Edward J. Sondik

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.

Director, National Center for Health Statistics

 Responsibilities

Dr. Sondik serves as Director for the National Center for Health Statistics, one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  NCHS is the principal health statistics agency of the United States, responsible for monitoring the nation's health through a wide-ranging program of research and analysis in health and vital statistics, epidemiology, and related health and statistical sciences.  NCHS is also one of the designated statistical agencies of the United States, which together provide information on the United States on a variety of critical sectors.  Dr. Sondik's duties include directing a wide ranging program of vital statistics and survey research to monitor the health of Americans, to anticipate and plan for future data needs and to develop the technologies and analytic tools necessary to meet the Nation's health statistics needs.  As NCHS Director, Dr. Sondik serves on the Interagency Committee on Statistical Policy, whose membership consists of the leaders of the designated federal statistical agencies.

Dr. Sondik also serves as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on Health Statistics, providing technical and policy advice on statistical and health information issues.  In this capacity he also serves on the HHS Data Council, the body that reviews DHHS data policy and related issues.

Credentials/Education/Training

Dr. Sondik received BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut and the Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.  From 1971 to 1976 he was on the faculty of the Department of Engineering-Economic Systems at Stanford University.  From 1976 to 1982 he was on the staff of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.  In 1982 he joined the National Cancer Institute and held several posts from Chief of the Biometrics and Operations Research Branch to Deputy Director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, as well as Acting Director, NCI.  In 1996 he was appointed Director, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC and Senior Advisor to the Secretary on Health Statistics.