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MMWR Staff
Michael Berkwits, MD, MSCE, FACP
Editor-in-Chief, MMWR
Director, Office of Science Dissemination
[email protected]
Michael Berkwits, MD, MSCE, FACP, is an ABIM-certified general internist with over 30 years’ experience in medical editing, scholarly publishing, meta-research, clinical research methods, and evidence dissemination. Most recently, he served as Vice President and Electronic Editor at JAMA and the JAMA Network (2013–2024), where he led digital content strategy across the Network’s 13 journals. Previously he was Deputy Editor at Annals of Internal Medicine (2005–2013) and Assistant Editor at The Merck Manuals (2001–2005), where he expanded the publications’ online presence and assets.
Dr. Berkwits completed his internal medicine training at the University of Michigan (1990–1993) and was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania (1994–1996). He was also Assistant and Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (1996–2013), where he received his Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE).
Dr. Berkwits is Co-Director of the 2022 and 2025 International Congress on Peer Review and Biomedical Publication and serves as Web Editor for the NLM-Fogarty Center-sponsored African Journal Partnership Program. Additionally, he is an active member of the AHRQ Evidence-Based Practice Center Stakeholder Panel and coauthor of the 2024 CONSORT/SPIRIT and CHART reporting guideline recommendations. He served as the Secretariat of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (2011–2013), in which role he oversaw the first major revision of the ICMJE Recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals.
Christine G. Casey, MD
Editor, MMWR Serials
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Christine Casey, MD, joined the MMWR as its inaugural Deputy Editor in May 2009. She previously served as Senior Medical Advisor to ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s Chief Science Officer and Associate Director for Science. She initially joined ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø in 2001 and also served as a staff medical officer in the Immunization Safety Office and Office of Public Health Research. Dr. Casey served as the U.S. Public Health Service (alternate) delegate to the American Medical Association and was a past contributor to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Red Book. Dr. Casey has been an invited peer reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Lancet, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, Clinical Infectious Diseases, and Vaccine. She is active in the Council of Science Editors by serving as the co-chair Program Committee of the 2014 Annual Meeting.
Dr. Casey received her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and completed her residency training at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. She is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics. Following a clinical billet with the U.S. Coast Guard, Dr. Casey held leadership roles during disaster responses to the World Trade Center terrorist attack and to Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Casey earned a bachelor of science degree in economics and psychology from American University, Washington, D.C., and began her scientific career at the National Institutes of Health and the California Institute of Technology by participating in laboratory research of visual pathways and neuronal growth cone differentiation.
Mary Dott, MD, MPH
Online Editor, MMWR
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Mary Dott, MD, MPH (CAPT, USPHS) joined MMWR as its inaugural online Editor in November 2017. She began her ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø career in 2001 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer. She has worked in the areas of birth defects, maternal and child health, workforce development, and emergency response and served in federal, state, and international assignments. She has a strong interest in professional education and brings more than seven years of professional education experience serving in various staff roles within the EIS program. She has contributed to many emergency responses, including ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa during which she helped to establish the safety-training course “Preparing Healthcare Workers to Work in Ebola Treatment Centers in Africa.” Most recently, she has served as the Division of Public Health Information Dissemination’s Deputy Director of Science.
Dr. Dott received her bachelor of arts degree from the Plan II Honors Program of the University of Texas at Austin, medical doctorate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and master in public health degree from Rollins School of Public Health. She completed pediatrics residency at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s general preventive medicine residency assigned to the Georgia Department of Public Health. She is board certified in pediatrics and general preventive medicine.
Jacqueline Gindler, MD
Editor, MMWR Weekly
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Jacqueline Gindler, MD, joined the MMWR as the Editor for the weekly in September 2015. She began her ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø career in 1989 as an EIS Officer in the Division of Immunization and later held several positions in the National Immunization Program, working with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians on the first harmonization of the U.S. routine childhood immunization schedule. She has had extensive international experience as a consultant to the World Health Organization on national polio vaccination days, surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis, and establishing and strengthening National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups. During 1998–2006, Dr. Gindler served as the U.S. director of the U.S.-China Collaborative Project on Birth Defects and Disabilities Prevention in Beijing, China, and during 2006–2008 as the Southeast Asia Regional Advisor for Immigrant and Refugee Health in Bangkok, Thailand. She has worked on the pandemic influenza emergency response, and for six months in 2014–15 she served as the Epidemiology Team’s Associate Director for Science for the ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø Ebola response. Most recently, she has been the Science, Policy, and Research Coordinator for the Immunization Systems Branch in the Global Immunization Division. She was selected to participate in the Advanced Course in Vaccinology, sponsored by the Fondation Mérieux, in Annecy, France in 2011.
