Mitchell A. Blount, MPH, PMP® is an experienced public health epidemiologist, researcher, and project administrator with more than 15 years of experience working with the public and health practitioners at multiple levels of the public health sector, including community-based organizations, state and federal government, and institutions of higher education. He has conducted infectious and chronic disease surveillance and research to inform policy, delivered enhanced program support and capacity through technical assistance to local, state, and federal stakeholders, and has led clinical quality initiatives to improve delivery of patient-centered care.

As the first Associate Project Director of Research in National Center for Primary Care (NCPC) at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Mitchell supports the NCPC’s broad research portfolio. He also oversees several projects that empower people with disabilities to engage in research, address health disparities through collaborative policy efforts in the City of East Point, Georgia, and demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative policy solutions to promote Black youth mental health in Georgia. In addition, he provides expert guidance and support to the NCPC divisions and programs, to investigators across the institution, and to external collaborators. Mitchell has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and is serving as a co-author for a book chapter focused on community engagement in public health and health policy. His contributions to the NCPC team have been integral for successful acquisition of more than $4 million in federal and foundational funding.

His greatest achievement to date is the completion of the Digital Health Tools Study (DHTS), which assessed the adoption and use of digital health tools (DHTs) by primary care clinicians in the Southeastern US. Mitchell spearheaded the coordination and implementation of study activities, including recruitment, data collection and management, analysis, and dissemination. He optimized quality assurance strategies and data collection and management procedures and led the development of targeted dissemination materials. His efforts ultimately led to recruitment of more than 1,200 survey participants throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when clinicians’ time for research participation was incredibly limited. Under Mitchell’s stewardship, the project resulted in several reports, data briefs, webinars, summits, and was the topic of a Congressional Briefing in April. As a result of Mitchell’s determination and exemplary leadership, he submitted and had accepted his very first peer-reviewed publication as a 1st author, Opportunities and Challenges to Advance Health Equity Using Digital Health Tools in Underserved Communities in Southeast US: A Mixed Methods Study, which is now published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health.

Mitchell also has a strong passion for and commitment to mentorship and empowerment of the next generation of public health leaders and health equity champions. He has served as a research and peer mentor for several graduate level public health students and medical school residents prior to and since joining NCPC. He is currently developing a program to continue to offer students the opportunity to get hands-on experience working on research projects in the NCPC. Mitchell is a graduate of Norfolk State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Infectious Diseases from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), and is certified Project Management Professional (PMP®).