Dr. Robert Anda

Dr. Robert Anda graduated from Rush Medical College in 1979 and received his Board Certification in Internal Medicine in 1982. During 1982-1984 he completed a Fellowship in Preventive Medicine at the University of Wisconsin where he also received a Masters Degree (MS) in Epidemiology.

He spent 20 years conducting research as a medical officer in the U.S. Public Health Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. His research involved a variety of areas including disease surveillance, behavioral health, mental health and disease, cardiovascular disease, and childhood determinants of health.

He played the principal role in the design of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study and serves as its Co-Principal Investigator. He has presented findings from the ACE Study at Congressional Briefings and numerous conferences around the world. The ACE Study is being replicated in numerous countries by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is now being used to assess the childhood origins of health and social problems in more than 30 U.S. states.

He has more than 200 peer-reviewed and government publications such as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and book chapters. In addition, he has received numerous awards and recognition for scientific achievements. He and his work are highlighted in the documentary “Resilience” by Jamie Redford that was accepted to the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and is now being shown across the nation.

Dr. Anda now works in his role as Co-Founder of ACE Interface to deliver training materials at the state and community level about neurobiology, epigenetics, ACEs, resilience, and community capacity development. His dream is to help create a trauma informed Nation.

His role as the designer, writer, and communicator about the ACE Study over the past 25 years and how it has evolved into a National movement provides unique insights and perspectives for professional and lay audiences alike.