School of Public Health

Susan H Allen

Susan H. Allen, DrPH, MBA (Susie) is currently the Director of Research and Education for the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. Prior to working for the Board, Dr. Allen was an assistant and later associate professor at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, managing four distance learning masters programs for mid-career professionals in Occupational Health, Health and Safety Management, and Industrial Hygiene while teaching courses in management, decision sciences and public health to undergraduate and masters level students. Dr. Allen earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in Business Administration from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business, and a masters and a doctorate in Health Systems Management from Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Benjamin M Azevedo

Benjamin Azevedo, MD- is board-certified in internal medicine (medical care of adults) and has worked as an attending physician/consultant specializing in hospital medicine. As a "hospitalist", he is responsible for the admission, management, and coordination of care for patients throughout the length of their stay. He takes a patient-centered approach and places emphasis on clear communication with my patients, their families, and all other physicians who are involved in their care, including their primary care physician upon discharge. He strives to keep the quality of care at the very highest level while minimizing unneeded testing and additional hospital days.

Earl Benjamin

Earl Nupsius Benjamin-Robinson, DrHSc, CPH, FNAP, is a board-certified public health practitioner (National Board of Public Health Examiners), health equity strategist, and skilled strategic convener with more than two decades of experience advancing population health . and systems-level change. He currently serves as adjunct faculty in the Public Health Sciences Department at Xavier University of Louisiana, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses, and has also taught at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, where he contributes to the school’s community advisory body. A Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, Dr. Benjamin-Robinson is widely recognized for bridging academic, clinical, and community-based approaches to improve health outcomes. Dr. Benjamin-Robinson served as the inaugural Director of the Office of Community Partnerships & Health Equity at the Louisiana Department of Health, where he led the development of the state’s first agency-wide health equity plan and advanced policies and practices to ensure fair and just opportunities for all populations to achieve optimal health. He also served on Louisiana’s COVID Health Equity Taskforce Executive Committee and the National Committee for Quality Assurance Health Equity Advisory Committee. In addition, he has held senior leadership roles at the Louisiana Public Health Institute, where he directed statewide community health initiatives and capacity-building efforts, and at the Louisiana Cancer Research Center, where he led community engagement strategy, funding oversight, and cross-institutional partnerships to address cancer disparities. Across roles, his work reflects a sustained commitment to equity-centered systems transformation, community engagement, and measurable population health impact.”

Amber Mignon Brown

Amber Brown, MPH, CHES is pursuing her PhD at Louisiana State University in the College of Human Sciences and Education’s Educational Leadership and Research program, specializing in Higher Education Administration. She has specific research interest in viewing microaggressive experiences of students of color in graduate degree programs and the impact on their mental health and degree progression. In addition, she regularly volunteers her time at Health Care for the Homeless and various community organizations.

Stephanie T Broyles

Stephanie Broyles- Dr. Broyles’ research seeks to understand how the different contexts in which we live – e.g., neighborhood, work, parks, social networks – shape disease risks and health outcomes. Within the broad area of physical activity and obesity, her research is focused on understanding the contextual influences on health and behavior and on longitudinal changes in them, in both observational and interventional settings. Dr. Broyles has worked in public health for over 20 years, and her work relies heavily on community engagement, and frequently integrates research and service. She brings this approach to her work as co-Director of the Community Outreach and Engagement Resource Core for the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science Center, a collaboration among all major academic, research, and health care institutions in Louisiana. Methodologically, she has expertise in investigating environmental determinants of health using spatial methods and geographically-linked variables, as well as in multilevel statistical analysis, and she enjoys collaborating on research projects that use novel analytic or study-design techniques. In 2016, Dr. Broyles was awarded the Founder’s Award by the Louisiana Public Health Association, which honors significant achievement in research in public health by a Louisiana resident. Dr. Broyles is also on the graduate faculty of the LSU Health Sciences Center, holding an adjunct position in the LSUHSC School of Public Health’s Behavioral and Community Health Sciences Program, where she teaches doctoral courses and mentors several PhD students.

DeAnn M Gruber

DeAnn Gruber, PhD, LCSW, is the former Director of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases for the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health. There she directed the STD/HIV Program, Immunizations, TB Control, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology. Dr. Gruber’s experience includes more than 25 years in the HIV/AIDS field and from 2010-2016, WHERE she was the Director of the STD/HIV Program, the state’s integrated program that includes STD/HIV Surveillance, Prevention, Care and Services, Regional/Field Operations, Data Management/Analysis, and Program Evaluation. She is also the past Chairperson of NASTAD, when in May 2016, she announced the inaugural Chair’s Challenge to all jurisdictions: “Ending the Epidemics of HIV and Hepatitis”. Dr. Gruber earned her PhD from Tulane University and a Master’s in Social Work from Southern University at New Orleans. Dr. Gruber is Adjunct Associate Professor with LSU Health Sciences Center’s School of Public Health, where she continues to teach Program Monitoring and Evaluation in the Behavioral and Community Health Sciences Program

