At the University of Michigan School of Public Health, more than 200 professors and research scientists teach tomorrow’s public health leaders and perform cutting-edge research that helps advance the field of public health. Many faculty members are leading experts in their fields who consult with governments, communities, and nongovernmental organizations.

Meet Our Faculty


Faculty who have expertise in Health Equity

Susan Aaronson Susan M Aaronson, MA, RD
  • Lecturer IV, Nutritional Sciences
  • Director, Dietetics Program

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Nutrition, Precision Health

Sara Adar Sara Dubowsky Adar, ScD, MHS
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Chair, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Air Quality, Brain Disorders, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Environmental Justice, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Modeling

John Ayanian John Z. Ayanian, MD, MPP
  • Alice Hamilton Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Policy

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Insurance, Health Policy

Natasha Bagdasarian Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, MPH, FIDSA
  • Chief Medical Executive
  • Chief Medical Executive, State of Michigan,
  • Adjunct Faculty, Department of Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
COVID-19, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Opioids, Respiratory Viruses

Kelly Bakulski Kelly M. Bakulski, PhD
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Data Management and Statistical Core Leader, Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Brain Disorders, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Health Equity, Mental Health, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Toxicology

Kate Bauer Kate W. Bauer, PhD, MS
  • Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, Health Equity, Nutrition

Matthew Boulton Matthew L. Boulton, MD, MPH
  • Associate Director, U-M Center for Global Health Equity
  • Senior Associate Dean for Global Public Health
  • Pearl L. Kendrick Collegiate Professor of Global Public Health
  • Professor of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Public Health Practice, Vaccines

Tom Buchmueller Tom Buchmueller, PhD
  • Waldo O. Hildebrand Professor of Risk Management and Insurance
  • Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Insurance, Health Policy, LGBT Health, Mental Health, Substance Use

Sarah Burgard Sarah A. Burgard, PhD, MS
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Sociology
  • Research Associate Professor, Population Studies Center

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity

James Buszkiewicz James H Buszkiewicz, PhD, MPH
  • Research Investigator, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Equity, Health Policy, Mental Health, Nutrition, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

Miatta Buxton Miatta A Buxton, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Research Scientist, Epidemiology
  • Adjunct Lecturer, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Air Quality, Child Health, Environmental Health, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Maternal Health

Cleopatra Caldwell Cleopatra Caldwell, PhD
  • Professor Emeritus, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Director, Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture and Health
  • Co-Associate Director, Program for Research on Black Americans

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Public Health Practice, Racism

Linda Chatters Linda M. Chatters, PhD
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Paula Allen-Meares Collegiate Professor of Social Work

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Health Equity, Racism

Philippa Clarke Philippa Janet Clarke, PhD, MSc
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Research Professor, Institute for Social Research

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Health Equity, Urban Health

Victoria Convertino Victoria L. Convertino, JD
  • Lecturer, Public Health Law

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Health Policy, Infectious Disease, Maternal Health, Public Health Practice, Reproductive Health, Substance Use, Women’s Health

Melissa Creary Melissa Creary, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Professor, Health Management and Policy
  • Assistant Professor of Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Health Policy, Racism

Ifeolu David Ifeolu David, MD, MPH, PhD
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
COVID-19, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Mental Health

Marisa Eisenberg Marisa Eisenberg, PhD, MS
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Complex Systems
  • Director, Center for the Study of Complex Systems
  • Associate Professor, Mathematics

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, COVID-19, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Infectious Disease, Modeling, Public Health Practice, Vaccines, Water Quality

Nancy Fleischer Nancy L Fleischer, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Co-Director, Certificate in Social Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Equity, LGBT Health, Racism, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

Paul Fleming Paul J Fleming, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Faculty Lead, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Health Policy, Public Health Practice, Racism

Kathleen Ford Kathleen Ford, PhD
  • Research Scientist Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Faculty Associate, Southeast Asian Studies

Areas of Expertise
Global Public Health, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Mental Health, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology

