Jean O’Connor, JD, MPH
Email: jean.oconnor@alum.emory.edu
Mobile: 404-285-1300
Education
Doctor of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, expected May 2009
Doctor of Law, Emory University School of Law, Emory University, May 2001
Master of Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, May 2001
Bachelor of Science in Human Biology, Emory University, May 1998
Academic Experience
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Public Health, January 2004-present.
Courses taught include the spring 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 multi-disciplinary, two credit, traditional
graduate-level course entitled “Fundamentals of Public Health Law” and the fall 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 distance
learning section of the course taught online through the Career Master of Public Health program. Students include
physicians, lawyers, nurses, anthropologists, public health professionals. Other responsibilities include chairing thesis
committees, advising students, supervising independent study, and writing student recommendations.
Management and Leadership Experience
Associate Director of Policy, Office of Critical Information Integration, CDC, Feb 2008-present
Member of a team standing up the Office of Critical Information Integration and Exchange Program within the OD
of the National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases. Functioning as the ADP for the Office,
providing policy and public health subject matter expertise for the analysis of public health information, setting goals
and objectives for the establishment of the policy aspects of the office, handling privacy and confidentiality related
issues, meeting planning and evaluation. Staffing a task force within the Biosurveillance Sub-Committee of the CDC
Director’s Advisory Committee as well as drafting of several sub-sections of the US Government’s National Strategy
on BioSurveillance. Authoring articles and chapters on biosurveillance, privacy, and information sharing. Possess
HHS Top Secret clearance.
Director, International Research & Consultant, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, May 2007- March 2008
Interpreted and evaluated national, state, and local legislative tobacco control proposals for a variety of purposes,
including the development of protocols and guidelines for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Managed a policy research team of 3 staff to conduct research translation efforts for the Campaign’s Bloomberg
Initiative-funded work on creating tobacco-related policy change in 15 priority countries in the developing world.
Responsibilities include domestic and international legal analysis, drafting research materials, translating researching
findings for advocates and policymakers, managing contractors, and project and program planning.
Deputy Director, Center for Health Policy and Legislative Analysis, The MayaTech Corporation, Sept 2004-May 2007
State and federal public health and healthcare law, policy, and ethics consultant and project manager with strategic,
supervisory, leadership, financial management, and proposal writing responsibilities. Current and past projects for
federal, academic, and non-profit clients include:
 Project Manager, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Smoking and Health, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Smoking and Health, STATE Legislative Tracking System
and Clean Indoor Air Preemption Case Law Project
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Project Manager, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV and STD
Prevention, Partner Counseling Legal Assessment Project
Investigator, Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, Methamphetamine Precursor Law and
Policy Project
Senior Health Policy Analyst, National Cancer Institute, Health Promotion Research Branch, Division of
Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Evaluating Obesity/Nutrition Policies
Senior Health Policy Analyst University of Illinois at Chicago, Funded by a grant from the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation, ImpacTeen Policy Research Project
Senior Health Policy Analyst National Cancer Institute, Health Promotion Research Branch, Division of
Cancer Control and Population Sciences, State Cancer Legislative Database Information Dissemination
Project
Project Manager, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention
and Control, Traumatic Brain Injury Research Portfolio Assessment
Senior Health Policy Analyst, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control, Older Adult Falls Research Portfolio Assessment
Senior Health Policy Analyst, National Cancer Institute, Health Promotion Research Branch, Division of
Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Developing a Framework for Evaluating Physical Activity
Legislative Policies Project
Senior Health Policy Analyst, University of Illinois at Chicago, Funded by a grant from the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation, ImpacTeen Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment Quality Policy
Study
Senior Health Policy Analyst, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Smoking and
Health, Tobacco Appropriations Project
Health Policy Consultant, Sept 2003-Aug 2004
Provided assistance and policy consulting services to two primary clients. For the Executive Secretariat and Chief
Operating Officer of CDC/ATSDR on the implementation of the Director’s “New Ideas” Project intended to
transform the future of public health and CDC. For the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded Health
Assistance Partnership Project of Families USA on drafting recommendations for comments on federal regulations,
writing policy briefs, and providing technical assistance to state programs assisting the public with healthcare access
solutions related to private health insurance.
