Karen Hacker Named Inaugural Policy Fellow in Residence at Rollins

Karen Hacker, MD, has been named the inaugural Policy Fellow in Residence at Rollins. This program, launched by the Department of Health Policy and Management, brings public health leaders into close collaboration with faculty, students, and researchers throughout the one-year term. Fellows will share real-world experience, mentor future leaders, and spark applied research that strengthens health systems, improves access, and shapes evidence-based policy.

Hacker recently retired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she served as director of the National Association of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion overseeing a $1.4 billion budget and about 1,000 staff. Previously, she served as the Allegheny County Health Department director in Pittsburgh and as executive director of the Institute for Community Health in Massachusetts. She also held faculty positions at Boston University and Harvard University.  

Hacker brings decades of experience in public health practice and leadership and has held key positions in city and state health departments. She has advanced policy initiatives ranging from e-cigarette restrictions and lead screening mandates for children to expanded naloxone access and increased pollution fees for industrial emitters. She has an extensive bibliography with over 100 publications.

“We are so fortunate to have Dr. Hacker join us as our first policy fellow at Rollins," said Stephen Patrick, MD, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management. “Dr. Hacker brings to Rollins a unique set of skills and expertise crafted through a career of local and national public health leadership. I am thrilled to have her join us in this role.”

The fellowship allows Hacker the opportunity to bridge research, policy, and practice to improve public health outcomes. In particular, she plans to work with large health datasets to examine trends in chronic disease—particularly relevant with the current MAHA research agenda—and health care access. She will also collaborate with faculty on health services research projects, particularly those focused on emerging technologies such as wearables and self-monitored blood pressure tools to facilitate healthy lifestyles, and those working on social determinants of health.  

Due to her leadership background in federal service, she’s also interested in exploring ways to support researchers and practitioners in the field by expanding resources and connecting with new funding streams and opportunities.  

“A lot of my research interests are focused on how communities pull together to create change—addressing issues like social determinants of health, collective action, and understanding community-level characteristics,” says Hacker. “As I step into this new role, I’m particularly excited about student mentorship and preparing the next generation of public health professionals to translate research and data into strengthening our public health systems.”