GEORGIA CTSA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Community Health Worker
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
Adrianne Serrano Proeller is a Community Health Worker (CHW) with Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (PRC) and Community Engagement Coordinator for The Center for Translational Research in Health Disparities at MSM. Her role as a CHW at Morehouse School of Medicine has included community outreach and education on a number of projects, including the REACH Healthy Corner Stores and Safe Routes to School initiatives, as well as the PRC's Community Health Needs and Assets Assessment. She is also the community health worker for the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, where she works on capacity-building projects for CHWs across the state.
Adrianne currently serves as the Georgia Ambassador to the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW). She is a graduate of Loyola University of New Orleans and her background includes 6 years as a senior writer in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and 8 years as Senior Manager of Corporate Communications for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. She is actively involved in many community-based organizations in SW Atlanta, where she has lived for 10 years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, Informatics / Morehouse School
- Co - Director, KL2 Program / Morehouse School
Job Titles:
- Information Analyst / Research Education
Alexey Kurbatov graduated from the Samara State Aerospace University in 1998 with a MSc Degree in Computer Science. Alexey has served at different levels throughout his career as a software and database developer, system analyst, change management and IT compliance coordinator. In 2008, he joined the Research Education Programs of Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance as the Information Analyst.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Assistant Professor and Extension Nutrition and Health Specialist
Alison Berg, PhD, RDN, LD, is an Associate Professor, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and Extension Nutrition and Health Specialist at the University of Georgia. As a State Extension Nutrition and Health Specialist, she leads health education programs and interventions delivered by Cooperative Extension agents in Georgia in chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Dr. Berg's current research explores the impact of these Extension health programs on nutrition and health behavior (e.g., diet quality, physical activity, and adherence to self-management and preventive guidelines) to prevent and manage chronic diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Additionally, she studies the implementation of evidence-based interventions, including the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), through the Cooperative Extension model. Dr. Berg serves on the Community Engagement Core of the Georgia Clinical Translational Science Alliance, facilitating community-engaged research across Georgia through training, capacity building, and helping match researchers with communities and extension programs with common goal.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean
- Co - Director
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Community Steering Board
Allisen Penn is the Associate Dean and State Program Leader for Extension and outreach in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences for the University of Georgia. She leads the college to fulfill the land-grant university mission to provide Georgia's residents, businesses, and communities access to quality educational experiences and the institution's knowledge base. Dr. Penn works with leaders of the other UGA colleges and units to successfully apply research to meet the state's priority needs through Extension faculty located in all 159 counties. She also serves as the co-chair of the Georgia Clinical Translational Science Alliance Community Engagement function to address health and wellness needs, particularly in rural and underserved populations, by strengthening and expanding research collaboration with faculty from various disciplines.
Dr. Penn has over 30 years of experience in the Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension System. Before accepting her current position on August 1, 2019, Dr. Penn was a regional program leader for the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension with responsibilities for family and consumer sciences and 4-H in 31 counties in middle Tennessee. She began her career with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. D Over a 22-year career, she served as an Extension Agent in four counties; Associate District Director with leadership and administrative responsibilities for Extension agents and programs in the Ouachita District; and as a Leadership Specialist and Associate Professor directing a division-wide faculty leadership program.
Dr. Penn received her doctorate in higher education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and holds a master's degree in counseling and a bachelor's degree in home economics from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Course Director, Overview of High Dimensional Data / MSCR Thesis Committee
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Communications / Emory University
Amy Stehlik earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Ball State University. While continuing her education in the Master of Business Administration program at Georgia State University, she began her career in marketing at S&P Global. She spent the next decade at Thomson Reuters, progressing to a VP of Marketing. During the next 10 years, she worked as the VP of Marketing, Communications, & Media Relations for a marketing and media agency with Rollins School of Public Health as a client. Prior to joining the Georgia CTSA in February 2019, she served as a strategic marketing consultant to Emory University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, TL1 Program
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Course Director, Clinical Trial Design
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Executive Center Administrator / Emory University
Andrew West graduated from Emory University in 1993 with a History major and English minor. After graduation, he began working full-time for Wesley Woods, the geriatric and chronic care wing of Emory Healthcare. During his time with Wesley Woods, Andrew obtained an MBA and MHA from Georgia State University. He then left Wesley Woods to work as a consultant for BDO Seidman, LLP. After two years of consulting, he returned to Emory University to manage finances and research administration for the Department of Pathology. In March 2008, West assumed the Center Administrator, Sr. role of the Georgia CTSA and is currently the Executive Center Administrator.
