Dr. Jeremy Whitaker is the Director of the Public Health Undergraduate Program at Allen College in Waterloo, though his career extends back much further. After finishing the MPH program at the University of Iowa (‘05), he held his first public health position at Shasta County Public Health (California). As a communicable disease educator, he worked on projects ranging from reproductive health education, needle exchange, West Nile virus prevention and emergency preparedness.

He moved home for a position at the Iowa Department of Public Health running Quitline Iowa and was on the team that implemented the smoke-free air law which passed in 2008. Dr. Whitaker also served as Director of Health Care Policy at the Iowa Hospital Association and worked in Operations at Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Prior to working in public health, he served in the United States Air Force as an air traffic controller and meteorologist. 

In addition to his MPH, Dr. Whitaker received a Doctorate in Community Health Education (EdD) from the University of Northern Iowa (’17).