Sarah Rhea, DVM, MPH, PhD, is an epidemiologist and veterinarian with more than 10 years’ experience in epidemiologic research and applied public health. Dr. Rhea’s research interests include antimicrobial resistance, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and infectious disease outcomes associated with injection drug use. She serves as a Principal Investigator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)–funded Modeling Infectious Diseases in Healthcare Network (MInD-Healthcare), using agent-based models to understand the spread of HAIs and antibiotic resistant infections and assess the potential effects of intervention strategies. In addition, Dr. Rhea is Associate Project Director for a National Institutes of Health-funded project to assess prevention and treatment resources for opioid users in western North Carolina and identify ways to improve capacity for these resources in rural areas. She also provides subject matter expertise in support of projects and initiatives across RTI related to global health security and One Health.
Before joining RTI, Dr. Rhea was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer and a Preventive Medicine Fellow with CDC.