Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury Afshar

Biography

Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar is a Professor at UW-Madison in the School of Medicine and Public Health, specializing in Population Health Sciences. Her work emphasizes enhancing health and well-being for people who use substances. She is board-certified in family medicine, addiction medicine, and preventive medicine/general public health, with expertise at the intersection of these disciplines. Dr. Salisbury-Afshar has made multifaceted contributions spanning patient care, education, public health practice, and research, focusing specifically on the implementation and evaluation of addiction-related programs. Prior to her tenure at the University of Wisconsin, she gained extensive experience in the public and not-for-profit sectors. Serving as the Medical Director of Behavioral Health Systems in Baltimore, she developed and oversaw critical initiatives such as the Baltimore City Overdose Prevention Plan. Dr. Salisbury-Afshar's leadership in public health extended to her role at the Chicago Department of Public Health, where she crafted and executed strategies to combat the opioid overdose crisis. Additionally, she served as the Director of the Center for Addiction Research and Effective Solutions (CARES) at the American Institutes for Research, working on public health strategy development and technical assistance for evidence-based addiction treatment. Currently, she is the Program Director and Medical Director of Harm Reduction Services at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Public Health, and she also holds a joint appointment in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.

Research Interests

Experience