Caitlin Conrad

Caitlin Conrad brings extensive experience across public health leadership, health communications, and program management, with a strong track record supporting high-impact federal initiatives. She currently serves as a Senior Communications Specialist at Synergy Enterprises, leading development efforts for major campaigns such as SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You.”®, where she created digital tools like Screen4Success and managed the production of national prevention materials. Caitlin has also contributed to federal training programs for CMS, communications for NIDA’s HIV Research Program, and corporate messaging efforts. Previously, she directed Indiana’s STD Prevention Program, overseeing a multimillion-dollar grant portfolio, supervising statewide teams, and shaping national STD policy through leadership roles at the National Coalition of STD Directors. Her experience is grounded in public health science, cross-agency collaboration, and a clear commitment to improving health outcomes at scale.

Full resume/CV available upon request.

Synergy Enterprises, INC.
North Bethesda, Maryland — Sr. Communications Specialist

AUGUST 2021 - PRESENT

Ms. Conrad currently supports the SAMHSA “Talk. They Hear You.”® campaign by developing the Screen4Success application and managing the materials development process of additional campaign materials. These materials supported the program’s initiatives of improving parents’ communications with their children about the dangers of underage drinking and drug use. Responsibilities included: 

• Developing materials for the campaign, including: 
  • Conceptualizing and implementing mini campaigns that require literature reviews, creative briefs, fact sheets, podcast development, and social media posts. 
  • Updating the internal and external branding guidelines used for the campaign.
  • New campaign products, such as one-pagers, discussion starters, and digital and print products that use prevention science principles.
  • Updating older campaign products with new information, including updating the most popular product “5 Conversation Goals” with new content and managing the design process with an external graphic designer. 
  • Creating new and updating older PowerPoints for the campaign on the program, including updating Parent’s Night Out and developing Screen4Success promotional PowerPoints. 
• Assisting with the production of the Screen4Success application. Screen4Success provides a better understanding of personal health, wellness, and well-being for individuals, parents/caregivers, and professionals through a brief screening assessment. After completion of the screener, recommendations are given to local and national resources that are available to help the individual address mental health and substance use concerns brought up during the assessment. 
• Analyzing current reports that inform best practices in Mental Health and Substance Abuse prevention practices for the campaign, such as the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking Reports to Congress.
• Creating social media content and working with internal designers to develop posts focused on key resources for parents, promoting the campaign podcast, mobile app, and online web resources.  

Ms. Conrad also currently supports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Training Program, responsibilities include:

• Designing, editing, and animating updated PowerPoints for Medicare and Tax-Favored programs that adhere to agency style guide standards,
• Using Canva to develop graphics for their case scenarios, 
• Selecting stock photos that resonate with a wide audience, and
• Providing content recommendations that adhere to Plain Language principles and improve training on complex topics.

Ms. Conrad supported the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) HIV Research Program (HRP) contract. Specifically, the project supports developing, planning, and coordinating high-priority communications on research at the intersection of HIV, substance use, and substance use disorders, working across the federal government and with communities. Responsibilities included: 

• Taking approved content and designing the monthly newsletter, HIV News from NIDA, designing it in BeeFree and importing it to Mailchimp, which is sent to over 5,000 HIV researchers.
• Analyzing Mailchimp metrics and providing annual impact reports on how the target audience is interacting with content sent by the program. 
• Creating HRP social media posts and flyers that promote upcoming seminars and events on cutting-edge HIV research. 

Ms. Conrad also supports Synergy's corporate communications work, including projects such as updating content on the company website and assisting with the company’s resume refresh process. These projects include

• Content development for the website,
• Research of best practices in the communications industry, and 
• Working with other company staff to produce and implement materials. 

Previously supported the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of Women’s Health contract focused on improving maternal health outcomes in 2024. This support included researching, providing subject matter expertise on STI Prevention and disease investigation, and creating products focused on a national congenital syphilis prevention campaign. 

Previously supported the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Public Awareness Support (PAS) contract for the Office of Communications (OC) in 2021-2022. This support included conducting various communications strategies for SAMHSA priority areas focusing on substance use prevention, suicide prevention, mental health awareness, and Recovery. Responsibilities included:  

• Synthesizing scientific information and data (e.g., from peer-reviewed journal articles or open data sources), conducting social media scans using products such as Critical Mention, and completing literature reviews to identify current trends and information that aligns and supports agency priorities.
• Using current data and trends to inform key messages, developing strategic communications and products for target audiences of the SAMHSA OC. These audiences range from the general public to stigmatized communities nationwide, including the LGBTQIA+ community, youth, rural communities, those living with mental health conditions, those currently seeking treatment for substance use disorders, and those in or are beginning their Recovery journey.  
• Developing and preparing products such as blog posts, reports, literature reviews and social media scan findings, PSA scripts, Standard Operating Procedures, social media posts and sharables, toolkits, social media stickers, agency communications, strategic communication plans, and other products as requested by the OC.
• Develops and analyzes health strategies through Microsoft Office Products, such as PowerPoint presentations, talking points, and other communication tactics. 
• Working collaboratively with the federal staff team; subject matter experts; Synergy Enterprises, Inc.’s teams; and vendors to produce quality SAMHSA products and content.  