Dr. Gindler received her bachelor of science degree (summa cum laude) in microbiology and her medical doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh. She completed a pediatrics residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
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Rachel Gorwitz, MD, MPH
Editor, ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø Vital Signs
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Rachel Gorwitz, MD, MPH, joined the MMWR and Vital Signs Office in August 2022 as Editor of ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø Vital Signs. She also serves as Acting Executive Editor, MMWR Series. Dr. Gorwitz began her ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø career in 1991 as an Association of Schools of Public Health intern in the National AIDS Information and Education Program, and has since held several different positions in multiple ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø centers, interrupted by medical school and residency training. Since completing post-graduate training, she has held scientific positions in ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion from 2004-2011, where she served as a subject matter expert in community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), leading the development and dissemination of high-impact guidance for clinicians and public health policy makers and representing ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø as the spokesperson for an MRSA public information campaign, and in the Division of STD Prevention from 2011-2016, where she led complex epidemiologic studies on chlamydia and its reproductive sequelae. In 2016, Dr. Gorwitz joined the Division of Bacterial Diseases in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases as Associate Director for Epidemiologic Science, and led the division’s work on cross-cutting scientific initiatives, including data modernization and health equity science. She has served in leadership roles in multiple ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø emergency response efforts, including Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19 responses.
Dr. Gorwitz received a bachelor of music in viola performance from the University of Miami School of Music, a bachelor of science degree in medical microbiology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, a master of public health degree in epidemiology from the University of Michigan, and a medical doctorate degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed a pediatrics residency at Emory University and ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s general preventive medicine residency assigned to the Georgia Division of Public Health. She is board certified in pediatrics.
Paul Z. Siegel, MD, MPH
Associate Editor, MMWR Weekly
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Paul Z. Siegel, MD, MPH, joined MMWR in 2020 as Associate Editor for the weekly. Prior to joining MMWR, Dr. Siegel was Deputy Associate Director for Science at ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS). His principal responsibility is to ensure the quality of manuscripts authored by CSELS scientists. From 1995–2015, he was an epidemiologist at ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, where he directed the Field Epidemiology Activity for 15 years. Board Certified in General Preventive Medicine, Dr. Siegel has conducted training in scientific writing for public health practitioners and epidemiologists at the national and international levels for over 30 years, including as a Fulbright Teaching Fellow to the Russian Federation in 1999.
Dr. Siegel received his bachelor of arts degree in modern languages (French and German), his medical doctorate from Albany Medical College, and master’s in public health degree from Tulane University in New Orleans.
Terisa F. Rutledge
Managing Editor, MMWR
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Terisa Rutledge joined MMWR in 1991, as a work-study student. She has held various positions throughout her career with MMWR, from Editorial Assistant to Lead Technical Writer. Since 2008, she has served as Managing Editor. She is the longest tenured staff member at MMWR.
Terisa earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Georgia State University.
Jean Davis
Management and Program Analyst
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Jean Davis joined MMWR in February 2020 as a Management and Program Analyst. Prior to joining MMWR, she worked in the Business Management Office, Office of the Director, CSELS. She has a vast amount of administrative experience, including overseeing inter-agency agreements, contracts, personnel actions, and much more.
Connie Nevels
Management Analyst
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Connie Nevels recently joined MMWR as a Management Analyst. She works with the MMWR Proposals Tracking System and performs other duties in support of the MMWR. A dedicated public servant, Connie has been supporting ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s Mission of Healthier, Safer People in several positions at the ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø over the years. She also performs community service with her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and her church, Friendship Baptist Church.
Connie graduated from the European Division of the University of Maryland in Heidelberg, Germany, with degrees in Psychology and Business Management. She has been working, learning, and teaching in positions in Germany and the southeastern United States, thanks to permanent change-of-station moves by the U.S. Army. Connie has taught many students of various ages in subjects ranging from ESL/Adult Education at Gwinnett Technical College to Kindergarten for Department of Defense Dependents Schools in Wuerzurg, Germany.
Jacqueline Kelly
Technical Writer-Editor (Contractor)
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Jacqueline (Jackie) Kelly, MS, joined MMWR in February 2023 as a technical writer-editor (contractor with Karna, LLC.) for the Weekly Team.
