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Current Trainees
Elliott Botelho, BA
Mentors: Kaylee Crockett, PhD and Christina Muzny, MD
Predoc; Psychology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Elliott is a student in the Medical/Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program working with Drs. Kaylee Crockett and Christina Muzny. Their research primarily focuses on HIV, eating disorders, and healthcare access and quality within transgender adults. They are a mixed-methods researcher, primarily studying individuals from the Southern U.S.
Jeffrey Franks, PhD, MSPH
Mentors: Gabrielle Rocque, MD MSPH, Kelly Kenzik, PhD and Andres Azuero, PhD
Postdoc; Hematology & Oncology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Jeffrey is a quantitative methodologist who earned both his MSPH and PhD in epidemiology from the UAB School of Public Health. Before and during his doctoral training, he worked as a staff statistician on a health services research team in the UAB Division of Hematology & Oncology. Broadly, his research focuses on the impact of comorbid conditions in patients with cancer. He also has extensive expertise applying advanced epidemiologic methods to clinical data, including large administrative, patient-reported, and electronic medical record databases.
Jordi Garcia-Diaz, MD
Mentors: Lauren Walter, MD, Ellen Eaton, MD, Karen Cropsey, PsyD, and Davis Bradford, MD
Postdoc; Emergency Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Jordi Garcia-Diaz MD is a Birmingham native and attended the local school systems before attending UAB for college, medical school, and residency. Upon finishing Emergency Medicine residency in 2024, he will start a Research Fellowship under the Primary Mentorship of Dr. Lauren Walter. With the support and funding from the AHRQ T32 program, his research will focus on the efficacy of Naltrexone for patients suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder presenting to the Emergency Department
Hannah Kumarasamy, MSN, MPH, CNM, WHNP-BC
Mentors: Patricia Patrician, PhD, RN, FAAN and Felesia Bowen, PhD
Predoc; Nursing
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Hannah is a Nurse-Midwife and Women’s Health/Gender-related Nurse Practitioner who graduated from Lakeview College of Nursing in Charleston, IL with a BSN in 2010, Indiana University Bloomington in Bloomington, IN with an MPH in 2012, and the University of Pennsylvania in 2018 with an MSN (CNM/WHNP). She served with the U.S. Peace Corps/USAID Global Health Service Partnership in Tanzania for 2-years before then transitioning to global maternal health development work in multiple countries throughout Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Since returning to the U.S. in 2020, she has been practicing at a public safety-net hospital and working with the GA Department of Public Health on maternal mortality. As a third-year PhD student in the School of Nursing, her research is focused on understanding what pregnancy burden is and its contributors and characteristics, to guide the development of a community-informed pregnancy burden model.
Anais Mahone, PhD, MSW
Mentors: Latesha Elopre, MD, MSPH, Tina Kempin Reuter, PhD, and Donald (Donny) Gerke, PhD, MSW
Postdoc; Infectious Diseases
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Anais earned her PhD in Social Work from Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, following completion of an MSW from Temple University and her undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Anais is interested in investigating and evaluating the policy and political barriers to equity in HIV/STI prevention and care for Black communities in the Deep South. As a doctoral student, Anais supported studies investigating the effects of social networks and stigma on HIV prevention care for Black women. Additionally, she served as project coordinator for an innovative training program designed to increase providers’ knowledge of Black women’s HIV care needs. In her spare time, Anais enjoys being in nature and visiting museums.
Abigail Poe, PhD
Mentor: Frank Puga, PhD and Karen Heaton, PhD
Postdoc; Nursing
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Abigail (Abbey), originally from Atlanta, Georgia, attended Samford University for undergraduate studies earning a BSN. Prior to beginning her PhD program, she became a registered nurse with a focus on adult and pediatric behavioral health. Abbey has since completed her PhD at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she focused on the relationship between decision-making involvement and daily anxiety and depressive symptoms among Hispanic & Latinx dementia caregivers. Her current research focuses on facilitating improved communication during medical care decision-making processes among the healthcare provider, caregiver, and individual living with dementia.
