Town Hall Meeting Speakers

Back to Event Home Page

Speakers' Biographies

Aron Hall, DVM, MSPH, DACVPM

Epidemiologist, Viral Gastroenteritis Team, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC

Dr. Hall received his bachelor (BSPH, Highest Honors) and master degrees from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; both degrees focused on the areas of environmental health. After working as an environmental health consultant performing quantitative risk analysis for an international firm, Dr. Hall returned to North Carolina State University, where he completed his doctorate of veterinary medicine. Following completion of academic and clinical training, he joined the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and was assigned to the state health department of West Virginia. As an EIS officer, Dr. Hall was responsible for leading numerous outbreak investigations, epidemiologic studies, surveillance, and disease control activities.

In 2008, Dr. Hall joined CDC’s Viral Gastroenteritis Team to lead and expand the norovirus epidemiology program. In that capacity, he has developed domestic and international surveillance initiatives, led outbreak investigations, and served as principal investigator on numerous prospective research projects related to norovirus epidemiology. Dr. Hall has also conducted studies establishing the burden of norovirus disease and led development of guidelines for effective prevention and control. He is a recognized expert in the field, providing consultation within CDC, to state and local health departments, federal regulatory agencies, advisory committees, and international partners such as the World Health Organization.

Dr. Hall has authored or coauthored more than 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and guidance documents related to norovirus. He has served as a guest lecturer at Emory University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Georgia. He has an active license with the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board and is board certified as a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. He is a member of Phi Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies. He and his wife are also proud parents of two boys.

  Top of Page

Danny Ripley

Food Inspector 2, Metro Public Health Department, Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County

Danny Ripley is originally from Northeast Tennessee, where his family operated a custom butchering and retail facility, which sparked his interest in food safety and inspection. Since earning his BS degree in environmental health from East Tennessee State University in 1996, he has worked as a sanitarian at Pal’s Sudden Service, a food restaurant firm based in East Tennessee (1996–1998); a poultry inspector for the US Department of Agriculture, FSIS (1998); and a food safety consultant for the Steritech Group Inc. (1998–2003).

Mr. Ripley currently works as a Food Inspector 2 with the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville, Tennessee (2003–present). His current responsibilities include food inspections, food safety research with the CDC EHS-Net group, foodborne illness outbreak investigations, complaint management, and food safety training. Since 2005, Mr. Ripley has worked with the Nashville State Community College as a food safety and sanitation adjunct instructor.

  Top of Page

Amy Saupe, MPH

Epidemiologist, Foodborne Diseases Unit, Minnesota Department of Health

Amy Saupe, MPH, is an epidemiologist in the Foodborne Diseases Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). She received a BA degree in biology from Luther College in Decorah, IA, and did her MPH coursework at the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining the full-time foodborne disease staff at MDH, she worked as a student worker on “Team Diarrhea” conducting outbreak and surveillance interviews with foodborne disease case-patients. She currently coordinates several norovirus projects at MDH, conducts foodborne cluster and outbreak investigations, and participates in various other surveillance activities.

 Top of Page