- Marc Camardo, Supervising Epidemiologist, serves as the Title V Director and SSDI Director. Mr. Camardo has an MPH with 14 years of experience at the Department and has dedicated his work to improving the health of women and infants, children and adolescents, and children with special health care needs. In this role, Mr. Camardo provides oversight and direction to the MCH Epidemiology Unit supervising epidemiologists and provides technical assistance in executing the work of the Unit, including surveillance activities, data analyses, and other emerging initiatives. Mr. Camardo also provides leadership by working vertically and cross-functionally with Department and Section management in supporting the coordination of the MCHBG.
- Dr. Katharyn Baca, CDC Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Assignee to Connecticut, has PhD and MPH degrees in Epidemiology, and has 7 years’ experience in applied epidemiology in the fields of maternal and child health (MCH) and program evaluation in state, local and federal government settings. Dr. Baca is trained with advanced data management and methodology skills, which she uses to design and implement methodologies to define MCH related indicators, perform linkages across programs, and determine trends by various stratifications. Dr. Baca also coordinates projects and participates in several committees and workgroups in various topics related to MCH, including reproductive justice and substance exposed infants, and has recently joined the CT Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) team.
- Jennifer Morin, Epidemiologist 3, has an MPH in Epidemiology and has worked as an MCH epidemiologist for 19 years. She has provided key data support to the MCHBG since 2003 including playing a central role in the past 4 MCHBG 5-year Needs Assessments, supported SSDI since 2003 and served as the SSDI Project Coordinator since 2006, and has also served as the CT Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) PI, Project Director, Project Coordinator, and analyst since the project was first funded in 2011 and authored the original funding application. Ms. Morin has considerable knowledge and experience in data collection, linkage and analysis, as well as of translation of data into action to support Department of Public Health (DPH) programs and statewide partners in their efforts to improve outcomes for Connecticut’s MCH population.
- Johanna Davis, Epidemiologist 3, has worked as an DPH epidemiologist for 30 years. She has worked with numerous databases, designed by CDC, HRSA, DPH (and others). She has been involved in the planning, designing, converting, linking, and creating of databases. Areas of knowledge include STDs, School Based Health Centers, Primary care office, Family Wellness Healthy Start, Community Health Associations, Birth Defects, Sickle Cell Disease and Birth Defects. She has also provided data support to the MCHBG for the past 15 years including the MCHBG 5-year Needs Assessment. She has created many surveys in Survey Monkey, to collected data and information, including satisfaction surveys. She has also trained and supervised other staff in different areas.
- Lisa Budris, Epidemiologist 3, has an MPH in Public Health and an MS in Research, Statistics and Measurements. She has worked as the PRAMS Data Manager since 2012 and serves as a data analyst. Ms. Budris also provides epidemiologic support to the Office of Oral Health and has recently taken on additional responsibilities supporting data reporting for the MCHG. Prior to joining CT PRAMS, Ms. Budris worked within DPH as Health Program Assistant for 2.5 years supporting nutrition, physical activity, and nutrition initiatives’ in the Health, Education, Management & Surveillance Section. Prior to DPH, she worked for 4.5 years as a research assistant managing several studies involving women with type 2 diabetes and a history of depression, and was a research coordinator for a behavioral health organization working in several substance abuse clinics around the state.
- Alessandra Bogacki, Epidemiologist 3, has worked at DPH for 14 years and as an epidemiologist for the past 6 years. Prior to joining the Maternal and Child Health Program at DPH, Alessandra worked in the DPH Epidemiology program and held various titles as well as roles. She was responsible for grants and contracts as well as statewide initiatives for both the Healthcare Associated Infections Program as well as the Epidemiology Program. Most recently her work as an epidemiologist involved Hepatitis A and Babesiosis surveillance and data analysis. She also worked on many aspects of the pandemic response to COVID-19. As a member of the MCH Epidemiology Unit, she will be working with statewide birth defects data which involves surveillance, data collection, analysis, and quality control. She is also responsible for sickle cell disease data and collaborations with statewide partners.
- Nicholanna Prince, Epidemiologist 2, has a MS degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology and worked as an MCH epidemiologist for 6 years. She has provided key data support to the MCHBG since 2016 including providing data support for the Newborn Screening program, Early Hearing and Detection Intervention program, and the Family Wellness Healthy Start program. Ms. Prince has substantial expertise in data collection, analysis, and performing quality control of our online data system for CYSHCN (CT Youth Special Health Care Needs) program and the Family Wellness Healthy Start program (FWHS). She converts and performs electronic uploads for the FWHS program. She runs reports for EHDI (Early Hearing Detection Intervention) program to improve quality of data.
- Tabitha Fox, Epidemiologist 1, B.S. Public Health, has provided support to CT PRAMS since 2017 and fulfills some of the PRAMS Data Manager duties related to survey mail operations. She is responsible for data management and informatics support within the MAVEN: Newborn Screening System and assists in annual data reporting support for ongoing Title V Block Grant.
- Dr. Laura Estep Hayes, Data Scientist, serves as liaison between the Title V Program and the Surveillance, Analysis, and Reporting Unit (SAR) in the DPH Health Statistics and Surveillance Section. Dr. Hayes earned a M.S. in Epidemiology and Public Health (Biostatistics Track) from Yale University while serving as an EPA STAR (Science to Achieve Results) Fellow, followed by a doctoral degree in Zoology from Auburn University. Her statistical expertise is the area of linear mixed effect modeling, spatial analysis of geographic public health data, and interpretation and presentation of vital event data analysis results for the general public. Dr. Hayes has served as lead author and co-author of over 30 peer-reviewed manuscripts and state government reports, including, most recently, the Connecticut Registration Report for Vital Events Occurring in 2018.
- Sarah Coughlin, Epidemiologist 2, is the newest member of the team and comes from the Public Health Laboratory’s Newborn Screening (NBS) Program, where she also served as an Epidemiologist for the last 4.5 years. With NBS, she was responsible for the data collection, management and analysis of 36,000+ infants born and screened in Connecticut each year. Sarah utilized this data to report to a national funding agency annually on NBS activities including Quality Improvement, reporting results, disease incidence rates, and false positive results, among other data points. This position also required close contact with hospitals, pediatricians, and treatment centers in CT and neighboring states to coordinate care and collect data on the 64+ disorders screened for by the program. As a member of the MCH Epidemiology Unit, she will be assisting with School Based Health Center (SBHC) initiatives.
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