigations and serving in various leadership positions including section chief and then later branch chief of the Surveillance Branch in the Division of HIV/AIDS, NCID.

Patricia N. Whitley-Williams, MD, MPH

National Medical Association Dr. Whitley-Williams, a pediatrician, is professor of pediatrics and chief, Division of Pediatric Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, as well as Interim Chair, Department of Pediatrics at UMDNJ-RWJ Medical School. She is the National Medical Association's liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also serves as a member of the National Network for Immunization Information, Infectious Diseases Society of America. Dr. Whitley-Williams's research interests include pediatric HIV infection/AIDS and immunization coverage rates in children.

Walter W. Williams, MD, MPH

Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, CDC Dr. Williams, internist and medical epidemiologist, is the associate director for Minority Health, Office of the Director, CDC; and director of CDC's Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. In his current position, he serves as the principal advisor to the CDC Director on minority health issues and the focal point for minority health programs, projects, and coordination of CDC/ATSDR's minority health activities. He has published extensively and spoken at regional and national symposia on topics related to epidemiology, public health, and preventive medicine. He holds faculty appointments at Morehouse Medical School and the Emory University School of Public Health and is Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Residency in Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine.

This page was reviewed on July 21, 2008