Trainees:
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Current Trainees
Reed Bratches, PhD, MPH, MALS
Mentor: Nick Dionne Odom, PhD, MSN, MA, RN, ACHPN, FPCN
Postdoc; Nursing
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Reed Bratches PhD is a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), funded by the AHRQ T32. Reed received his PhD from Dartmouth College’s Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in August 2022. His research primarily focuses on family caregivers, particularly how we communicate information from clinic visits to family caregivers. He has experience with the design and conduct of systematic reviews and meta analyses, surveys, and clinical trials. Reed received his Master of Public Health in 2019 and his MALS in Cultural Studies in 2018. Outside the office, Reed can be found biking, golfing, and chasing after his young son.
Andrea Davis, MA
Mentor: Gareth Dutton, PhD
Predoc; Psychology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Ms. Davis earned her BA in psychology from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, and her MA in clinical psychology from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. She is a rising third-year student in the Medical/Clinical Psychology doctoral program. Broadly, her research interests are the development and refinement of behavioral weight management interventions. Her current research proposes a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention that aims to address psychological characteristics that have been demonstrated to hinder weight loss efforts, including presence of emotional eating, weight self-stigma, and negative body image.
Mackenzie E. Fowler, PhD, MPH
Mentors: Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, and Grant Williams, MD, MSPH
Postdoc; Hematology and Oncology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Mackenzie E. Fowler, PhD, MPH is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) funded by the HSOER T32 program. Dr. Fowler obtained her PhD in Epidemiology from UAB in addition to her MPH in Epidemiology and her BS in Biology. She has worked and trained in various roles in several departments across campus including the Department of Neurology, Division of Memory Disorders and Behavioral Neurology, and the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care in the Department of Medicine. Each of these experiences served to inspire her career and research interests. Originally from Florence, Alabama, she is passionate about the health of older adults, particularly in the Deep South. Her research primarily focuses on cancer survivorship and how cancer affects the aging process, specifically as older adults continue to age and develop aging-related diseases and sequelae. To date, her research has primarily focused on cognition and cognitive disorders, but under the mentorship of Grant Williams, MD, MSPH, and specialized training through the T32 she is eager to expand her research pedigree to include assessments of functional impairment, multi-morbidity, and others. She also aims to evaluate geographic and racial disparities and train in translational sciences with the goal of applying her findings to interventions at the clinic, bench, and population levels in order to improve the health of older adult cancer survivors and alleviate health disparities. Long-term Dr. Fowler's goals are to be on faculty in the academic medicine setting and to secure her own well-funded research lab.
Kelly W. Gagnon, PhD, MPH
Mentor: Ellen Eaton, MD
Postdoc; Infectious Diseases
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Kelly Gagnon, PhD, MPH is a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Infectious Disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB ). She received her PhD in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Her primary research interest is the implementation of screening and evidence-based practices to address the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To date, her research focused on contraction of HIV through risky sexual practices. As a postdoctoral fellow, she aims to expand her knowledge and methods to include the risk and management of HIV through intravenous drug use. Additionally, she is interested in exploring the role of stigma as a barrier to the use and advisement of harm reduction and prevention strategies among high-risk and HIV-positive populations in the Deep South.
Joanna Hobson, BS
Mentor: Burel Goodin, PhD
Predoc; Psychology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Joanna Hobson graduated from Lane College in 2019 with a BS in Biology. She currently serves as a graduate research assistant in Dr. Burel Goodin’s lab, where she assists in the HIPPI project (The Impact of Insomnia on Pain in HIV). Currently, her research interests are to elucidate the roles of socioeconomic strains, physical deficits, emotional distress, and insufficient sleep on adverse health outcomes in people living with HIV (PLWH). More specifically, her aims are to address the impact of insomnia on behavior patterns (e.g., substance use) and physiological systems (e.g., immune response) in PLWH.
Bayley Jones, MD
Mentor: Daniel Chu, MD
Postdoc; Surgery
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Bayley Jones is a general surgery resident interested in health services research. Originally from Alabama, she attended UAB for medical school before completing three years of general surgery residency at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. She is returning to UAB to pursue a dedicated research fellowship in health services research under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel Chu. Her research focuses on enhanced recovery programs and health literacy in surgical populations.
