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Craig Thomas, PhD

Director, Division of Population Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Thomas is the Director of the Division of Population Health in CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. He directs a broad portfolio of programmatic and applied research activities aimed at improving population health and emotional well-being across the lifespan.

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Dr. Thomas oversees an array of innovative evidenced-based programs for specific populations (e.g. K-12 educators, school staff and students, caregivers and older adults, and Tribes), for people with certain chronic conditions or risk factors (those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, arthritis, COPD, epilepsy, excessive alcohol use, , , lupus, or sleep disorders), and in particular settings (schools, Indian country, workplaces). Furthermore, his portfolio includes the collection and dissemination of data from U.S. residents regarding their chronic physical and mental health conditions, health-related risk behaviors, and use of preventive services. He also collaborates with academic institutions, national partner organizations, other federal agencies, and state and local governments, and health departments to implement policy strategies and further programmatic efforts that drive improvements in population health and well-being.

Dr. Thomas joined CDC in 1998, where has held leadership positions in the HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, the Guide to Community Preventive Services, the Public Health Preparedness and Response Program, the National Public Health Improvement Initiative, and the Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant Program. Previously, he served as Director of the Division of Public Health Performance Improvement in the Center for State Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support. Dr. Thomas began his public health career in Southern California, where he earned a PhD in social psychology and applied research methods from Claremont Graduate University, an MS in experimental psychology from California State University Fullerton, and a BA in biological sciences from the University of California Irvine.

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