OMB No. 0925-0001/0002 (Rev. 08/12 Approved Through 8/31/2015)
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FIVE PAGES.
NAME: S. Kay Carpender
eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login):
POSITION TITLE: Director
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing,
include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable. Add/delete rows as necessary.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
Southwest Missouri State University
University of Missouri-Columbia
DEGREE
(if
applicable)
Completion
Date
MM/YYYY
Bachelor of
Science
Masters
Level
Course
Work
08/1971
Psychology
12/1976
Counseling Psychology
FIELD OF STUDY
NOTE: The Biographical Sketch may not exceed five pages. Follow the formats and instructions below.
A. Personal Statement
As the Assistant Director of both the Office of Special Programs and the USA Center for Rural Public Health
Preparedness at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health (SPH), I am well-positioned to
provide continuity, leadership and expertise to this project. For 14 years, I have managed a wide range of
public health practice programs and projects at SPH, including three national public health workforce
development training programs: the HRSA-funded Texas Public Health Training Center, the CDC-funded
Center for Public Health Preparedness, as well as the CDC-funded Preparedness and Emergency Response
Learning Center (PERLC). In these roles, I have led a team that provides technical assistance, training and
tools on public health and public health emergency planning and response to the broader public health
workforce at the local, state and tribal level. During this time, I have developed strong working relationships
with partners at all levels of public health in Texas, as well as with the South Dakota Department of Health and
the leadership within several Sioux Tribes. I serve as the point person for all programmatic and contract
discussions with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Health Emergency Preparedness and
Response Section, the DSHS Community Health Worker Program, the South Dakota Department of Health, and
the Cheyenne River, Crow Creek, Lower Brule and Oglala Sioux Tribes.
In addition to program, contract and development responsibilities, I participate actively as a facilitator of
community-based roundtables and public health emergency exercises, providing technical assistance and
training to the broader public health workforce, which serves rural and under-served populations, such as the
Sioux Tribal Nations in South Dakota and rural Texas counties. I co-developed and implemented the Texas
Training Initiative for Emergency Response (T-TIER), a self-supporting, continuing education initiative and the
first such training offered in the state. This training was adapted and expanded nationally into USA-TIER and
delivered to other rural states, including South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Maine. Following Hurricane Ike, I
co-created a registry to follow residents of the Texas Gulf Coast who were impacted by the storm. I am
currently involved in providing technical assistance and tools on mitigation assessment, planning,
implementation and evaluation to jurisdictions in Texas at the local and regional level, as well as developing
and delivering a series of Ebola tabletop exercises within the state of Texas. I have co-authored publications and
given presentations on a variety of public health preparedness issues, as well as serving on a number of national
work groups dealing with rural emergency preparedness and pandemic influenza.
B. Positions and Honors
2011 – Present
2005 – Present
2005 – Present
2002 – 2005
1999 – 2002
1992 – 1999
1984 – 1986
1979 – 1982
1977 – 1979
Director, Training and Education Collaborative System Preparedness and Emergency
Response Learning Center (TECS-PERLC), College Station, Texas
Assistant Director, USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness, School of Rural
Public Health, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas
Assistant Director, Office of Special Programs, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M
University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas
Project Manager, Office of Special Programs, School of Rural Public Health,
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas. Manager
training programs for the Texas Public Health Training Center and the Texas
Training Initiative for Emergency Response (T-TIER)
Managing Editor, CVD Prevention, an international journal of cardiovascular
prevention. Futura Publishing Company, New York
Field Manager, Project HeartBeat, Department of Epidemiology, School of
Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Field Coordinator, Retrospective Epidemiological Investigation of Leukemia,
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Texas
Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Field Coordinator, Retrospective Epidemiological Investigation of Lung and
Laryngeal Cancer, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health,
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Curriculum Coordinator, Medical Student Course, Department of Preventive
Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch,
Galveston, Texas
C. Contribution to Science
Following 9/11 and the anthrax exposures in 2001, it was apparent that there was a disconnect between public
health and emergency management response. Preparedness training that provided the public health workforce
and emergency management information about the role of public health or an opportunity to work together
during an incident that impacted the public’s health was not available in the state of Texas. To address this gap,
I co-developed a 5-day training for both public health, emergency management, first responders and local
elected officials. The training included information on CBRNE topics, risk communication, incident command
systems, and SNS, concluding with a culminating tabletop exercise. The program was well-received and was
adapted and delivered in other states including South Dakota, Maine, and New Hampshire.
Quiram, B., Carpender, K., & Pennel, C. (2005). The Texas Training Initiative for Emergency Response
(T-TIER): An effective learning strategy to prepare the broader audience of health professionals. Journal
of Public Health Management and Practice, (11) 6 (Supplement), S83 – S89.
Much of the early public health response effort focused on urban populations, but lessons learned from both
Hurricanes Rita and Katrina illustrated the need for planning and preparedness efforts to focus on rural
communities, as well. This message was brought home again during planning for the pandemic influenza.
Developing a strategy to engage rural communities in the preparedness effort was important. These publications
address this gap and the strategies to address rural public health preparedness at the local level.
Carpender, S.K., Campbell, P.H., Quiram, B.J., Frances, J., & Artzberger, J.J. (2006). Urban evacuation
and rural America: Lessons learned from Hurricane Rita. Public Health Reports, 121(6), 775-779.