Prior to joining MMWR, Jackie worked as a scientific writer and editor within CSELS’ Division of Laboratory Systems. Before joining ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø, she worked as a scientific writer, editor, and document quality control specialist. She has more than five years’ experience in scientific writing and editing and was recently awarded certification by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS).
Jackie holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Boston University and a master’s degree in veterinary medical science from the University of Florida. In her master’s research, she studied infectious diseases in wild birds.
John Morgan Thompson
Technical Writer-Editor (Contractor)
[email protected]
John Morgan Thompson is a technical writer-editor for MMWR. Morgan began working at ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø in 2021 as a contractor for Karna, LLC. Before joining MMWR, Morgan worked as a freelance writer and technical editor.
Morgan earned a bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College, where he studied English Literature.
Stacy Simon
Acting Lead Technical Writer-Editor
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Stacy Simon joined MMWR in 2020 as a technical writer editor, working as a contractor for Karna, LLC. She is currently a Technical Writer-Editor with ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø/MMWR. Stacy’s background in medical journalism includes 9 years as Senior Editor with the American Cancer Society, where she wrote and edited news and feature stories to communicate cancer information to the general public.
Stacy has a master’s degree in communications from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Northwestern University.
Suzanne Webb
Technical Writer-Editor (Contractor)
[email protected]
Suzanne (Sue) Webb joined MMWR in November 2022 as a technical writer-editor (contractor with Tanaq Government Services, LLC.) for the Weekly team. Prior to joining MMWR, Sue worked as an Associate Professor of English/First-Year Writing for Southwestern College (Winfield, KS). She has more than a decade of experience in writing and editing.
Sue holds a PhD in Rhetoric & Writing and an MA in Digital Rhetoric & Professional Writing from Michigan State University, and a BA in Creative Writing and BA in Psychology from Wichita State University.
Marella Meadows
Acting Lead Technical Writer-Editor
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Marella Meadows is a technical writer-editor for MMWR serial publications. She joined MMWR as a contractor with Karna, LLC, in 2016. Marella has worked with ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø as a writer-editor and health communications specialist since 2006. Previously, she was at the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services Office of the Director, the Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development, the Global AIDS Program, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Marella has more than three decades of experience as a communicator. Before ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø, she owned MS Editorial Services, worked in book publishing, and was a newspaper reporter and copy editor. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Quang M. Doan
Web Manager (Contractor)
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Quang Doan is a Web Manager working for MMWR as a contractor with Karna, LLC. He came to ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø in October 2001. His duties include web development, programming, and MMWR Continuing Education database development. Before joining MMWR, he worked with such firms as IMS Health, Security First Network Bank, Webtone Technologies, Atlanta Property and Casualty Insurance, Anthem Blue cross and Blue shield of CT and Policy Management System Corporation.
Quang earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems at Georgia State University and a master’s degree in finance from Kennesaw State University.
Alexander (Alex) Gottardy
Visual Information Specialist (Contractor)
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Alex Gottardy, Visual Information Specialist (contractor with Tanaq Government Services, LLC), to the MMWR office. Alex has worked as a freelance designer on a wide array of projects in disciplines including web design, motion graphics, and book design. Alex holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Georgia, where he studied animation, computer science, and design.
Phyllis H. King
Information Technology Specialist
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Phyllis King joined the MMWR staff in 2008 as a contractor. She is currently an Information Technology Specialist with ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø/MMWR. Phyllis has worked in the IT field for 20+ years as a Programmer/Analyst and Web Developer as a contractor for various agencies within the federal government.
Phyllis earned a BBA in Business Information Systems from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Maureen A. Leahy
Visual Information Specialist (Contractor)
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In 2011, Maureen joined ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s MMWR as a contractor for Karna, LLC. Before joining MMWR, she was self-employed for 20+ years. Operating her business as Leahy Design, Maureen’s partial client list included a broad spectrum of Corporate, Non-profit, and Creative entities such as: The High Museum of Art, The Atlanta Opera, The Carter Center, Emory University, Emory Healthcare, Georgia Tech, Delta, and Coca Cola. Her professional career started with Heery International Architects & Engineers in the graphics group.
Maureen is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications Design, with extensive studies in Marketing Management.
Stephen R. Spriggs
Visual Information Specialist
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Steve Spriggs joined the MMWR staff in February 2012 as a Visual Information Specialist (desktop publisher). Before joining ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø, Steve was Director of Communications for FourSquare Research, a market research company serving non-profits. Steve spent 13 years with Unisys Corporation as Group Leader Graphics in their Presentation Services department. He has nearly 30 years of experience in graphic design and desktop publishing.
