Lorna Thorpe, PhD

Lorna Thorpe is professor and Division Director of Epidemiology at the NYU School of Medicine Department of Population Health. Her research areas include the epidemiology of chronic disease prevention and management and modernizing public health surveillance as well as a specific interest in the health of public housing residents. In addition to leading NYC HANES, she is also co-principal investigator of the NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease disparities through evaluation of community-clinical linkage initiatives. Dr Thorpe led data collection for NYC HANES while serving as director of the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program at the CUNY School of Public Health (2009-2016). Before her arrival at CUNY SPH in late 2009, Dr. Thorpe spent eight years at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and served as Deputy Commissioner of the Epidemiology Division.

Dr. Thorpe previously was a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention field chronic disease epidemiologist, and she began her CDC career as an epidemic intelligence service officer in international tuberculosis control. Dr. Thorpe completed her PhD in epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, MPH at the University of Michigan, and BA at Johns Hopkins University. She has lived and worked internationally and has published widely on chronic and infectious disease topics.

Sharon Perlman, MPH

Sharon Perlman is the Director of Special Projects for the Division of Epidemiology at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.  In this capacity, she leads large-scale intra-agency projects; manages the development and execution of surveys; analyzes the potential impact of proposed public health interventions; and oversees and leads research studies, data analysis, and the development of peer-reviewed publications on diverse health topics, including influenza, school health, diabetes, and the health effects of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Ms. Perlman joined the Health Department in March 2007 as a research assistant to Dr. Thomas Frieden, a former commissioner. Prior to joining the department, Ms. Perlman founded and ran an editing business for nearly ten years. Ms. Perlman completed her MPH at Columbia University and BA at Cornell University.

Katarzyna Wyka, PHD

Katarzyna Wyka is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the City University of New York’s Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY GSPHHP). She also holds an adjunct academic appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College.  Dr. Wyka’s expertise is the study design and statistical methods for public health research, with a focus on mental health statistics. Her collaborative work includes projects in mental and physical health consequences of trauma exposure, chronic diseases, physical activity and nutrition.

Dr. Wyka completed her graduate degrees in Mathematics at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland and in Statistics at Hunter College, New York. She received her doctoral degree in Educational Psychology, with specialization in Quantitative Methods in Educational and Psychological Research from the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

de Beaumont Foundation

The de Beaumont Foundation believes that a strong public health system is essential. Through strategic and engaged grant making, the Foundation is working to transform the practice of public health by building the capacity and stature of the public health workforce, encouraging collaboration between health departments, and improving communication with the public, especially through the use of technology.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable, and timely change.

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation supports four national grant-making programs. Its mission is to improve the quality of people’s lives through grants supporting the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research and child well-being, and through preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke’s properties.

Robin Hood

Robin Hood is New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization, and since 1988 has focused on finding, funding, and creating programs and schools that generate meaningful results for families in New York’s poorest neighborhoods. Over its 25 year history, Robin Hood has distributed more than $1.25 billion to hundreds of New York City-based soup kitchens, homeless shelters, schools, job training programs, and other vital services that give New York’s neediest citizens the tools they need to build better lives for themselves and their families. In addition, Robin Hood’s board of directors pays all administrative, fundraising and evaluation costs, so 100% of donations go directly to organizations helping New Yorkers in need.

New York State Health Foundation

The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) is a private, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable. Today, NYSHealth concentrates its work in three strategic priority areas: expanding health care coverage, improving diabetes prevention, and advancing primary care. The Foundation is committed to making grants; informing health care policy and practice; spreading effective programs to improve the health system; serving as a neutral convener of health leaders across the State; and providing technical assistance to our grantees and partners.

Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics provides crucial diagnostic information that supports and enhances decisions people make to improve patients’ health.