2024 AIM Leadership in Action Conference

Dave McCormick is the Director of the Indiana Immunization Division at the Indiana Department of Health.  In that role, Dave leads a team of public health professionals committed to eliminating vaccine preventable diseases by working with approximately 800 healthcare providers to deliver over $80,000,000 of publicly funded vaccine. In July 2015, Dave was elected to the Executive Board of the Association of Immunization Managers, serving as chair in 2019. In 2016, Dave was elected to the Executive Board of the American Immunization Registry Association, has served as President and chair of the Governance Committee.

Beth Miller is the Deputy Director of the Division of Immunization at the Virginia Department of Health. Beth has been in the Division of Immunization for over 11 years and with the agency for nearly 20 years.

Dr. Annie Eisenbeis received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and her Executive MBA from the University of Missouri Trulaske School of Business. She currently works as the Director of Practice Development at the Missouri Pharmacy Association and as the Lead Network Facilitator for CPESN Missouri. The programs under Dr. Eisenbeis’ management involve adapting innovative models and implementing step-by-step approaches for sustainable and scalable systems change. These include the collaborative research and development of a Community Health Worker curriculum specific for pharmacy technicians and incorporating health equity services into community pharmacy and public health spaces. In addition, she serves as the Vice President of the Missouri Immunization Coalition. Dr. Eisenbeis believes it is an honor and privilege to contribute to the growth of pharmacy services during this dynamic time for patient care and the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Christy Gray is the Director of the Division of Immunization at the Virginia Department of Health. In this role, she is the state’s Immunization Program Manager overseeing the Vaccines for Children and Vaccines for Adults programs, the Virginia Immunization Information System, and other immunization data and outreach statewide programs. Christy has been in this position since 2017, and has 15 years of experience with the Immunization Program at the Virginia Department of Health and 20 years of experience in public health. Christy holds certifications in health education and healthcare technology. Christy has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Virginia Tech, a Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University, and is a DrPH Candidate at Tulane University.

Dr. Ryan Malosh has over 15 years of experience in the conduct and analysis of epidemiologic field studies of influenza and other vaccine preventable diseases. He earned a master’s degree in public health with a focus on global health and epidemiology in 2009 and a doctorate in Epidemiologic Sciences from the University of Michigan School of Public Health (UM-SPH) in 2015. He then joined the faculty at UM-SPH where he conducted research on household transmission of respiratory viruses, vaccine effectiveness, and the safety and efficacy of antiviral treatments. His main scientific contributions have included the development of a theoretical framework to examine factors associated with vaccine uptake in households with children and an examination of indirect (or community) effects of influenza vaccine in households. He has also led research on social and racial disparities in the incidence and outcomes of acute respiratory infections. He has over 40 publications, including several top scientific journals. In July 2021, he joined MDHHS as a project manager focusing on COVID-19 surveillance and joined the Division of Immunizations in November 2021.

CDR Sam Graitcer is Lead for the Provider Compliance and Quality Assurance Team in the Immunization Operations Services Branch in ISD. He joined CDC as an EIS Officer in the Influenza Division and served as ISD’s pandemic vaccine program preparedness lead prior to his current position. He is a board-certified physician in Emergency Medicine and a Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service.

Marie Hartel is the Program Director for the Tennessee Department of Health Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program, overseeing the administrative, IIS, and data management operations of the program. She joined the immunization community in May 2020, previously serving as the IIS Manager and IIS Deputy Manager. Marie has a Master of Public Health degree and more than a decade of experience supporting the design, implementation, and management of state data systems.

Heather Roth (she/her) is the Immunization Branch Chief at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. In this position, she develops strategic direction and policies for the state’s immunization program. Heather holds a Masters degree in International Human Rights and a Certificate in Global Health Affairs from University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies as well as a Bachelors degree in Political Science and French from the University of Notre Dame. A Colorado native, Heather’s previous experience includes program management for the Colorado Immunization Information System and the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition. She is past president of the American Immunization Registry Association and will become chair of the Association of Immunization Managers in December 2024.

