Ruth Ann Dunn

Ruth Ann Dunn

Fellowship Placement: U.S. Senate
Hometown: West Townshend, VT

Ruth Ann Dunn is serving her Fellowship in the U.S. Senate in the Office of Senator Brian Schatz (Hawaii). In her first career, Dr. Ruth Ann Dunn was a medical educator and public health official.

Following her award of an M.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Ruth Ann completed a 3-year pediatric residency at UCLA and UTHSCSA. She then sought public health training as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, and as a preventive medicine resident with the CDC and the Michigan Department of Public Health (MDPH). Subsequently as MDPH's Immunization Chief, she coordinated state efforts to improve the 2-year-old immunization rate, which was the lowest of the 50 states. Michigan's rise to 38th place after three years involved collaboration with local health officials, private practitioners, the governor's office, and advocacy groups. Ruth Ann also attended national meetings of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as the MDPH vaccine lab representative. In 2014, the New England Institute of Chemists presented her with the Secondary School Chemistry Teacher Award.

Ruth Ann is the recipient of the Achievement Medal from the U.S. Public Health Service; American Academy of Pediatrics Lay Education Award, and Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan Association of Local Public Health Physicians Forum. A K-12 educator since 2002, she is at Leland and Gray Union Middle High School in Townshend, VT, where she has taught biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, Earth science, geology, astronomy, anatomy, physiology, and French. Ruth Ann still maintains medical licenses and volunteers as a sidelines physician for high school teams.