Kate Hopkins

Dr. Kate Hopkins leads Sabin’s Vaccine Demand & Implementation Initiative, which encompasses the Global HPV Consortium (GHC) as well as workstreams in social and behavioral research, implementation science, and communities of practice aimed at optimizing immunization service delivery and strengthening vaccine acceptance and demand. She oversees program strategy and growth, research activities, and partnership development.

During her nearly five-year tenure at Sabin, Kate has built global, multisectoral networks that advance evidence generation and application for vaccine acceptance, demand, and delivery. Her leadership includes re-establishing and growing the Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN), a community of more than 850 experts across 47 countries; convening the Social and Behavioral Research Coalition spanning 20 countries; and supporting the Hexavalent Vaccine Switch Assessment Consortium and Malaria Vaccine Learning Agenda to inform vaccine policy and implementation in Gavi-supported countries.

Prior to joining Sabin, Kate spent 11 years living and working in sub-Saharan Africa conducting infectious disease prevention, behavioral, and health services research, while also supporting HIV and COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial capacity through the HIV Vaccine Trials Network and COVID-19 Prevention Network. She holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of the Witwatersrand and an MPH in Global Health from Boston University. Her doctoral research focused on the intersection of HIV, HPV, and cervical cancer prevention, including evaluation of cervical cancer screening practices and guidelines in South Africa.

Some of her publications include:

• How Local Communities Shaped the “Cranky Uncle Vaccines” Game | Vaccines Today
• Co-Designing a Mobile-Based Game to Improve Misinformation Resistance and Vaccine Knowledge in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda – PubMed
• Community-Based Approaches to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Demand: Lessons Learned from Four UNICEF-Supported Interventions – PubMed
• Shaping global vaccine acceptance with localized knowledge: a report from the inaugural VARN2022 conference – PubMed
• Building a way forward: Enabling community voices to forge the path toward successful immunization for all – PubMed
• The second annual Vaccination Acceptance Research Network Conference (VARN2023): Shifting the immunization narrative to center equity and community expertise – PubMed 
• “Vaccine misinformation among Arabic-speakers in Australia and the audience and appetite for game-based intervention. – ScienceDirect
• Building trust and equity in vaccine communication through community engagement. – co-authored by Theresa Sommers, Sr. Manager of Research, Vaccine Acceptance & Delivery; Meredith Dockery, Sr. Associate, Vaccine Acceptance & Delivery; Kate Hopkins, Sr. Director of Research, Vaccine Acceptance & Delivery; and Elizabeth Kohlway, Director, Community Building & Digital Engagement

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