Health Policy and Legislative Attorney, Governor’s Office, State of Georgia, May 2001-Sept 2003
Director, State Planning Grant for the Uninsured, Governor’s Office, State of Georgia, May 2001-Sept 2003
Provided regulatory, legal, and policy advice to the Governor’s Consumers’ Insurance Advocate on health, public
health, and insurance issues impacting the citizens of the State of Georgia. Advocated and negotiated for consumers
in health insurance disputes. Wrote a consumer-oriented health insurance legislative agenda for the Governor,
Advocate, and Policy Director identifying needed changes in federal and state laws and drafted, revised, and
negotiated with opposing parties on the resulting Consumers’ Health Insurance Protection Act (Senate Bill 476).
Conducted legal research on HIPAA, ERISA, Medicare/Medicaid, and public health laws, wrote legal memoranda,
and worked with other attorneys to draft amicus briefs for Medigap risk ratio litigation. Wrote speeches and letters
on health law issues for the Advocate and represented the Advocate in hearings. Successfully authored and applied
for a grant from the federal government on behalf of the Governor’s Office. Promoted to Program Director and
created new office to manage a $1.3 million dollar grant to evaluate and plan legislative, regulatory, economic, and tax
solutions to health care access issues in Georgia. Responsibilities included preparing written data reports, supervising
data collection, commenting on legislation, and advising the Governor’s Office and other state agencies on legal and
health policy development. Duties also included supervising employees and contractors, relating complex legal and
statistical issues to the press, General Assembly, and stakeholders, speaking at events (e.g. public forums, televised
panelist, and conferences), and increasing Georgia’s visibility with federal health policy officials on healthcare access.
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Professional & Research Training
Law Clerk, Atlanta Legal Aid, AIDS and Cancer Unit, January 2001-May 2001
Law Clerk, CDC Office of Technology Transfer, August 2000-December 2000
Law Clerk, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia Office General Counsel, May 2000-August 2000
Law Clerk, DHHS Office of the General Counsel at CDC, August 1999-May 2000
Children’s Justice Act Research Fellow, May 1999-August 1999
Injury Control Research Assistant, Department of Emergency Medicine at Emory University, January 1997-May 1998
Howard Hughes Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow, May 1997-August 1997
Research Assistant, Yerkes Primate Center, August 1995-January 1997
Professional Service
President, Rollins School of Public Health Alumni Board, Oct 2008-present
National Board of Public Health Examiners Certification Exam Item Writer, 2008-2009
Association of Schools of Public Health DrPH Competencies Project Workgroup Committee Member, 2008
President-Elect, Rollins School of Public Health Alumni Board, Oct 2007-Oct 2008
Secretary, Rollins School of Public Health Alumni Board, Aug 2005-Sept 2006
Founding Board Member and Treasurer, Public Health Law Association, June 2002-June 2008
Board Member, Georgia Women’s Policy Group, September 2004-2007
Event Co-Chair, 2004 Georgia Women’s Policy Assembly, June 2004-November 2004
Peer-Review Activities
CDC Annual Chronic Disease Conference, 2008
Biosecure ISDS Pre-Conference Meeting Planning Committee, 2008
Nicotine and Tobacco Research Reviewer 2007-present
Preventing Chronic Disease Reviewer, 2005-present.
Bloomberg Grant Initiative Reviewer Round 2, 2007.
Bloomberg Grant Initiative Round 1, 2007.
Allan Rosenfeld Global Health Fellowship Selection, 2007.
2nd Annual PHLA Student Poster Session, 2006.
Academic Public Health Caucus APHA Annual Meeting, 2005.
1st Annual PHLA Student Poster Session, 2005.
Licensure and Certifications
State Bar of Georgia, Admitted November 2001
Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate, May 1996- May 2000
Georgia Emergency Medical Technician Basic, May 1996- May 2000
CPR Instructor, May 1997
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Honors and Awards
Emory University Scholar
Phi Sigma Tau Honor Society
Lambda Alpha Honor Society
Emory College Dean’s List
Selected Publications and Presentations
Publications
O’Connor JC. The federal role in biosurveillance: A policy perspective. In Press.
Rolka H, O’Connor JC, Walker D. Public Health Information Fusion for Situation Awareness. In Press.
Rolka H, O’Connor JC. Real-time public health biosurveillance: Systems and policy considerations. In
Infectious Disease Informatics and Biosurveillance: Research, Systems, and Case Studies. In Press.
