Anna Alikhani focuses on issues impacting maternal and child health outcomes. Her primary research interests involve infant feeding practices, responsive parenting and cannabis use during the perinatal and postpartum periods. Anna holds a BA from Sewanee: University of the South and received an MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Amelia Bailey (she/her/hers) is interested in reducing substance use-related harm through the development, implementation, and evaluation of multidisciplinary interventions to treat substance use disorders. She is particularly interested in investigating how social, behavioral, and structural factors impact the quality and effectiveness of treatment for people with opioid use disorder. Before arriving at Brown, she evaluated community and correctional-based substance use treatment programs in rural Massachusetts and Maine. Amelia holds an MPH in Community Health Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a BA in Psychology from the University of Southern Maine. 

Chase Bryer, MSW, is a third-year doctoral student whose dissertation research is focused on aging well with HIV among Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQ+ Elders. Prior to Brown, Chase was selected as a Kathryn M. Buder Scholar at the Buder Center for American Indian Studies where he focused on understanding the historical and contemporary issues facing Native communities from cultural, policy, and practice perspectives. His research, ultimately, aims to inform state actors including social workers, public health professionals, and biomedical researchers with ways to more sensitively engage with marginalized communities through resilience-based approaches to disrupt cycles of historical trauma. Chase holds an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA in Human Rights and Media from the University of Oklahoma. 

Lila K. Chamlagai (Pronouns: He/Him/His) was born and raised in a Bhutanese refugee camp in eastern Nepal. After living in the camp for almost 17 years, Lila and his family resettled in Springfield, MA, in 2011. Recently, Lila received his MPH degree from Brown University School of Public Health. Prior to attending Brown, Lila served as a Community Advisory Board Member (C.A.B.) in Community-Based Participatory Research (C.B.P.R.) with Dr. Theresa Betancourt’s lab; Research Program on Children and Adversity (R.P.C.A.) at the Boston College School of Social Work who investigated cultural norms and traditions related to family strengthening Intervention. Lila is interested in investigating several questions that may ultimately help those suffering in a refugee community and elsewhere: 1) how socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and religion/faith impact mental health, depression, and ultimately lead to suicidal ideation; 2) why marginalized populations and low-income settings face significant health disparities; 3) how to leverage resources and improve mental health service delivery, finally design and implement the culturally congruent Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI-R) among the refugee and immigrant populations in the U.S. and low Middle-Income nations.

Samantha Clark (she/her/hers) is a first-year doctoral student whose research interests focus on childhood adversity, substance use and misuse, and their intersection with
public health. She is especially interested in mediating biological mechanisms that may link childhood adversity to substance use disorders and other stress-related diseases in adulthood. Samantha holds a BA in Psychology from the University of North Georgia and an MA in Research Psychology from The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Before beginning the program, she worked for three years as a Research Associate at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University. Prior to this, she served as the Lab Coordinator of the Child Emotion Center at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for two and a half years while completing her master’s program.

Nathan Didier seeks to build data science tools that improve behavioral interventions and substance use monitoring. After completing an MS in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Chicago, he developed several software tools for the Clinical Addictions Research Laboratory, including an alcohol biosensor program which remains pertinent to his research at Brown. Nathan is also interested in understanding why certain individuals overlook substance-related impairment and how perceptions of impairment can be changed to result in moderated substance use.

Emily Elenio (she/her/hers) is interested in studying public health nutrition, particularly childhood feeding patterns and policy evaluation. Emily uses mixed methods research to better understand cultural factors that shape eating and diet. She has previously worked on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policy evaluations and completed an ethnographic investigation of school lunch. Prior to coming to Brown, she worked in healthcare consulting and her project experience spans across 40+ therapeutic areas and includes Medicare, Medicaid, and global health assessments. She holds a BA in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPH from Brown University. 

Rey Flores (they/them) seeks to examine how community and policy-based interventions impact women and gender diverse populations’ ability to engage with the HIV care continuum and reproductive health. Prior to Brown, Rey worked as a research associate assisting the implementation of a cervical cancer patient navigation program in Senegal and supported the implementation and roll out of long acting injectable HIV medication at a university clinic.  They are a recipient of the Mae Belle Williamson Simmons Diversity Fellowship. Rey received their BSW in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MA in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. 

Alise Fortune (she/her) seeks to intersectionally examine how structural stigma, oppression, and social stressors impact the mental and physical health of marginalized minority communities, specifically women of color and sexual/gender minorities. She is particularly interested in how community and critical, ethically-based interventions can be utilized to improve the well-being of marginalized individuals. Prior to Brown, Alise graduated from Rollins College with a BA in Philosophy and Psychology. At Rollins, she successfully defended a senior thesis focusing on stress in LGBTQ+ students attending Florida's private colleges and served as an undergraduate research assistant on multiple psychological research projects. Alise was also the recipient of the 2024 Rollins Presidential Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for her service as the chair of the Rollins DEIB Student Advisory Council.