Job Titles:
- Principal Investigator / Georgia Institute of Technology
Bekeela Davila graduated from the University of Illinois in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism degree. She began her career in 2007 at the University of Illinois as an Office Support Specialist. She then earned a Master of Public Health degree and a Graduate Certificate in Community Health Education from University of Illinois in 2008. In 2010, she worked at the University of Illinois as a Graduate Education Coordinator. She went on to the Arthritis Foundation, National Office in 2012 and served in the role of Information and Referral Coordinator. In 2014, Bekeela joined Emory University as a Senior Public Health Program Associate in the Rollins School of Public Health. She became the Program and Research Manager for the Atlanta Clinical & Translational Science Institute in 2015.
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director, Clinical Research Support Services / Quality & Efficiency, Emory University, Office for Clinical Research
Bridget is responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and continuously improving clinical research programs related to FDA-regulated clinical trials and research billing compliance. Before joining Emory in 2006, Bridget was a lead clinical research coordinator for the University of Florida Health at Shands Hospital, leading various clinical trials involving interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, neuroradiology, women's imaging, and cardiac MRI/CT imaging. Previously, she was a research assistant with the University of South Alabama Institutional Review Board, managing clinical studies in biomedical and socio-behavioral sciences. Bridget is a PhD candidate and holds an advanced doctoral certificate in Human Services and Public Health from Walden University and MBA from Florida Metropolitan University.
Job Titles:
- Director, Regulatory Knowledge & Support / Emory University
Job Titles:
- Advisor / Georgia Institute of Technology / Executive Vice President for Research
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Professor of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences Rollins School of Public Healt
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator / Research Education Programs / Emory University
Cheryl Sroka graduated from King's Business College in Raleigh, NC, then attended North Carolina State University and Kennesaw State University. She has worked as a Deputy Clerk of the Wake County Superior Court, legal secretary, life and health insurance agent, and business broker. Before coming to Emory in December 1990, she was in public relations at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Steering Board
Christine J. Wiggins is a public health practitioner and health educator with more than 16 years of experience in strategic planning, implementing, and facilitating community, statewide and national programs. Christine began her career working with a community-serving organization, moved to hospital administration, and eventually transitioned into public service, at both the federal and state levels. With a passion for strengthening and educating minority communities, Christine has done an extensive amount of work around partnership development and collaboration, as well as addressing health issues from an equity lens. Currently, she is the Vice President for Community Health Systems for The-Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority (FDHA). In this role, Christine is responsible for leading The FDHA's efforts to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem in Fulton and DeKalb counties, close access and service gaps and, develop innovative strategies for improving overall health outcomes for county residents.
Prior to joining the FDHA, Christine served as a Deputy Director for the Georgia Department of Public Health, Chronic Disease Prevention Section for 6 years. During her time at DPH, she managed several program areas, as well as led and championed state efforts to develop a standardized community health worker (CHW) training and certification program. Christine also had the privilege of serving as the Health Disparities Initiatives Director for the Maryland Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (MHHD) and a Community Outreach Advisor for the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH). She was a contributing author/editor for the OMH National Stakeholder Strategy for Achieving Health Equity and was very instrumental in the establishment of 10 regional health equity councils across the country.
A native of Pottstown, PA, Christine received her B.A. in Health Sciences from Lincoln University (Lincoln University, PA) and a M.S. in Health Administration and in Health Education from Saint Joseph's University (Philadelphia, PA). She is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES). Christine relocated to Georgia in 2015 and lives in the Atlanta metro region with her husband and four children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Member / Emory University
Job Titles:
- Director, Georgia CTSA Clinical Research Centers ( GCRCs )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Community Benefits Coordinator for Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
For over four decades, Darrell Sabbs has served the communities of Southwest Georgia through hard work and determination, driven by the shared belief that "service is the rent we pay for living." From teenagers to the eldest members of society, his focus has remained strong - to recognize the struggles of the underserved and to provide tools to help them ensure a healthier future for themselves and their families.
Darrell currently serves as Community Benefits Coordinator for Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (PPMH) in Albany, Georgia. His work with the hospital includes identifying ways to impact community health, with particular focus on the underserved. He works closely with the hospital's Network of Trust, a national award-winning in-school, interactive outreach program for pregnant and parenting teens in rural Southwest Georgia.
Darrell played a key role in developing health initiatives for "Men on the Move," a faith-based partnership of more than 30 institutions designed to help Southwest Georgia men. His work with both underserved men and women led to the creation of two of Phoebe Putney's most successful health events - a Women's Health Fair and a Men's Health Fair. More than 300 individuals attend each event annually. For many, these events empower participants to take control of their lifestyle and well-being. For even more, it is the first time they speak to a physician or nurse face-to-face and learn that they, too, can receive healthcare no matter how poor or underserved they may feel. They leave with tools to improve their lives and the lives of those around them.
