Dr. Hearne was the founding Executive Director of the Trust for America’s Health, a national health advocacy organization dedicated to preventing epidemics, protecting people. Previously was the Executive Director of the Pew Environmental Health Commission, the Acting Director of the NJ DEP Office of Pollution Prevention and a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. She was the Chair of the American Public Health Association’s Executive Board and Vice President of the Council on Education for Public Health – the accreditation body for public health schools. She has authored many national health reports, from bioterrorism to obesity. Dr. Hearne has testified regularly before the U.S. Congress on bioterrorism, pandemic preparedness, health tracking and public health funding. She provides continual service to the public health field serving on National Academy of Science Committees (including the Oversight Committee, Division on Earth and Life Studies) and chairing accreditation site visits to public health schools, including most recently, Harvard University and Yale University.

advocacy, food safety, bioterrorism preparedness, pandemic influenza, health tracking, public health infrastructure

The Senator Frank Lautenberg Award for lifetime achievement in public health advocacy, 2006.

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Rutgers University School of Public Health graduation speaker, 2006.

Keynote Speaker for the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health Hooding Ceremony (graduation), 2006

Delta Omega Society member, Alpha Eta Chapter, elected 2006.

2004 Delta Omega Curricula Award for the class, Issues in Health Advocacy. Through the Association of Schools of Public Health, the top national award for innovative public health curriculum, which integrates practical community-based practice and scholarship into classroom discussions, applies public health principles, uses science-based decision-making and involves the community in a teaching partnership.

Hearne, S., Segal, L., Earls, M., Juliano C., and Stephens, T. 2005 “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism 2005.” Trust for America’s Health. Washington, DC.

Glendening, P. Hearne, S., Segal, L., Juliano, C., and Earls, M. 2005 “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America – 2005.” Trust for America’s Health. Washington, DC.

Hamburg, M., Hearne, S., Levi, J., Elliott, K., Segal, L. and Earls, M. 2005 “A Killer Flu? Scientific Experts Estimate that “Inevitable” Major Epidemic of New Influenza Virus Strain Could Result in Millions of Deaths if Preventive Actions Are Not Taken.” Trust for America’s Health. Washington, DC.

Hearne, S., Hamburg, M.A., Segal, L. 2004 “Commentary: SARS and Its Implications for U.S. Public Health Policy: ‘We’ve Been Lucky’.” Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Volume 2, No. 2

Hearne, S., Segal, L. July/August 2003. “Leveraging The Nation’s Bioterrorism Investments: Foundation Efforts to Ensure a Revitalized Public Health System.” Health Affairs, Volume 22, No. 4

Hearne, S., Segal, D. and Segal, L. 2003 “Public Health Laboratories: Unprepared and Overwhelmed.” Trust for America’s Health. Washington, DC.

Hearne, S., 2002 “Promotion of Environmental Health in Childhood.” In The Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion. Section on Childhood, Ages 5-12.

Hearne, S., Lucco, J., Hoffman, C., Polan, S., Zellner, N., Davis, M. and Koduru, S. 2001 “Short of Breath: Our lack of response to the growing asthma epidemic and the need for nationwide tracking.” Trust for America’s Health. Washington, DC.

Hearne, S, Principal Investigator, Locke, P, Co-Investigator, Shalauta N, Koduru S, Lucco J and Burke T. 2001 “Transition Report to the New Administration: Strengthening our Public Health Defense Against Environmental Threats.” Baltimore, MD.

Hearne, S., Locke, P., Mellman, M. March 31, 2000. Et al. “Public Health, Environmental Health and the Federal Government’s Capacity to Prevent Disease: Results for a Survey Among Registered Voters.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Volume 9, No. 12.