Dr. Gabriella Kountourides completed her PhD at the University of Oxford, where she investigated variations in premenstrual syndrome through both anthropological and immunological approaches. She is currently a Postdoctoral Affiliate at the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography at Oxford. In her professional capacity, Dr. Kountourides works as a statistician, focusing on illegal harms in Read more…

Cynthia (Cindy) Leifer, PhD, is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Cornell University and the Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. She is an educator and researcher whose lab focuses on how our immune system detects infections and initiates immune responses. Her work has applications in inflammation, vaccines, and autoimmune diseases. An author Read more…

Nora E. Lindner, MPH, is a health communications expert with over a decade of experience in strategic communications, compelling content creation, and exceptional copywriting. Currently, she is a freelance health writer/editor providing comprehensive communications services with a focus on public health and behavior change topics for clients including HHS, CDC, and NIH. With an MPH Read more…

Hannah Mestel is a public health and communications leader who thrives on making complex scientific concepts clear, actionable, and accessible. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to empowering individuals and communities with the knowledge they need to make informed health decisions. Whether tackling misinformation or advocating for equitable healthcare access, Hannah’s focus is Read more…

Dr. Yasmin Mohseni, PhD is an immunologist with experience in the cell and gene therapy biotech space, specialising in immunotherapy for cancer and immunoregulation. Dr. Mohseni earned her PhD in Immunotherapy from King’s College London, where she focused on engineering regulatory T cells (Tregs) to promote immune tolerance to solid organ transplantation with applications to Read more…

Anna is an undergraduate student at UW Madison studying Environmental Science, English, Global Health, and Global Education. She is interested in science communication and the intersections between environmental, public, and global health. She has worked in energy efficiency consulting, equity in outdoor recreation, and limnological research. She is a collegiate rower for the Badgers and Read more…

Gretchen Peterson is a retired Instructional Technology Specialist who spent twenty-nine years as an educator for grades 4-8 in private Episcopal schools in Dallas, TX.  She specialized in teaching students technology, research, and entrepreneurial skills as well as providing technology support and education to faculty and staff.  She holds an MEd from the University of Read more…

Rebecca Raskin-Wish is a former nonfiction editor and current medical student. As an editor, she worked with scientists, physicians, and academics to bring cutting-edge research to a general audience. She is now a medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine. Her research focuses on how healthcare providers communicate accurate science within the patient visit Read more…

Camille Seaberry is a professional data nerd. As a senior research associate at DataHaven, a nonprofit based in New Haven, CT, she does data analysis, data science, and data visualization to help residents and organizations better understand their communities through data. Much of this involves studying patterns and histories of segregation and inequality, and the Read more…

Roopa Seshadri, PhD, AM is a quantitative health and social scientist whose work focuses on the impact of human services programs and policies on health and wellbeing outcomes in at-risk and underserved populations. She currently consults on social impact planning, evidence-informed strategy and helping organizations towards a learning culture. She has a PhD in Applied Read more…

Ashley Sever is a health communicator with more than 13 years of experience creating, implementing, and supporting integrated health communications programs for government, nonprofit, and private sector clients, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, she leads the Health & Science Education Division at Fors Marsh, Read more…

Mary-Jo Valentino supports the Dear Pandemic team with design, branding, and web development expertise. She collaborates on Dear Pandemic with Attachment Division, and is partner at the design and communications studio Imaginary Office. Mary-Jo has worked for over fifteen years in media development and design, with experience in web, radio and print environments. She holds Read more…

Kelly Valentin has a passion for psychiatric epidemiology, and her research interests include psychopharmacology, behavioral health, social determinants of mental health outcomes, and psychopathology. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the City University of New York School of Public Health. Before this, she earned her Bachelor of Read more…

Grayson Waits, MPH, currently works as an Oak Rise Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At the CDC, she works within the Division of Reproductive Health on the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team. With the team, she serves as a health communications specialist and develops Read more…

Lee Weintraub, MPH, CHESⓇ (she/her) is a public health practitioner and science communicator based in Madison, Wisconsin. With a decade of experience in professional writing and storytelling, her science communication experience has included teaching, brand marketing, and providing health education to diverse audiences. Lee holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and bachelor’s degrees in Read more…

Claire Wilkinson is a Public Health Data Analyst at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Within the Office of Health Care Strategy & Planning and the Office of Preparedness & Emergency Management, she leads the development of a Primary Care Needs Assessment and supports strategic data visualization to inform public health decision-making. Claire previously worked Read more…