David D. Potenziani, PhD, MA, BA

Health Informatician

Summary of Experience

David Potenziani has over 35 years of experience in information systems development, project management, public health informatics, bio-surveillance, and global digital health. Dr. Potenziani has developed expert systems in health communications, designed workforce skills development systems for thousands of workers, and served as manager of a multi-institutional team that developed an advanced analytics system for early detection of novel health threats. Most recently, he supported human resources for health efforts by improving systems architecture and implementing open source information solutions in Central and Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. His background in informatics comes from his experience as Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Bio-Preparedness, a multi-year, multi-institutional $15M USD effort to bring non-traditional data into a robust analytics framework to discern threats to health from data sources outside traditional reportable disease systems. He holds faculty appointments in Health Policy and Management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and the UNC School of Information and Library Science. He served as project manager for a number of efforts to develop online educational programs of the Gillings School, developed new information systems for improving clinical sub-specialty care on a national scale, and led the team that designed, developed, and delivered North Carolina’s public health workforce assessment and development system.

Education

  • PhD, History, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA, 1981

  • MA, History, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA, 1978

  • BA, History, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, USA, 1976

International Experience

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, India, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda

Academic Experience

Adjunct Instructor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

08/2017—present

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Courses in Carolina Health Informatics Program: Introductory doctoral seminar (INLS 890), ongoing health informatics seminar (CHIP 770), US health care system (CHIP 490).

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

08/2000—present

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Course Health Policy and Management graduate course (HPM 778) on public health informatics as part of the Executive Masters Program.

Senior Informatics Advisor, IntraHealth International

10/2013—6/2020

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Supported in-country technology program for implementing iHRIS software and related technology. Provided use cases for information visualization by creating exemplar information objects and use of data visualization technologies. Guided eLearning implementations in Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Uganda, and Bangladesh. Designed and led a workshop for Sub-Saharan medical colleges to use eLearning approaches. Initiated a machine learning project in eastern Uganda to use cutting-edge technologies in the analysis of health services. These deliverables where delivered on time and within budget. Developed a roadmap for Senegal’s Ministry of Health to guide the development of the national eHealth strategy. Worked in GIS with the IntraHealth India team to derive geospatial data and visualizations for two states, Bihar and Jharkhand. Helped adapt WHO tools for workforce response to the COVID-19 pandemic for Mali and Kenya.

Executive Director, National Collaborative for Bio-Preparedness, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

10/2010—07/2013

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Directed a multi-institutional effort to create a cutting-edge biosurveillance system for the United States. Managed staff, contract personnel, and contracts at UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and SAS Institute. Provided briefings for the Secretary of Homeland Security and Members of Congress.

Senior Associate Dean for Planning, Coordination and Administration, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

06/2007—09/2010

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Coordinated efforts across the school’s administration, communications, business & finance, information technology, student affairs, and the North Carolina Institute for Public Health.

Director, Instructional and Information Systems, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

12/2000—06/2007

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Managed a diverse department of computer professionals that provided comprehensive information services to support the teaching, research, and service mission of the UNC School of Public Health. Services included server resources (Solaris, Linux, and Windows), videoconferencing and video production services through the Mayes Center, direct end user support for more than 400 faculty and staff, web support and online applications development, and instructional support for online instruction.

Associate Director, Instructional and Information Systems, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

01/1998—12/2000

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Assisted the Director in management of computer professionals and distance education.

Internet Specialist, Center for Distance Learning and Health Communications, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

7/1998—12/1998

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Led a multi-disciplinary team to develop distance learning courses

Computing Consultant, Health Communications Research Lab, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

11/1994—7/1998

Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Developed an expert system for computer-driven tailored health communications

Select Publications

  • Finnegan A, Potenziani DD, Karutu C, Wanyana I, Matsiko N, Elahi C, Mijumbi N, Stanley R and Vota W (2022) Deploying machine learning with messy, real world data in lowand middle-income countries: Developing a global health use case. Frontiers in Big Data 5:553673. doi: 10.3389/fdata.2022.553673

  • Tsague J, Potenziani D, Zan D, BonTempo J, Parrish S. Senegal’s Journey Toward an eHealth Strategy: Highlights from the Development Process, Knowledge for Health Project, 2016.

