Talia Spark

Overview

Talia Spark, PhD, is a Principal Research Associate and epidemiologist for Behavioral Health and Health Policy with more than 14 years of professional experience in research and public health surveillance with training in behavioral health, injury, and spatial epidemiology. Spark has more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts with several focused on suicide, substance use, and overdose.

Spark is the lead epidemiologist on the SAMHSA-funded Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), an emergency department-based drug and alcohol surveillance system. Prior to Westat, Spark served as an applied epidemiologist at both Boulder County Public Health and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. She also conducted research on suicide and substance use in Veterans at the Department of Veteran Affairs. She is passionate about developing innovative methods in drug surveillance and sharing relevant findings with audiences in accurate, informative, and visually appealing ways.

Education

• PhD, Epidemiology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado
• MS, Epidemiology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado
• BA, Biochemistry (Minor in Chemistry), University of Colorado