Gary Freed Gary L. Freed, MD, MPH
  • Percy and Mary Murphy Professor of PediatricsProfessor, Health Management and Policy
  • Director of Faculty Programs, Office of Health Equity and Inclusion
  • Associate Chair for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Government Relations

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy, Public Health Practice

Kristi Gamarel Kristi E Gamarel, PhD, EdM
  • Associate Chair and Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Firearm Injury Prevention, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, LGBT Health, Mental Health, Racism, Substance Use

Arline Geronimus Arline T Geronimus, ScD
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Equity, Maternal Health, Racism, Reproductive Health, Urban Health

Susan Goold Susan Dorr Goold, MD, MHSA, MA
  • Professor, Internal Medicine
  • Professor, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Health Policy

Kyle Grazier Kyle Lynn Grazier, DrPH, MPH, MS
  • Richard Carl Jelinek Professor of Health Services Management and Policy
  • Professor, Health Management and Policy
  • Professor, Psychiatry

Areas of Expertise
Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy, Mental Health

Alexis Handal Alexis J. Handal, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Professor, Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Brain Disorders, Child Health, Environmental Health, Environmental Justice, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Maternal Health, Nutrition, Occupational Health, Racism, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology, Women’s Health

Rebecca Hasson Rebecca E Hasson, PhD
  • Associate Professor, Kinesiology
  • Assistant Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, Health Equity

Vivienne Hazzard Vivienne M Hazzard, PhD, MPH, RD
  • Lecturer, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, LGBT Health, Mental Health, Nutrition

Kevin He Kevin He, PhD
  • Research Associate Professor, Biostatistics

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Cancer, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Genetics, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Precision Health

Michele Heisler Michele Heisler, MD, MPA
  • Professor, Internal Medicine
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Research Scientist, Center for Clinical Management Research
  • Staff Physician

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Urban Health

Lisbeth Iglesias-Ríos Lisbeth Iglesias-Ríos, PhD, MPH, MA
  • Research Investigator

Areas of Expertise
Environmental Health, Health Equity, Mental Health, Occupational Health

Mary Janevic Mary Janevic, PhD, MPH
  • Research Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Health Equity

placeholder-image Spruha Joshi, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Opioids, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

George Kaplan George A. Kaplan, PhD
  • Thomas Francis Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Public Health
  • Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Founder, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health (CSEPH)

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Modeling, Social Epidemiology

Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez Carrie A Karvonen-Gutierrez, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Chair for Faculty Affairs, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Diabetes, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Reproductive Health, Sleep, Women’s Health

Khaldun Joneigh S. Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAAEM
  • Adjunct Professor, Health Management and Policy
  • Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer, CVS Health
  • Appointee, Biden-Harris Administration COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Child Health, COVID-19, Health Equity, Health Policy

Elizabeth King Elizabeth J. King, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Associate Professor of Global Public Health
  • Director of the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies

Areas of Expertise
COVID-19, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Health Policy, Reproductive Health, Substance Use, Women’s Health

Lindsay Kobayashi Lindsay C Kobayashi, PhD, MSc
  • John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
  • Faculty Affiliate, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
  • Assistant Professor of Global Public Health
  • Co-Director, Certificate in Social Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Brain Disorders, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Social Epidemiology

Joseph Kolars Joseph C. Kolars, MD, MACP
  • Director, University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity
  • Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Medicine
  • Josiah Macy, Jr., Professor of Health Professions Education

Areas of Expertise
Health Care, Health Equity

Yi Li Yi Li, PhD
  • M. Anthony Schork Collegiate Professor of Biostatistics
  • Professor, Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Cancer, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Firearm Injury Prevention, Genetics, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy, Infectious Disease, Substance Use

Richard Lichtenstein Richard L. Lichtenstein, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor Emeritus, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy, Urban Health

Lynda Lisabeth Lynda Lisabeth, PhD, MPH
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Research Professor, Neurology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Equity, Women’s Health

