Leadership
![Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/jane-simoni-300_0.png)
Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH
Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
![Janine M. Simmons headshot](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Janine-Simmons.png)
Deputy Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
![](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/wendy-b-smith.png)
Associate Deputy Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
Areas of expertise: clinical pain research, complementary and alternative medicine, research methodologies, patient reported outcomes, public private partnership development.
![Rosalind (Roz) King, Ph.D.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Rosalind-King.png)
Rosalind (Roz) King, Ph.D.
Chief, Scientific Development and Coordination Section, OBSSR
Areas of expertise: social and behavioral research on reproductive health, social stratification, biosocial research, career development and research infrastructure support.
![Kathryn Morris](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Kathryn-Morris.png)
Kathryn (Katie) Morris, M.P.H.
Chief, Policy, Planning and Analyses Section, OBSSR
Areas of expertise: global health, portfolio analysis, policy and evaluation, public health, maternal and child health intervention research, reproductive health research.
Staff
![Farheen Akbar](/sites/obssr/files/Farheen-Akbar-150x150.png)
Farheen Akbar, M.P.H.
Health Science Policy Analyst
Areas of expertise: portfolio analysis, policy and evaluation, public health, population health, behavioral and social science research in aging.
![Deshirée Belis](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/deshiree-belis.png)
Deshirée Belis, M.P.H.
Health Science Policy Analyst
Areas of expertise: global health, implementation research, non-communicable diseases, portfolio analysis, evaluation, public health, health inequities.
![Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Kristin-Brethel-Haurwitz.png)
Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz, Ph.D.
Social & Behavioral Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: empathy, social decision making, cognitive neuroscience.
![Alyssa Dolge](/sites/obssr/files/Alyssa-Dolge-150x150-e1570119611918.png)
Alyssa Dolge, M.P.H.
Health Science Policy Analyst
Areas of expertise: budget, contracts, cancer control research, health care delivery research.
![Emily Evans, Ph.D.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Emily-Evans.png)
Emily Evans, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: research methods, ethics, science policy, and environmental health.
![Lauren Fordyce, Ph.D.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/lauren-fordyce.png)
Lauren Fordyce, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: maternal and child health, clinical interventions, social science research.
![Jessica Gowda, M.S.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/JGL%20Headshot-150.jpg)
Jessica Gowda, M.S.
Health Science Policy Analyst
Areas of expertise: reporting and portfolio analysis, policy and evaluation, interested party engagement.
![Dana Greene](/sites/obssr/files/Dana-Greene-150x150.png)
Dana Greene, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: behavioral neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, circadian biology, radiation biology, animal models.
![Katie Hamill](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Katie-Hamill-150_5.png)
Katie Hamill, M.P.H.
Health Science Policy Analyst
Areas of expertise: mental health, public health, global health, climate change and health, health disparities research, policy and evaluation.
![Stephanie Kimmel](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/Stephanie-Kimmel-300.png)
Stephanie Kimmel
Executive Assistant
Areas of expertise: travel, ITAS, calendar management.
![Cathy Maulsby, Ph.D.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/cathy-maulsby.png)
Cathy Maulsby, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: multi-level behavioral intervention development and evaluation, social determinants of health, infectious disease transmission, retention in care, employment and health, and HIV.
![Sydney O’Connor, Ph.D.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/sydney-oconnor.png)
Sydney O’Connor, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: theories of health behavior, mHealth and ecological momentary assessment methodologies, environmental and social determinants of health, obesity and cancer prevention, 24hr behavioral patterns, climate change and health.
![Adam Politis](/sites/obssr/files/adam-politis-300.png)
Adam Politis
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: DEIA, disability, rehabilitation, cognition and communication, natural language processing/machine learning/artificial intelligence, complex systems.
![Marie Rienzo, M.A.](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/marie-rienzo.png)
Marie Rienzo, M.A.
Communications Director
Areas of expertise: health communications, strategic communications, digital strategy, social media and email marketing, message and content development, and website management.
![Lizette M. Rivera- Arnold](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/lizette-rivera-arnold.png)
Lizette M. Rivera- Arnold, MPA, PMP [C]
Project Manager
Areas of Expertise: project management, program management, strategic planning, stakeholder coordination, event coordination, operational efficiency, project/program administration.
![Paula Roberts](/sites/obssr/files/inline-images/paula-roberts_0.png)
Paula Roberts
Program Analyst
Areas of expertise: budget, Co-Funding, Personal Property, procurement.
![Mike Spittel](/sites/obssr/files/Mike-Spittel-150x150.png)
Michael Spittel, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: innovative methodology and statistics, survey and data systems, and population health.
![Erica Spotts](/sites/obssr/files/Erica-Spotts-150x150.png)
Erica Spotts, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: behavior genetics, developmental psychology, interpersonal relationships, family systems, depression.
![Deborah Young-Hyman](/sites/obssr/files/Deborah-Young-Hyman-150x150.png)
Deborah Young-Hyman, Ph.D., CDE
Health Scientist Administrator
Areas of expertise: bio-psychosocial interventions, psychosocial treatment of diabetes, adherence to prevention/treatment behaviors, clinical trial design in BSSR.