Mariana Casal Singletary
Phoenix
Summary
Dedicated Infectious Diseases Medical Epidemiologist and Certified Infection Preventionist with over 10 years of experience in public health. Proven track record in managing infection prevention programs, conducting surveillance for healthcare-associated infections, and collaborating with local and federal agencies to improve patient outcomes.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior infection preventionist
Banner Desert Medical Center
Mesa
06.2024 - Current
- Evaluated isolation needs in assigned units, conducted environment of care surveys, and performed ICRA review, approval, and follow-up in designated areas to enhance infection control measures.
- Conducted daily evaluations of urinary catheters during CAUTI prevention rounds, identifying opportunities for discontinuation of foleys through nurse-driven protocols and external devices.
- Patient responsibilities include evaluation of care bundles for Central lines and urinary catheters to ensure use of all preventive elements according to Banner policy.
- During the initial 6 months, I also received training on procedural and High-level disinfection rounds.
- This position is part of the Infection Prevention team of an acute healthcare facility with around 800 beds, Trauma One level center, with Neurosurgery, cardiovascular, intensive care, medical, surgical, diabetic, renal, pediatric, and women’s health units (obstetrics and gynecology areas).
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
Tucson
09.2024 - 12.2024
- Director and instructor of EPI572C Analysis of Public Health Data class.
- Collaborated with College of Public Health online program to enhance epidemiology instruction and support curriculum development.
- Evaluated and updated academic activities and materials annually to enhance student engagement and ensure access to current resources.
- Conducted weekly office hours for student consultations, providing project guidance and clarification.
Senior medical epidemiologist
Pima County Health Department
Tucson
05.2022 - 06.2024
- The senior epidemiologist duties include monitoring mandatory reporting of infectious diseases in the community, managing surveillance data, detecting and responding to infectious diseases clusters and outbreaks, assisting in surveillance of non-reportable diseases in coordination with other internal departments, mainly informatics, emergency preparedness and public health clinics.
- Collaborated with epidemiologist team and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) to detect and control outbreaks, conduct infectious disease surveillance, and respond through field epidemiology.
- The position worked on building collaborative efforts on Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) detection, control, and prevention with healthcare community partners.
- By extension, created and continue managing the first Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) program dedicated to surveillance, infectious diseases risk assessments, and infection prevention and control activities of emergent diseases.
- Expanded HAI program to create Clinical program focused on Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI), providing epidemiological support to Tuberculosis control and Sexually Transmitted Infections programs, directly engaging with tribal and border health, including binational cases.
- Led the Infection Control Study group for the Board Certification in Infection Control and Prevention under a scholarship from NACCHO.
- Enhanced surveillance capacity and guided new team members as program manager.
- The position serves also as preceptor for internships and second supervisor for CDC Epidemiology Intelligence Service Officers in Pima County.
- The Epidemiology department’s main functions are to monitor, prevent and control diseases.
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
Tucson
09.2023 - 12.2023
- Director and instructor of EPI572C Analysis of Public Health Data.
- Collaborated with College of Public Health online program to deliver high-quality epidemiology instruction and support program goals.
- Updated and enhanced class materials, lectures, evaluations, and resources to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
- Evaluated and provided feedback on quizzes, tests, homework, and projects to support student academic progress and achievement.
- Built relationships with students, mentoring personal, professional and academic goals while providing coaching on effective study habits.
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
Tucson
08.2022 - 12.2022
- Part-time collaboration with the College of Public Health online program epidemiology instruction.
- Collaborated in review of class materials, evaluations and other resources under senior Academic professor guidance.
- Graded quizzes, tests, homework and projects to provide students with timely academic progress information and feedback.
- Built relationships with students, mentoring personal, professional and academic goals while providing coaching on effective study habits.
Senior medical epidemiologist and division manager
Pinal County Public Health Services Division
Florence
06.2019 - 03.2022
- Managed division for General Infectious Diseases, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV, Tuberculosis Control, and data analysis program, ensuring program effectiveness and integration.
- Led operational efforts in response to COVID pandemic, coordinating resources and strategies.
- Collaborated with community, local agencies, correctional facilities, tribal health, and health departments to present data, trends, and recommendations from Public Health department.
- Supervised personnel, assisted in accreditation processes, wrote and reviewed grants, proposed and followed up on budgets, produced analytical reports, and managed resource distribution.
- Trained epidemiological personnel in data collection and disease surveillance.
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
Tucson
04.2019 - 07.2019
- Part-time collaboration with the College of Public Health online program epidemiology instruction.