PMCID: PMC 1781922
Pennel, C.L., Carpender, S.K., Quiram, B.J. (2008). Rural Health Roundtables: A strategy for
collaborative engagement in and between rural communities [Electronic version]. Rural and Remote
Health, 8(4):1054.
Artzberger, J.J., Carpender, S.K., Griffith, J.M., Pennel, C.L., & Quiram, B.J. (2009). The Pandemic
Influenza Planning Project: An evaluation of strategies for engaging rural community partners. Texas
Public Health Journal, 61(4), 48-51.
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an important component of the broader public health workforce. With
only 65 of the 254 counties in Texas having local health departments, engaging the CHW network is critical to
reaching at-risk populations about public health planning, response, and recovery along the Texas-Mexico
border.
Halvorson, K.T., Carpender, K., Duchicela, M., & Scott, D.M. (2006). Promotores and Community
Health Workers: Protecting Communities Against Infectious Disease. American Journal of Infection
Control. Vol. 34, Issue 5, Pages E62-E63.
Our Office of Special Programs has a 16 year history of working with the Texas Department of State Health
Services. In particular, during the last 10 years, we have developed a strong collaborative relationship with the
Preparedness Section and have worked closely with their staff to incorporate tools, technical assistance, and
academic perspective to support the PHEP capabilities. This article showcases the work we have done to
support the Texas state-wide public health mitigation planning process leveraging funding from the PERLC and
PHEP funding and identifies strategies that can be adapted and implemented in other states.
Griffith, J.M., Carpender, S.K., Artzberger Crouch, J., & Quiram, B.J. (2014). A public health
mitigation planning process. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 20(5) Supplement,
S69-S75.
D. Research Support
Federally-Supported:
5U90TP000408
Quiram (PI)
09/2013 – 09/2015
CDC Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center
The purpose of this program is to provide public health emergency preparedness competency-based training and
technical assistance to the public health workforce. Role: Director. Has responsibility for the overall operation
of the TECS-PERLC program operations and integration of the consortium activities. Coordinates with partners
and other agencies, coordinates Advisory Committee activities, participates in network activities, and shares
lessons learned, best practices and training plans, products and materials within the PERLC.
5UB6HP20188-03-00
HRSA Public Health Training Center
Quiram (PI)
08/2013 – 09/2014
The purpose of this program is to assess the learning needs of the public health workforce; provide accessible
training; and work with organizations to meet other strategic planning, education, and resource needs.
Role: Director. Serve as the SPH point person for all TPHTC activities among the three schools of public
health within the consortium. Supervise all personnel and ensures delivery of all products/trainings/TA.
1U90TO0000408
Quiram (PI)
09/2005 – 08/2010
CDC Center for Public Health Preparedness
The purpose of this program was to train public health professionals to deal with bioterrorism, emerging
infectious diseases, and environmental threats. Role: Director. Has responsibility for the overall operation of the
CPHP program operations. Coordinate with partners and other stakeholders, coordinate Advisory Committee
activities, participate in network activities, and share lessons learned, best practices and training plans, products
and materials within the CPHP network. Serve on workgroups as identified by the funding source.
Non-Federally Supported:
Texas Department of State Health Services
Quiram (PI)
2013-15
High Consequence Infectious Disease Tabletop Exercises
Purpose: To design and conduct tabletop exercises for each of the eight public health regions across Texas with
the goal of increasing awareness and importance of regional planning for responding to High Consequence
Infectious Diseases. Director: Oversee all aspects of the project, supervise personnel, assist in development of
exercises, serve as facilitator of exercises, and serve as liaison between SPH and the funding sponsor.
Texas Department of State Health Services
Quiram (PI)
2013-15
Mitigation Implementation Planning Project
Purpose: First, to introduce and engage PHEP contacts in the Mitigation Planning Project, to monitor and report
on the MPP, and provide technical assistance related to the MPP. The second goal is to develop and launch an
MPP Data Management System to support Central Office, Regional Managers and PHEP Contractors. Role:
Director. Oversee all aspects of the project, supervise personnel, and serve as liaison between SPH and the
funding sponsor.
Texas Department of State Health Services
Quiram (PI)
2012-13
Region 6/5S Hazard Risk Assessment
Purpose: Complete county profiles using data from the Texas Tool for Hazard Risk, develop draft mitigation
plans and possible interventions, and provide summary reports for each county in HSR 6/5S, as well as provide
a summary profile for Health Service Region 6/5S. Role: Director. Coordinates all components of the project
deliverables and supervise report writing and personnel. Provides TA where appropriate.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Quiram (PI)
2012-13
H-RAMP: Hazard Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plans
Purpose: Complete the Texas Tool for Hazard Risk, develop draft mitigation plans and possible interventions,
and provide summary reports for the 38 counties of Health Service Region 2/3 that are not part of the DFW
MSA. Role: Director. Oversee all aspects of the project, supervise personnel, and serve as liaison between SPH
and the funding sponsor.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Quiram (PI)
2013
Facility Preparedness Response Survey
Purpose: 1) To develop and administer on-line and telephone surveys to assess the preparedness readiness level
of Texas Department of State Health Services facilities partners, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and day care
centers. 2) To provide qualitative and quantitative analysis of survey data and prepare summary report of
findings. Role: Director. Oversee all aspects of the project to ensure deliverables are met and reported;
supervise all personnel; and coordinate between SPH, sub-contractors and the funding sponsor.