Dr. Loreen Herwaldt graduated from Grinnell College in 1973 and from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1977. She did a residency in Internal Medicine (1977-1980) and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases (1982-1987) at Washington University in St. Louis. She was an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1980-1982. She joined the faculty of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in 1987 and is now Professor of Internal Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology in the University of Iowa College of Public Health. She is also the Hospital Epidemiologist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Dr. Herwaldt does research on healthcare-associated infections, particularly Staphylococcus aureus infections and surgical site infections, and other adverse outcomes of medical care. She recently completed an AHRQ-funded study to develop and assess preoperative screening for nasal S. aureus carriage and decolonization of carriers among patients undergoing cardiac operations or hip or knee replacements. She is currently conducting a followup study to assess the effectiveness of the prevention bundle components. She is also interested in the role of narrative in health care and in patient-clinician communication. She published a book entitled Patient Listening that presents patients’ stories of getting healthcare. Dr. Herwaldt previously served on the board of directors for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). SHEA has honored her with its Young Investigator award and the 2012 Mentor-Scholar Award. Dr. Herwaldt edited the first edition of the textbook A Practical Handbook for Hospital Epidemiologists (now called Practical Healthcare Epidemiology). She has taught in the SHEA/CDC and the ESCMID/SHEA hospital epidemiology courses. She is currently chair of the SHEA Nomination Committee and a member of the ICAAC Planning Committee.