Disability and health equity; mental and behavioral health; emergency preparedness, response, and recovery; program evaluation; qualitative and mixed methods
Robyn Cree, PhD, joined the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health in July 2025 as a clinical assistant professor.
Cree earned her PhD in chronic disease eEpidemiology from the Yale School of Public Health, following a BS in biobehavioral health with a minor in psychology from The Pennsylvania State University. She is an alumna of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) prestigious Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) and served for nearly eight years as an epidemiologist in CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
At the CDC, Cree directed a $12 million portfolio of public health programs and projects focused on disability inclusion, emergency preparedness, and mental health. She has conducted qualitative and quantitative studies on a range of topics focused on disability and health and generated national and state-level estimates published on CDC’s Disability and Health Data System (DHDS), an online source of data on more than 30 health topics among adults with disabilities. She has served as a subject matter expert during national emergencies including the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple hurricane responses and has advised on federal preparedness policies to ensure inclusive planning for individuals with disabilities.
Cree’s research focuses on advancing health equity for children and individuals with disabilities, with expertise in mental health, epidemiological surveillance, and the impact of public health emergencies on people with disabilities. She has published over 18 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, and Development and Psychopathology. Her work has informed national strategies and been presented at leading public health conferences.
A dedicated mentor and educator, Cree has taught graduate-level epidemiology and statistical methods while a PhD candidate at the Yale School of Public Health and has supervised fellows and junior scientists at the CDC. She is committed to interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based policy, and translating research into actionable public health improvements.