Mary C. White, ScD, MPH
Mary C. White, ScD, has served as chief of the Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch in CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control since 2002. In this position, Dr. White leads a multidisciplinary team that includes epidemiologists, economists, behavioral scientists, medical officers, statisticians, health communicators, and other public health professionals, and provides oversight and guidance for a large portfolio of applied research, surveillance, and science dissemination activities. The branch contributes data and scientific expertise in support of CDC programs and partners to advance national goals related to cancer prevention, the appropriate use of cancer screening tests, the increased cost-effectiveness of preventive services, improved quality of life after a cancer diagnosis, and reduced cancer health disparities.
Dr. White first joined CDC in 1989 as an epidemiologist in the Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects within the National Center for Environmental Health. She later served as acting chief of the Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch and then as chief of the Health Investigations Branch at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Prior to coming to CDC, she was a health scientist at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Washington, D.C., and an expert with the International Labor Organization in charge of an intervention to improve the nutritional status and working conditions of women factory workers in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Dr. White received her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester, a master of public health in epidemiology from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and a doctorate of science in epidemiology and occupational health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She has published and lectured widely on topics related to the control of asthma, cancer, and other chronic diseases, the risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances, and the interpretation of scientific evidence for public health. Dr. White has received numerous awards for both scientific achievement and leadership in management, including the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service. She is a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology, a Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Environmental Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