Nicole Rademacher, MD
Mentor: Kristy Broman, MD, MPH
Postdoc: Surgery
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Nicole Rademacher is a general surgery resident interested in health services research. She attended Medical College of Wisconsin for medical school before completing two years of general surgery residency at UAB. She will be pursuing a dedicated research fellowship in surgical oncology health services research under the mentorship of Dr. Kristy Broman and with the support of the AHRQ T32 program. Her research foci include understanding the factors that drive quality of cancer care within regional cancer care markets and health system-level strategies to address regional variation in cancer mortality. During her research fellowship, she will also pursue an MSPH in Outcomes Research.
Petra Sprik, MPH, MDiv
Mentors: Larry Hearld, PhD
Predoc; Health Services Administration
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Petra Sprik is a doctoral student in the Health Services Administration program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). A recent transplant to Alabama, she previously completed her undergraduate studies at Duke University, a Master of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Master of Public Health from the University of South Carolina. Petra’s primary research goal is to improve healthcare quality, outcomes, and affordability by studying the intersection of healthcare worker well-being and patient-centered care. She is informed by seven years of clinical experience as a healthcare chaplain, and the patient experience of living with Type-1 Diabetes. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, a competitive Peloton ride, and spending time with her family.
Rebecca Williams, M.A.
Mentors: S. Justin Thomas, PhD and Gabriela Oates, PhD
Predoc; Psychology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Rebecca is a student in UAB’s Medical/Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program. Her research focuses on sleep, circadian rhythms, and health equity. Her dissertation project is assessing neighborhood-level moderators (ADI and EJI) of behavioral sleep medicine treatment response.
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Past Trainees
Elizabeth Skipper (Keith), BSN, RN
Mentor(s): Wendy Landier, PhD, RN, and Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH
Year Appointed: 2023
Predoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods research study design, in the setting of a large pediatric oncology service at a major children’s hospital, we propose to examine health literacy and social determinants of health in parents of children with cancer, and how those concepts may affect parental experience receiving education related to their child’s cancer care.Noon Eltoum, MD, MPH
Mentor(s): Anna Sorace, PhD, and Gabrielle Rocque, MD
Year Appointed: 2023
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Breast cancer and imaging, effects of novel radiological approaches on patient outcomes, and improving healthcare access and quality globally.William Bradford, MD
Mentor(s): Latesha Elopre, MD, MSPH and Ronnie "Matt" Gravett, MD, MSPH
Year Appointed: 2023
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Research focuses on improving care for patients with co-occurring addiction and infectious diseases. I’m a study clinician on an RCT (HI-SIRI) evaluating a crosstrained ID-addiction team for injection-related infections and the PI of the SEARCH study on the health impacts of drug adulterants. Other work includes HIV care outcomes, opioid use disorder detection via natural language processing, telehealth in HIV care, endocarditis quality improvement, and HIV PrEP use in hospitalized SIRI patients.Joshua C.J. Lewis, BA
Mentor(s): Patricia Drentea, PhD, David Warner, PhD, Verna Keith, PhD, Myles Moody, and Olivio Clay, PhD
Year Appointed: 2022
Predoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Successful Aging of Black Women from Midlife into Late Life.Andrea Davis, MA
Mentor(s): Gareth Dutton, PhD
Year Appointed: 2022
Predoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Acceptability of an acceptance-based workshop for weight management.Reed Bratches, PhD, MPH, MALS
Mentor(s): Nick Odom, PhD, MSN, MA, RN, ACHPN, FPCN
Year Appointed: 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project:Joanna Hobson, PhD
Mentor(s): Burel Goodin, PhD
Year Appointed: 2022
Predoctoral Fellow
Research Project:Bayley Jones, MD
Mentor(s): Daniel Chu, MD
Year Appointed: 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project:Kelsey Montgomery, MD
Mentor(s): Herbert Chen, MD, and Kristy Broman, MD, MPH
