Leadership

Lynn Eberly

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

612-624-1436
leberly@umn.edu
Faculty page

Marizen Ramirez

Associate Dean for Research

612-624-3143
mramirez@umn.edu
Faculty page

Elizabeth Wattenberg

Associate Dean of Education and Student Engagement

612-626-0184
watte004@umn.edu
Faculty page

Tamara Hink

Interim Chief Finance Officer

hink@umn.edu

Bruce Alexander

Head, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

612-625-7934
balex@umn.edu
Faculty page

Jean Abraham

Head, Division of Health Policy and Management

612-625-4375
abrah042@umn.edu
Faculty page

Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

Head, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health

612-624-0880
neuma011@umn.edu
Faculty page

Read more about Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

As Head of the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer has overall responsibility for ensuring that the division’s research is addressing problems of public health concern and being translated into action, and that its teaching program is highly relevant and applicable to the division’s mission of building a healthier future for all. She is dedicated to meeting the needs of the public through research, training, and outreach.

Neumark-Sztainer’s research focuses on the prevention and reduction of weight-related problems, including obesity, poor dietary intake, inadequate physical activity, disordered eating behaviors, and body dissatisfaction. Her qualitative, epidemiological, and intervention research has primarily focused on young people from ethnically/racially diverse and low-income backgrounds. Neumark-Sztainer has received numerous awards for her research, including her  recent induction into the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s Academy for Excellence in Health Research.

Joseph Koopmeiners

Division of Biostatistics

612-624-7486
koopm007@umn.edu
Faculty page

Read more about Joseph Koopmeiners

Joseph Koopmeiners is Head of the Division of Biostatistics, which focuses on the development of statistical methods for biomedical research and collaborates with University research partners on projects involving HIV/AIDS, heart and lung disease, and cancer, among many other public health challenges. Division faculty, students, and staff are involved in over 100 research grants and contracts totaling more than $150 million.

Thai Nguyen

Director of Human Resources

612-624-7196
nguy1517@umn.edu

Kablia Thao

Interim Chief Development Officer

thao0245@umn.edu

Sarah Bjorkman

Director of Communications

612-624-6708
bjor0180@umn.edu

Read more about Sarah Bjorkman

Sarah Bjorkman has served as the Director of Communications at the School of Public Health (SPH) since 2017, where she leads all communications and marketing functions, including brand strategy, public relations, executive and philanthropic communications, and social media. She guides a team of skilled professionals as they increase the school’s visibility and support the school’s mission by communicating the value and impact of public health.

Sarah joined the School of Public Health in 2014 as the Marketing Director, leading the school’s brand transformation and linking the school more closely to its core values. Prior to joining SPH, Sarah managed brand and internal communications at the University of Minnesota Extension. She also previously worked in the private sector, providing education, technology, and entrepreneurial solutions to estate planning attorneys.

Lauren L. Jones

Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

612-624-9970
lljones@umn.edu

Read more about Lauren Jones

Lauren Jones is the director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Lauren has worked at SPH since 2017. She believes in speaking truth to power and centering the marginalized. Lauren provides leadership and oversight for the DEI activities across the school, including strategic planning and implementation, training, and programming. She helps the school to operationalize its values by working with administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. She has a bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University, a master’s degree from Old Dominion University, and is working on a PhD at the University of Minnesota. Lauren is a native Chicagoan and currently lives in Minneapolis with her dog, Jinx.

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