Staff

Professional Summary
Steven Whitman has spent the last 28 years in the Chicago area doing epidemiological health research. While at the Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research at Northwestern University from 1978 - 1991, he served as Senior Epidemiologist on a $2 million grant to effect multi-disciplinary research about epilepsy in the urban environment. Also at Northwestern University, he received a 5-year subcontract from the National Cancer Institute to supervise the epidemiological aspects of an effort to reduce breast and cervical cancer in poor Black women who live in Chicago.

In 1991, Dr. Whitman was recruited to the Chicago Department of Public Health to organize and direct the Program on Epidemiology. While there, he focused his efforts on public health issues such as infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and immunizations. He also managed the Vital Records Division of the Health Department and was Assistant Registrar for the City of Chicago. Under his leadership, the Epidemiology Program published over 25 formal reports, made more than 300 presentations in the Chicago area, and published many articles in peer -reviewed journals. The Program on Epidemiology grew from zero members to 63 members.

In March 2000, Dr. Whitman was hired to create the Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI). He is in charge of all evaluations of health interventions and ongoing programs as well as community-based epidemiology. The SUHI staff has grown to over 20 employees now and work has extended to include a major first-of-its-kind health survey of the City of Chicago and evaluations of the following Sinai health interventions: HIV counseling and testing; pediatric asthma intervention; Healthy Start; quality improvement for mammography services; obesity prevention; and smoking cessation. In the 6.5 years since SUHI was initiated, Dr. Whitman and his staff have brought in over $11 million in grant funding. He has authored over 100 publications and made over 400 presentations on public health related topics.

In addition to his work at the Sinai Health System, Dr. Whitman is a consultant at Rush University Medical Center, teaches a class in Epidemiology at Northwestern University, and serves on several boards.

Education
Ph.D., Biostatistics, Yale University, 1969
M.Phil., Biostatistics, Yale University, 1968
M.S., Biometrics, University of Pittsburgh, 1964