  • Driessen J, Settle D, Potenziani D, Tulenko K, Kabocho T, Wadembere I. Understanding and valuing the broader health system benefits of Uganda’s national Human Resources for Health Information System investment. Human Resources for Health 2015, 13:49. 

  • Massoudi B, Goodman K, Gotham I, Holmes J, Lang L, Miner K, Potenziani D, Richards J, Turner A, Fu P. An informatics agenda for public health: summarized recommendations from the 2011 AMIA PHI Conference. J Am Med Inform Assoc amiajnl-2011-000507Published Online First: 6 March 2012 doi:10.1136/amiajnl-2011-000507.

  • Cairns C, Potenziani D, Hoit M, Jenkins C, Edgemon S.  Novel approach to statewide biosurveillance using emergency medical services (EMS) information. Emerging Health Threats Journal 2011, 4: 11183 - DOI: 10.3402/ehtj.v4i0.11183.

  • Potenziani, D. (2004). Information Systems. In: Blair Keagy and Marci Thomas (Eds.) Essentials of Physician Practice Management. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

  • Potenziani, D. (2003). The Joy of Distance Learning: Recipes for Success. In: David G. Brown (Ed.) Developing Faculty to Use Technology. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company.

  • Campbell, M.K., Bernhardt, J.M., Waldmiller, M., Jackson, B., Potenziani, D., Weathers, B., & Demissie, S. (1999). Varying the message source in computer-tailored nutrition education. Patient Education and Counseling, 36, 157-169.

  • Campbell, M.K., M. Bernhardt, M. Waldmiller, B. Jackson, D. Potenziani, B. Weathers, and S. Demissie. (1999). Improving dietary behavior: The effectiveness of tailored messages in primary care settings. American Journal of Public Health 84, 783-787.

  • Potenziani, D. (1989). Digital Optical Storage: Boon or Boondoggle. In: Lawrence J. McCrank (ed.) Databases in the Humanities and Social Sciences-4. Medford, NJ: Learned Information.

Professional Activities

2021     Consultant to IntraHealth, International.

2013     Consultant to Novartis Animal Health US, Inc. 

2012     Site visitor, Council on Education for Public Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Cuernavaca, Mexico.

2011     Co-Lead on Public Health Informatics Sustainability Track at the American Medical Informatics Association meeting in Orlando, FL.

2010     Member, Steering Committee of the North Carolina Bio-Preparedness Collaborative.

2010     Site visitor, Council on Education for Public Health, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health.

2009     Site visitor, Council on Education for Public Health, State University of New York—Buffalo, School of Public Health and Health Professions.

2006     “Distance Education Overview,” webinar for the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

2004     Co-Chair, Health Informatics Information Technology Special Interest Group, American Public Health Association.

2004     “Strategies in Information Technology Management,” workshop for the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

2003     Participant in the “Academic E-Learning Planning Summit” at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2002-5 Member of Quality in Pediatric Subspecialty Care Board, group committed to the improvement of clinical care in pediatrics.

2000     “Webcasting as a Tool for Distance Education,” roundtable discussion at the Conference on Public Health Informatics and Distance Learning, Association of Schools of Public Health.

2000     Consultant to Prospect Associates, Silver Springs, MD, on distance education.

1998     Participant on the Expert Panel on Electronic Dissemination of Documents relating to the Tobacco Settlement, Washington, DC.

1998     Consultant to Tobacco Use Prevention Training Summer Institute, Albuquerque, NM.

1987     Workshop on "Humanities and Computers" at Eastern Illinois University.