Public health relies on the investigation of patterns and causes of illness and disease. DPH boasts some of the most talented epidemiologists in this field, staff who are dedicated to using data to reduce risk and promote better health outcomes across Massachusetts.
DPH Workforce Spotlight – Victor M. Ramirez
Video: DPH Workforce Spotlight – Victor M. Ramirez
Skip this video DPH Workforce Spotlight – Victor M. Ramirez.Stephanie Edwards
Research Analyst II, Refugee Data and Surveillance, Division of Global Populations, Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences
As an example of employee mobility at DPH, Stephanie started as a contractor in 2012 in the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. In 2017, she was hired as a Research Analyst I, and two years later became a Research Analyst II with the Division of Global Populations.
Stephanie’s role is directly connected to issues that have been front-page news in recent months. She collects and analyzes data regarding refugees to Massachusetts, working with resettlement agencies, health providers, and local boards of health. She also maintains the flow of data on victims of trafficking and asylum seekers – and she works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding newly arriving refugees and immigrants.
“I feel like I’m playing an important role every day,” says Stephanie. “I’m making sure our community partners have access to information and guidance to assist people living or resettling in Massachusetts.”
She is also a member of DPH’s Racial Equity Leadership Team and a workgroup that engages the community. “We’re crafting education materials and recruiting volunteers to speak to Boston area high school students about working in public health,” she says. “I’m honored to be part of this process, hopefully encouraging more young people to enter the field of public health.”
Victoria Nielsen
Senior Surveillance Epidemiologist, Office of Population Health
Victoria earned her MPH and as of April 2024 is pursuing a doctoral degree at Northeastern University in population health, focusing on epidemiology, biostatistics, and data models. She previously worked in clinical research (intensive care and anesthesia) which led her to data analytics with large healthcare datasets, what she does now.
At DPH, Victoria was lead epidemiologist on several chronic disease projects and supported several clinical data systems. Now she leads analytics and evaluation of statewide equity-focused initiatives, provides biostatistics consulting for the Population Health Data Warehouse and supports MDPHnet, an electronic health record public health surveillance network.
“I recently completed two very complex projects -- one lasting 2 years and the other six --that resulted in two research publications,” says Victoria. “These were very collaborative, important public health initiatives and I feel really accomplished getting them over the finish line.”
Professionally, Victoria enjoys having the ability to use data to inform policy and legislative decision-making, something she values that would be a benefit to future DPH employees.
“And personally, I love applying what I’m learning at school to my work at DPH – that’s really been formative in my career path and where I want to go.”
Malena Hood
Senior Epidemiologist, Data Science, Research, & Epidemiology Division, Office of Population Health
Malena came to public health after earning a degree in economics and finance, and a consulting job focused on health economics for pharmaceutical companies. Learning about the prevalence and cost of diseases and the toll they take, led her to fall in love with public health.
“I wanted to learn how to actually improve the health of a community,” says Malena. “I wanted to feel I was contributing to a greater good.” She got her MPH from Tufts University in 2000, concentrating on epidemiology and biostatistics. Soon, it will be 24 years since Malena joined DPH, working in the same group since the start.
She now helps develop sophisticated methods for estimating data on opioid-related overdose deaths and manages datasets in the state’s Public Health Data (PHD) Warehouse, a tool to better understand and improve public health. She also leads analysis of issues such as opioid use disorder, life expectancy, and severe maternal morbidity.
“I love what I do,” says Malena. “Working with the PHD has been especially rewarding since we’ve seen direct policy impacts – such as increased services for opioid use disorder, new prevention programs, enhanced access to naloxone, and dozens of new treatment and recovery support services, especially in prisons. Seeing data lead to change is really rewarding.”
Ashley Iannone
Lead Epidemiologist, National Healthcare Safety Network, Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences
Sometimes you learn on the job what you’re really good at and what you enjoy. Ashley came to DPH in 2020 as a member of the Healthcare Associated Infections team, helping produce reports using national data. As she gained experience, she realized she had a knack for data analysis, so when a leadership position opened up, it seemed like a perfect fit. She got the job.
Ashley’s main tasks include producing analytic reports and overseeing their distribution. She also conducts investigations when specific infections, such as multi-drug resistant organisms or group A streptococcus, are detected in healthcare settings like hospitals or nursing homes.
She’s had many accomplishments, but she recalls a particular day in December of 2023. “A manuscript that I had worked on with my colleagues was finally published and I had the honor of being first author. It was a huge achievement, after years of hard work. It made me proud.”