Dorit Rubinstein Reiss, LLB, Ph.D.  is a professor of law and the James Edgar Hervey Chair in Litigation at UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). She specializes in vaccines law and policy, including exemption laws and tort liability related to non-vaccination. She is published in law reviews, peer-reviewed journals, and blogs on legal and policy issues related to vaccines and co-authored a book on vaccines law and policy with Professor Y. Tony Yang.

Rebecca Coyle is the Executive Director of the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA), where she oversees the development and promotion of tools and best practices to support the implementation of immunization information systems as an essential tool in preventing and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases. Ms. Coyle has a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in public health.

Rebecca began her work in the immunization community in 2002 as the School & Childcare Coordinator for the Idaho Immunization Program. She worked in the Minnesota Department of Health as a CDC Public Health Advisor before returning to Idaho as the Immunization Program Manager. Ms. Coyle joined AIRA in 2010 as the Executive Director.

Dr. Kathy Kudish is the State Public Health Veterinarian at the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and formerly the Immunization Program Manager. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut, her Master of Science in Public Health from Tulane University, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. She was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before joining the immunization program at the state health department in 2006. She has been working in public health for 20 years, and 18 of them for the state of Connecticut.

Lynn Gibbs Scharf, MPH, is currently the Chief of the Informatics and Data Analytics Branch (IDAB) in the Immunization Services Division at CDC. She oversees efforts to advance Immunization Information Systems (IIS), meet technical and functional standards, establish the first national IIS surveillance system, and provide technical assistance to the awardees of the Immunization and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement. Lynn joined CDC a member of the first class of CDC Public Health Prevention Service in 1997, after working as an epidemiologist in the Louisiana Office of Public Health. Since that time, Ms. Gibbs Scharf has served in a number of leadership positions at CDC, including Deputy Director for the Division of State and Local Readiness, Director of the Division of Alliance Management and Consultation in CDC’s former National Center for Public Health Informatics, and Chief of the Knowledge Management Branch in the Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support. Lynn has received several CDC Honor Awards for immunization, emergency preparedness, domestic program delivery, and grants management and a commendation from the HHS Secretary for her COVID-19 response work. Ms. Gibbs Scharf holds a bachelor of science in biology and chemistry from the University of Alabama, Huntsville, and an MPH in epidemiology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Achal Bhatt, Ph.D. is a Senior Advisor and leads the FOCUS (Fostering Overall Community Understanding and Support) initiative within CDC’s Immunization Services Division. FOCUS supports jurisdictional efforts to increase vaccination rates among close knit communities who have had recent vaccine-preventable disease outbreak(s), who have had consistently lower routine childhood vaccination rates for one or more vaccines, and where continued public health efforts have not increased vaccination coverage.

Achal joined CDC in 2001 as a Presidential Management Fellow supporting policy planning, budget, and partnership development. Over her tenure at CDC, she has led partnership, policy, education, and communication programs to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases across the lifespan. She has held leadership roles in many responses, including COVID-19, polio, and measles. In her current role, she continues to build partnerships at the national, state, and local levels.
Achal received her undergraduate degree in biotechnology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, where she worked on vaccine development.

Sherry Carlson is a Health Education Manager for the Washington State Department of Health, where she oversees Immunization Health Education and Watch Me Grow Washington (WMGW), a program that sends health and safety information to all parents and caregivers of children from birth to six years in Washington State. She has worked for the Department for over 18 years in various capacities.

A Washington State native, Sherry received her Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from Central Washington University and her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Washington. Sherry also serves as a Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES).

Dr. Michelle Macaraig is a public health strategist with over 20 years of experience in infectious disease control, epidemiology, and public health program management. She began her career focusing on disease outbreaks, implementing innovative tools to manage transmission and improve adherence to treatment. Later, she oversaw policy and program planning for the Bureau of Tuberculosis Control at the NYC Health Department. In 2019, she shifted her focus to vaccine-preventable diseases and currently serves as the Executive Director for the Bureau of Immunization. In this role, she leads strategic planning, program evaluation, and emergency response readiness to enhance public health infrastructure and community resilience.

Beyond her leadership at the NYC Health Department, Dr. Macaraig teaches epidemiology and quantitative research methods at Rutgers University’s School of Public Health. She holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from New York Medical College and a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) from the State University of New York at Albany.

