About Heidi Westermann
Heidi Westermann is a Director of Public Health Systems and Planning at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) where she oversees ASTHO’s systems improvement portfolio of learning communities, capacity building, and technical assistance projects in support of performance improvement, accreditation, and planning. Since 2012, she has taught part-time in the UVM public health program, designing, teaching, and adapting an online course in Public Health Surveillance. Previously, Heidi worked with the Vermont Department of Health as the Director of Performance Management for 6 years and an epidemiologist for 2 years. Heidi was also a CSTE/CDC Applied Epidemiology Fellow in HIV Surveillance at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Heidi’s love and commitment to data stem from her training in chronic disease epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health and the interdisciplinary study of science, technology, and society at Vassar College. Heidi is a Vermont native who loves travel and any size, shape, or type of national park to balance her small state roots.
Courses
- PH100 Careers in Public Health
- PH315 Public Health Surveillance
Articles & Publications
Laraque F, Mavronicholas H, Terzian A,Gortakowski HW. 2013. Disparities in Community Viral Load among HIV-infected persons in NYC. AIDS; 27: 2129-2139.
Mancuso CA, Choi TN, Westermann H, Wenderoth S, Hollenberg JP, Well MT, et al. 2012. A randomized trial to increase physical activity in asthma patients through positive affect and self affirmation. Arch Intern Med.172:337-343.
Shepard CW, Gortakowski HW, Nasrallah H, Cutler BH, Begier EM. 2011. Using GIS-based density maps of HIV surveillance data to identify previously unrecognized geographic foci of HIV burden in an urban epidemic. Public Health Reports. 126: 741-749.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2011. HIV Transmitted from a Living Organ Donor — New York City, 2009. MMWR. 60:297-301.
Westermann H, Choi TN, Briggs WM, Mancuso CA, Charlson ME. 2008. Obesity and exercise habits of asthmatic patients. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 101: 488-494.
Choi TN, Westermann H, Sayles W, Mancuso CA, Charlson ME. 2008. Beliefs about asthma medications: Patients perceive both benefits and drawbacks. J Asthma 45: 409-414.
Mancuso CA, Westermann H, Choi TN, Wenderoth S, Briggs WM, Charlson ME. 2008. Psychological and somatic symptoms in screening for depression in asthma patients. J Asthma 45: 221-225.
Mancuso CA, Choi TN, Westermann H, Briggs WM, Wenderoth S, Charlson ME. 2007. Measuring physical activity in asthma patients: two-minute walk test, repeated chair rise test, and self-reported energy expenditure. J Asthma 44: 333-340.
Community Engagement
My community engagement takes a couple of forms. First, I am not in academia full time. As the Director of Public Health Systems and Planning at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, I spend most of my time directly supporting leaders and staff in governmental public health. I’m engaged in numerous committees and initiatives through this work including the Public Health Performance Improvement Network, the Public Health Improvement Training, in support of the Public Health Accreditation Board, and in providing direct technical assistance to states, territories, and freely-associated states. Additionally, I serve as a Medical Reserve Corps volunteer in Vermont and, in 2021, was the Vaccination Branch Director for 90 days as part of Vermont’s response to COVID-19. Finally, I mentor and provide career planning support to both Vassar College and Yale School of Public Health students interested in the field.