In 2003, in large part a result of Darrell's commitment, Phoebe Putney was awarded the coveted Foster G. McGaw Prize for excellence in community service.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Advisor / Emory University / Vice President for Research, Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Mentor Training Director / Emory University / Research Professor & Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health
Debora Clem earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from North Georgia College in 1985. She began her career as a Science Librarian with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Public Library in Chattanooga, TN before transitioning in 1996 to a Special Librarian position first with the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga and then with Zoo Atlanta in 1998. She began her academic career in 2001, as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Medicine, Renal Division at Emory. She joined the General Clinical Research Center, now Participant & Clinical Interactions (PCI) of the Georgia CTSA, in 2005. She assumed the role of Administrative Director of the PCI in 2011 and completed the requirements to become a Certified Research Administrator in 2013.
As Executive Director of the Georgia Council on Aging since 2021, Debra Stokes brings more than four decades of professional, non-profit, and government relations experience to the role.
While the positions have changed, her value to each organization has been defined by her ability to coalesce the many resources necessary to reach defined goals. To achieve the mission of the Council effectively and efficiently, bringing together multiple stakeholders is critical.
Among other positions, Ms. Stokes spent eight years "Under the Gold Dome" supporting the members of the Georgia General Assembly as they traverse the Legislative process to provide for the needs of all the citizens of our State. More recently, she served as Executive Director of the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC) at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon. GHRIC was created to specifically address the healthcare needs of citizens living in Georgia's rural communities.
A 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama, Ms. Stokes holds a BA in Communications. As part of her governmental process experience, Ms. Stokes holds a Certificate in Legislative Health Policy from the Georgia State University Health Policy Center.
Ms. Stokes currently lives in Marietta and has been married for 47 years to her husband, Ralph Stokes. They had two adult daughters and two teenage granddaughters.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Navigator, Clinical Research Support Services / Quality & Efficiency / Emory University, Office for Clinical Research
Delta joined the Clinical Research Support Services Team as a Clinical Research Navigator. Before coming to Emory, she worked in the research department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Since arriving at Emory in 2021, Delta has worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator II at the Winship Cancer Institute and a Clinical Research Coordinator III with the School of Medicine on the Digestive Disease Team. Delta's educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences from the University of Mississippi and a Master's in Public Health with an Emphasis on Health Administration and Policy. She is currently enrolled at Central Michigan University, pursuing a doctorate in Health Administration.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Community Health Engagement Coordinator
Dr. Courtney Brown, Community Health Engagement Coordinator, works with Georgia Communities, UGA Extension specialists and agents, and across the Georgia CTSA to build capacity for and implement community-engaged clinical and translational research that furthers the critical land-grant mission of UGA and expands the impact of GA CTSA. Dr. Brown has a history of community-based participatory research work as well as work in health education for youth. Her bachelor's degree is in Dietetics and Consumer Foods. Her master's and doctorate are both in Foods and Nutrition and she is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Director, Community Engagement / Morehouse School
- Professor and Chair of Community Health at Morehouse School of Medicine
Dr. Henry Akintobi, Professor and Chair of Community Health at Morehouse School of Medicine, is a globally sought health equity champion and social behavioral scientist, leading, or collaborating in the implementation of translational research and participatory evaluations that address health disparities and advance community or population health transformation.
She serves as Principal Investigator of the Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (PRC), funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1998. Dr. Henry Akintobi leads the Georgia Community Engaged Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She also represents Morehouse School of Medicine as contact PI or Director for other NIH grants including the Georgia Center for Diabetes Translation Research, the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance Community Engagement Program, and Georgia RADx-Underserved Populations-Promoting Engagement and COVID-19 Testing for Health, among others. She is an extensively published contributor to the peer reviewed literature and co-author of the Johns Hopkins University Press text entitled The Morehouse Model: How School of Medicine, Revolutionized Community Engagement and Health Equity, editor of Black Health in the South and the CDC-NIH co-sponsored Principles of Community Engagement Primer (2nd and 3rd Editions) among many others.
As Associate Dean for Community Engagement at Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Henry Akintobi advances efforts to promote and strengthen effective partnerships between faculty, staff, and students and community residents and leaders, government agencies, faith-based organizations, or health and social service agencies. She has led collaborations with education, clinical, research, practice, and policy leaders to demonstrate preeminence in community health and related engagement strategies through successful acquisition of local and national awards including but not limited to the Carnegie Designation for the Advancement of Teaching in Community Engagement, and the Josiah Macy Inaugural Award for Excellence in Social Mission. Her public health research and practice leadership have been designed to advance the art and science of community engagement. Specifically, her work has focused on community engaged translational research science, the practice of community-based participatory research (CBPR), and approaches to build and sustain effective partnerships among academic institutions, community residents, health departments and policy leaders to understand, develop and shape research, policy, and practice strategies to address health disparities and their root causes thereby advancing health equity led. Her work is guided by training in public health social epidemiology, social marketing, community-based participatory research, and evaluation.
