Executive Leadership and Expert Bios

Karin Mack, PhD

Associate Director for Science, Division of Analysis, Research, and Practice Integration

Areas of Expertise

• Prescription drug overdose prevention
• Healthy and safe homes
• Injury data and surveillance
• Population level change and health

Karin Mack, PhD, is the Associate Director for Science (ADS) for the Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration (DARPI) in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). As the ADS, she provides leadership to DARPI management and staff on scientific activities and research methodologies. Her research activities focus primarily on the topics of prescription drug overdose prevention, population level change to reduce injuries, and healthy and safe homes.

Dr. Mack received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Socioeconomics from James Madison College of Michigan State University, her Master of Science and Doctoral degrees in Sociology (Demography, and Gender, Work, and Family) from the University of Maryland, College Park. In 1997, Dr. Mack began her career at CDC in NCCDPHP as an Epidemiologist with the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). She joined NCIPC in 2003 as a Senior Behavioral Scientist for the Home & Recreation Team where she worked on fall prevention, healthy and safe homes, and child injury prevention. She was part of the Prescription Drug Overdose Team that was formed in late 2012 to address the growing epidemic of drug overdoses.

Dr. Mack has authored or coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, government publications, and book chapters and has given over 100 presentations. In addition to her work at CDC, she is an adjunct faculty member in Emory University’s Sociology Department.