CORE - Key Persons
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- Principal Investigator of the Project When Pregnancies Become Complicated
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- Title: Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Abby is Principal Investigator of the project When Pregnancies Become Complicated: Consequences of Dobbs for Patients and Ob-Gyn Physicians in Wisconsin.
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- Position Title: Health Policy Analyst, Congressional Research Service
Alexa was a member of the CORE Lab from 2018-2019 while earning her Master of Public Health and Master of Public Affairs degrees at UW-Madison.
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- Title: Professor of Political Science, UW - Superior
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- Phone: Communications Intern
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Anna Singh is the CORE communications intern. Anna assists in social media content, research translation, and general communications tasks. Her role helps ensure CORE meets its mission of informing Wisconsinites of policies and programs regarding their reproductive autonomy.
Anna is a second-year undergraduate student at UW-Madison studying Genetics and Genomics, Life Sciences Communication, and Global Health. Anna hopes to get an MD or PhD after graduation and work internationally for women's reproductive health. She is passionate about ensuring women worldwide have adequate access to reproductive health resources.
Anna was born in Minnesota and is from Punjab, India as well. On campus, Anna is also part of research and a reporter for the Badger Herald. She enjoys playing with her dog, trying new food and cafes, and traveling in her free time.
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- Position Title: Community Development Educator, UW Extension
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Dr. Alvarez was a member of the CORE Lab from 2021 to 2024 while earning her PhD in Information Sciences at UW-Madison. She was Research Assistant on the Patient and Provider Experiences with Medication Abortion in Wisconsin project.
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- Title: Professor of Economics, Population Health Sciences, and Public Affairs
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- Title: Assistant Professor of Social Work
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- Title: Professor of Public Affairs
Christine is CORE's Research Hub Co-Advisor and Co-Principal Investigator of the project The Consequences of Abortion Restrictions for Intimate Partner Violence and Child Welfare Involvement.
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- Position Title: PhD Student, Anthropology
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- Position Title: Postdoctoral Scholar, Health Disparities Research Scholars Program
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- Co - Principal Investigator of the Project the Progressive Legislative Agenda
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- Title: Professor of Political Science, UW - Superior
Daniela is Co-Principal Investigator of the project The Progressive Legislative Agenda: What Type of Policies Do Legislators Introduce and Why? Previously she was Co-Principal Investigator of the Evidence-Based Policy Making: The Role of Experts in Reproductive Health Legislation in Wisconsin study.
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- Position Title: PhD Student, Gender and Women 's Studies
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- Title: Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Eliza is CORE's Clinical Advisor and Co-Investigator of the project When Pregnancies Become Complicated: Consequences of Dobbs for Patients and Ob-Gyn Physicians in Wisconsin.
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- Phone: Research Program Assistant
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Elizabeth Albert is a wandering, wondering, creative entity who has never been afraid of coloring outside the lines. To find their own expression, the pursuit of boldness first led them to study creative arts, especially storytelling. Using their beautiful brain to develop their own stories got them thinking about other people's stories, the world's stories. Next thing you know, they're on a journey to understand the human condition. Fascinated by the ways people come together to create life, generate change, and build cultural force drew them to the ambitious environment of research and social evolution. & now they are here! Serving initiatives rooted in equity, dignity, and justice. A wonderful beginning to a new chapter.
Favorite Color: Chlorophyll Green
Favorite Sound: Crackling of a Fire
Favorite Sight: That pure blue sky with the cotton candy clouds hanging over the tree line, almost suspended in space and time, as you sail the top of the hill on the highway
Favorite Food: Raspberries
Job Titles:
- Title: Presidential Management Fellow, National Institute for Child Health and Human Development
Dr. Carpenter was a member of the CORE Lab from 2018 to 2020 while earning her PhD from the UW School of Social Work. She also served as Project Director of the Patient and Provider Experiences with Medication Abortion in Wisconsin study. Dr. Carpenter completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Texas Policy Evaluation Project (TxPEP) at the University of Texas at Austin, and now serves as a Presidential Management Fellow in the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development.
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- Position Title: Research Survey Methodologist, RTI International
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- Position Title: Postdoctoral Scholar, Health Disparities Research Scholars Program
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Dr. Mendoza Lua investigates how inequality and immigrant exclusion via social policies shape families, family planning, fertility decisions, and sexual and reproductive health. She holds a PhD from the University of Chicago, an MSW from the University of Michigan, and dual B.A. degrees in Political Science and Anthropology from UCLA, and also has practice experience as a trauma informed youth organizer and social worker.
