2026 Illinois Vectorborne Disease Conference

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Plenary Session – One Health

Susanna N. Visser, DrPH, MS is a Health Scientist (epidemiologist) who serves as the Deputy Director for Policy and Extramural Program in the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD) for CDC’s National Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Dr. Visser leads DVBD’s budget initiatives, directs public and private partnership activities, coordinates and conducts partner and congressional briefings, and coordinates the execution of extramural activities. During her time within the Division (2016 to the present), the Division’s budget more than doubled, with a focus on extramural investments to build national capacity for vector-borne disease prevention and control. Dr. Visser also co-led the development of an all-of-government national strategy for vector-borne disease prevention and control to help coordinate federal efforts and bring awareness to the work that must be done to decrease vector-borne disease-related morbidity and mortality. Dr. Visser directs the Public Health Entomology for All (PHEFA) program, an internship and fellowship designed and executed in partnership with the Entomological Society of America. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor within the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado where she teaches public health leadership in practice to eager MPH and DrPH students. Dr. Visser received her Doctorate in Public Health (2014) and Master of Science in Epidemiology (2001) from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Texas A&M University

Kissing Bugs

Sarah Hamer is a Professor of Epidemiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. Her research is focused on the ecology and epidemiology of diseases that emerge at the human-wildlife-domestic animal interface with a focus in the US and Latin America. Her BS and MS degrees are from University of Illinois, and her PhD and DVM degrees are from Michigan State University. She is board certified in veterinary preventive medicine and epidemiology and is a Certified Wildlife Biologist®. Sarah’s work in vector-borne disease spans soft and hard ticks, triatomines, and fleas. She serves as the Director of the Schubot Center for Avian Health, which is an on-campus bird health center with an aviary. Sarah teaches courses in epidemiology as well as a course in field and laboratory methods in vector-borne disease ecology. Highlights for Dr. Hamer included hooding 11 PhD students on their graduation days!

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

IDPH Director Panel

Tick Expansion in the Midwest

Erik Foster is a medical entomologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, where he supports national tick and tickborne disease surveillance, data systems, partner coordination, and field and laboratory studies focused on tick bite prevention and integrated tick management. His work helps state, local, and academic partners better understand where and when people are at risk for tick exposure and tickborne infections.Erik has more than two decades of experience in public health entomology, including 16 years with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, where he led surveillance and response activities for vectorborne and zoonotic diseases, and service as an entomologist in the U.S. Army. He is an Entomological Society of America Board Certified Entomologist specializing in medical and veterinary entomology and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on ticks, tickborne pathogens, surveillance, and vector control.Outside of work, Erik enjoys spending time outdoors recreating, fishing, and hunting with his wife.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Plenary Session – Alpha-gal Syndrome

Dr. Johanna Salzer is a Veterinary Medical Officer and Epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 2008 she has worked at CDC on a variety of emerging zoonotic diseases, including MPox, melioidosis, Ebola, anthrax, and leptospirosis. Since 2021, Dr. Salzer has led the Epidemiology Team within the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch (RZB) at CDC. Her team is responsible for surveillance, outbreak response, community education, and general public health activities associated with rickettsial diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. She also leads CDC’s public health efforts to understand and prevent alpha-gal syndrome, which is a unique tick-borne disease that is emerging in the U.S. Dr. Salzer’s PhD is in Disease Ecology from Emory University. Her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) is from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (class of '07). Dr. Salzer is originally from Florida and had only seen snow once before moving to Champaign-Urbana for vet school. For over 15 years she has presented an annual seminar to UIUC vet students on her One Health work at CDC.

