Who We Are

Biography of Fred Donodeo, M.P.A.

Fred Donodeo is a marketing and policy specialist at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at NIH, with an extensive background in public affairs, social marketing, and community relations. In addition to advising NIAAA senior management on critical Institute outreach policy needs, he has developed many innovative public information programs and products. He is also one of NIAAA's primary representatives to selected constituent groups, the research community, alcohol beverage industry officials, national and local policy makers, and the general public.

Some of Mr. Donodeo's most successful projects include seasonal/holiday information packages, sports celebrity public information projects, and alcohol research seminars for policy makers. He is also the project officer for a multi-year public education campaign on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome for African-American Women in the District of Columbia.

Also notable is his work as Coordinator of the Institute's Task Force on College Drinking. Established in 1998, the Task Force was comprised of prominent college presidents, scientific researchers specializing in college alcohol use, and university students. Its report provides science-based data and facts about the problem along with recommendations for both college presidents and the research community. Mr. Donodeo, along with the NIAAA Executive Officer, has managed the logistical aspects of this project since its inception and helped shape much of its content.

Before coming to NIAAA, Mr. Donodeo was a Public Affairs Specialist in the National Cancer Institute. In that role, he directed the public relations, health promotion, and mass media aspects of the "5 a Day for Better Health" nutrition campaign which resulted in roughly 100 million media impressions annually. He was also a team leader in the early stages of NCI's cancer risk communications program.

He was formerly the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the New York City Department of Ports and Trade, and has participated in fellowship programs with the National Park Service, the City Manager of Alexandria, VA, and Rep. Susan Molinari.

Mr. Donodeo has a B.A. in Sociology/Communications from Fordham University and an M.P.A. from George Washington University.