Job Titles:
- Director, Translational Workforce Development / Emory University
- National Leader
Dr. Linda McCauley began her tenure as Dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in May 2009.
Dr. McCauley is a national leader in the area of research on environmental exposures and conducts interdisciplinary research using participatory research models to study pesticide exposures among minority communities. Her work aims to identify culturally appropriate interventions to decrease the impact of environmental and occupational health hazards in vulnerable populations, including workers and young children.
Dr. McCauley has been awarded research funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Her research has resulted in more than 80 publications, ongoing consultations, leadership on occupational and environmental advisory panels, and testimony to governmental oversight bodies.
Job Titles:
- Behavioral Scientist
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
Dr. Rakale Collins Quarells is a Behavioral Scientist and an Associate Professor of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and an adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She also served as the Associate Director of the MSM Cardiovascular Research Institute, overseeing population science research. Dr. Quarells also serves as course director for the MSM, Emory, GA Tech, and UGA's joint course titled: Community Engagement and Health Disparities in Clinical and Translational Research.
Job Titles:
- Community Member
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Board Member at Piedmont Hospital
- Professor
Dr. Rashad Richey earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and MBA from Beulah Heights University, Ph.D. from Scofield Graduate School (Research Focus: Global Affect of Western Religion on Politics, Policy and Government), Doctor of Education from Clark Atlanta University (Research Focus: Federal Policy and Political Analysis of Higher Education Reform) and completed studies in Executive Leadership from Cornell University. Dr. Richey is currently matriculating at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School obtaining his Juris Doctor Degree.
Dr. Richey is a noted lecturer, university professor, broadcaster, writer, and entrepreneur. As a political analyst, Dr. Richey was Emmy nominated for his continued work as a television news analyst for CBS 46 News - Atlanta. Nationally, Dr. Richey is a frequent commentator on MSNBC, CNBC, BBC, The Young Turks Network, and the Fox News Channel, where he provides insight and analysis on various political, social and policy-related topics. He is also an award-winning radio personality who was voted "Best Talk Radio Personality in Atlanta" by readers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (first African-American to receive this distinction) and named "Most Trusted Voice in Atlanta" by the Atlanta Business Journal. Beyond his broadcasting acumen, Professor Richey serves as Chief Editor and Sr. Writer for Rolling Out Magazine (largest free-print urban publication in America), with a national readership of 2.8 million and combined social media following of half-a-million.
"Ensuring the message is heard" is a frequent Dr. Richey quote. As a lecturer and speaker, his portfolio includes Morehouse School of Medicine, University of West Georgia, Clark Atlanta University, Mercer University, SCLC National Luncheon, Pinnacle Awards and the Atlanta NAACP Jubilee to name a few.
An industry influencer and marketplace leader for over 14 years, Dr. Richey is a practitioner and scholar who believes higher education is best achieved when pragmatic educational elements are combined with research and personal character development. Dr. Richey has both research and non-research material published through an array of platforms, including Grin Publishing, CBS, Fox News, Atlanta Business Journal and Rolling Out Magazine.
Dr. Richey is a well-known social justice leader and national speaker who is actively involved in policy reformation and addressing the social ills of racial disparity. This work has led to Dr. Richey being recognized by various local and national agencies for his collective work and societal impact, including being honored with a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from former United States President Barack Obama. Dr. Richey was also named Top 40 Under Forty Most Influential people in GA by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and one of Atlanta's Most Powerful leaders according to Atlanta Magazine.
Believing service is a responsibility we all must share, Dr. Richey is a board member at Piedmont Hospital, Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, and Children's Rights. He is a member of the Atlanta NAACP, National Association of Black Journalists, American Association of University Professors and the Atlanta Press Club.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Professor of Nursing at Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Dr. Rowena W. Elliott is a Professor of Nursing at Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University. She serves as one of the Co-Directors for the Community Engagement function of the Georgia CTSA. Dr. Elliott earned a BSN in 1982 and an MSN in 1992 from the University of Mississippi School of Nursing. She also earned a PhD in Education from the University of Mississippi School of Education in 2003. She received a post-graduate certificate as an Adult-Geri Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from the University of South Alabama in 2013. Dr. Elliott is certified in nephrology nursing and nursing education. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Nursing Education.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Steering Board
Dwight Curry Anderson has worked in the HIV/AIDS advocacy field for twenty years now. Being a former educator for Atlanta Public Schools, that experience garnered Mr. Anderson the ability to relay technical subject manner in a way that clients of HIV services could understand. Mr. Anderson has advocated and lobbied in Georgia and in Washington, DC on behalf of Georgia clients of HIV services. He has also organized conferences, seminars, and educational forums to inform clients of the best ways to improve health disparity outcomes. He has worked with the Ryan White Planning Council, Fulton County Department of Health, and the HIV Jurisdictional Prevention Planning Group for Fulton and DeKalb Counties. This often entailed working as an intermediary between clients and providers. Currently Mr. Anderson is the Patient Navigator at a Ryan White clinic for DeKalb County Board of Health, along with being a facilitator for a support group for HIV Positive individuals through the Fulton County Board of Health.
Dwight Curry Anderson holds a Bachelor's Degree in English from Ohio State University, with a minor in Black Studies, and has taken non-degree curriculums in Teacher Certification at the University of West Georgia, and Georgia State University. He has also embarked on numerous trainings in HIV related subjects like testing procedures, counseling and facilitation, and education.
Job Titles:
- Ex Officio )
- Principal Investigator / Morehouse School
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Associate Research Professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Member and Secretary, CE Community Steering Board
Evonne has been a business woman in the greater Atlanta area for many years. Her business ventures include a child care center, print shop and presently a partnership since 1985 in a beauty/ barber salon. Evonne is passionate about volunteering, beginning as a teen working in her neighborhood, church and school. She joined the American Business Women's Association over 30 years ago. She is Director of the "Weight Loss =Equal= Health Gain" Challenge, a community-based nutrition, exercise and life changing program designed to meet the emerging needs in the community, specifically public health and social issues of obesity and unhealthy eating/lifestyle habits from a domestic perspective.
Her volunteer experience includes:volunteer facilitator/lead support group instructor at CHHC Overcomer's Ministry; (prepared group meetings weekly and directed class in sharing and going forth in family aide to addicted family member); a past Alternate Atlanta Planning Advisory Board Member for NPU-Z; Thomasville Community Development Corporation Secretary; Thomasville Heights Community Association member; Satcher Community Health Leadership Institute graduate.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
Gail McCray serves the Georgia CTSA as part of the training and capacity-building team and as a long term champion of Community Health Workers (CHW). Since 2016, there has been a renewed effort to have CHWs recognized as essential members of the healthcare team. She serves on the statewide Advisory Council and on national committees to advocate for appropriate credentialing of this workforce. Additionally since 2016, she has worked to develop an innovative high school CHW program - and has been working on an online curriculum for this program. Her research interests include cancer prevention and control (especially multiple myeloma), hypertension, bioethics, and health literacy. She also co-teaches a Community Health Course for first-year medical students. Her professional foci are to help develop innovative ways to improve the quality and satisfaction of the patient experience and of the many areas of overall community health promotion.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, Informatics
Job Titles:
- UGA Extension Specialists and Agents
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, TL1 Program / Morehouse School
Job Titles:
- Site Director, Emory University Hospital Midtown
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Professor and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine
Herman Taylor is an endowed professor and director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and a nationally recognized cardiologist with broad experience in invasive practice/research. His current research predominantly focuses on preventive cardiology, and his teaching is aimed at building research capacity at minority-serving institutions and enhancing the health of minority communities through research and health activism at the community level. Over the past decade, Taylor held the position of principal investigator and director of the landmark Jackson Heart Study, the largest community-based study of cardiovascular disease among African Americans, funded by National Institute of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. His extensive experience in epidemiological observation has led him to a deeper appreciation of the urgency of community-level intervention as a priority, as well as a keen interest in broadening the diversity of disciplines and scientists focused on the problem of health disparities nationally and globally. A graduate of Princeton University, Taylor earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, trained in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Huronda Smith Administrative Lead Georgia Institute of Technology huronda.smith@ibb.gatech.edu Huronda obtained her BA from Spelman College. She is the Grants Administrator Sr. for the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) at Georgia Tech assisting faculty/staff in facilitation of grant submissions, research of funding sources, co-administration of internal competitions and applications management processes, and orchestrating collaborations with internal and external entities. Formerly, Huronda performed as a Financial Analyst ll affiliate for Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Huronda's accounting and financial background encompasses expertise within the University of Georgia School System, Emory University (SOM), and private and public entities.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, KL2 and TL1 Programs, Georgia Tech / Georgia Institute of Technology / Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, TL1 Program / University of Georgia / Associate Professor, Department of Cellular Biology, Paul D Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Georgia
Job Titles:
- Director, Pilot Grants / Emory University / Professor, Medicine and Physiology / Director, Division of Renal Medicine, Department of Medicin
Job Titles:
- Director, Quality & Efficiency / Emory University / Associate Dean, Clinical Research / Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Member / Emory University / Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicin
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Director, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, & Research Design / Emory University / Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, Informatics / Georgia Tech / Chair, Health Analytics & Informatics
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Karen Lindsley graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Master of Science in Nursing degree. In 2017, she completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Health Systems Administration at Emory University School of Nursing. Lindsley is also certified as a diabetes educator and clinical research coordinator. She has worked in various roles as a diabetes educator for the Mayo Medical Center and the Joslin Diabetes Clinic and as a clinical research nurse and research supervisor at Emory University, School of Medicine, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. In June 2018, Lindsley joined the Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance as the Manager of the Research Coordinating Center and Regulatory Knowledge & Support (RKS).