Mayo Clinic

Novel Vectorborne Disease Pathogens in the Midwest

Dr. Bobbi S. Pritt, MD, MSc, is the Chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, with joint appointments in the Divisions of Anatomic Pathology and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Pritt is the director of the Clinical Parasitology Laboratory, co-director of Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory Services, and program director of the medical microbiology fellowship. She joined the staff of Mayo Clinic in 2007 and holds the academic rank of professor of laboratory medicine and pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Dr. Pritt received her medical degree at the University of Vermont, College of Medicine, in Burlington, Vermont, USA, and completed residency training there in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, during which she served as Chief Resident. She then undertook a fellowship in Medical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, followed by a master’s degree in medical Parasitology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK. She received the Patrick Buxton Award and Medal for best student in her class. Dr. Pritt’s primary areas of interest are laboratory diagnosis of parasitic and vector-borne diseases, and the pathology of infectious diseases. She has published more than 250 articles including descriptions of several new tick-borne human pathogens in the United States, 4 books (multiple editions), and 43 book chapters. She shares her passion for parasitology with her weekly case blog, “Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites” (http://parasitewonders.blogspot.com) and posts her cases on X (@ParasiteGal), She also produces a weekly laboratory leadership podcast called “Answers from the Lab” (https://news.mayocliniclabs.com/homepage/podcasts-2/answers-from-the-lab/).

Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine

Travel-Related Vectorborne Disease Cases

As an Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at Northwestern University, I bridge academic medicine with a dedicated clinical practice in Chicago. Alongside treating a broad spectrum of infections, I direct the Travel Clinic, managing pre- and post-travel care for international travelers. My professional work is deeply connected to my personal passion for exploring the world. Having traveled to 34 countries and 35 U.S. states, my firsthand experiences give me a unique appreciation for the intersection of global travel and infectious diseases.

The Ohio State University

Zoonotic Spillover

Christy A. Petersen is the associate dean for research and graduate studies at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Over the past decade, she has led multiple NIH-funded research programs focused on emerging zoonotic diseases, including visceral leishmaniasis and Lyme disease. Petersen’s primary expertise lies in immunopathology, vaccine development, and One Health approaches to infectious disease prevention. Her work integrates laboratory and field-based research, including international collaborations in Brazil and India, to study multi-species disease systems and develop reservoir-targeted interventions. She recently finished her term as chair of the NIH Vaccines for Infectious Diseases Study Section and has contributed to CDC-funded research on perceptions of infectious disease prevention strategies. Petersen is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and has held leadership roles in the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. She received her PhD in immunology and infectious diseases from Harvard University.

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Advances in Lyme Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment

My name is Osamudiamen Ebohon, and I am a PhD candidate in Brandon Jutras’s lab in the Microbiology-Immunology Program at Northwestern University, where I focus on improving the diagnosis and understanding of Lyme disease. My research focuses on Borrelia burgdorferi peptidoglycan, its role in Lyme disease pathogenesis, and its potential as a biomarker for direct diagnosis. I have research experience in infectious diseases, including Lyme disease and malaria, and have contributed to publications in journals including Science Translational Medicine, PLoS Pathogens, and The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Before pursuing my doctoral research in the United States, I worked as a university lecturer and research scientist in Nigeria and as a laboratory worker in the UK’s NHS COVID-19 testing program. I am passionate about using biomedical research to better understand infectious diseases and develop tools that can ultimately improve patient care. Outside of research, I enjoy listening to blues and jazz music and teaching and mentoring students.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

New World Screwworm & Asian Longhorned Ticks

Dr. Abigail Mathewson serves as the Emergency Coordinator Veterinary Medical Officer for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services in Illinois and Wisconsin. In her role with the USDA she supports emergency preparedness, supports coordination of animal health emergency response, and assists state departments of agriculture in their efforts to protect animal health, including threats posed by invasive pests. Prior to joining the USDA, Dr. Mathewson spent twelve years with the New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services as the State Public Health Veterinarian and Surveillance Epidemiology Program Manager. Her work centered on infectious disease surveillance, prevention, control, and response, spanning zoonotic diseases, novel respiratory infections and influenza, as well as vaccine-preventable diseases, vectorborne diseases, enteric diseases, and waterborne illnesses. During her tenure in New Hampshire, Dr. Mathewson developed a strong professional interest in arthropods, an area of expertise she continues to apply in her current role with the USDA, albeit in a different capacity.