About Janet Austin

Janet S. Austin, Ph.D., is Director of the Office of Communications and Public Liaison for the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health. She directs and manages the Institute's contact with the public, as well as programs and publications about various health topics and the Institute's research accomplishments. Prior to this, Janet was Vice President of the American Juvenile Arthritis Organization and Arthritis Related Groups at the National Office of the Arthritis Foundation in Atlanta, Ga. She earned her doctorate in Health Education and Promotion from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As an individual challenged with rheumatic disease for many years, Janet is also an effective spokesperson and advocate for people with disabilities.