Dr. Sara Jahnke is the Director and a Senior Scientist at the Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Health Research at NDRI-USA. She also serves as President of the Board for Science to the Station: A Health and Wellness Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to making scientific research more accessible and actionable for frontline fire and EMS personnel.

With nearly two decades of experience studying the fire service, Dr. Jahnke has served as Principal Investigator on numerous national projects and co-investigator on many more. Her research spans a wide range of firefighter health concerns, including cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, behavioral health, injury prevention, substance use, and the unique health needs of women in the fire service. Her work has been funded by FEMA, the National Institutes of Health, and private foundations.

Dr. Jahnke has authored over 100 scientific publications and has been recognized with several national awards, including the John Granito Excellence in Fire Service Research Award, the President’s Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Glatfelter Distinguished Service Award from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.