Dr. Jamilia Sherls is a public health nurse with over 15 years of experience providing clinical care, managing community health & outreach programs, collaborating and engaging with community partners, and developing and implementing equitable strategies to improve patient and population health outcomes. She received her master’s degree in public health at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, bachelor and graduate degrees in nursing at Thomas Jefferson University, and bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Puget Sound. Dr. Sherls is passionate about vaccines and vaccine access and, since 2022, has served as the Director of the Office of Immunization at the Washington State Department of Health, where she leads seven dynamic teams totaling about 100 employees. She has presented immunization best practices on several national webinars. Prior to DOH, she was a health care system leader at a large organization designing and implementing interventions that promote inclusive, equitable patient care and address community health needs. While in this role, she also managed the health system’s children immunization clinic and has experience as a provider enrolled in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. Dr. Sherls also holds two professional certifications in pediatric nursing and diversity and is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. She holds a Clinical Faculty appointment at the University of Washington -Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership.

Dr. Annie Eisenbeis received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and her Executive MBA from the University of Missouri Trulaske School of Business. She currently works as the Director of Practice Development at the Missouri Pharmacy Association and as the Lead Network Facilitator for CPESN Missouri. The programs under Dr. Eisenbeis’ management involve adapting innovative models and implementing step-by-step approaches for sustainable and scalable systems change. These include the collaborative research and development of a Community Health Worker curriculum specific for pharmacy technicians and incorporating health equity services into community pharmacy and public health spaces. In addition, she serves as the Vice President of the Missouri Immunization Coalition. Dr. Eisenbeis believes it is an honor and privilege to contribute to the growth of pharmacy services during this dynamic time for patient care and the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Katie Mahuron (she/her) is a nurse and has been with the Vermont Department of Health Immunization Program for two years as the adult coordinator.

Vanessa Hansel is the Vaccine and Outreach Manager for the New Mexico Department of Health. She has a bachelor’s degree from New Mexico State University where she studied psychology and social work. As a native New Mexican, Vanessa understands the importance of ensuring equity to all. Vanessa has worked in state government for over 10 years and has dedicated her time to working with underserved populations in New Mexico. Vanessa has worked with all counties in NM in various capacities and has enjoyed learning about the diversity in each region of the state. As the Vaccine and Outreach Manager, she ensures that children and adult vaccines are being disbursed to all areas of NM by assisting with adult vaccinations for uninsured and underinsured populations (including working with the mobile vaccine team), working closely with outside organizations, the VFC manager, Program Manager, Immunization program staff; conducting tabling events, speaking at conferences and by ensuring the monthly budget for all vaccines for the Vaccines for Children and Adult Vaccine programs through the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) are submitted and approved.

CDR Sam Graitcer is Lead for the Provider Compliance and Quality Assurance Team in the Immunization Operations Services Branch in ISD. He joined CDC as an EIS Officer in the Influenza Division and served as ISD’s pandemic vaccine program preparedness lead prior to his current position. He is a board-certified physician in Emergency Medicine and a Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service.

Marie Hartel is the Program Director for the Tennessee Department of Health Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program, overseeing the administrative, IIS, and data management operations of the program. She joined the immunization community in May 2020, previously serving as the IIS Manager and IIS Deputy Manager. Marie has a Master of Public Health degree and more than a decade of experience supporting the design, implementation, and management of state data systems.

Lana Hudanick is the Nurse Manager with Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services’ Bureau of Immunizations. She has worked with the Bureau of Immunizations for 11 years. She currently serves as the Immunization Quality Improvement Coordinator, Vaccine Safety Coordinator, Influenza/Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, and the lead in program effectiveness for the Bureau of Immunizations.

Lana has a BS in Nursing from Missouri Baptist University and a Master of Public Health from Ohio University in Athens Ohio with an emphasis in program development. Before working for the state of Missouri her previous experience includes 13 years at a Local Public Health Agency and as an executive steering committee member for the National Adult Immunization Coordinators Partnership 2015-2017. When not at work, Lana enjoys spending time with my husband and dog Bailey and traveling to see her adult children in Wyoming and Kansas.