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- Title: Honorary Research Associate
Dr. Aguilera was a member of CORE Lab from 2021 to 2023 during her training in the Health Disparities Research Scholars T32 Program in the Department of Population Health Sciences.
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- Position Title: PhD Student, Sociology, Demography Training Program
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- Research Scientist
- Phone: Research Scientist
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- Title: CORE Research Scientist
Jane Seymour is CORE's research scientist, and we are thrilled that she is part of our team. Seymour previously served as CORE's first full-time postdoctoral scholar.
Seymour is an epidemiologist and abortion researcher. Her goal as a scholar is to use epidemiologic causal inference and geographic information systems (GIS) methods to answer policy- and practice-relevant questions to improve reproductive health and wellbeing. At CORE, she manages a portfolio of work focused on ways to expand reproductive equity through abortion access, including through improving the measurement of abortion accessibility, rigorously evaluating abortion preferences, and implementing novel methods to measure barriers to abortion in the post-Dobbs landscape. Seymour received her PhD in Epidemiology from Boston University School of Public Health, MPH from the University of Pennsylvania, and BA from Haverford College.
She is based in Vermont, where she loves crafting cheese plates to share with friends and family, going for long walks in almost all types of weather, and finding the best summer swimming holes.
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- Title: Professor of Public Affairs Director, Center for Demography of Health and Aging
Jason was Principal Investigator of the Impacts of Access to Contraception and Abortion Services on Men's Life Course Outcomes and the Undue Burden beyond Texas: an Analysis of Abortion Clinic Closures, Births, and Abortions in Wisconsin studies.
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- Title: Professor of Demography, University of California, Berkeley
Dr. Nobles served as CORE's inaugural Training Hub Advisor. Previously, she was Principal Investigator of the Understanding Variation in the Ability to Detect Early Pregnancy project and the Who Uses Reproductive Health Tracking Tools? Differences between Users and Non-Users and their Program and Policy Implications project.
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- Director of the Population
- Phone: Director and Research Hub Co - Advisor
- Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UW - Madison
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- Title: Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Jenny is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UW-Madison. Trained in both gender studies and public health, she conducts mixed-methods research on abortion and contraception, often in collaboration with trainees and mentees. Directing CORE is her dream job.
Jenny loves writing letters, swimming, visiting her teeny tiny public library, and entrenching her laugh lines. Her family members, especially the beloved Taco Cat, help significantly with the latter.
Jenny is also the Director of the Population and Reproductive Health Division within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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- Title: Assistant Professor, Boston College
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- Title: Research Associate, Urban Institute
Dr. Matkin was a member of CORE Lab from 2023 to 2024 while earning her PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling Education at UW-Madison.
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- Title: Professor of Social Work Director, Institute for Research on Poverty
Katherine was Principal Investigator of the project Impacts of Poverty Reduction on Achieving Reproductive Health: Leveraging Findings from the Baby's First Years Study
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- Assistant Professor in the Gender & Women 's Studies
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- Title: Assistant Professor of Gender and Women 's Studies and Sociology
Kelly Marie Ward is an assistant professor in the Gender & Women's Studies and Sociology departments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She studies the organizational features of abortion and reproductive healthcare, with an emphasis on low-status workers. She has published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Contraception, Mobilization, and The Sociological Quarterly.
Kelly is a recipient of the National Abortion Federation's Carole Joffe and Stanley Henshaw Early Achievement in Social Science Research Award and the Society for Family Planning's Emerging Scholars Award. She also engages in diverse ways to support broader research as the Engagement Hub Advisor at UW-Madison's Collaborative for Reproductive Equity and a co-facilitator for the Abortion Researcher Incubator at the University of California San Francisco's Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health.
Kelly is also a full-spectrum doula to unconditionally support the goals of pregnant people and works with community organizations focused on abortion access and birth justice.
Ward is on leave for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Kendall interned with CORE from 2021 to 2022, when she graduated from UW-Madison with degrees in Legal Studies and History.
Job Titles:
- Title: Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Laura is Co-Investigator of the project When Pregnancies Become Complicated: Consequences of Dobbs for Patients and Ob-Gyn Physicians in Wisconsin. Previously she was Co-Principal Investigator of the Patient and Provider Experiences with Medication Abortion in Wisconsin study.