Job Titles:
- Advisor / University of Georgia / Vice President for Research
Job Titles:
- Unit Coordinator of the Clinical
- Unit Coordinator, Clinical and Translational Research Unit
Kim Schmitz is the Unit Coordinator of the Clinical and Translational Research Unit, also known as the UGA GCRC. In this role, she oversees the activities of the CTRU, including coordinating several studies and providing oversight for recruitment, compliance, and quality improvement activities. She is also part of the GaCTSA Recruitment Center. Kim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular and cellular biology from Humboldt State University and Masters of Science degrees in genetics and epidemiology from the University of Wisconsin. After starting as a clinical research coordinator at the University of Wisconsin Reproductive Endocrinology clinic in 2005, she continued her career in public health research and clinical research at the Naval Medical Center San Diego in 2008, and managed the start-up of the UGA Clinical and Translational Research Unit in 2015.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
Kimberly E. Davis, Ph.D. oversees the administrative and programmatic operations for the Prevention Research Center. Dr. Davis is responsible for assisting the PRC in setting policies, defining research programs, and developing strategies to achieve program objectives and goals under the direction of the principal investigator and center director. She represents the PRC on the National Communications Committee, collaborating across institutions and with community partners. She also provides oversight in the communication and dissemination with effective, culturally appropriate health information and research.
Job Titles:
- Associate Project Director / Morehouse School
Kimberly received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Morgan State University and a Master of Public Health degree from Walden University. She has held various positions as Account Manager and Program Manager in the telecommunication and biotechnology pharmaceutical industries. In 2017, Kimberly joined Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) as a Program Manager for the National Research Mentoring Network. Kimberly currently is an Associate Project Director at MSM overseeing biomedical research projects, controlled studies, implementation, and programming of NIH awarded grant programs.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Registered Nurse
L. Neicey Johnson, registered nurse and attorney, is the founder and executive director of VSNS, Inc. (Visions), a Georgia not-for-profit personal service and mentoring organization in metro Atlanta since 2003. Its purpose is to provide an environment where persons are empowered to improve their economic status through education and skills development by simply changing the way they think. Under her leadership, the organization seeks opportunities to ensure its program participants overcome barriers to success with adequate skills, education, and access to available resources; the basis for its corporate existence.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Program Director
Lauren James graduated from Florida State University (FSU) in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Business Management. After graduation, Lauren moved to Atlanta to work in Hospitality Management and later joined the City of Atlanta's Parks and Recreation department. Lauren joined the Georgia CTSA in May 2019 as a Senior Program Coordinator for Collaboration and Multi-Disciplinary Team Science.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Director of Transition Care for Barnes Healthcare Services
Lori Lacy is the Director of Transition Care for Barnes Healthcare Services, a community pharmacy providing pharmacy, chronic condition management and post-acute services. Barnes is headquartered in Valdosta, Georgia and provides services to the Southeast. Lori has spent 26 years with Barnes Healthcare Services.
Most recently as the Director of Transitional Care Lori is expanding chronic disease education along with medication management within community pharmacies. She is accomplishing this by building and leading the division within Barnes Healthcare consisting of community health workers focusing on rural lives and the health equity thereof driving increased patient outcomes as it relates to chronic disease management, addressing the social determinants of health and increasing education leading to greater health literacy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Member / Emory University
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Course Director, Analytic Methods in Clinical and Translational Science / Emory University / Associate Professor of Hubert Department of Global Health Rollins School of Public Health
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Mentor Training Director / Emory University / Research Professor & Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health
Job Titles:
- Technical Project Manager
Michael Proctor earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunication Management from DeVry University in 2003. Before his Emory career, Michael worked at Georgia Institute of Technology as an IT Professional for the past 15 years. During the last five years, Michael managed all technology related to the Georgia Tech Online Master's programs as a Senior System Engineer. He joined the Georgia CTSA as a Technical Project Manager in February 2021.