Year Appointed: 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project:Jaclyn Wall, MD
Mentor(s): Marie Bakitas, DNSc, CRNP, and J. Michael Straughn Jr., MD
Year Appointed: 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Utilization of Palliative and Supportive Care in Gynecologic CancerMackenzie E. Fowler, PhD, MPH
Mentor(s): Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, and Grant Williams, MD, MSPH
Year Appointed: 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Focuses on cancer survivorship and how cancer affects the aging process, specifically as older adults continue to age and develop aging-related diseases and sequelaeKelly W. Gagnon, PhD, MPH
Mentor(s): Ellen Eaton, MD
Year Appointed: 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Implementation of screening and evidence-based practices to address the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)Courtney E. Sullivan, PhD, APRN, CPNP-AC, CPHON
Mentor(s): Patricia A. Patrician, PhD, RN, FAAN, Wendy Landier, PhD, MSN, and Adelais Markaki, PhD, MSN, MA-Med Anthropology
Year Appointed: 2022
Research Project:Tiffany Tucker, MA
Mentor(s): Smita Bhatia, MD, and Donna Murdaugh, PhD
Year Appointed: 2021
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project:Alena Borgatti, MA
Mentor(s): Gareth Dutton, PhD and Sarah-Jeane Salvy, PhD
Year Appointed: 2020
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Social networks, obesity, and stigmaJuliet Blakeslee-Carter, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Emily Spangler and Adam Black
Year Appointed: 2020
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Type 3 Endoleaks in Complex Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair within the Vascular Quality InitiativeConnie Shao, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Daniel Chu and Michael Mugavero
Year Appointed: 2020
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Disparities in telemedicine and surgical outcomesRachel Skains, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Richard Kennedy, Erik Hess, Alayne Markland, Christopher Carpenter, and Michael Mugavero
Year Appointed: 2020
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Risk of Delirium with Opioid Use Among Older Adults in the Emergency DepartmentOlivia Van Gerwen, MD, MPH
Mentor(s): Christina Muzny and Nicholas Van Wagoner
Year Appointed: 2019
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Sexual health promotion and HIV/STI prevention in the transgender population of the Southeastern U.SKathleen Weden, MS, OTR/L
Mentor(s): Brooks Wingo, Elizabeth Barstow, and Dawn DeCarlo
Year Appointed: 2019
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Typical Plan of Care for a Child with Cerebral Visual Impairment, Objective Acuity Measure in Children with Cerebral Visual ImpairmentRachel Wells, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL
Mentor(s): Marie Bakitas and J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom
Year Appointed: 2019
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Does One Size fit Everyone (ENABLE DOSE)?: Exploring the Role of Intervention Dose in an Early Palliative Care InterventionRonnie Gravett, MD
Mentor(s): Jeanne Marrazzo and E. Turner Overton
Year Appointed: 2018
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Impact of Sexually Transmitted Infections among Sexual Minority Persons Living with HIV in the Era of Treatment as Prevention.Yulia Khodneva, MD, PhD
Mentor(s): Andrea Cherrington, Monika Safford, Elizabeth Jackson, and Emily Levitan
Year Appointed: 2018
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Understanding and Preventing Heart Failure Decompensations with focus on mental healthDemario Overstreet, PhD
Mentor(s): Burel Goodin
Year Appointed: 2018
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Racial and Socioeconomic Differences in Low Back PainJustin Owensby, PharmD, PhD
Mentor(s): Jeffrey Curtis and Maria Danilla
Year Appointed: 2018
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Rheumatology focused topics associated with health outcomes, health behavior change, and information technologyKaylee Crockett, PhD
Mentor(s): Janet Turan and Bulent Turan
Year Appointed: 2017
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Stigma and its impact on mental health, and physical outcomes among people living with HIVJulien Fabrice, PhD
Mentor(s): Patricia Drentea
Year Appointed: 2017
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Health Care Utilization Disparities among Immigrant Children: An Interdisciplinary Examination of How Unmet Mental Health Needs Stem from Parent Educational ExpectationsMatthew Mefford, PhD
Mentor(s): Emily Levitan and Paul Muntner
Year Appointed: 2017
