Carrie Shapiro-Mendoza

Carrie Shapiro-Mendoza, PhD, MPH is an epidemiologist and public health leader with more than 30 years of experience that bridges clinical care, global health service, and federal leadership in maternal and child health. She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. Until April 2025, she served as Chief of the Field Support Branch in CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, where she led multidisciplinary teams to strengthen reproductive, maternal, and infant health through surveillance, applied research, and partnerships at national and global levels.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Shapiro-Mendoza worked as a clinical research nurse at the National Institutes of Health, a nurse in the U.S. Air Force, a rural health nurse in the Peace Corps, and a research coordinator on the U.S.–Mexico border. These experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to improving maternal and infant health.

At CDC, she held key leadership roles in maternal and infant mortality surveillance in the U.S. and globally. She pioneered national initiatives on sudden unexpected infant death and sudden death in the young, establishing national standards that continue to shape prevention strategies and inform policy. She also led responses during the Zika virus emergency and, later, the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening maternal health data systems and supporting school safety initiatives. Internationally, she expanded the reach of public health surveillance by advancing maternal mortality monitoring across Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

A nationally recognized expert in pediatric and perinatal health epidemiology, Dr. Shapiro-Mendoza has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and MMWRs on topics ranging from sudden unexpected infant death and preterm birth to COVID-19 and Zika-related birth outcomes. Her research has deepened understanding of infant and maternal mortality, health equity, and emergency preparedness, while ensuring that epidemiologic findings are translated into policy and practice. Her work has informed legislation, pediatric guidelines, and CDC recommendations. She continues to advise policymakers, professional organizations, and health departments.

She serves on the editorial boards of Public Health Reports and the Maternal and Child Health Journal and has served as a federal liaison to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Task Force on SIDS. Her contributions have been recognized with awards for scientific excellence and leadership, including the Distinguished Researcher Award from the International Society for the Prevention of Perinatal and Infant Death and the APHA’s Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy Award.

Dr. Shapiro-Mendoza holds a PhD and MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a BS in Nursing from the University of Vermont.