Terraye M. Starr
Information Technology Specialist
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Terraye Starr joined the MMWR staff in May 2009 as an Information Technology Specialist (desktop publisher). After several years of working on the MMWR desktop publishing team, Terraye transitioned to the MMWR web team. Prior to joining ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø, she worked for First Army and Army Research Laboratory. She has over thirty-seven years of federal government service.
Terraye earned her first bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland, where she majored in computers and information sciences. Because she always had a love for graphic design, she decided to obtain a second bachelor’s in visual communications from American InterContinental University.
Armina Velarde
Visual Information Specialist (Contractor)
[email protected]
In 2023, Armina (Armi) joined MMWR as a contractor for Karna, LLC. with the DTP/Web Team. Born and raised in the Philippines, Armina attended the University of the Philippines and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Because of her longstanding interest and aptitude in visual arts, Armina transitioned seamlessly from communications to design. She has extensive experience in desktop publishing.
Moua Yang
Web Developer (Contractor)
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Moua Yang joined the MMWR staff in August 2015, as a Visual Information Specialist (desktop publisher) and has since joined the MMWR Web Developer team. Before joining ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø, Moua worked as a Desktop Publisher and Offshore Coordinator for RR Donnelley & Sons, Inc., where his projects included work for the New York Times, Toys R Us, TV Guide, Advanced Research, Merck, and Bank of America. He has been a freelance graphic designer since 2005.
Tong Yang
Visual Information Specialist
[email protected]
Tong Yang joined the MMWR staff in November 2015 as a desktop publisher contractor. He is now a Visual Information Specialist with the Office of the Associate Director for Communication, Division of Creative Services, and assigned to support MMWR.
Tong’s career as a graphic designer extends over a decade of print design and digital media. Before moving to Atlanta from Milwaukee, he worked as a senior technician for a printing and advertising agency and as a graphic designer for a weekly newspaper.
Kiana Cohen
Health Communication Specialist (Contractor)
[email protected]
Kiana Cohen joined MMWR as a Health Communication Specialist in August 2022. She previously worked as a contractor in ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities providing grants management support.
Kiana holds a Master of Public Health degree in Health Promotion and Behavior from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Business Management degree from the University of Georgia.
Leslie Hamlin
Health Communications Specialist
[email protected]
Leslie Hamlin joined MMWR as a Health Communication Specialist in August 2021. Prior to joining MMWR, she worked as a contractor for the COVID-19 Response as communications lead for the Modeling Team, Epidemiology Task Force, where she managed and updated three high-visibility webpages, provided weekly updates for Dr. Walensky’s press briefings, produced one of ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s top-performing tweets each week, and edited and shepherded through clearance more than a dozen manuscripts. Before joining the Response, she served as center writer/editor for the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (3 years), senior editor/project manager for the National Center for Health Statistics (1 year), and division editor for the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases (2 years), and currently sits on the Working Group for the next iteration of the ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø Style Guide. Before joining ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø, she served as managing editor for 11 years for an Atlanta firm that produced monthly medical journals. She is driven by the desire to educate and empower the public, and is thrilled to be joining the MMWR Team!
Lowery Johnson
Health Communication Specialist
[email protected]
Lowery Johnson joined MMWR as a Health Communication Specialist contractor with Tanaq, LLC, in July 2020. She is currently a Health Communication Specialist with ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø/MMWR. She previously worked as a contractor in ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø’s National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, where she provided digital and social media support. She has 8 years of experience in marketing and communication in the corporate sector and made the switch to public health in 2018, when she moved from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Atlanta. Lowery has a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Utah.
Jaylin Mann
Health Communication Specialist (Contractor)
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Jaylin Mann joined MMWR in December 2022 as a Health Communication Specialist (contractor with Tanaq Government Services, LLC). Jaylin first began his ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø career in 2017 as an ORISE Fellow in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and later worked with several teams apart of the COVID-19 response as a Public Health Analyst (contractor). Jaylin has a strong background in developing and maintaining program operational procedures, creating opportunities that further establish efficient organizational goals, and focusing on improvement in strategic direction.
Jaylin received a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree with an area of focus in Health Education and Promotion from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Public Health degree with an area of focus in Health Promotion and Behavior from Morehouse School of Medicine.
Will Yang
Desktop Publisher (Contractor)
[email protected]
Will Yang joined MMWR in July 2019 as a desktop publisher. He is a graphics designer with over 10 years of professional experience and has a background in leadership and communication work in the nonprofit sector. He earned a bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology and specializes in youth cultures and issues and communication methods to adolescent teenagers.