Job Titles:
- Director, Pediatrics / Emory University
Job Titles:
- Innovation Catalyst Technical Project Manager
Morgan graduated from the University of Virginia in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Following graduation, Morgan moved to Atlanta to join Cox Communications as a project manager and product manager. Next, Morgan joined Accenture's consulting practice focused on product development for telecom and network clients. Morgan then completed a Master of Science in Product Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh while developing antibiotic resistance diagnostic tools for low resource microbiology laboratories. Most recently, Morgan was the product manager for mobile apps at Dick's Sporting Goods. In 2020, Morgan joined Georgia CTSA's Innovation Catalyst program where he focuses on developing mobile applications.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Administration Coordinator / Recruitment Center
Mugisha Niyibizi graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She worked in virology research laboratory to continue research projects she began during her undergraduate years. In 2013, Mugisha moved to Atlanta and started the Master of Public Health program at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She graduated in 2015 with an MPH in Epidemiology and worked for the Emory School of Medicine in the division of Rheumatology as a Public Health Program Associate. Mugisha joined the Georgia CTSA in February 2018 as a Senior Research Administrative Coordinator for the Recruitment Center.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Member / Morehouse School
Job Titles:
- Director, Network Capacity / Emory University / Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiology
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Research Projects
Nikki Llewellyn graduated from Emory University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and behavioral biology. After graduation, she worked as a Research Coordinator at the Fuqua Center for Late-Life Depression, part of the Department of Psychiatry at Emory. In 2005, she moved on to the University of Cambridge in the U.K, where she coordinated epidemiological research projects at the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk), part of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care. Nikki later returned to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in developmental psychology, specializing in social and biological factors affecting mental illness; she graduated in 2015. She returned to Emory in 2016, joining the Evaluation & Continuous Improvement program of Georgia CTSA.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Community Steering Board
Nikki T. Randall was born and raised in Macon Georgia, the youngest of five children born to the Honorable William C. and Lauretta Fults Randall. She attended Bibb County Public Schools and is a graduate of Tennessee State University in Nashville TN, where she received a Bachelors' of Business Administration degree, she also holds a Masters of Public Health from Mercer University School of Medicine.
Ms. Randall, a third generation elected official, made history in 1999 by becoming the first African American female to be elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Middle Georgia. She retired from the Georgia General Assembly in December 2016. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Community Outreach & Civic Engagement at Navicent Health. Ms. Randall serves on the boards of the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, and Crisis Line Safe House of Middle Georgia.
Ms. Randall is a distinguished alumnus of Leadership Macon (1998) & Leadership Georgia (2004). She is also an active member of the Democratic Party of Georgia, Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, Macon Chapter of the LINKS, Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Randall is member of the Beulahland Bible Church, where she works with the single's ministry, Beulahland Abroad Ministry, Women of Worship ministry and sings in the Women's choir. When she is not working she enjoys reading, mentoring rising political leaders, and volunteering with senior and youth organizations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Professor
Omer T. Inan is Professor and Linda J. and Mark C. Smith Chair in Bioscience and Bioengineering in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Adjunct Professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2004, 2005, and 2009, respectively. His research focuses on non-invasive physiological sensing and modulation for human health and performance. He has published 165 journal papers and 175 conference papers / abstracts, and has twelve issued patents. Dr. Inan, a Senior Member of the IEEE, received the IEEE Sensors Council Young Professional Award, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and the NSF CAREER Award in 2018. In 2021, he received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Georgia Tech Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Advisor Award. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and the American College of Cardiology. He is a Three-Time National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American in the discus throw.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Epidemiologist
Dr. Baltrus is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and a researcher with the National Center for Primary Care in Atlanta, GA. He trained in Social Epidemiology at the University of Michigan, where he received his doctorate. Dr. Baltrus has developed expertise in the use of advanced statistical methods (including multilevel modeling and group based trajectory analysis) and the computer applications necessary for the analysis of the requisite data. Currently, Dr. Baltrus is the project PI for the population project of the Morehouse Emory cardiovascular (MECA) study examining geographic disparities in census tracts in Metro Atlanta with an emphasis on resilience in cardiovascular outcomes among Black adults in Metropolitan Atlanta at both the individual and neighborhood level.
Job Titles:
- Advisor )
- Medical Director of the Community Physicians' Network
- Professor, Department of Medicine
Priscilla E. Pemu is the medical director of the Community Physicians' Network, an academic-community partnership that is recognized by the AHRQ as a Practice Based Research Network. She is engaged in direct patient care, research, undergraduate, graduate, and resident preceptorship and didactic teaching. Her research enquiry is broadly aimed at improving health outcomes of African-American women and other underserved populations.