McBride D, Terry-McElrath Y, Chriqui J, O’Connor J, Vanderwaal C. The relationship between state
methamphetamine precursor laws and trends in small toxic lab seizures. Criminology and Public Policy. In press.
Chriqui J, O’Connor JC, Eidson SKS. Making sense of the policy “black box” for public health evaluation purposes.
In press.
Chriqui J, Ribisl K, Wallace R, Williams R, O’Connor JC, el Arculli R. A comprehensive review of state laws
governing Internet and other delivery sales of cigarettes in the U.S.A. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2008 10(2):
253-265.
O’Connor JC, MacNeil A, Chriqui J, H Bates, M Tynan, Eidson SKS. Judicial decision-making, the public’s health,
and state preemption of local tobacco ordinances. Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics. 2008; 36(2):403-12.
O’Connor JC, Chriqui J, McBride D. Finding Lasting Legal Solutions to the Dual Epidemics of
Methamphetamine Production and Use. 82 North Dakota Law Review 1165, 2006.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Changes in State Smoking Restrictions in Private-Sector Worksites,
Restaurants, and Bars—United States, 1999-2004. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2005;54(26):649-653.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preemptive State Smoke-Free Indoor Air Laws—United States, 19992004. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2005;54(10):250-3.
O’Connor JC, McGowan AK, Curran J. The Public’s Health and the Law in the 21st Century. Journal of Law,
Medicine & Ethics. 2002 Fall; Suppl. 30(3): 210-5.
Todd KH, Heron SL, Thompson M, Dennis R, O'Connor J, Kellermann AL. Simple CPR: A Randomized,
Controlled Trial of Video Self-Instructional CPR Training in an African-American Church Congregation. Annals of
Emergency Medicine. 1999 Dec; 34(6):730-7.
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Technical Reports
O’Connor JC, Chriqui JF, McBride D, Vanderwaal C, Terry-McElrath Y. From Policies to Practice: State
Methamphetamine Precursor Control Policies. National Institute of Justice. In Press.
O’Connor JC. Briefing Paper for the Conference of Parties on Article 12 of the Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control. Framework Convention Alliance. February 2008.
McBride D, Terry-McElrath Y, Chriqui J, O’Connor J, Vanderwaal C. The relationship between state
methamphetamine precursor laws and trends in small toxic lab seizures. National Institute of Justice. November
2007; NCJ 223467.
Vanderwaal CJ, Bishop RM, McBride DC, Rosales K, Chirqui JF, O’Connor, JC, Terry-McElrath YM. Controlling
Methamphetamine Precursors: The View from the Trenches. National Institute of Justice. October 2007; NCJ
223480.
O’Connor J, Baker, C, Chriqui J. Traumatic Brain Injury Research Portfolio Assessment. Report submitted to the
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. June 2007.
O’Connor J, Wright-Schnapp T, Dooley S, Eidson SS, Lastadius L. Assessing State Legal Environments for HIV
Partner Services. Prepared for the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. January 2007.
Chriqui JF, Tynan M, O’Connor JC, Baker C. Local school district policy data collection and rating system: Methods
and results final report. Prepared for the Health Promotion Research Branch, National Cancer Institute. June 2006.
O’Connor J, Chriqui J. Older Adult Fall Prevention Research Portfolio Assessment. Report submitted to the
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. April 2006.
Chriqui J, Smith S, Scott W, O’Connor J. State outpatient substance abuse treatment policy study: Assessing the
incorporation of quality indicators into state policies. Report submitted to the ImpacTeen project, University of
Illinois at Chicago and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. March 2005.
O’Connor J. Interim Final Report for the Georgia State Planning Grant for the Uninsured. Submitted as the State
Project Director to the HRSA Office of Special Programs. August 2003.
Preliminary Findings: Health Insurance Coverage in Georgia. Technical report series for statewide and State Service
Delivery Regions 1-12 data prepared for the Georgia State Planning Grant for the Uninsured program. April 2003.
Employer Survey Findings: New Information on the Cost and Availability of Employer Sponsored Health Insurance
in Georgia. Prepared for the Georgia State Planning Grant for the Uninsured program. April 2003.
Summary of Findings: The Primary Care Safety Net in Georgia. Prepared for the Georgia State Planning Grant for
the Uninsured program. April 2003.
