Director, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD)

Coleen A. Boyle, PhD, MSHyg, serves as Director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at CDC. Dr. Boyle began her career at CDC in 1984 as part of a large effort to study the adverse health effects of exposure to Agent Orange, a herbicide used during the Vietnam War.  Following that project, Dr. Boyle joined CDC’s work in birth defects and developmental disabilities holding various positions of increasing responsibility until her appoint as Center Director in 2010.

Dr. Boyle’s interest and expertise span a number of areas related to child health and development.  She directed a major public health response on cochlear implants and risk of meningitis, resulting in the product recall of particular implant device.  She contributed widely to the field of newborn screening guiding CDC’s work in newborn hearing and congenital heart disorder screening and has served on the HHS Secretary’s Advisory committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborn and Children.  She has lead the development of CDC’s autism research and surveillance activities that have documented the changing prevalence of autism in the United States.

Dr. Boyle has twice received CDC’s highest award for scientific excellence, the Charles C. Shepard Award for outstanding scientific publication and has authored or co-authored many peer-reviewed and other scientific publications.