Dorit Rubinstein Reiss, LLB, Ph.D.  is a professor of law and the James Edgar Hervey Chair in Litigation at UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). She specializes in vaccines law and policy, including exemption laws and tort liability related to non-vaccination. She is published in law reviews, peer-reviewed journals, and blogs on legal and policy issues related to vaccines and co-authored a book on vaccines law and policy with Professor Y. Tony Yang.

Rebecca Coyle is the Executive Director of the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA), where she oversees the development and promotion of tools and best practices to support the implementation of immunization information systems as an essential tool in preventing and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases. Ms. Coyle has a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in public health.

Rebecca began her work in the immunization community in 2002 as the School & Childcare Coordinator for the Idaho Immunization Program. She worked in the Minnesota Department of Health as a CDC Public Health Advisor before returning to Idaho as the Immunization Program Manager. Ms. Coyle joined AIRA in 2010 as the Executive Director.

Dr. Kathy Kudish is the State Public Health Veterinarian at the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and formerly the Immunization Program Manager. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut, her Master of Science in Public Health from Tulane University, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. She was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before joining the immunization program at the state health department in 2006. She has been working in public health for 20 years, and 18 of them for the state of Connecticut.

Lynn Gibbs Scharf, MPH, is currently the Chief of the Informatics and Data Analytics Branch (IDAB) in the Immunization Services Division at CDC. She oversees efforts to advance Immunization Information Systems (IIS), meet technical and functional standards, establish the first national IIS surveillance system, and provide technical assistance to the awardees of the Immunization and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement. Lynn joined CDC a member of the first class of CDC Public Health Prevention Service in 1997, after working as an epidemiologist in the Louisiana Office of Public Health. Since that time, Ms. Gibbs Scharf has served in a number of leadership positions at CDC, including Deputy Director for the Division of State and Local Readiness, Director of the Division of Alliance Management and Consultation in CDC’s former National Center for Public Health Informatics, and Chief of the Knowledge Management Branch in the Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support. Lynn has received several CDC Honor Awards for immunization, emergency preparedness, domestic program delivery, and grants management and a commendation from the HHS Secretary for her COVID-19 response work. Ms. Gibbs Scharf holds a bachelor of science in biology and chemistry from the University of Alabama, Huntsville, and an MPH in epidemiology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Achal Bhatt, Ph.D. is a Senior Advisor and leads the FOCUS (Fostering Overall Community Understanding and Support) initiative within CDC’s Immunization Services Division. FOCUS supports jurisdictional efforts to increase vaccination rates among close knit communities who have had recent vaccine-preventable disease outbreak(s), who have had consistently lower routine childhood vaccination rates for one or more vaccines, and where continued public health efforts have not increased vaccination coverage.

Achal joined CDC in 2001 as a Presidential Management Fellow supporting policy planning, budget, and partnership development. Over her tenure at CDC, she has led partnership, policy, education, and communication programs to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases across the lifespan. She has held leadership roles in many responses, including COVID-19, polio, and measles. In her current role, she continues to build partnerships at the national, state, and local levels.
Achal received her undergraduate degree in biotechnology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, where she worked on vaccine development.

Tom McCleaf is the Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Bureau of Immunizations. He has worked for the Commonwealth for 19 years and as Pennsylvania’s Immunization Program Manager for 7.5. Along with colleagues, Tom was a recipient of Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Award for Excellence in 2022 and 2023. He has been active in AIM, serving as the Secretary-Treasurer in 2022, Chair-Elect in 2023, and Chair in 2024.

Jessica Metzger is the Clinical Immunization Unit Supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Health. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from North Dakota State University and currently attends Arizona State University with plans to graduate with a Master’s of Science in Nursing in Spring 2025. Prior to her employment with MDH Jessica spent over 19 years with Otter Tail County Public Health, a rural county in west-central Minnesota. During her work at Otter Tail County, she managed their vaccine program including playing a key role during the H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics serving as lead vaccinator and subject matter expert. During Minnesota’s recent measles outbreak, Jessica was co-lead in the Outreach and Communications Branch of the Incident Command Structure for the State. She has always had a strong passion for vaccines and public health and is excited to be part of the amazing team at the Minnesota Department of Health. Jessica and her husband Mike have three teenage children and reside on their hobby farm near Fergus Falls, MN.