Meet the Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS)

Dr. Susan Gregurick was appointed Associate Director for Data Science and the Director of ODSS in September 2019. Under Dr. Gregurick’s leadership and guided by the NIH’s Strategic Plan for Data Science, ODSS leads and coordinates catalytic data science activities in scientific, technical, and operational programs in collaboration with the NIH institutes, centers, and offices.

Read Dr. Gregurick’s full bio.

Dr. Belinda Seto was appointed deputy director of the ODSS in January 2020. A former deputy director of the National Eye Institute and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position. After earning her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Purdue University, Dr. Seto completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Stadtman Lab of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. She researched hepatitis B and vaccine development at the FDA. She oversaw the analysis and reporting of NIH grants data and trends through the Office of Extramural Research. Her experience in database management, analysis and extramural grants policies led her to serve on the NIH Scientific Data Council and the Scientific Data Policy Council.

Dr. Laura Biven is the data science technical lead for ODSS. In this role she is responsible for strategic planning, coordination, and oversight in cloud computing, platform interoperability, and bringing together the computer science and biomedical communities. Before joining the NIH, Laura spent 12 years at the Department of Energy, where she led strategic efforts in data management and data science including the development of the department-wide data management plan requirements, a new stewardship model for high-valued public data repositories, and new research avenues to better leverage DOE data and advance AI. Prior to joining DOE, Laura was an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, serving first in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and then at the Department of State. Laura completed her higher education in the United Kingdom; she holds a MSci in math and physics from the University of Bristol and a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the University of Warwick.

Dr. Vivian Ota Wang currently applies her expertise in racial identity, community engagement, and research participant protections to data science as the policy and COVID activities lead for ODSS. Previously, she was the deputy director of the National Cancer Institute’s Office of Data Sharing in the Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology and a program director for data access and sharing and the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Research Program at the National Human Genome Research Institute. Vivian also developed public engagement and ELSI guidance for nanoscience and nanotechnology at the National Science and Technology Council under the Bush and Obama administrations. Prior to joining the NIH, Vivian was a genetic counselor at the University of Colorado and held tenure-track faculty positions at three universities. She received a B.A. in biology from Colorado College, a M.S. in genetic counseling from the University of Colorado, and a MPhil and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Columbia University.

Dr. Fenglou Mao is the ODSS project manager of the NIH Science and Technology Research Infrastructure for Discovery, Experimentation, and Sustainability (STRIDES) Initiative. Prior to joining the office, he was a data scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases focusing on portfolio analysis and project management. Before joining NIH, Fenglou was a bioinformatician in the Biotechnology Center in University of Wisconsin-Madison and an assistant research scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia. He received his B.S. in 1996 and his Ph.D. in 2001 in physical chemistry from Peking University.

Dr. Yanqin “Sarah” Yang is the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Data Hub program director for ODSS and is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the activities of the RADx Data Hub Development Team and all RADx Program Data Coordination Centers. Sarah also serves as the executive secretary for the Sequence Read Archive Working Group of the NIH Council of Councils. Before joining ODSS, Sarah served as a senior bioinformatician at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for 10 years. Prior to joining NHLBI, Sarah spent 12 years at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as a bioinformatician and a research specialist. Sarah has a M.S. in bioinformatics from Johns Hopkins University and received her M.D. from Shandong Medical University.

Dr. Alyssa Tonsing-Carter is a Health Science Policy Analyst conducting program analysis and evaluation for ODSS. In this role, she is responsible for analyzing budget, performance, and output data to evaluate program productivity and impact of the implementation activities for the NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science. Prior to joining ODSS, Alyssa worked on clinical trials policy in the NIH Office of Science Policy, initially as a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow. Prior to joining NIH, she was the program manager of the University of Illinois at Chicago/NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research focused on pre-clinical and clinical studies of botanical dietary supplement safety. Alyssa has a B.S. in biology from the University of Dayton and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Indiana University in Indianapolis.

