AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has hired a new state epidemiologist, more than a year after the position was vacated.
Dr. Siiri Bennett will begin the job July 20, according to a public health update from Maine CDC.
Bennett is a senior research scientist and medical data consultant in the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Washington in Seattle, the update states. She works for a center within that department that runs epidemiologic studies and clinical trials with an overall mission to “support studies that further scientific inquiry in areas that will ultimately impact public health,” according to its website. The center is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Bennett is involved in leading research into tuberculosis and cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV, according to the update.
She earned her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine at Mt. Auburn Hospital in Massachusetts, the update states.
The state epidemiologist is tasked with heading up Maine CDC’s work to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, track the causes and effect of diseases within the population and respond to outbreaks.
Maine has lacked a state epidemiologist since May 2014, when Dr. Stephen Sears resigned to take a position with the Veterans Affairs Maine Healthcare System.
Public health groups have criticized Gov. Paul LePage’s administration for staffing vacancies at Maine CDC, which also include open positions for a deputy state epidemiologist and public health nurses. The governor has proposed eliminating about 40 positions within the agency, or 11 percent of its workforce. Those positions already are vacant, according to administration officials.
“We are very pleased that someone has been hired and we’re excited to work with that person, but we remained critically concerned about the state of Maine CDC,” Tina Pettingill of the Maine Public Health Association said.
Bennett could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