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Using REGARDS to analyze adjudicated heart failure hospitalizations and classify heart failure subtypesSandhya Mudumbi, MD, MPH
Mentor(s): Cynthia Brown and Marie Bakitas
Year Appointed: 2017
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Rate of palliative care and hospice utilization and factors that impact likelihood to receive palliative care: Identifying Palliative Care Needs in End-Stage Liver DiseaseAudrey Wallace, MD
Mentor(s): Gabrielle Rocque
Year Appointed: 2017
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Outcomes of patients treated with definitive and palliative intent radiation therapy and patterns of guideline concordant careAnthony Campbell, PhD
Mentor(s): Julie Locher and Andrea Cherrington
Year Appointed: 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Preventive Health Screening Use among Older MenJustin Lord, PhD
Mentor(s): Robert Weech-Maldonado
Year Appointed: 2016
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: An Exploration of Nursing Home Financial Distress: Predictors, Causes and OutcomesWhitney Rice, DrPH
Mentor(s): Janet Turan and Bulent Turan
Year Appointed: 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Pathways in the Effects of HIV-related Stigma on Health OutcomesSarah Rutland, PhD
Mentor(s): Gabriela Oates and Raegan Durant
Year Appointed: 2016
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Race Effects of Perceived Weight Status and Its Relationship with Unmet Health Care NeedColm Travers, MD, MBBS, MSPH
Mentor(s): Waldemar Carlo and Meredith Kilgore
Year Appointed: 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Comparative Effectiveness Trials and Observational Studies of Preterm InfantsC. Tory Hogan, PhD
Mentor(s): Larry Hearld
Year Appointed: 2015
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Hospital Vertical Integration into Sub-Acute CareAnand Iyer, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Mark Dransfield and Marie Bakitas
Year Appointed: 2015
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Psychological comorbidity and Life Space Mobility in COPD; Palliative Care and Caregiver interventionTyler Wahl, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Mary Hawn
Year Appointed: 2015
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Reduces Disparities in Length-of-Stay for Colorectal PatientsEllen Eaton, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Michael Mugavero and Meredith Kilgore
Year Appointed: 2014
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Clinical Comparative effectiveness of Contemporary antiretroviral therapyHaley M. Kendrick, PhD
Mentor(s): Magdalena Szaflarski
Year Appointed: 2014
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Religiosity and health among people living with HIVMercedes Morales-Aleman, PhD
Mentor(s): Isabel Scarinci
Year Appointed: 2014
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Sexual health promotion among Latina adolescentsAllyson Varley, PhD
Mentor(s): Burel Goodin
Year Appointed: 2014
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Implementation of evidence-based chronic pain managementMichelle Williams, PhD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Gareth Dutton
Year Appointed: 2014
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Impact of cervical cancer stigmaJohn Donnelly, PhD
Mentor(s): Henry Wang and Paul Muntner
Year Appointed: 2013
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Novel statistical analysis techniques and methodologies to infectious disease-related health services researchCarla Holcomb, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Mary Hawn
Year Appointed: 2013
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Identifying and improving quality of care and safety measures of surgical patientsKelly Kenzik, PhD
Mentor(s): Maria Pisu and Wendy Demark-Wahnefried
Year Appointed: 2013
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Impact of clinical, demographic, and psychosocial factors and interventions on health outcomes among cancer patients and survivorsMelissa Mannion, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Kenneth Saag and Jeffrey Curtis
Year Appointed: 2013
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Long-term outcomes of juvenile idiopathic arthritisKristi Stringer, PhD
Mentor(s): Janet Turan
Year Appointed: 2013
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Impact of HIV and addiction stigma on HIV medication adherence and retention in careKaren Albright, DO, PhD
Mentor(s): Nita Limdi and Virginia Howard
Year Appointed: 2012
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Stroke systems of care, availability of diagnostic and treatment services, and access to acute stroke careMonica Aswani, DrPH
