Lisa M. Koonin is an American public health official and medical researcher associated with the development of social distancing as a strategy to prevent the spread of viral diseases.^[1]

Education

Koonin's degrees are in nursing (BSN, Western Carolina University, 1983; MN, Emory University, 1986), epidemiology (MPH, Emory University, 1986), and health policy and management (DrPH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2013).^[2] She is an adjunct assistant professor in Public Health and Management at UNC-Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health as well as the founder of Health Preparedness Partners, LLC. In the public sector she worked for over 30 years in the US government's Center for Disease Control and Prevention and was involved in planning for and managing responses to national and international viral and natural disasters.^[2]

Professional areas of interest

Koonin's publications range from early work on maternal mortality, teen pregnancy, and abortion in the first twenty years of her career to work on pandemics from 2008 on.^[3]

References

• ^ Lipton, Eric; Steinhauer, Jennifer (22 April 2020). "The Untold Story of the Birth of Social Distancing". New York times. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

• ^{a b} "Gillings School Directory". UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Retrieved 25 April 2020.

• ^ "Lisa M. Koonin". researchgate.net. Retrieved 25 April 2020.

External links

• Publications by Lisa M. Koonin at ResearchGate

About

Experienced leader with a demonstrated history of creating innovative strategies to improve health emergency response outcomes. Recognized expert for national and international pandemic influenza preparedness and infectious disease response, including the current COVID-19 pandemic. Proficient in leading diverse teams to respond to public health emergencies, developing government and corporate domestic and international emergency preparedness plans, leading exercises, establishing strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships between public health and private sector organizations, and designing novel solutions to complex problems. Engaging and informative national and international speaker on a number of emergency preparedness and response topics.

Experience

• Founder and Principal , Health Preparedness Partners

  • • Jan 2019 - Present ( 2 years 7 months ) in Greater Atlanta Area

    • Health Preparedness Partners (HPP) provides expert consultation to help businesses, public health agencies, and other organizations as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. HPP provides input and support to organizations so they can plan to re-enter the workplace and protect their organization, workforce, customers, and communities. We use a practical, customized and science-based approach to guide our clients to respond to health emergencies and to plan for future threats.

    • https://www.healthpreparednesspartners.com/

• Adjunct Assistant Professor, Gillings School of Global Public Health , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • • Aug 2013 - Present ( 8 years ) in Chapel Hill, NC

• Adjunct Professor , Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health

  • • Jun 2019 - Present ( 2 years 2 months )

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (31 years 5 months )

  • • Deputy Director, Influenza Coordination Unit ( Oct 2016 - Dec 2018 ... 2 years 3 months ) in Atlanta, Georgia

      1. • Provided supervision and strategic direction for staff and directed the functions and budget of the Influenza Coordination Unit. Served as an expert for pandemic influenza preparedness and response in multiple domestic and international fora. Led Agency-wide pandemic exercises, developed and published national pandemic response policies, and convened key stakeholders and partners to ensure that the nation will be well prepared for the next pandemic.

    • Director (Acting), Influenza Coordination Unit ( Jan 2015 - Oct 2016 ... 1 year 10 months ) in Atlanta, GA

      1. • Provided CDC-wide leadership and coordination for pandemic influenza activities. Led and managed Influenza Coordination Unit staff, functions, and budget. Set strategic direction for pandemic planning and response priorities for the Agency. Served as an expert for pandemic influenza preparedness and response in multiple domestic and international fora.

    • Senior Advisor and Lead for Pandemic Medical Care and Countermeasures, Influenza Coordination Unit ( Oct 2010 - Dec 2015 ... 5 years 3 months ) in Atlanta, GA

      1. • Provided ongoing leadership for national pandemic influenza medical care and countermeasure planning and preparedness. Developed innovative, award-winning programs to: launch a national nurse triage telephone line to improve access to antiviral medicine and reduce medical surge during a severe pandemic (Flu on Call®), leverage pharmaceutical supply chain and pharmacies to improve delivery and access of vaccines and medications during a pandemic, developed clinical algorithms for use by medical offices to improve uptake of antiviral medication during a severe seasonal flu outbreak, and established a permanent CDC organizational structure for medical care and countermeasures operations during a pandemic response.

    • Senior Advisor, Pandemic Planning, Influenza Coordination Unit ( Oct 2007 - Sep 2010 ... 3 years ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Provided leadership for development of multiple national and international pandemic influenza preparedness plans, exercises, and activities. Served as "on loan" Pandemic Influenza Expert for the Department of Commerce and as part of this role, led multiple international pandemic planning workshops in Southeast Asia and Latin America for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), focusing on small to mid-sized businesses and business associations.

    • Partners Lead, CDC Influenza Pandemic Task Force ( Aug 2006 - Oct 2007 ... 1 year 3 months ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Served as Lead for partnerships as part of CDC’s Agency-wide effort to develop plans for responding to a pandemic influenza outbreak. Provided leadership and coordination between CDC and multiple private sector partners and Federal Agencies to develop national pandemic response plans. Served as one of the architects of CDC's Community Mitigation Guidance (non-pharmaceutical measures) to mitigate the effects of an influenza pandemic). Led outreach to over 50 organizations, Federal Agencies, stakeholders, and partners as this guidance was being developed. Represented the Agency on the White House National Security Staff’s Pandemic Sub-Interagency Policy Council and was the sole CDC representative and founding member of the White House Homeland Security Council Interagency Pandemic Influenza Private Sector Work Group.

    • Chief, Private and Public Partners Branch, Division of Partnerships and Strategic Alliances ( Oct 2004 - Oct 2007 ... 3 years 1 month ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Led external partnerships for CDC in this new organizational unit. Initiated and maintained new partnerships between CDC, public health, and the private sector, faith-based and community organizations, and healthcare entities. Introduced pandemic influenza preparedness activities for the private sector. Provided leadership for teams that developed multiple CDC Pandemic Planning Checklists, including the CDC Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist.

    • Associate Director for Partnerships & Director, Business Sector Partnerships ( Oct 2003 - Oct 2004 ... 1 year 1 month ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Provided leadership and supervision for staff and served as Agency Lead for multiple external partnerships for CDC, guiding the development of new and innovative partnerships between CDC, public health and the private sector, faith-based and community organizations and healthcare entities. Primary focus on developing and expanding public health-private sector partnerships to improve access to preventive services and improve health outcomes in the U.S.

    • Director, Office of HealthCare Partnerships, Division of Prevention Research and Analytic Methods ( Jan 2001 - Oct 2003 ... 2 years 10 months ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Provided supervision and strategic direction for staff, set priorities for programs, and managed budget. Created new collaborative Agency-wide programs establishing public-private partnerships to improve public health. Engaged medical professional groups, business groups, quality sector organizations, health plans and other third-party payers to launch novel health prevention initiatives. Led programs and projects that improved access and uptake to prevention and health screening services. Represented CDC on national healthcare quality organizations.

    • Chief, Surveillance Unit, Statistics and Computer Resources Branch ( Oct 1989 - Dec 2001 ... 11 years 3 months ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Responsible for leading staff and managing national reproductive health surveillance programs and publications. Served as subject matter expert for national reproductive health event surveillance methods. Managed CDC’s US Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System.

    • Epidemiologist, Research and Statistics Branch, Division of Reproductive Health ( Aug 1987 - Oct 1989 ... 2 years 3 months ) in Greater Atlanta Area

      1. • Provided methods to initiate the US Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. Designed and established methods for ongoing surveillance and reporting of key reproductive health events.

Education

• UNC Chapel Hill ( 2010 - 2013 )

  1. • DrPHLeadership/Public Health Executive Doctoral Program

     • Activities and Societies: Recipient of the Deniese May Chaney Academic Fellowship

• Emory University ( 1984 - 1986 )

  1. • Master of NursingFamily Nurse Practitioner

     • Activities and Societies: Sigma Theta Tau, Robert Woodruff Fellowship (Inaugural cohort of Fellows)

• Emory University ( 1984 - 1986 )

  1. • Master of Public HealthEpidemiology

• Western Carolina University

  1. • Bachelors Degree in NursingRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse

Volunteer Experience

• Member, Strategic Advisory Group
  The Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction (PIVI), Task Force for Global Health
  May 2019 - Present2 years 3 months
  Health

• Strategic Advisor to PIVI; an innovative and effective program that works in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ministries of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), corporate partners, and others to create sustainable seasonal influenza vaccination programs in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, these programs provide a foundation for tested plans for pandemics that can quickly be put into action when needed. PIVI also works with WHO programs to help countries prepare for pandemic influenza and to support countries’ efforts to control and prevent seasonal influenza. https://pivipartners.org/

• Strategy Advisor
  Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving
  Mar 2019 - Present2 years 5 months
  Health

• Provides input and expert advice to strategic planning and programmatic activities.

• Co-Chair, Pandemic Influenza Working Group (PIWG)
  Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI)
  Jun 2017 - Nov 20181 year 6 months
  Disaster and Humanitarian Relief

• Served as the Co-Chair of the Pandemic Influenza Working Group (PIWG), a committee that is part of the Global Health Security Initiative [GHSI], which is an international group of G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US), Mexico, and the European Commission. The World Health Organization serves as an observer. PIWG is responsible for "sharing and comparing respective national approaches to pandemic preparedness, including vaccine and anti-viral stockpiling and use, surveillance and epidemiology, diagnostics, and public health measures."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge and thank the following faculty, friends, and colleagues: Dr. Sandra Greene, for your guidance, sagacity, generosity, and leadership; Dr. Leah Devlin, for your insights and public health expertise; Dr. John Grabenstein, for your leap of faith in joining my efforts, your keen observations, and reality checks; Dr. Andy Stergachis, for your wisdom and experience; Dr. Rebecca Wells, for challenging and inspiring me and providing multiple “ah-ha” learning moments; The exceptional faculty and staff of the Gillings School of Global Public Health, Health Policy and Management Program, particularly Dr. Sue Hobbs and Dr. Ned Brooks for your vision and leadership and Ms. Mona Kilany for your invaluable support and technical wizardry; My amazing classmates of Cohort 6 for teaching me so much and for your support; Dr. Toby Merlin, for your encouragement and generous support that enabled this dream to come true; Dr. Carter Mecher, for always believing in me;