From 1995-2000 he was assigned to the New Mexico Department of Health to support chronic disease prevention and control programs. From 2000 to 2014 he collaborated with the IHS and American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health programs on cancer surveillance and cancer control programs. Dr. Espey has also worked to improve mortality data for AI/AN. From February through July, 2014, Dr. Espey was Acting Director for CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and from August of 2014 to until April 2021 he coordinating CDC’s Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country grant program and served as director of CDC’s Healthy Tribes program in the Division of Population Health. He recently stepped down from that position and is now a Guest Researcher at CDC.