Mentor(s): Meredith L. Kilgore and Nir Menachemi
Year Appointed: 2012
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Advancements in healthcare delivery processes to improve quality outcomesDavid Buys, PhD, MPH
Mentor(s): Julie Locher
Year Appointed: 2011
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Effects of neighborhood on individual health outcomes and on health services utilizationMegan Petrov, PhD
Mentor(s): Virginia Howard
Year Appointed: 2011
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Sociodemographic disparities in sleep health and their relationships to rheumatic illnesses and cardiovascular/metabolic disordersLaura Altom, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Mary Hawn
Year Appointed: 2010
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Assess surgical outcomes of different surgical techniques to guide best practice and prevent surgical complicationsSarah Ballard
Mentor(s): Patricia Drentea and Michelle Morrisey
Year Appointed: 2010
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Healthcare access and receipt of disability benefitsGreer Burkholder, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Michael Mugavero and Kenneth Saag
Year Appointed: 2010
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Chronic non-HIV related diseases, multi-morbidity, and aging in HIV-infected patientsGabriel Tajeu, DrPH
Mentor(s): Meredith L. Kilgore and Monika M. Safford
Year Appointed: 2010
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Identifying and improving current healthcare system limitationsCaresse Campbell, PhD
Mentor(s): Maria Pisu and Michael Morrisey
Year Appointed: 2009
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Economic burden and cost-effectiveness of peer advisors for diabetesCharlotte Jones, MD, PhD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Kenneth Saag and Monika Safford
Year Appointed: 2009
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Quality of care in children with neurological disorder; breakthrough seizures as a quality of care issue for children with afebrile seizure disorderLuceta McRoy, PhD
Mentor(s): Meredith L. Kilgore
Year Appointed: 2009
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: The effects of direct to consumer advertising on healthcare utilization among Medicaid children with asthmaKendra Sheppard, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Cynthia Brown
Year Appointed: 2009
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Transitions in care in long-term care and nursing homes; advanced illness and multi-morbidityJanice Weatherspoon, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Jeroan Allison
Year Appointed: 2008
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Health disparities in chronic/end-stage kidney diseaseJoshua Argo, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Mary Hawn and Meredith Kilgore
Year Appointed: 2007
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Analysis of 2 large data sets to explore decreased access to acute surgical care in rural areas resulting from a surgeon shortage in a complex reimbursement environment.Joe Gerald, MD, PhD
Mentor(s): Norman Weissman and Deborah Levine
Year Appointed: 2007
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Cost-effectiveness of multi-stage school- based asthma case detection program in an urban school systemCandice Griffin, PhD
Mentor(s): Jeroan Allison and Andrea Cherrington
Year Appointed: 2007
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Association of targeted media messaging with health disparitiesDebra Whisenant, PhD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Meredith Kilgore
Year Appointed: 2007
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Improving the frequency and process of organ donation after cardiac deathTodd Brown, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Monika Safford
Year Appointed: 2006
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Exploration of the geographic & racial differences in the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome using REGARDS Study dataM.A Goudie, PhD
Mentor(s): Norman Weisman and Richard Shewchuk
Year Appointed: 2006
Predoctoral Trainee
Research Project: Advanced statistical modeling to determine the association of maternal behaviors such as smoking with higher childhood BMI.Nathaniel Winstead, MD, MSPH
Mentor(s): Charles Wilcox
Year Appointed: 2005
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Project: Cost-effectiveness of use of erythromycin prior to endoscopy for acute upper GI bleeding; Impact on quality of life of painful chronic pancreatitis