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Director, Division of Disease Control

Julia Gill :: Chief, Bureau of EpidemiologyJulia Gill, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Julia Gill graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Medical Technology from Eastern Illinois University in 1983. After moving to Pinellas County Florida that same year, she spent the next decade working in clinical laboratories in microbiology, hematology, chemistry, immunohematology and serology. In 1992, she enrolled in the College of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, at the University of South Florida where she studied communicable disease epidemiology and earned a Master's Degree in Public Health in 1993. She continued her graduate work in communicable diseases and tropical health and specialized in arboviral diseases. She worked under the mentorship of Dr. Lillian Stark at the Bureau of Laboratories in Tampa during her Emerging Infectious Diseases Advanced Laboratory Training Fellowship, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association for Public Health Laboratories, from 1996-1998. Dr. Gill earned a Doctorate Degree in Public Health in 1998; her dissertation was titled: An active surveillance program for the detection of recent dengue infections in Florida. In 1999, she was hired at the Pinellas County Health Department to develop a chronic hepatitis program. Over the next seven years, her responsibilities increased to include management of acute hepatitis, epidemiology, nursing home/assisted living facility program, public health preparedness and immunizations. She accepted the position of Epidemic Intelligence Service Administrator at the Bureau of Epidemiology in Tallahassee in 2006. In February of 2007, she was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Epidemiology in the Disease Control Division. After appointed to serve as Acting Division of Disease Control Director in September of 2009, she was selected as Director in February 2010 where she continues to serve with responsibility for the Bureaus of Epidemiology, Immunization, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Refugee Health and A. G. Holley State Hospital.

Chief, Bureau of HIV/AIDS

Tom Liberti :: Chief, Bureau of HIV/AIDSThomas M. Liberti

Thomas Liberti has served the state of Florida in the public health arena since 1974, beginning his public health career with the STD programs in Dade and Monroe counties. During the 1980's, Mr. Liberti was the STD and AIDS regional director for Tampa Bay. In 1990, he moved to Tallahassee to work with the AIDS program and in January 1997, he was appointed the Chief of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS with the Florida Department of Health.

As chief of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS, Mr. Liberti is a dedicated and outstanding leader, providing direction to the program in the face of this ever-changing epidemic. He has worked closely with other public health officials and community representatives to design and implement effective HIV prevention programs and, as a result of his leadership qualities, has developed one of the nation's most comprehensive programs for HIV/AIDS surveillance, education, prevention, early intervention, counseling, testing, care, and treatment.
Mr. Liberti also administers the overall functions of the Hepatitis Program within the Bureau of HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Liberti is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Medical Humanities, College of Medicine at Florida State University.

At the national level, Mr. Liberti currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee for NASTAD, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. He was appointed by the former HHS Secretary, Donna Shalala, to the HRSA AIDS Advisory Committee where he still serves. He has developed a unique perspective on HIV/AIDS, enabling him to put Florida’s experience in the context of the national epidemic. Mr. Liberti was awarded the Nicholas Rango Leadership Award for his national and state involvement and recently was given a leadership award by Florida’s AIDS Education and Training Centers where he is a member of the Management Committee.

Mr. Liberti is an ex-officio member of the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition Board where he serves as a key resource for people with HIV/AIDS in need of greater supportive housing opportunities.

Mr. Liberti is highly respected among his peers and possesses a spirit of compassionate involvement in his work with HIV/AIDS. He is an extraordinary individual whose HIV/AIDS expertise is invaluable.

Chief, Bureau of Immunization

Charles Alexander :: Chief, Bureau of ImmunizationCharles H. Alexander

Charles Alexander received a Bachelor of Science degree from McMurry College in Abilene, Texas.  His career began in the Venereal Disease Program with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1965.  In 1967, he was recruited into CDC’s Immunization Program, where he worked as an Immunization Program Coordinator for county and state health departments throughout the central and eastern United States. 
From 1975 to 2001, Mr. Alexander was assigned as a Public Health Advisor to several state and local health departments, including the Tennessee State Department of Health, Los Angeles County Health Department, and the Connecticut and New York State Departments of Health.  He also worked with the World Health Organization Smallpox Eradication Program in Dacca, Bangladesh.  While still employed by the CDC, Mr. Alexander came to the Florida Department of Health in 1999 to work as a public health advisor for the Bureau of Immunization.  In September 2001, he retired from the CDC to accept the position of Chief of the Bureau of Immunization.

As Chief of the Bureau of Immunization, Mr. Alexander has facilitated expansion of the Florida SHOTS (State Health Online Tracking System) Program, the Florida Vaccines for Children Program, and the Florida Early Childhood Immunization Initiative.  He spearheaded efforts to improve critical immunization programmatic areas at Florida's county health departments.  He strengthened critical linkages with many immunization stakeholders, including the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, and increased the focus on adult immunizations, with emphasis on influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination.  During 2000, he played a critical role in resolving vaccine management and funding issues, and he led the immunization portion of Florida's initiative to reduce racial and ethnic disparity in health care.  Under his leadership, five county- or community-based organizations have received state funding to close gaps in immunization coverage levels among specific underserved racial and ethnic populations.