Ashley credits her colleagues for their work ethic and she also appreciates her bosses. “At DPH, I’m surrounded by passionate, hard-working colleagues who truly care about the work they do,” she says. “I’ve also had the privilege of working under some amazing supervisors and leaders on my team and I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from them every day.”
Matt Blackburn
MATRIS/MIH Data Analyst/Epidemiologist II, Bureau of Health Care Safety & Quality
Before arriving at DPH in 2022, Matt had studied urban informatics and public policy, and worked for years at the federal level. He was a research analyst in the Office of the Inspector General, working on programs across several agencies under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He had also been a contractor forthe Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Working at DPH, a state department, is different,” says Matt. “I get to work on projects directly responsive to community needs and have the potential to more quickly effect positive change. In my experience, such opportunities are far less tangible at the federal level.”
Matt analyzes data regarding the state’s Emergency Medical Services and their encounters with residents across Massachusetts. He works to continuously improve MATRIS, the Massachusetts Ambulance Trip Record Information System and Mobile Integrated Health data collected by DPH. His job often presents him with other interesting projects.
“I recently had the chance to join a team of analysts and epidemiologists creating tools to help assess and plan for a potential hospital system closure. While I only worked on one piece of this project, it was a pleasure to work with such a talented team and to be part of a novel project that could have a really big impact.”
Wei Du
Senior Data Analyst/Epidemiologist III, Office of Statistics and Evaluation, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services
When Wei joined DPH in 2017, she arrived with a background in science that still informs her work today. For over 10 years, she did academic research on autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases, experience that honed her analytical skills and fostered a deep appreciation for the broader determinants of health.
Wei began at DPH as a Data Analyst (Epidemiologist II) and was promoted to Senior Data Analyst (Epidemiologist III) four years later. She says the job came with caring and motivated colleagues. “Their dedication inspires me to contribute my best efforts every day.”
Wei helps lead the Database Management team in the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, the unit dedicated to programs and services for people affected by substance addiction. Wei ensures that the bureau’s data collection is aligned with its operational needs and meets federal and state reporting requirements. She manages data quality assurance and continuous quality improvement efforts, and suggests ways to improve data collection, processing, and analysis.
“As a data analyst, it’s rewarding to see our work inform decisions, policies, and public health programs,” says Wei, who recently helped publish a new data dashboard that provides a comprehensive view of substance misuse across the state. “It’s satisfying to have a direct impact on the well-being of Massachusetts residents.”
Nealia Khan
Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Epidemiologist II, Bureau of Community Health and Prevention
With the rest of her team, Nealia collects and analyzes data on the topic of sexual violence and intimate partner violence (also known as domestic violence). The team reports back to program providers and to the Massachusetts legislature regarding related DPH activities. She also collaborates closely with DPH partners working on sexual assault prevention, including with the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program.
“The topics I deal with are challenging, but I am able to apply the knowledge that I have gained to support people in the Commonwealth who are dealing with issues of sexual assault and intimate partner violence,” says Nealia. “I have been working as a data analyst, statistician, and epidemiologist since earning my MPH degree, and in each of these roles I feel like I’m part of our efforts to prevent this kind of violence.”
Nelia has been at DPH since 2020 and appreciates the healthy work-life balance. She’s also consistently inspired by the work of her colleagues, her team, and the service providers who do their work with DPH funding. “Whenever a provider shares a success story with me, I feel motivated to multiply that success.”
Mahsa Yazdy
Director, Division for Surveillance, Research, and Promotion of Perinatal Health, Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition
Mahsa moved to Boston to get her PhD in Epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health. For her dissertation, she used data from DPH’s Birth Defects Monitoring Program and became familiar with the work of DPH. Mahsa had always enjoyed doing applied epidemiology, including for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so she was excited to apply for her current job when it opened up in 2016.
As a Division Director, Mahsa prioritizes collaborations, because, as she says, “Our work cannothappen in isolation and building strong relationships allows us to be successful in reaching our shared goals.” She also helps ensure that DPH uses a health equity lens when using data to address health disparities.
A highlight of the job is her colleagues who care for and support each other. She mentions a recent leadership retreat when the team shared successes and wins from the past year and was able to celebrate together.
Also important to Mahsa is sharing her experience. “Our Division has a training program and one of my most rewarding tasks is mentoring trainees. I get to work regularly with students and fellows, and I truly enjoy working with -- and learning -- from them.”