The DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the DCSD Superintendent.

The Medical Advisory committee is comprised of medical professionals from the DeKalb and Metro Atlanta region who work collaboratively with DCSD staff.

The purpose of the Medical Advisory Committee is to:

• Review emerging COVID 19 data to provide guidance to DCSD
• Provide guidance regarding appropriate and applicable COVID 19 protocols
• Make recommendations on the timing and conditions for face-to-face instruction that will best fit the needs of all students, parents, teachers, and other district personnel.

COVID 19 Medical Advisory Committee Members

• Sandra Elizabeth Ford, MD – District Health Director and Chief Executive Officer of the DeKalb County Board of Health
• Andrew Gewirtz, Ph.D. – Distinguished University Professor Institute for Biomedical Sciences Georgia State University
• Veda Johnson, MD – Marcus Professor in General Academics and Pediatrics Director, PARTNERS for Equity in Child and Adolescent Health Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine
• Rachel W. Linnemann, MD – Pediatric Pulmonologist, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine
• Jennifer McQuiston (DVM, MS), Deputy Director, CDC Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology
• Keri Norris, PhD, JM, MPH, MCHES – Chief of Health Policy & Administration, The Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority
• Julie Pace, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist and Assistant Professor, Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Jennifer Shu, MD – FAAP—Children’s Medical Group
• Kenyatta W. Stephens, Ph.D. – Infectious Disease Epidemiologist/Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology
• Lynette Wilson-Phillips, MD, FAAP, FABOM – Community Pediatrician, Decatur Pediatric Group, PA and Kids’ Doc On Wheels
• Cherry Wongtrakool, MD – Associate Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine

DCSD Staff COVID 19 Medical Advisory Committee Liaisons

• Cheryl Watson-Harris – Superintendent
• Antwyn Brown – Chief of Staff
• Quentin Fretwell – Student Relations
• JoAnn Harris, MSN, BSN, RN, AE-C – Lead Nurse, Student Support Services
• Melissa Harris – Deputy Superintendent – Community Engagement, Innovation and Partnerships
• Bernetta Jones – Special Assistant to the Superintendent
• Portia Kirkland –Communications Director
• Carolyn Lloyd-Community Partnerships/Special Projects
• Noel Maloof – Deputy COO
• Deborah Moore Sanders – Interim Deputy Superintendent, Student Support and Intervention
• Marshall Orson – DeKalb Board of Education
• Stacy Stepney – Chief Academic Officer
• Vickie Turner- Chair, DeKalb Board of Education