- Reviewed class materials, evaluations, and resources in collaboration with senior academic professor to enhance course quality.
- Graded quizzes, tests, homework and projects to provide students with timely academic progress information and feedback.
- Mentored students on personal, professional, and academic goals, fostering effective study habits and encouraging academic success.
Senior epidemiologist and program manager
Arizona Department of Health Services
Tucson
01.2015 - 05.2019
- Monitored and analyzed infectious disease trends in Arizona-Sonora border region, providing critical insights for public health interventions.
- Conducted epidemiological investigations to identify public health trends.
- Analyzed data using statistical software to inform health policies.
- Collaborated with healthcare professionals to develop prevention strategies.
- Served as liaison for binational communication with health authorities in Sonora, Mexico, facilitating collaboration on communicable diseases, outbreak detection, and case investigations across jurisdictions with local and tribal health departments.
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
Tucson
04.2018 - 07.2018
- Collaborated with College of Public Health online program to deliver epidemiology instruction and support student learning.
- Reviewed class materials, evaluations, and resources under senior academic professor guidance to enhance course quality.
- Graded quizzes, tests, homework and projects to provide students with timely academic progress information and feedback.
- Mentored students on personal, professional, and academic goals, fostering effective study habits and improving engagement.
Epidemiologist and Program coordinator
Kelly Services, contractor for Arizona Department of Health Services
01.2013 - 12.2014
- At the Office of Border Health, Border Infectious Diseases Surveillance Team Epidemiologist and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) Project coordinator.
- Investigated and classified binational disease cases, enhancing public health response strategies.
- Conducted infectious disease surveillance follow-up, maintained databases, and identified outbreak occurrences.
- Coordinated sentinel site activities and sample testing, while maintaining and analyzing SARI project database.
call center student surveyor
University of Arizona
Tucson
12.2012 - 02.2013
- Conducted phone surveys in English and Spanish, gathering insights on health promotion topics.
- Collected and entered data into databases, ensuring accurate information for analysis.
- Supported public health promotion initiatives through part-time project work at College of Public Health.
medical laboratory technician
Aerotek Contractor
Los Angeles
05.2010 - 11.2011
- Conducted molecular biology and microbiology sample processing and diagnosis in microbiology laboratory section.
- Processed gross anatomy and biopsy samples as histopathology technician.
- Assisted with sample analysis in histopathology department at Veterans Affairs Great Los Angeles Hospital.
Medical doctor
Chilean Naval Hospital and Ministry of Health
12.1996 - 05.2005
- Adult and Pediatric primary care physician.
- Managed emergency surgical cases to stabilize patients and facilitate timely interventions.
- Delivered comprehensive care to dialysis patients, ensuring adherence to treatment protocols and patient safety.
- Administered hyperbaric treatments to enhance recovery outcomes in patients with decompression sickness and chronic wounds.
lecturer
Chilean Navy Nursing School
01.1995 - 12.1996
- Delivered lectures on advanced nursing practices and patient care techniques.
- Delivered lectures on anatomy, physiology, pathology, and physiopathology, fostering student comprehension and engagement in complex medical concepts.
- Mentored nursing students through clinical practice and theoretical learning.
- Developed curriculum materials for nursing courses and training programs.
Education
master of business administration - Healthcare law and administration elective classes
University of Arizona, Eller College of Management
Tucson, AZ12-2017
master of public health - Epidemiology concentration. Dr. Andrew Nichols Honoree and Scholarship award 2013
University of Arizona, Mel And Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Tucson, AZ05-2014
Medical doctor - ECFMG certification, USMLE step 1, step 2CK and Step 2 CS. Equivalence to doctoral level academic degree valid in the United States.
Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates, USA
09-2009
medical doctor - Physician Surgeon license. Doctor in Medicine academic degree. Cum Lauder, graduated with Honors.
University of Valparaiso
Valparaiso, Chile12-1996
Skills
- Program design and management
- Infection control
- Infectious disease prevention
- Epidemiological research
- Disease surveillance
- Data collection and analysis
- Report writing
- Policy development
- Epidemiological research
- Disease tracking
- Infection outbreak response
- Disinfection procedures
- Risk assessment
- Grant management
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Leadership skills
- Healthcare infections
- Isolation precautions
- Test administration
- Risk assessment
- Test administration
Certification
- FEMA Incident Command System 100,200,300, 400, 700, 800, and 29.