Grant Data Collection Methods Overview. Prepared for the Georgia State Planning Grant for the Uninsured
program. March 2003.
Peer-Reviewed Presentations
McBride DC, Chriqui JF, O’Connor JC, VanderWaal CJ, Terry-McElrath YM, Mattson K. Controlling
Methamphetamine Precursors: From Policy to Practice- An Overview. NIJ Conference, 22 July 2008; Washington,
DC.
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O’Connor JC, Chriqui JF, McBride D, Eidson SS, Baker C. Legal approaches to addressing the public health
threat of domestic methemaphetamine and Use. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting: 2007 Nov 35; Washington, DC.
Vanderwaal C, Bishop RM, McBride DC, Chriqui JF, O’Connor JC, Rosales K. “Meth labs have virtually
dried up in our state”: Impact and policy perspectives from state key informants. American Public Health
Association Annual Meeting: 2007 Nov 3-5; Washington, DC.
Tynan MA. O’Connor JC, Eidson SS, el Arculli R. Smoke-free air in state correctional facilities: What is the law?
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting: 2007 Nov 3-5; Washington, DC.
Yvonne Terr-McElrath, McBride DC, Chriqui JF, O’Connor JC. Relationship between state precursor laws
and methamphetamine small toxic lab seizures. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting: 2007 Nov 3-5;
Washington, DC.
VanderWaal C, Bishop R, McBride D, Rosales K, Chriqui J, O’Connor JC. The middle-aged legislators who went
smurfing: Impact and policy perspectives from key informants in states with methamphetamine precursor laws.
Addiction Health Services Research Conference. 2007 Oct 15-17; Athens, GA.
O’Connor JC, Chriqui JF, Eidson SS, Baker C, McBride DC. State methamphetamine precursor and clandestine
manufacture prevention policies and their public health relevance. American Public Health Association Annual
Meeting: 2006 Nov 8; Boston, MA.
Chriqui JF, O’Connor JC. Variance in state methamphetamine laws. American Society of Criminology Meeting: 2006
Nov 4; Los Angeles, CA.
Chriqui JF, Tworek C, O’Connor JC, Tynan M, Giovino G, Chaloupka FJ. A 15-year state smoke-free air legislative
retrospective: Where do we stand? 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health: 2006 July 18; Washington, D.C.
McBride DC, Chriqui JF, O’Connor JC, Eidson SS, & Baker C. Controlling Methamphetamine
Precursors: From Policy to Practice. National Institute of Justice Conference: 2006 July 17; Washington, D.C.
O’Connor J, Steeg S, Richards E. Translating Science into Public Health Practice: The Roles of Legislation and
Regulation. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting: 2005 December 13; Philadelphia, PA.
Chriqui J, O’Connor J, Edison SS. Challenges and Opportunities in Measuring the Policy “Black Box” for Use in
Public Health Evaluation Studies. Joint 2005 Canadian Evaluation Society/American Evaluation Association
Conference: 2005, October 28; Toronto, Canada.
Cude BJ, Goldsmith E, Ketsche P, Kitt K, O’Connor J. The Roller-Coaster Ride of Insurance Regulation: Where’s
the Research? American Council of Consumer Interests Annual Meeting: 2003 April 2-5; Atlanta, GA.
Todd KH, Heron SL, Thompson M, Dennis R, O'Connor J, Kellermann AL. Simple CPR: A Randomized,
Controlled Trial of Video Self-Instructional CPR Training in an African-American Church Congregation.
Southeastern SAEM Regional Meeting: 1998, March 13-15; Atlanta, GA.
Selected Invited Presentations
O’Connor J, Rolka H. CDC’s Biosurveillance Initiatives. International Society for Disease Surveillance Public
Health Committee: 2008 Oct 6; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J, Chriqui J. Traumatic Brain Injury Research Portfolio Assessment Findings. National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control: 2007, June 18; Atlanta, GA.
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O’Connor JC. Finding Lasting Legal Solutions to the Dual Epidemics of Methamphetamine Production and Use.
North Dakota Law School Methamphetamine Symposium, March 28 and 29; Grand Forks, ND.