Illinois Public Health Institute
Remote - Contract Content Editor
January 2024 - July 2024
Previously supported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of STD Prevention with a short-term project updating the Program Operation Guidelines (POG) manual. Responsible for: 

• Providing technical guidance on managing STI prevention programs
• Editing content written by Subject Matter Experts to ensure consistency and quality with prevention programming best practices and principles, 
• Assisting with conceptualizing graphics that would later be used in the manual using Canva, and 
• Drafting the forward of the updated document. 

Indiana State Department of Health 
Indianapolis, Indiana — STD Prevention Program Director 

OCTOBER 2015 - August 2021

Responsible for the daily operations, oversight, and management of the STD Prevention Program for the State. This included, but was not limited to: 

• Oversight, direction, and guidance of the statewide STD program to ensure compliance with all CDC STD grant-funded activities, including STD Prevention and Control for Health Departments Grant, STD Surveillance Network Grant, and the Strengthening the US Response to Resistant Gonorrhea Grants,
• Writing, submitting, providing oversight, and project management for 3 STD grants, totaling over $2 million dollar grant funding for statewide STD prevention services,
• Development and management of budgets and invoices,
• Direct supervision and oversight to 3 STD Program Supervisors and oversight of a total of 19 support staff and contractors, 
• Ensure that 11 funded Disease Intervention Specialist agencies also supported by federal grants maintain compliance  with CDC recommendations for STD Prevention activities, 
• Compilation and submission of all STD grant requirements including all Administrative reporting, Performance Measurements, and the Targeted Evaluation Plans to CDC,
• Responsible for the ongoing maintenance and development of the STD reporting database, 
• Creation and oversight of all statewide policies and procedures for the STD Prevention Program.
• Participation in the National Coalition of STD Director’s Full Membership, since 2017. 
  • Served on Policy Committee and Executive Committees, 
  • Served on the Board of Directors from 2018 -2021, and
  • Served as Board Chair in 2020.

Indiana State Department of Health, 
Indianapolis, Indiana — STD Prevention Program Specialist

OCTOBER 2014 - SEPTEMBER 2015

Previously served as an STD Prevention Specialist who served 3 of the 10 Disease Intervention Specialist Districts statewide. This included responsibilities such as: 

• Direct oversight of the DIS district that included invoicing, technical assistance for all STD cases, review of all syphilis and HIV cases in compliance with CDC’s recommendations, and annual site audits. 
• Data evaluation and analysis for identification of potential STD or HIV outbreaks.
• Development and creation of new policies and procedures for STD program operations.
• Technical assistance working with the HIV Surveillance program to improve processes of new HIV case distribution.

Marion County Health Department Bell Flower Clinic, Indianapolis, Indiana— Disease Intervention Specialist

APRIL 2014 - OCTOBER 2014

Completed case investigation for the highest morbidity area in the state. Responsibilities included: 

• Case investigations and interviews of confirmed cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV into STD database.
• Confidential partner notification and testing of all potentially exposed contacts.
• Participation in outreach to targeted communities in both rural and urban areas.

Publications

Community Outbreak of HIV Infection Linked to Injection Drug Use of Oxymorphone - Indiana, 2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published on April 24th, 2015 by CDC. 

HIV-1 and HCV molecular epidemiology of a large community outbreak of HIV-1 infection linked to injection drug use of oxymorphone- Indiana, 2015. Co-authored on an abstract accepted and presented by the Journal of International AIDS society. This was presented at the 8th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention on July 19th - 22nd, 2015 in Vancouver

HIV Infection Linked to Injection Use of Oxymorphone in Indiana, 2014 -2015. Co-authored an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 21st, 2016. 

Awards

Charles C. Shepard Science Award 2017 for Prevention and Control: recipient of the CDC award for the best manuscript on original research published by CDC or ATSDR scientists in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal for the New England Journal of Medicine article 2016; 375 (3): 229-39, HIV Infection Linked to Injection Use of Oxymorphone in Indiana, 2014-2015

Bachelors in Applied Health Sciences from Indiana University Bloomington.