William Lopez William D Lopez, PhD, MPH
  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Senior Advisor, Poverty Solutions
  • Faculty Associate, Latina/o Studies Program

Areas of Expertise
Health Communication, Health Equity, Racism

Roshanak Mehdipanah Roshanak Mehdipanah, PhD, MS
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Racism, Urban Health

Briana Mezuk Briana Mezuk, PhD
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Director, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health [on sabbatical 2023-2024]

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Health Equity, Mental Health, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

Lewis Morgenstern Lewis Morgenstern, MD
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Professor, Neurology Emergency Medicine and Neurosurgery
  • Director, Stroke Program

Areas of Expertise
Brain Disorders, Health Care, Health Equity, Social Epidemiology

Hal Morgenstern Hal Morgenstern, BArch, MRP, PhD
  • Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Professor Emeritus, Environmental Health Sciences
  • Professor Emeritus, Urology, Medical School

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Racism, Social Epidemiology

Enrique Neblett Enrique Neblett, PhD
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Associate Director, Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Mental Health, Racism

Belinda Needham Belinda L. Needham, PhD, MA
  • Chair, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Health Equity, Racism, Social Epidemiology

Thuy Nguyen Thuy Dieu Nguyen, PhD, MPA
  • Assistant Professor, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
COVID-19, Health Equity, Health Policy, Opioids, Substance Use

Minal Patel Minal R Patel, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Chair and Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Communication, Health Equity

Gretchen Piatt Gretchen A Piatt, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Learning Health Sciences
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Co-Director, Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Equity

Michael Rubyan Michael A. Rubyan, PhD, MPH
  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Communication, Health Equity, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Urban Health

Natalie Sampson Natalie R. Sampson, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, College of Education, Health and Human Services, University of Michigan Dearborn
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Environmental Health, Health Communication, Health Equity, Health Policy, Public Health Practice

Amy Schulz Amy J. Schulz, PhD, MPH, MSW
  • University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Environmental Health, Health Equity, Racism

Jennifer Smith Jennifer A Smith, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor of Epidemiology
  • Research Associate Professor, Survey Research
  • Director, Certificate in Public Health Genetics

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Brain Disorders, Chronic Disease, Diabetes, Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Health Equity, Precision Health, Social Epidemiology

Christine Stead Christine Stead, MHSA
  • CEO, Extracorporeal Life Support Organization
  • Adjunct Faculty, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
COVID-19, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy, Nutrition, Public Health Practice, Women’s Health

Sarah Stoddard Sarah A Stoddard, PhD, RN, CNP, FSAHM, FAAN
  • Associate Professor, Nursing
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Co-Director, Training and Education Core, University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center
  • Director, Certificate in Injury Science

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, Firearm Injury Prevention, Health Equity, Mental Health, Substance Use, Urban Health

Abram Wagner Abram L. Wagner, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
  • Assistant Professor of Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Child Health, COVID-19, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Communication, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Respiratory Viruses, Vaccines

Lauren Wallner Lauren Wallner, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Epidemiology
  • Co-lead, Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, Rogel Cancer Center

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cancer, Health Care, Health Communication, Health Equity

Xin Wang Xin Wang, PhD, MPH
  • Research Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Diabetes, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Mental Health, Nutrition, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Women’s Health

Ashly Westrick Ashly Westrick, PhD, MPH
  • Research Investigator

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cancer, Health Equity, Social Epidemiology

Jon Zelner Jon Zelner, PhD
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, COVID-19, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Modeling

placeholder-image Donglin Zeng, PhD
  • Professor, Biostatistics

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Biostatistics, Brain Disorders, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Clinical Trials, COVID-19, Diabetes, Environmental Health, Genetics, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Informatics, Mental Health, Modeling, Nutrition, Precision Health, Substance Use, Vaccines, Women’s Health

Wei Zhao Wei Zhao, PhD
  • Research Assistant Professor, Institute for Social Research
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Child Health, Epigenetics, Genetics, Health Equity, Mental Health, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use