She serves as Principal Investigator (PI) of the Morehouse School of Medicine's R-Center Community Based Research Core; Co-PI of the Health Information Technology Implementation arm of the Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center on health disparities; and Chair of the Research and Education Committee of the Morehouse Choice Accountable Care Organization-Educational System (MCACO-ES), a participant in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
Her efforts are designed to improve care and outcomes for patients with chronic disease by addressing the gaps between primary care and population health. The development and testing of patient facing technologies that enhance health literacy and the interaction between patient and primary care provider is aligned with this overall goal. Developing and testing approaches that enhance care coordination to improve chronic disease outcomes also aligns with her goals. She has demonstrated sustained collaboration with institutional, local, and national leaders seeking to facilitate effective translation of research between academic institutions and real world clinical practice.
Job Titles:
- Director, Clinical Studies and Operations / Morehouse School
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Programs / Research Education Programs / Emory University
Rachel Hardison graduated from the University of Virginia in 2002 with a degree in Germanic Languages & Literatures. After spending two years teaching in Germany, Rachel completed a Master of Arts in Foreign Language Pedagogy at the University of Delaware. She taught German at Widener University and the University of South Carolina and then transitioned to working in higher education program administration. She spent seven years in the Study Abroad Office at the University of South Carolina, followed by six years in an institutional relations role with the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), a non-profit study abroad organization. Rachel joined the Research Education Programs staff at the Georgia CTSA as an Assistant Director of Programs in November 2021.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
Dr. Quarells joined MSM in July 2000 following the completion of a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Prevention at the Stanford Prevention Research Center in the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Quarells received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in personality psychology from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Quarells' primary research focuses on utilizing community engagement to enhance the prevention and self-management of chronic diseases (including cardiovascular diseases and epilepsy) among African Americans.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Steering Board
- Coordinator and Director of the University of Georgia Clayton County Extension
Rebecca Hardeman currently serves as the County Extension Coordinator and Director of the University of Georgia Clayton County Extension. In this role, she provides leadership and management to county professionals in three (3) program areas and administrative oversight for program enhancement, resource allocation, and fiscal compliance. With over 20 years of experience educating on topics from personal and professional development to financial literacy, she is a life-long learner always desiring more knowledge.
She holds a bachelor's degree in economics and mathematics and a master's degree in higher education administration. Rebecca has served as an educator in many capacities including as a professor, college administrator, and Extension agent. Her philosophy has always been motivating and empowering for job success while continuously encouraging for personal growth.
Job Titles:
- Advisor / Morehouse School
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- Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis / Emory University
Sean Hoer received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Temple University and Master of Science in Accounting from the University of North Carolina. After becoming a Certified Public Accountant, Sean worked for five years in EY/Ernst & Young's Assurance Practice. Sean then spent four years, most recently as Senior Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis, at EVO Payments. In that role, he led a team of analysts and performed financial analyses, budgeting, and reporting. In July 2022, Sean joined the Georgia CTSA as the Financial Planning and Analysis Manager.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, KL2 Program / University of Georgia / Professor, College of Pharmacy University of Georgia / Director of Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant / Emory University
Stephanie has over 20 years of experience in organization and office administration. Utilizing her excellent organizational and communication skills, she served in various roles during 15 years at The Home Depot including data analyst, lead project coordinator, audit specialist, and designated departmental trainer. She spent the next four years as a Domestic Transportation Coordinator with The William Carter Company. In June 2023, Stephanie joined the Georgia CTSA as the Administrative Assistant supporting the Organization, Governance, Collaboration, and Communication (OGCC) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) functions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Academic Leadership Committee
- Member of the Evaluator
Supriya Reddy, Ph.D. MPH oversees the overall evaluation of the Center. She sets the strategic evaluation direction of the Center in conjunction with CCB members and the Center's Senior Leadership. She leads evaluation plan development and implementation efforts, creates data collection surveys, provides relevant evaluation training and supports data collection, reporting and dissemination efforts with other assigned faculty and staff. She also collaborates with the Center PI/PD to lead strategic participatory evaluation partnerships, grants, and contracts with internal (MSM) and external collaborators.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair of the Community Steering Board
- Member of the Community Steering Board
Dr. Jacobs is a board-certified family medicine physician and serves as the CMO for the Georgia Family Planning Systems and the Georgia Primary Care Association. She is a clinical advisor for the National Association of Community Health Centers Million Hearts Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes and a member of the Clinical Practice Committee.
She has a BS in Microbiology from Eastern Michigan University and her MD Degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine where she served as chief resident
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
- Co - Director, TL1 Program / Emory University
Job Titles:
- Member of the Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Principal Investigator / Emory University
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Director, Innovation Catalyst / Emory University
- Member of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute
Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University and in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Dr. Lam is a member of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute. In 2017, he was inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation.