Presenters

Samantha Distler | Co-Author

tzf7@cdc.gov;
Samantha Distler, MPH is an epidemiologist with the Emerging Threats Epidemiology and Research Team in the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities where she works on the Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network (SET-NET). She is primarily responsible for epidemiologic, analytic, and data science tasks and co-leads SET-NET's cCMV exposure work.

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Tory Kaye | Co-Author

tory.kaye@state.mn.us;
Tory is an epidemiologist in the Newborn Screening Program at the Minnesota Department of Health. She leads epidemiology for the blood spot program, analyzing the program’s pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical dried blood spot data to improve the lives of babies in Minnesota. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Animal Science and her Masters of Public Health degree both from the University of Minnesota. In her spare time, Tory enjoys camping and anything else involving the outdoors, as well as spending time with her family and friends including cat, 4 turtles,2 goats, and chickens.

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Tatiana Lanzieri | Co-Author

uyk4@cdc.gov;
Tatiana M. Lanzieri, M.D., M.P.H., is a medical epidemiologist with the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has over 20 years of experience in infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance, and outbreak investigation.

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Jacinda Merrill | Co-Author

jamerrill@utah.gov;
Jacinda Merrill, MPH, CHES, is the CMV epidemiologist for the Utah Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. She abstracts data from electronic health records of children who have tested positive for CMV within the first year of age. Jacinda enters health data, including CMV test results, newborn hearing screening results, and other relevant data on cCMV cases into Utah’s CMV registry. She performs analysis on confirmed, probable, and suspect cCMV cases. Jacinda’s position is part of a pilot surveillance project for cCMV in collaboration with the CDC. She received her BS in Public Health with an emphasis in Health Promotion, along with a Masters in Public Health from Brigham Young University. Jacinda’s career interests include using best practices in data analysis and communicating that data in audience-appropriate ways to positively impact public health.

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Lois Park | Co-Author

tvn9@cdc.gov;
Lois is an epidemiologist on the Measles, Rubella, and CMV team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She supports CMV surveillance in the US and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) workgroup on CMV vaccines. Previously, her work was in the global domain where she supported the evaluation of disease surveillance systems and maternal and child health programs in low-resource settings.

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Kelley Raines | Co-Author

pvw2@cdc.gov;
Kelley Raines, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch in the CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases in Atlanta, GA. Her primary areas of work include the epidemiology and prevention of measles, rubella, and cytomegalovirus.

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Ashrita Rau | Co-Author

tcy3@cdc.gov;
Ashrita Rau, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch in the CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases in Atlanta, GA. Her primary areas of work include the epidemiology and prevention of measles, rubella, and cytomegalovirus.

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Christina Sancken | Co-Author

csancken@cdc.gov;
Christina Sancken, MPH CHES, is a Health Scientist with more than 10 years of experience in international and domestic public health settings. Currently, she serves as a Health Scientist for the Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network (SET-NET), where her focus is on infectious disease surveillance in pregnant women and their infants. Her special interests include developing surveillance methodology for congenital cytomegalovirus, connecting with and providing direct technical assistance to states participating in SET-NET, and emergency response efforts.

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Max Sidesinger | Author, Co-Author

msidesinger@utah.gov;
Max Sidesinger, MPH, is the CMV data coordinator and an epidemiologist for Utah’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. He collects information on every CMV test completed on a child under 1 year of age in Utah, per the state Communicable Disease Rule, and works with providers and families to ensure CMV testing for children who fall under Utah's CMV Public Education and Testing Mandate. Max provides analyses for both CMV and EHDI related data.  He has collaborated with researchers at the University of Utah on multiple newborn hearing-related projects, with the CDC on a pilot surveillance project for cCMV, and with the CSTE on a position statement for standardized cCMV surveillance. Max received his BS in biology and Masters in public health from the University of Utah. His career interest is in using epidemiological methods to address public health needs.

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David Sugerman | Co-Author

ggi4@cdc.gov;
David Sugerman, M.D., M.P.H., is a medical epidemiologist and team lead with the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His team focused on measles, rubella, and CMV epidemiology.

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Van Tong | Co-Author

vct2@cdc.gov;
NA

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Kate woodworth | Co-Author

vnt0@cdc.gov;
NA

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Lexie Barber | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

lexie.barber@state.mn.us;
Lexie Barber is an epidemiologist in the Longitudinal Follow-up unit at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) focusing on congenital CMV and heritable conditions. Lexie joined the team in December 2022. Previously, she worked in the infectious disease divisions at MDH and the North Dakota Department of Health working mainly in vaccine preventable diseases. Lexie received her Bachelor of Science in microbiology at North Dakota State University and her Master of Public Health in environmental health from the University of Minnesota.

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Stephanie Browning McVicar | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

smcvicar@utah.gov;
Dr. Stephanie Browning McVicar is the Director of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, the Children’s Hearing Aid Program, and the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Public Education & Testing Program at the Utah Department of Health & Human Services. Dr. McVicar is an audiologist with expertise in infants and pediatrics, an advocate for CMV testing in newborns, and passionate about the prevention of congenital CMV infection. She is originally from Western New York and has extensive experience and knowledge in Audiology and the management of health care programs.

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Jessica Redeker | POC, Primary Presenter, Co-Author

jessica.redeker@doh.nj.gov;
Jessica Redeker, BSN, RN, CRRN, CPN is a Quality Assurance Specialist for the Newborn Screening and Congenital CMV Long-Term Follow-Up Programs at the New Jersey Department of Health. She began her healthcare career in 2010 as a Registered Nurse and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Thomas Edison State University in 2016. Jessica brings extensive nursing experience in caring for medically fragile and chronically ill pediatric patients and their families, across various sub-acute and community settings. In her current role with the New Jersey Department of Health, she serves as the primary point of contact for families participating in congenital CMV (cCMV) surveillance. Jessica’s professional interests include advancing and improving healthcare practices and providing dedicated support to vulnerable children and families.

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Betia Zeng | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

Betia.zeng@doh.nj.gov;
Betia Zeng, MPH, is the CMV Project Coordinator for Special Child Health Services at the New Jersey Department of Health. She identifies new cases of cCMV, conducts data cleaning and analyses, and assists with cCMV education and prevention efforts. Betia received her BS in Public Health and Master of Public Health degrees from Rutgers University. Her career interest is using data-informed approaches to advance health education.