LaVonne Ortega

LaVonna Ortega, MD, MPH has served as the Lead for Academic Partnerships within the Division for Scientific Education and Professional Development (DSEPD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In that role, she lead CDC’s work with four national academic partners (AAMC, AACN, ASPPH, and APTR) to improve population health through enhancing medical, nursing, and public health education to better prepare health professionals to address individual and community health needs. Prior, she served as a Performance Officer in the Office of State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OSTLTS) where she led several states and tribes implementing the National Public Health Improvement Initiative. In her role, she oversaw the planning, development, and implementation of public health initiatives in the areas of workforce development, health information technology, public health policy, public health system redevelopment, performance and quality improvement, and public health accreditation. She also previously served as a Science Officer/Epidemiologist in the Division of Violence Prevention where she provided leadership and technical assistance to several states implementing the National Violent Death Reporting System and served as one of the agencies’ suicide prevention subject matter experts. In that role, she provided consultation to numerous states, local health departments, international ministries of health and NGO’s in suicide and violence prevention. Dr. Ortega has led and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles, two book chapters, and several government publications. Dr. Ortega earned a BS from Howard University, College of Education, her MD from St. Christopher’s College of Medicine in England and her MPH from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health

Jennifer Scott

Jennifer Scott is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Louisiana State University. Her research focuses on understanding how economic and political marginalization affect wellbeing and health. Specifically, how the social determinants of economic access (i.e. work, non-cash economic support, residence) and (im)migration (legal status in particular) status affect individual, family and community wellbeing and health outcomes. Dr. Scott investigates research questions using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. She also conducts Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) projects that are driven by questions emerging from communities, one example being the Communities Organizing for Power through Empathy (COPE) project. Jen joined the LSU faculty after completing her PhD in Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin where she was a Graduate Student Fellow in the Urban Ethnography Lab and the Population Research Center, and earned a visiting Graduate Student Fellowship at the Center for Poverty Research at the University of California, Davis. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work (CUSSW) and a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Philosophy from Trinity University.

Amy Zapata

Amy Zapata is an innovative and driven public health director with extensive policy leadership and 20+ years’ experience revitalizing organizations and programs to produce public value. Adept at fostering and managing change in complex environments. She has lead transformation of historical public health programs and services for women, children, and families to implement new approaches that can effect change at the policy and systems levels.

Anh Quang Cao

Ánh Quang "Joseph" Cao is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district from 2009 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he was the first Vietnamese American and first native of Vietnam to serve in Congress. Cao was the only Republican congressman to vote for the draft Obamacare, known as Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, in November 2009.

Kiva Ariani Fisher

Dr. Kiva (Fisher) Tinglof joined the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2018 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer in the HIV Care and Treatment Branch within the Division of Global HIV & TB. She currently serves as a senior science advisor supporting the CDC Zambia office. Before relocating to Zambia, she served as the associate chief for science in the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Data Analysis Branch. Her work in HIV prevention and care began in 2005 and includes roles such as field supervisor for the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji. Dr. Tinglof received a BA in International Health from the University of Redlands, an MPH in International Health and Development from Tulane University, and a PhD in Community Health Sciences from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Leonard Jack Jr.

