CAPT Jill Shugart, MSPH, REHS, DAAS, CPH

CAPT Jill Shugart began her environmental health career in 2000 through an internship with the Indian Health Service in Parker, AZ. She later earned a Master of Science in Public Health from Tulane University and completed a fellowship at CDC's National Center for Environmental Health. Her early career assignments were with the Indian Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program.

Currently, CAPT Shugart serves as the Associate Director for Emergency Management for both the ATSDR and CDC's National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH). In this senior leadership role, she oversees emergency management functions for over 400 staff, manages a $3.5 million budget, and coordinates agency-wide expertise for natural hazards, chemical, and radiological emergencies.

CAPT Shugart's more recent accomplishments focus on emergency preparedness, response, and strengthening environmental health practice. In 2023, she led 14 major public health responses, most notably directing the East Palestine Emergency Response, where she managed a 23-person on-site team for four weeks and served as the designated HHS Spokesperson in national media interviews. During the pandemic, she established and led the COVID-19 CDC Task Force Deployment Section, coordinating 265 deployment teams over nine months. She has deployed as an environmental health responder for national disasters and emergencies from Hurricane Katrina to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

CAPT Shugart has made significant contributions to the art and science of environmental health through 37 publications, guidance documents, fact sheets, and training materials. Her scholarly work includes peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of Environmental Health, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Applied Biosafety, and Applied Environmental Microbiology. She has authored guidance documents that shaped national response protocols and contributed multiple chapters to "The Environmental Health Officer Survival Guide."

CAPT Shugart demonstrates strong commitment to professional advancement. For over a decade, she has mentored Environmental Health Officers needing additional guidance and served on promotion panels, demonstrating her dedication to developing the next generation of environmental health professionals.

CAPT Shugart is engaged in professional organizations including the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), American Public Health Association, and the American Academy of Sanitarians. She is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist with NEHA, Certified in Public Health, and a Diplomate of the American Academy of Sanitarians. She completed the prestigious National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University.