Sandra F. Naoom, PhD, MSPH is a Senior Advisor for Implementation Science in the Deputy Director’s office for Public Health Service and Implementation Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prior to that, Sandra was the Associate Director of the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) and Scientist at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sandra’s background is in Public Health, Evaluation, Measurement and Research.

Sandra’s areas of focus are in supporting organizations in the development of their implementation capacity through implementation system and infrastructure evaluation and planning, as well as in developing measures to assess fidelity, and in understanding the supply and demand issues surrounding the implementation of innovations in various contexts.

Sandra is a co-author of the highly regarded monograph, Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature and has spent thirteen plus years working with the NIRN to develop the science and practice of implementation. As part of her portfolio of work at the NIRN, she conducted a qualitative research study exploring the capacity and perceived responsibility of evidence-based program developers as they help others adopt and implement their programs. She has participated in the design and analyses of school-based implementation studies of prevention programs and developed instruments to assess fidelity and implementation. Sandra has an interest in, and was involved in global work with Child Fund International aimed at helping them better implement their programs in the over 31 countries they serve. Her recent efforts include work with state based initiatives related to the implementation and scaling up of evidence-based programs and the building of an early childhood system, as well as global work w/the UNC School of Public Health.

Sandra also provides consultation, evaluation and technical assistance around implementation of innovations with fidelity.

  • Advisory Committee: National Health Policy Conference; Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health