Dr. Allissa Dillman leads data science outreach and teaching efforts for ODSS with a focus on lowering the barriers of entry for data science by building events that offer equitable access for all. She is part-time with ODSS and part-time with CIT supporting STRIDES training activities. She was previously the biomedical data science outreach coordinator for NCBI. Allissa received her Ph.D. in computational neuroscience as part of the graduate partnership program between NIH and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden in 2014. She received her B.S in 2008 in biomedical sciences from St. Cloud State University. She has contributed to over 50 scientific publications and has a long-standing research interest in bioinformatic tools for analysis of both human samples and model systems.

Dr. Allison Dennis is a scientific program manager and technical lead overseeing ODSS initiatives in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), including multi-disciplinary efforts to improve the AI/ML-readiness of biomedical and health data and workforce development initiatives. Prior to joining the office, she was a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, where she helped improve access to health data for research through the development and implementation of data standards. Allison has nearly a decade of experience conducting data-driven biomedical research as part of the NIH Intramural Research Program. She has B.S. degrees in biology and biochemistry from the University of Maryland and completed her Ph.D. in biology as part of the graduate partnership program between NIH and Johns Hopkins University.

Elaine O. Nsoesie is the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD) program lead for the ODSS. She is also an assistant professor at Boston University School of Public Health and an assistant director of research at Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. Elaine is a founding member of the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences and a Data Science Faculty Fellow at Boston University. She has a Ph.D. in computational epidemiology, a M.S. in statistics, and a B.S. in mathematics. Her research focuses on the use of digital data and technology to improve health in communities globally. Prior to joining Boston University School of Public Health, Elaine was an assistant professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, Washington.

Christian Evans is a project manager for the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD) under ODSS. Before joining ODSS, Christian spent four years as a project manager for the Psychological Health Promotion Branch of the Psychological Health Center of Excellence under the Defense Health Agency (DHA). Prior to joining DHA, Christian worked with a variety of federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Consumer Protection Finance Bureau, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Christian earned a M.A. in economics from George Washington University and a M.Div. from Yale University.

Erin Walker is a communications specialist for the ODSS. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of communication strategies to inform and engage stakeholders and audiences on the data science activities at NIH. Prior to joining the ODSS team in 2019, Erin worked in strategic communications, executive communications, and research and analysis at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Erin holds a B.A. in public relations from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of North Alabama.

Kristin Hook is a 2021-22 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the ODSS. She previously served as a Congressional Science & Engineering Fellow sponsored by the American Statistical Association and spent a year working on oversight across a broad legislative portfolio for Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Prior to her time on the Hill, Kristin spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow studying the evolution of reproductive traits at the University of Maryland in College Park. Kristin earned her Ph.D. in animal behavior from Cornell University after spending three years as a middle school science teacher in New York City through Teach For America. Kristin holds a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in Plan II Honors (an interdisciplinary humanities program) from the University of Texas at Austin.

Rebecca Hardesty is the executive assistant to Drs. Gregurick and Seto. Prior to joining ODSS, Rebecca supported the NIH Office of Science Policy for seven years. She has previously worked as a contractor for various government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation, providing professional administrative and emergency management support.

Jackie Cattell joined ODSS as a Virtual Student Federal Service VSFS communications intern in September 2019 and became a communications and outreach specialist with SCG for ODSS in June 2020. She works on technical communications, outreach, and training. She focuses on ODSS efforts in increasing representation and has training and background in working with individuals with disabilities. Additionally, she is an undergraduate student, completing her B.S. degree in data science and analytics at Eastern Michigan University.

Carol Fivozinsky is a budget analyst for ODSS, bringing more than 20 years of NIH experience to the office. A former federal employee, Carol spent most of her NIH career as the budget officer for the National Eye Institute. She began her federal career working in a lab at the National Cancer Institute and has also worked in the NIH Office of Budget. After retiring from federal service, Carol returned to the NIH Office of the Director for several years as a consultant on the Roadmap Common Fund initiative. Carol holds a B.A. in chemistry from Hood College.