- CBIC Associated Certificate on Infection Prevention (2022)
- CBIC Certified in Infection Control (08/01/23)
Publications
- Global burden of influenza-associated lower respiratory tract infections and hospitalizations among adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lafond et al. PLOS Medicine, March 2021
- Community venue exposure risk estimator for the COVID-19 pandemic. Sun et al, Health and place, September 2020
- Distribution and occurrence of Amblyomma Maculatum sensu lato (Acari: Ioxididae) and rickettsia Parkeri (Ricketsiales: Ricketsiaceae), Arizona and New Mexico, 2017-2019. Hecht et al, Journal of medical entomology, July 2020
- Efficacy of low dose Chemoprophylaxis for Coccidioidomycosis infection in Liver transplant recipients. Habib et al, Gastroenterol Res 2019, 12(3): I48-15b
- Expanding recognition of Rickettsia Parkeru Rickettsiosis in Southern Arizona, 2016-2017. Yanglom et al. Vector borne and Zoonotic Diseases, June 2019
- Using citizen science to enhance surveillance of aedes aegypty in Arizona, 205-2017. Tarter et al. J Am mosq control assoc, March 2019
- Mortality estimates among adult patients with severe acute respiratory infections from 2 sentinel hospitals in Southern Arizona, United States, 2010-2014. Barnes et al. BMC Infectious Diseases, October 2018
- Serological assessment for exposure to spotted fever group rickettsia in dogs in the Arizona-Sonora border region. Yanglom et al. Zoonosis Public Health. August 2018.
- The brown dog tick and epidemic of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Arizona and Northern Mexico. Walker et al. University of Arizona cooperative extension, az1769. May 2018
- Mortality estimates among adult patients with severe acute respiratory infections from two sentinel hospitals in southern Arizona, United States, 2010-2014. Barnes et al. BMC infectious Diseases, February 2018.
- Arizona Sonora binational cases: five years of surveillance. Casal et al. Online Journal of Public Health informatics. August 2018
- Fatal Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever along the United States-Mexico border, 2013-2016. Drexler et al. Emerging Infectious Disease Journal. October 2017.
- Enhanced Aedes spp. surveillance across jurisdictions in Arizona’s border region. Casal et al. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics. September 2017.
- Enhanced mosquito surveillance for Aedes spp. in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Casal et al. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, August 2016.
- Binational dengue outbreak along the United States – Mexico border- Yuma County Arizona and Sonora, Mexico 2014. Jones et al. CDC MMWR May 2016.
- Surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) in Southern Arizona, 2010-2014. Wansaula et al. Influenza and other respiratory virus journal. September 2015.
- Enhancing respiratory infection surveillance on the US/Mexico border-Arizona BIDS program sentinel data. McCotter et al, Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, July 2014.
Languages
- Native Spanish speaker
- Conversational in French, German and Italian
- Fluent in English
- Native Spanish speaker
- Conversational in French, German and Italian
Timeline
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
09.2024 - 12.2024
Senior infection preventionist
Banner Desert Medical Center
06.2024 - Current
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
09.2023 - 12.2023
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
08.2022 - 12.2022
Senior medical epidemiologist
Pima County Health Department
05.2022 - 06.2024
Senior medical epidemiologist and division manager
Pinal County Public Health Services Division
06.2019 - 03.2022
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
04.2019 - 07.2019
public health epidemiology adjunct professor
University of Arizona
04.2018 - 07.2018
Senior epidemiologist and program manager
Arizona Department of Health Services
01.2015 - 05.2019
Epidemiologist and Program coordinator
Kelly Services, contractor for Arizona Department of Health Services
01.2013 - 12.2014
call center student surveyor
University of Arizona
12.2012 - 02.2013
medical laboratory technician
Aerotek Contractor
05.2010 - 11.2011
Medical doctor
Chilean Naval Hospital and Ministry of Health
12.1996 - 05.2005
lecturer
Chilean Navy Nursing School
01.1995 - 12.1996
master of business administration - Healthcare law and administration elective classes
University of Arizona, Eller College of Management
master of public health - Epidemiology concentration. Dr. Andrew Nichols Honoree and Scholarship award 2013
University of Arizona, Mel And Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Medical doctor - ECFMG certification, USMLE step 1, step 2CK and Step 2 CS. Equivalence to doctoral level academic degree valid in the United States.
Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates, USA
medical doctor - Physician Surgeon license. Doctor in Medicine academic degree. Cum Lauder, graduated with Honors.
University of Valparaiso