Robin Soler is the Director of the Office of Applied Research (OAR), Office of Science and Public Health Practice, and Office of Readiness and Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She holds a PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science from Howard University.
OAR supports the development and implementation of evidence-based preparedness and response strategies for state, tribal, local, and territory public health departments. The Office has a $9.2m budget and recently has supported the Natural Hazards Center's Public Health Research Awards Program, the Public Health Extreme Events Reconnaissance Network, and various Converge trainings, among other internal and external efforts. Soler supported CDC’s 2014-2016 Ebola Response as the Evaluation Team Lead and served with CDC's COVID-19 response with the Chief Health Equity Office. Soler has also led Applied Research and Evaluation Teams for the CDC’s Divisions of Diabetes Translation and Community Health. She joined CDC in 2004 as a Coordinating Scientist with the Guide to Community Preventives Services.
Soler has also served as a Technical Director for ORC Macro (now ICF, Int.), where she coordinated technical assistance and training for a national evaluation project of children's mental health services. From 1996 - 2000 she served as a faculty associate at the Rollins School of Public Health and Project Director for Project Excellence, a substance use prevention program for children.