Joshua C.J. Lewis, BA
Mentors: Patricia Drentea, PhD, David Warner, PhD, Verna Keith, PhD, Myles Moody, and Olivio Clay, PhD
Postdoc; Sociology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Joshua C.J. Lewis is a doctoral student in the Medical Sociology program at UAB. Prior to his graduate studies, he finished his BA in Philosophy from Texas A&M University and worked as a federal U.S. health lobbyist and advocate for health workforce development, minority health, and the reduction of health disparities. As a social scientist, Joshua combines his experiences in health policy, background in ethics, and sociological training to elucidate the mechanisms and social factors that perpetuate American health inequities. His current research focuses on addressing health disparities across the life course with an emphasis on chronic stressors, psychosocial resources, social determinants of health, and cardiovascular disease.
Kelsey Montgomery, MD
Mentors: Herbert Chen, MD, and Kristy Broman, MD, MPH
Postdoc; Surgery
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Kelsey Montgomery is a UAB general surgery resident interested in surgical oncology and health services research. Originally from Texas, she attended the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School before coming to Birmingham for surgical residency. 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 HSOER T32 program. Her research focuses include evaluating the quality of surgical cancer care within health systems, and nodal surveillance in cutaneous melanoma. During her research fellowship, she will also obtain an MSPH in Outcomes Research.
Courtney E. Sullivan, PhD, APRN, CPNP-AC, CPHON
Mentors: Patricia A. Patrician, PhD, RN, FAAN, Wendy Landier, PhD, MSN, and Adelais Markaki, PhD, MSN, MA-Med Anthropology
Postdoc; Nursing
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Dr. Sullivan has worked with nurses internationally for nearly a decade implementing subspecialty education programs, multisite quality improvement projects, and measuring and advocating for nursing standards in mainly low-and middle-income countries. As a T-32 AHRQ HSOER postdoctoral scholar at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Dr. Sullivan will build upon her dissertation research to establish a core set of nursing-sensitive quality indicators for international pediatric oncology nursing practice. She is also co-leading a participatory mixed methods research study, implementing nursing standards at a national cancer institute in Lima, Peru. She has published 12 peer-reviewed articles and presented in international, national, and local forums, including an interdisciplinary awards session presentation. Dr. Sullivan’s dissertation and predoctoral studies were funded by the American Cancer Society Doctoral Degree Scholarship in Cancer Nursing, Oncology Nursing Foundation Doctoral Scholarship, and UAB’s Colvin Fellowship and Jarman Lowder Scholarship. She has served in various leadership roles with and is an active member of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology, Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses, and the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.
Tiffany Tucker, MA
Mentors: Smita Bhatia, MD, and Donna Murdaugh, PhD
Predoc; Psychology
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Tiffany is a doctoral student in the Medical/Clinical Psychology program. She is originally from Houston, TX, and attended Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, graduating with a BS in Psychology. Before graduate school, Tiffany gained experience working in a variety of research labs assessing the neural correlates of pediatric brain tumor, autism, and substance abuse. She joined Dr. Donna Murdaugh’s Lab and began graduate school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2019. Her research interest includes the neural mechanisms and neurocognitive correlates of executive function in pediatric patients across a variety of neurological conditions. Most recently, her work has focused on sleep quality measured by nighttime oxygenation and the neural and neurocognitive associations in pediatric sickle cells populations.
Jaclyn Wall, MD
Mentors: Marie Bakitas, DNSc, BSN, and J. Michael Straughn Jr., MD
Postdoc; Nursing
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)Jaclyn (Jackie) Wall completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University prior to her fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She was drawn to gynecologic oncology given its uniqueness in caring for patients throughout their entire cancer journey including diagnosis, systemic therapy, surgery, surveillance, and end-of-life care. Her primary research interest is examining the factors that most drive patients’ decision-making processes for making choices about their cancer care throughout their treatment in its various stages, how these decisions are impacted by their social circumstances, and how their healthcare team can consistently provide guidance and counseling that is in line with these motivating factors.
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Past Trainees
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