Job Titles:
- Researcher
- Social Worker
- Position Title: Senior Research Scientist, Reproductive Equity Action Lab, Department of Population Health Sciences
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Dr. Swan is a social worker and researcher working to improve reproductive health equity and family planning access. She is Co-Investigator of the project What Factors Shape Black People's Revealed Abortion Method Preferences? Previously, she was Co-Investigator on the studies Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Access to Contraception in the Era of COVID-19 and Examining the Impacts of State-Level Variation in Counseling and Waiting Periods on Racial/Ethnic and Nativity Disparities in Reproductive Health: Estimates for the 21st Century.
Job Titles:
- Position Title: Assistant Professor of Gender & Women 's Studies and Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Principal Investigator of the Project Measuring Contraceptive Access at the Population Level Using Novel Survey Items
Leigh is Principal Investigator of the project Measuring Contraceptive Access at the Population Level Using Novel Survey Items. Previously she was Principal Investigator of the Contraceptive Autonomy Project and Co-Investigator of the Sexual Acceptability's Role in Women's Contraceptive Preference and Behavior study.
Lily was CORE's communications intern from 2023 to 2024.
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- Title: Advancement Manager, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
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- Position Title: PhD Student, Sociology, Demography Training Program
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- Phone: Communications Manager
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Meghan manages communications for CORE research projects and operations.
A UW-Madison alumna, Meghan earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Life Sciences Communication. She is passionate about translating research insights and impacts into accessible, relevant communications.
Meghan was born and raised in rural southern Wisconsin. She enjoys time with family and friends, gardening, exploring nature, traveling, and more.
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator
- Phone: Research Program Coordinator
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Mfonobong (Mfon) Ufot is CORE's Program Coordinator. As the Program Coordinator, Mfon supports CORE administratively, assists with research projects, and manages CORE's growing undergradudate internship program.
As a Badger, Mfon double majored in Agriculture & Applied Economics and International Studies with a certificate in Gender & Women's studies. During her time as a UW-Madison undergrad, Mfon's studies focused on the intersections between economic development, human rights, and global women's health. Her passion for reproductive autonomy and reproductive justice led her to CORE. She has been with CORE since August 2020.
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- Title: Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication Director, Center for Communication and Civic Renewal
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- Position Title: Public Health Policy Advisor, Vermont Department of Health
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- Title: Assistant Professor of Psychology, Lawrence University
Dr. Dyer was a member of the CORE Lab from 2021 to 2024 while earning her PhD in Counseling Pyschology at UW-Madison. She was Research Assistant on the Evidence-Based Policy Making: The Role of Experts in Reproductive Health Legislation in Wisconsin project.
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- Position Title: Epidemiologist, Food and Drug Administration
Dr. Kramer was a member of the CORE Lab from 2019 to 2021 while earning her PhD in Population Health Sciences at UW-Madison. She was also Co-Investigator of the Religious Restrictions on Reproductive Healthcare: Wisconsin Patient Perspectives project and Research Assistant on the Sexual Acceptability's Role in Women's Contraceptive Preference and Behavior and Impacts of Access to Contraception and Abortion Services on Men's Life Course Outcomes projects.
Sandra was CORE's Communications Intern from 2022-2023. She graduated from UW-Madison in 2023 with degrees in Communication Arts and Spanish.
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- Position Title: PhD Student, Philosophy
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- Recruitment Chair for the National Society of Black Engineers
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Sydne Jenkins is the CORE program intern. Her role supports CORE's mission of advancing reproductive equity through research, outreach, and communication projects. Sydne assists with maintaining databases, organizing office procedures, and preparing for events such as webinars and research exchanges. She provides administrative support to ensure CORE operates effectively.
Sydne was born and raised in Magnolia, Delaware. Sydne is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Global Health with a minor in Gender and Women's Studies, where she is part of the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program.
Prior to her role with CORE, Sydne was an undergraduate outreach coordinator at the Reproductive Equity Action Lab (REAL). Her professional experience also includes roles as an administrative assistant with Cross College Advising Services and as a leadership intern with the Dear Diary LeadHERship Academy. Sydne has also interned with the Delaware Department of Transportation, conducting research and collaborating on infrastructure projects.
An active leader, Sydne has served as recruitment chair for the National Society of Black Engineers and as secretary for the Black History Month Planning Committee. She has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which aligns with her passion for reproductive justice and empowering individuals to access the healthcare they need.
Fun fact: Sydne's favorite color is blue. She loves traveling, watching sports, and trying new foods.
Taryn has been working on CORE projects since 2019, including serving as Research Assistant for the Patient and Provider Experiences with Medication Abortion in Wisconsin and People's Abortion Barriers, Decisions, and Experiences as Documented in Anonymous Online Spaces projects.
Job Titles:
- Title: Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology