Blanche Collins, PhD, MHSE

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of STD Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Mailstop E-27
Atlanta, GA
USA 30333
bccollins@cdc.gov

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Collins joined CDC's Division of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention (DSTDP) in August, 2010. She has over 15 years of experience communicating with diverse groups about public health issues in her roles as health education specialist, senior health communications specialist, public information and health communications specialist, communications specialist, instructor, project manager, adjunct faculty, graduate teaching assistant, health educator, and volunteer with several agencies and organizations. As a Health Education Specialist with DSDTP, Dr. Collins has served as a Project Officer and Technical Monitor for several STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers and currently serves as the Technical Monitor for several STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers and the National Network of STD/HIV Prevention Training Centers’ National Resource and Coordinating Center. She provides technical assistance to state and local health departments, national and regional organizations, and community based organizations in planning, developing, implementing and evaluating health professional public health programs in regards to training and education strategies for STD prevention programs; coordinates educational assistance from DSTDP to state and local health departments; plays a key role in ensuring that health departments and training program grantees receive needed technical assistance in support of STD prevention health professional training programs; promotes the concept that training and education are essential support components of STD prevention by encouraging the development and attainment of specific and measurable objectives in training/education initiatives by STD prevention project areas; provides advice and assistance to STD prevention programs and training program grantees in the development and implementation of training and educational strategies for health professionals; provides leadership in developing and implementing training and educational program plans; monitors and evaluates grantee performance by reviewing documents submitted by grantees, conducting site visits, participating in meetings and conference calls with grantees and analyzing grantee reports on training participants and events; serves as a consultant and advisor with other CDC Branches, Divisions, and Centers, as well as with national organizations on issues of health professional education for STD prevention and control. Since 1997, Dr. Collins has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate level health education courses including AIDS and STDs at Oregon State University and Human Sexuality at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.