Kelley Vilen
Infectious disease epidemiologist
Minnesota Department of Health
Kelley Vilen is an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). She has been with the state since 2017, when she started as a student in the Zoonotic Disease Unit before receiving her MPH from the University of Minnesota. Currently, Kelley is working on the state’s COVID-19 response as co-lead for the Outbreak Detection Unit and subject matter expert for case investigators and external partners. Her work with the Foodborne Diseases Unit has included surveillance activities and leading outbreak investigation, including a recent large multi-state E. coli O157 investigation linked to bagged salad mix. Prior to working for the state, Kelley honed her patience and science expertise as a middle school science teacher in Minnesota and Texas. Pre-pandemic, you could find her most weekends on the track skating for her roller derby team!