Leonard Jack, Jr., PhD, MSc, joined MMWR in January 2026 as Acting Editor in Chief, MMWR Series and Director of CDC’s Office of Science Dissemination. He is also Editor in Chief of Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD), to which he was appointed in October 2016. He joined PCD after serving as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Division of Community Health (DCH) in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP). Before leading DCH, Dr. Jack held several academic and CDC leadership positions. Prior to returning to CDC, Dr. Jack served at Xavier University of Louisiana as Associate Dean for Research, Director of the Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education; the Endowed Chair of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research; Professor in the Division of Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy; and Professor and founding chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences. Before joining the Xavier faculty and administration, Dr Jack held the Jim Finks Endowed Chair of Health Promotion and was Professor of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center’s School of Public Health. He also served as Associate Dean of the School of Health Sciences and interim chair of the Department of Behavioral and Environmental Health at Jackson State University. At CDC, Dr. Jack served as Lead of the Applied Behavioral Research, Epidemiology, and Systems Team and Chief of the Community Intervention Section in NCCDPHP’s Division of Diabetes Translation. He holds adjunct appointments as Full Professor in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine; Behavioral and Community Health Science and Policy Program at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences School of Public Health; and Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences Department at the Emory University School of Public Health. Dr. Jack has significant experience in scientific publishing, having served for 4 years as Editor in Chief of Health Promotion Practice, published by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), and in 2018 was named emeritus Editor in Chief. His areas of research expertise include psychosocial aspects of managing chronic diseases, family- and community-based research, men’s health, and program evaluation. Dr. Jack completed his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in behavioral sciences at The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Jack has been recognized for his contributions in advancing the discipline of behavioral health, behavioral science, health education, and health promotion. In 2011, he received SOPHE’s Distinguished Fellow Award, the society’s highest award recognizing individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to SOPHE, the profession of health education, and public health. In 2016, he received the Alumni Recognition Award from The Pennsylvania State University, College of Health and Human Development, an award given to an alumnus/alumna who demonstrates professional excellence and exemplary voluntary community involvement in a health and human development field. In June 2022, CDC’s NCCDPHP awarded Dr Jack its highest honor, The Jeffery P. Koplan Award, which recognizes the extraordinary and sustained accomplishments of an individual who has contributed to achieving NCCDPHP’s mission and has shown exemplary professional practice and leadership. In May 2023, Dr. Jack received the Council of Science Editors’ (CSE’s) Distinguished Service Award for his contributions in advancing scientific communication and advancing the mission and vision of CSE. In April 2024, Dr. Jack received SOPHE’s Karen Denard Goldman Award for his distinguished track record in mentoring students at all educational levels, along with helping students to bridge the link between research and practice.

Joseph Kimbrell

Joseph Kimbrell is a career public health leader who served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI), from June, 2000 until retiring in May. 2019. LPHI is a statewide non-profit public health organization. LPHI’s mission is to Align Action for Health. Under Joe’s leadership, LPHI became a key public health leader in post-Katrina Louisiana, partnering with state and federal government agencies, universities, state and national foundations and a variety of local partners to design and implement solutions that improve health. For eleven years, Mr. Kimbrell also simultaneously served as the founding CEO and President of the National Network of Public Health Institute (NNPHI), which is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of the national public health system by providing a network for 40 non-governmental public health organizations and administrative and coordinating support for national public health programs. Under Joe’s leadership, NNPHI expanded its initial membership of 15 to 35 public health institutes and affiliate organizations across the nation and expanded it's scope of work to support national programs and collaborative projects. Prior to dedicating his career to establishing the public health institute model, Mr. Kimbrell served in a variety of leadership roles at the Louisiana Office of Public Health, including almost 20 years as Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Elmore Rigamer

Dr. Elmore F. Rigamer, MD, MPA, is a distinguished child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist based in New Orleans with over 55 years of experience, specializing in disaster mental health and diplomatic psychiatry. Currently, he serves as Medical Director for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, directing disaster relief programs, including the Louisiana Spirit program. Key Experience & Positions include: Medical Director, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans: Lead disaster recovery efforts, notably following Hurricane Katrina; US Department of State: Served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Medical Affairs, Mental Health Director, and Regional Psychiatrist for Europe, the Soviet Union, and South Asia; Diplomatic Psychiatrist: Acted as the first embassy psychiatrist in Kabul, Afghanistan, developing strategies for trauma in international settings; Peace Corps: Worked as a Volunteer Physician in Monrovia, Liberia; and Clinical Roles: Held positions with Kaiser Permanente and the Ochsner Clinic. His education & training include: MPA: Harvard University; Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship: Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Psychiatry Residency: New York Presbyterian Hospital (Cornell Campus); and Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, 1966.

Dylan Joseph Caraway Tete

Dylan Tête is a West Point graduate, Army combat veteran, and public health innovator whose career spans military service, federal health strategy, and community development. He holds a Master of Public Health from LSU School of Public Health, where he earned the Dean's Award, Health Policy Student of the Year distinction, and induction into the Delta Omega Honor Society. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy. A recipient of the George W. Bush Military Service Citation, Dylan is the founder of Bastion Community of Resilience, the nation’s first intentionally designed neighborhood for veterans living with traumatic brain injury and their families. He secured over $25 million to develop the supportive housing community and wellness facility in New Orleans, and led a five-year cohort study demonstrating the health impact of intentional neighboring on veteran reintegration. Dylan currently serves as Chief Business Development Officer at Red Duke Strategies, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, where he leads federal health contracting and innovation strategy at the intersection of military health systems, commercial technology, and veteran services. Named a 2025 HIMSS Changemaker, Dylan has established the firm’s reputation as an innovation ecosystem builder and scientific engineering and technical assistance advisor. His earlier career includes service as a U.S. Army officer in Operation Iraqi Freedom, emergency planning leadership for the City of New Orleans, and recognition as an Aspen Ideas presenter and German Marshall Memorial Fund Fellow. He brings to the classroom deep expertise in health policy, systems design, and the real-world application of public health principles to underserved and military populations.