Who We Are


VSC’s full-time consultants include doctorally trained data scientists, economists, and public health experts, and are complemented by a network of over 20 carefully vetted consultants with experience in all key areas of healthcare, including research and evaluation, quality improvement, market access, health IT, and culturally competent health communications. Client engagements are optimally staffed according to project goals and requirements to produce efficient, cost-effective solutions.

 

Leadership


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JESSICA B. STEIER, DRPH, PMP

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Jessica Steier is the CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting. She is a public health scientist and health services researcher. Prior to joining VSC, she served as a Senior Health Policy Consultant at The Lewin Group, working primarily on large state and federal grants. Prior to that, she served as the inaugural Research Coordinator of Hofstra University’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies, where she designed the Master’s degree curriculum, conducted research with clinicians and healthcare delivery organizations to inform evidence-based change and quality improvement, and performed numerous program evaluations and needs assessments for hospitals and departments of health. Dr. Steier is a noted expert in COVID-19. She has designed and led multiple COVID-19 related research projects for the largest FQHC in New York State, and has developed multiple modes of scientific communication of COVID-19 related information, including diagnostic and antibody testing, population health outcomes, and COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Dr. Steier co-hosts The Unbiased Science Podcast, the goal of which is to dispel misinformation and misconceptions across an array of science and public health topics. Dr. Steier received her Master of Public Health (Evaluative Sciences) at SUNY-Stony Brook University and her Doctor of Public Health degree from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (CUNY). She holds a Certificate in Patient Safety, as well as a Certificate in COVID-19 Contact Tracing from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She also holds COVID-19 Certifications (in Psychological Health First Aid for COVID-19 and Returning to Work: Safe Work Practices) from the American Red Cross. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Jessica currently lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two young children. She is an avid animal lover and supporter of local rescue organizations and has adopted four dogs and two cats of her own. She hopes to soon rescue a pig!


MICHELLE BRIDENBAKER, RN, BSN, MS, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Michelle is an accomplished and patient-focused senior leader with extensive experience operationalizing, executing, optimizing, and digitally transforming aspects of medical/scientific affairs, health communication, and multichannel engagement across industry and healthcare. She is the Chief Operating Officer of VSC. With a healthcare, toxicology, and communications background, Michelle has worked tirelessly to ensure patient safety and improved health outcomes and empower healthcare professionals with vital information. She is active on scientific boards and volunteers as a consultant for various tech firms supporting healthcare, not-for-profit organizations, and public health.


With over 20 years of experience, she has overseen quality assurance for multichannel medical and scientific content as a copy
editor for Windover Publishing (now MedPage today) and Medscape and the past 15 years supporting multilingual, multichannel medical and scientific communications around the world.


 

The VSC Team

Our consultants’ capabilities and experience span all critical sectors of the healthcare industry.


RILEY WOLYNN, MPH

Public Health Consultant

Ms. Wolynn is a public health professional specializing in behavioral and community health who is devoted to enhancing public health awareness and education through research and advocacy. She received her Master of Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh. During her academic career, Riley led various research projects at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, focusing on public perceptions of health issues across multiple social media platforms. In addition to her research, Riley coordinated the "Shots Heard Round the World" initiative at The Public Good Projects, where she directed operations and community engagement to combat anti-vaccine misinformation. Riley lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her fiancé and dog.


SARAH KURIL, PhD, MPH, RRT

Senior Consultant

Dr. Kuril is a public health researcher, educator, and healthcare professional. Her career began as a Registered Respiratory Therapist where she most recently led the Pulmonary Rehabilitation department part of St. Francis Hospital. In this role, she was responsible for clinical program evaluation and performance improvement measures through coordinated standards established by the hospital, CMS, and JCAHO. Dr. Kuril is active in clinical research and works with sizable hospital and survey datasets to determine equitable health outcomes for individuals diagnosed with chronic respiratory disease. As a SAS® Certified Specialist and proficient in R, she is experienced in applying several statistical models, including Bayesian analysis. Dr. Kuril has served as an Adjunct Faculty Member for the Gillings School of Global Public Health program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy. She is currently a Course Facilitator for Cornell University’s external education unit in Public Health and Data Analytics. She currently resides in Maryland with her husband and two young children.


ETHAN CHAPIN, MD

Clinical Advisor

Dr. Ethan Chapin is an emergency physician at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, where he also serves as the Director of Employee Health. Prior to his career in clinical medicine, Dr. Chapin conducted research in the Retinal Cell Biology and the Center for the Study of Macular Degeneration at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is passionate about the implementation of academic medicine in the community hospital setting and the integration of emergency medicine practices with hospital-based medical practices. He has taught coursework in emergency medicine at Hofstra University and the Northwell Health Center for Learning and Innovation. Dr. Chapin completed his undergraduate coursework at the University of California of Santa Barbara; MD from Stony Brook University; and an emergency medicine residency at North Shore University Hospital. Born and raised in Southern California, Ethan ended up on the East Coast for medical school, where he met his wife. They now live in Jupiter, FL with their two young children. In his spare time, Ethan likes any and all outdoor activities including biking, camping, and taking beach walks with his family.


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OLUWATOMI OLUWASANMI, MPH

Epidemiology Consultant

Ms. Oluwasanmi is a public health professional, scientist and educator who is passionate about the biological mechanisms of infectious diseases, vaccination efforts and emergency preparedness.

At present, she is a data analyst with the Bureau of Communicable Diseases at the New York City Department of Public Health and Mental Hygiene. Prior to working at the health department, she has worked with the NYC Health and Hospitals Test and Trace Corps, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other federal agencies (FEMA, DOD, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) as well as local and state health departments, on preventive measures to stop the spread of communicable disease through international travel, outbreak investigations and vaccination efforts.

Apart from working in public health practice, she has 4 years of experience teaching a variety of public health courses at various academic institutions which include: Stony Brook University School of Medicine, New York University and Hunter College Urban School of Public Health.


JARROD BREITHAUPT

Executive Producer

Mr. Breithaupt is a versatile professional with over two decades of experience in data management, programming, and healthcare analytics. He currently serves as a Health Data Analyst at the University of Louisiana at Monroe's College of Pharmacy, where he specializes in SAS programming and data analysis for Louisiana Medicaid. Prior to his current role, Jarrod spent over 20 years as a Senior Programmer/Analyst at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where he managed complex student information systems, including financial aid, billing, and admissions. His expertise spans various technical areas, including database management, eCommerce administration, and web systems. Jarrod serves as the Executive Producer for Vital Statistics Consulting, where he manages production for the Unbiased Science Podcast and Bytes of Health podcast. In this role, he oversees database maintenance, social media metrics, podcast distribution, and content creation. Jarrod's career exemplifies a unique blend of technical expertise, healthcare analytics, and digital media production, positioning him at the intersection of technology, health science, and public communication.


Expert Network


In addition to our core team, VSC has an exclusive network of methodologic and subject matter experts that includes:

 
  • Public health scientists

  • Applied statisticians

  • Epidemiologists

  • Health policy experts

  • Clinical scientists

  • Health actuaries

  • Health economists

  • Health services researchers

  • Immunologists

  • Sci comm experts

 
 
 

Interested in joining our team or partnering with us?