Birgit Bolton Email & Phone Number

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Manage two public health initiatives funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies focused on maternal and reproductive health and cardiovascular health in low- and middle-income countries for the non-infectious disease (NID) programs department. Responsible for these time-bound projects that are conducted in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Resolve to Save Lives and other internal and external partners.• Builds strong partnerships that ensures impactful, efficient and effective project implementation and resource mobilization of health initiatives to accelerate prevention of NIDs, promote global health and increase the public value of the CDC Foundation.• Supports and fosters training and capacity building initiatives such as the Field Epidemiology Training Programs for Ethiopia and India and peer mentoring for new hires.• Serves as the project liaison for and among internal and external partners, hires, recruits and supervises four field employees on the assigned projects.• Manages reporting, contracting, budgeting and evaluating project impact and performance.

Decatur, Georgia, United States

Manage the operations of a 1.4 federally-funded public health initiative under a five-year Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Cooperative Agreement dedicated to improving the operational effectiveness of immunization information systems for health departments through greater adherence to best practices, national standards and workforce development. Oversee teams of staff and contractors while ensuring multifaceted deliverables are completed according to the guidelines and timelines of the agreement.•Collaborate with CDC, PHII team and contractors to define scope, deliverables and overall expectations in accordance with PHII’s mission to use data to advance health outcomes worldwide.•Develop budget projections, monitor and approve program budgets, prepare and present annual financial and program reports to internal staff and external partners.•Develop project charters, project work plans and track progress; identify and manage resources needed to fulfill funded obligations; draft monthly progress reports for distribution to CDC.•Establish and mange contracts for consultants and review their deliverables and work content, process invoices, approve timesheets and expense reports.•Oversee project communications, including development of communications strategies, key messages, production of print and electronic materials.•Spearhead special projects as requested by CDC including environmental scans to determine the landscape of new public health initiatives, such as the Digital Vaccine Certificate tool, to help public health professionals better use data.

Decatur, Georgia

Fostered and strengthened partnerships by providing expert guidance and technical assistance to Anglophone countries implementing the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed SAFE Strategy - Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement to eliminate blinding trachoma. Managed two direct reports. •Managed a portfolio of thirteen endemic countries by delivering technical support for their national trachoma programs. This included cultivating trust and relationships, assisting countries with their annual drug applications and forecasts for Mass Drug Administrations (MDAs) using the Pfizer, Inc. donated antibiotic (Zithromax®) and ensuring countries adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding reporting requirements and drug dosing guidelines.•Planned and coordinated the biannual Trachoma Expert Committee (TEC) meetings and supervised the production of the TEC book, including managing prevalence and census data, creating ArcGIS maps and drafting briefs and proceedings. In 2018, data from this TEC book resulted in 26 countries receiving a donation of 81.4 million treatments of Zithromax®.•Spearheaded annual cross-border initiatives that brought together representatives from border sharing countries to strategize and leverage cross-sector interventions for the treatment of trachoma in low resource settings such as migratory and refugee populations.•Frequent international travel to East Africa and the Pacific Island Region to participate in trachoma program review meetings and WHO Alliance for GET2020 (Global Elimination of Trachoma by the year 2020) conferences. Worked effectively in challenging and remote areas with multiple partners to accomplish mission driven objectives. •Strengthened health systems by conducting in-country visits, liaising with national programs and implementing partners, observing MDAs and assisting with supply chain assessments to ensure compliance with the drug donation criteria.

Greater Atlanta Area

Principal Investigator on public health research projects that included extensive protocol writing, field work to recruit study participants and collection of raw data in order to assess health determinants, risk factors and impacts to human populations. Collaborated with a variety of internal and external partners such as CDC scientists, other federal, non-federal entities and medical institutions. •Led three complex pilot projects focused on quantifying the adverse health effects of environmental toxins in drinking water on vulnerable populations in Sapelo Island, GA, Charleston, SC and Biscayne Bay, FL. Designed questionnaires, devised sampling strategies, and implemented investigations in the field. •Conducted literature searches to inform protocols and manuscripts; collected and compiled data into analyzable datasets and integrated new findings into current and planned studies. •Researched the impacts of air pollution on children in Atlanta, Georgia with Sickle Cell disease for a cohort study. This involved administering questionnaires, collecting and processing biological samples. •Participated in a follow-up study of individuals in Panama who survived exposure from Diethylene Glycol. Assisted with participant interviews according to study protocols and ensured project remained within budget. •Collected survey data and bio samples on study participants in Nicaragua as part of a research project to determine whether pesticides have adverse impacts on human health.

Greater Atlanta Area

•Completed an Assistantship with The Carter Center’s Global Health Department. •Gained comprehensive insight of all the health programs and proficient understanding of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), including writing a draft manuscript that was ultimately published, An Impact Assessment of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program on the Millennium Development Goals. •Held key informant interviews with program managers and directors; researched and reviewed NTD-related articles to determine the impact The Carter Center’s health programs were having on its target populations.

Musanze, Rwanda

Completed a Global Field Experience graduate practicum that entailed the assessment of a Community-based Water and Sanitation (CWASA) project implemented in two rural sectors of northern Rwanda. Provided CARE with an internal appraisal and an advocacy piece for future donors.• Evaluated CWASA’s efforts to improve drinking water and infrastructure for marginalized populations with particular focus on gender related inequalities associated with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues. •Created questionnaires and surveys which gleaned pertinent information on whether the program had beneficial impacts on its target population. •Coordinated and conducted site visits, interviews with key community members, utilized translators when required and documented data via questionnaires, photos and video.

Greater Atlanta Area

Initiated and coordinated a variety of environmental conservation and public health programs. Organized outreach workshops attended by hundreds of community members in order to actively involve and connect participants with their watershed. •Founding member of the BacteriAlert program (http://ga2.er.usgs.gov/bacteria/); collected weekly water samples for E. coli/bacteria analysis that informs and educates thousands of Georgians on when it’s safe to use this urban river for recreational purposes. •Worked collaboratively with partners and team members in the research, production and dissemination of a public health flyer ‘A Woman’s Guide to Eating Fish from North Georgia’ which resulted in safer fishing practices for populations dependent on river fish. This was a health risk project that educated pregnant women and mothers about mercury contamination. •Organized and coordinated environmental cleanups resulting in the successful removal of debris and waste from a drinking water source - the Chattahoochee River. •Investigated and resolved emergencies called into the hotline using knowledge of local and state policies and laws. Liaised with state and local officials and conducted site visits to examine fish kills, sewage leaks, erosion, sedimentation, buffer violations, urban stormwater runoff and other hazardous occurrences. •Edited and produced quarterly newsletter RiverChat that is distributed to member donors, decision-makers and peer organizations. Responsible for branding and layout of educational and marketing materials. •Designed and coordinated public education programs from grant monies such as Here Comes the Rain Again, a stormwater campaign that encouraged over fifty area industries to reduce adverse impacts of stormwater runoff - the Chattahoochee River’s biggest pollution problem. •Assisted the Development department in the writing and securing of grants; ensured that all programs funded by grant monies adhered to donor guidelines.

Masters In Public Health, Prevention/Global Health

Bachelor'S Degree, Bachelor Of Arts - English, Minor - Economics