O’Connor J. HIV PCRS Legal Issues Review. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV PCRS Revised
Guidelines Stakeholder Consultation: 2006 November 16; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J, Chriqui J. Older Adult Falls Research Portfolio Assessment Findings. National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control: 2006, May 18; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J, Eidson S, Tynan M, MacNeil A, Vaughn G, Chriqui J. Understanding the role of the courts in tobacco
control policies: Preemption of local smoke-free tobacco control ordinances. Office of Smoking and Health, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention: 2006, May 12; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J. Access to Healthcare: Is What Is Good for the Bottom Line Good for Women’s Health? Georgia
Women’s Policy Assembly: 2004 Nov 19; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J. The Healthcare Cost Crisis in Georgia. Invited presentation given at the Georgia Labor Management
Conference: 2004 Sept 22; Gainesville, GA.
O’Connor J. Georgia’s Healthcare Access Crisis. Atlanta Interfaith Broadcaster’s IN FOCUS: 2003 Apr 13; Atlanta,
GA.
O’Connor J. How am I Going to Pay for My Healthcare? American Diabetes Association University: 2003 Apr 7;
Atlanta, GA.
Ketsche P, Custer W, O’Connor J, Mintz A. Findings from the Georgia Healthcare Coverage Project. Presentation:
2003 March 11; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J. Pursuing Healthcare Access Goals in a Changed Political Environment. Health Resources Services
Administration State Planning Grants Grantee Meeting: 2003 March 9; Washington, DC.
O’Connor J. Who Are the Uninsured? Georgia’s RWJ Sponsored Cover the Uninsured Week Panel: 2003 March 14;
Atlanta, GA.
Steinberg CW, O’Connor J. Insurance Access to Healthcare and the Consumers’ Insurance Advocate. Georgia
Women’s Policy Assembly: 2002, Nov 9; Atlanta, GA.
O’Connor J. Invited Presentation on Medicare and Health Insurance Coverage for Diabetes. American Diabetes
Association University: 2002, Nov 3; Athens, GA.
O’Connor J, Steinberg CW. Update on ERISA and Access to Health Insurance Coverage and Georgia Senate Bill
476. Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education Healthcare Seminar: 2002 Sept 12; Atlanta, Georgia.
Poster Presentations
Armstrong L, Veatch N, O’Connor J, McGoldrick D, Kuehne J. Using Public Opinion Research to Facilitate the
Adoption of Evidence-based Tobacco Control Policy: An Example from Kenya. SRNT, 2008 Feb; Portland, OR.
Baker, C., Laestadius, L., O’Connor, J. State Sexual Assault Awareness Legislation: Changing Attitudes and Creating
Support Networks for Women and Children. Poster presented at the annual conference of the Association of
Maternal and Child Health Programs. 2007, March 6-8: Arlington, VA.
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Tynan M, O’Connor JC, Chriqui JF, Giovino G, Chaloupka FJ. Comprehensive smoking bans: Effectively protecting
workers from environmental tobacco smoke. 2006 National Environmental Public Health Conference: 2006, Dec;
Atlanta, GA.
Chriqui J, Tworek C, Tynan M, O’Connor JC, Giovino G. A 15-year state smokefree air legislative retrospective:
Where do we stand? 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health: 2006, July 13; Washington, D.C.
O’Connor, JC, Eidson S, Tynan, M, MacNeil, A, Vaughn G, Chriqui JF. Understanding the role of the courts in
tobacco control policies: Preemption of local smoke-free indoor air ordinances. 13th World Conference on Tobacco
OR Health: 2006, July 13; Washington, D.C.
Tucker A, Freudenwald J, O’Connor J, el Arculli R. State Tobacco Control Laws and School Health. American
Public Health Association Annual Meeting: 2005, Dec 13; Philadelphia, PA.
Todd KH, Heron SL, Thompson M, Dennis R, O'Connor J, Kellermann AL. Preliminary Findings From A
Randomized, Controlled Trial of Video Self-Instructional CPR Training in an African-American Church
Congregation. Emory University Howard Hughes Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Fellows
Meeting: 1997, July 23; Atlanta, GA.
Legislation/Regulations Written
Georgia Senate Bill, Georgia’s Consumer Health Insurance Protection Act, 2002
Georgia House Bill, Georgia Diabetes Treatment, Education and Supplies Mandate Act, 2002
Georgia Department of Insurance Small Group Health Insurance Rate Regulations, 2002
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