Member Highlight: Chad T Wetzel, MPH

SUPERVISOR, INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY

DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Chad serves as the supervisor of infectious diseases epidemiology for the Douglas County Health Department in Omaha, NE. In this role, he is responsible for disease surveillance, investigation, and outbreak management for reportable diseases in Douglas County. He also helps oversee health data for the department.

He received a bachelor of science in biology and psychology from Creighton University in 2007 and went on to earn a master of public health in epidemiology from University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health in 2013. Chad has more than 10 years of experience in local public health. As an epidemiologist, he has participated in the response to numerous outbreaks and other public health emergences in his community, including COVID-19, Zika, Ebola, MPXV, and others. He currently leads a team of nearly a dozen disease investigators, epidemiologists, nurses, and data analysts.

Chad's interests include vaccine-preventable and emerging infectious diseases, health data science and visualization, and health communication. He lives with his wife in Gretna, NE, and his hobbies include fostering rescue dogs, home improvement, and investing.