Lesliann Helmus, MS, CHTS-CP

Photo: Lesliann Helmus, MS, CHTS-CP

Associate Director for Surveillance

Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance

Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services

Deputy Director for Public Health Science and Surveillance

Lesliann Helmus, MS, CHTS-CP, is the Associate Director for Surveillance in the Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance (DHIS). In this position she coordinates surveillance activities within the division and acts as a liaison with surveillance activities in other parts of CDC. She also contributes to the division’s CDC Data Modernization Initiative planning and coordination.

Previously, Ms. Helmus was the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) Program Manager in DHIS. In this position she oversaw NNDSS activities and coordinated the NNDSS Modernization Initiative, including working with teams to develop new HL7-based message mapping guides; design the software to validate, process, and provision NNDSS data; and provide technical assistance to submitting jurisdictions as they implement the new messages.

Before joining CDC, Ms. Helmus served as the disease surveillance and informatics lead for the Division of Surveillance and Investigation at the Virginia Department of Health and served in a variety of epidemiology and surveillance positions at the Ohio Department of Health.

Ms. Helmus received a master’s degree in epidemiology from Ohio State University, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, completed a graduate certificate in health information technology at George Washington University, and is a Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist—Clinician/Practitioner Consultant.