Dr. Drew Harris
Bioterrorism Expert
Public Health Professor

Dr. Drew Harris took the long way around in his path to a public health career. After graduating college with a BS in biology, he obtained a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. He then went into private practice specializing in podiatric surgery and also the care of non-healing wounds and other complications of diabetes. It was in the care of diabetic patients that he came to appreciate the importance and power of prevention as opposed to treatment. In the early 90’s, Drew joined the NJPHA, where he fell under the wing of NJPHA president and fellow podiatrist, Dr. Marvin Rubin. Marvin took advantage of Drew’s nascent interest in public health and encouraged his involvement in Executive Board activities. Ultimately, Drew moved through the various officer positions to become President of the association in 2000. Throughout his board tenure, he pushed the association from the pen and pencil age into the brave new world of the internet; creating the first-ever state public health affiliate website. Hanging out with the many public health professionals on the NJPHA board inspired Drew to go back to school to get his MPH from UMDNJ with a concentration in Health Care Organization and Administration.

In 2001, he left private practice behind and began to put his new degree into action, taking an administrative position at UMDNJ as Executive Director for Special Projects for the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs where he worked closely with the School of Public Health. Like many others, his world changed on September 11, 2001. As UMDNJ ramped up its terrorism response activities, Drew found himself drawing more on his public health background and contacts in the development of public health preparedness programs and activities. Since 2001, Drew has managed the university’s contract with NJDHSS for bioterrorism training programs, working closely with several units and schools within UMDNJ and other state colleges and universities in the development and delivery of new public health preparedness activities. In 2003, with Dr. William Halperin, Chair of the UMDNJ-NJ Medical School Department of Preventive Medicine and Acting Associate Dean of the UMDNJ School of Public Health, as principal investigator, Drew authored a successful grant application to HRSA for bioterrorism curriculum development. The goal of this project is the development of a comprehensive set of bioterrorism/public health preparedness learning objectives for the clinical health sciences.

Just last fall, Drew jumped even deeper into academia to become an assistant professor at the School of Public Health and Assistant Director of the NJ Center for Public Health Preparedness. The skills he honed through his years in private practice and as an active NJPHA board member serve him well in his many roles at UMDNJ. Drew continues his varied extracurricular leadership activities. He just completed a term as an elected member of the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association and now serves on its Education Board. He is a recent graduate of LeadershipNJ, a statewide civic leadership program that helps to develop New Jersey’s emerging leaders. “My work in the NJPHA gave me the opportunity to develop new talents in a safe and nurturing environment. The relationships I established serve me to this day. NJPHA is a place to do good things for my community, hone my skills and expand my horizons. I would not be where I am now were it not for my involvement with the New Jersey Public Health Association and its wonderful members.”

Drew A. Harris, DPM, MPH
Assistant Director of the NJ Center for Public Health Preparedness
Assistant Professor, UMDNJ School of Public Health