About Us

Steven M. Moffatt, MD
Executive Director and Clinical Research Scientist

Steven M. Moffatt, MD is the founder of Public Safety Medical, an occupational medical practice based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Public Safety Medical provides hundreds of fire and law enforcement departments across Indiana and the bordering states with specialized medical, fitness, and psychological evaluations and interventions. 

Dr. Moffatt is a highly regarded medical subject matter expert for public safety professions. He is a pioneer in the development of standards for medical surveillance programs for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders.  Dr. Moffatt serves on national boards including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the IAFF/IAFC Wellness-Fitness Task Force, the National Fire Protection Association, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

In 2015, Dr. Moffatt formed the National Institute for Public Safety Health, a private non-profit research center specializing in investigations to improve the health and wellness of firefighters and law enforcement officers. 

Dr. Moffatt is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine with a specialty in Internal Medicine. Public Safety Medical, along with the City of Indianapolis, received the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine National Corporate Health Achievement Award that recognizes exemplary worker health, safety and environmental management programs. Indianapolis was the first municipality to win this award in the nation.

Carolyn M. Muegge, MS, MPH, PhD
Research Scientist

Carolyn M. Muegge, MS, MPH, PhD is a research scientist at the National Institute for Public Safety Health, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana. Carolyn has a PhD and Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, both from the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health and a Master of Science in Health Promotion from Purdue University. Carolyn’s research interests include the health and wellness of firefighters and law enforcement officers. Dr. Muegge is currently the co-investigator on two FEMA grants examining health and occupational risk factors associated with cancer and the prevalence and impact of SARS-CoV-2 infections among firefighters. She has also reported or published on trends in health risk factors among new firefighters, barriers to a healthy lifestyle and excess mortality among Indiana firefighters. Dr. Muegge has been the PI on several contracts and grants. She has authored or co-authored more than 100 manuscripts, technical reports, posters, and presentations. Dr. Muegge was part of the team at Public Safety Medical winning the American College of Occupational and Environmental Health Corporate Achievement Award for the City of Indianapolis Health Management Program and the Partnership for Healthy Children Award for the Tobacco Free Marion County Project. Dr. Muegge was recognized in the 2020 Elite 50 at IUPUI, won the American Public Health Association new researcher award in 2016 and is a member of the national public health honor society, Delta Omega.

Vanessa Kleinschmidt, MPH
Research Project Manager

Vanessa Kleinschmidt has worked as the research project manager for the National Institute for Public Safety Health since 2016. Vanessa assists with the design, management, and execution of health-based research projects among the fire service and law enforcement, often collaborating with other research institutions across multiple sites. She has co-authored multiple manuscripts, technical reports, posters, and conference abstracts. Vanessa holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health.