Patrick (Pat) Kelly (pronouns: he/him/his) is a second year doctoral student in Behavioral Social Health Sciences at the Brown University School of Public Health. Pat utilizes qualitative methods and computational techniques applied to large datasets to understand how psychosocial and structural factors influence medical decision making among people who use drugs, LGBTQ people, and the intersection of these groups. He conceptualized the makeshift medicine framework to overview how people utilize extra-medical care to address their health concerns when formalized health services are inaccessible. His goal is to leverage his mixed methods expertise to develop and evaluate risk-reducing interventions in the areas of health-harming substance use and sexual health. He holds a BS in Public Health and MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Temple University.

Abby Katz (pronouns: she/her/hers) has research interests at the intersection of food, history, culture, policy and health equity. She received a M.A. in Food Studies from New York University, and a B.A. in Food, Culture, and Sustainable Society (Individualized) and Human Rights from the University of Connecticut. Abby is particularly interested in using mixed-methods to better understand food environment influences on Black and Latinx/e youth. Prior to Brown, Abby worked in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health on projects investigating neighborhood and environmental factors on food choice, access, and health. Abby also contributed to research projects to improve the administration of New York State Medicaid and both access and quality of addiction health services care. Outside of her work and the classroom, Abby has prioritized working with nonprofit organizations and engaging with grassroots community movements to enhance her education.

Daniel Mayo (pronouns: he/him/his) holds a BS in Psychology from Haverford College and an MS in Global Health from National Taiwan University. Before joining Brown University, he worked in a clinical psychology lab developing HIV prevention and treatment interventions, as well as in a surgical lab studying quality of life among surgical patients. Daniel's research focuses on the sexual and behavioral health challenges faced by sexual and gender minorities, particularly those who are also racial and ethnic minorities. His work aims to investigate the social, cultural, and behavioral factors influencing HIV prevention and treatment within these communities, with the goal of developing effective behavioral health interventions, especially in international settings.

Marquisele Mercedes holds a BA in English Literature, Language, and Criticism from Hunter College and a certificate in Public Policy from the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute. She is interested in using mixed methods research and critical theories to understand how stigma impacts people in larger bodies as they come into contact with health institutions and professionals. Her intersectional analyses of these experiences are shaped by the field of fat studies and scholarship on race/ism. Her overarching goal is to inform and shape interventions that improve quality of life for all fat people. She is a recipient of the Brown University Presidential Fellowship and a former Ronald E. McNair Scholar.

Abby Morales (pronouns: she/her) is originally from Brownsville, TX a town with the slogan on the border by the sea. She moved to Ithaca, NY to complete her B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University. During her time at Cornell, she worked at the Erie Bronfenbrenner Translational research center where she facilitated a social science intervention among vulnerable populations in upstate New York through the PRYDE program. Last summer, she worked at the Rollins School of Public Health in conjunction with the Winship Cancer Institute analyzing social determinants of health and Covid impact on cancer survivorship follow-up care. Most recently, Abby conducted a comparative case analysis about the social determinants that impact health in urban versus rural settings in Viet Nam, South Africa, and Argentina. Her research interests include how social determinants, social isolation, and addiction interconnect to influence community and individual health. She is currently working with Dr. Ahluwalia and Dr. Murphy, exploring the relationship between non-combustible smoking (e-cigs), combustible smoking, and contingency management among SWO. 

Matthew Murphy (pronouns: he/they) seeks to apply novel analytic methodologies to examine mental health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations and explore how evidence-based interventions may disrupt stress-related mechanisms. Before joining the BSHS program, Matt received a Sc.B. in Psychology from the Brown University Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences (CLPS). During this time, he worked in the Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab at the Brown University School of Public Health, where he assisted in evaluating internet-based mindfulness interventions to reduce minority stress and promote mental and behavioral health. Matt has collaborated on projects out of the Butler Hospital OCD and Anxiety Disorders Intensive Outpatient Program, Rhode Island Hospital Adult Partial Hospital Program, and Emory University School of Medicine.

Siena Napoleon, MPH, earned her MPH from Boston University in 2013 and has since held a number of different positions within different sectors of public health, including with the Rhode Island Department of Health. Most recently, Siena served as Research Project Director of Dr. Philip Chan's program at The Miriam Hospital. Her research interests include implementation science and substance use prevention and treatment. Her other interests include cooking, spending time with her family, and cycling and other outdoor sports.

Bill Nardi is interested in patient-oriented research for the development of comprehensive, integrative treatments for comorbid substance use and anxiety. Specifically, his work focuses on designing and testing mobile health applications as adjunctive therapies to primary substance use treatments utilizing mixed methods research. Bill holds an ScM from Brown University.

Ugoji Nwanaji-Enwerem is a MD/PhD student who holds a BS in cell and molecular biology from Brown University. She is interested in exploring the influence of social and built environments on sleep and chronic disease manifestation in vulnerable population groups. Her passions range from health equity, teaching and mentoring, and community outreach. As a medical student, she founded a journaling club for adolescent girls in Providence public schools to promote mental health awareness. She also serves as a host for a media series discussing the impact of African culture on health and wellness. Ugoji aims to continue to use her talents to make a positive impact in public health, science, medicine, and communities across the world.

Belinda O'Hagan is interested in social determinants of child and youth development. Particularly, she is interested in using mixed-methods and implementation science to evaluate efforts designed to improve children's and youth's well-being. Prior to Brown University, she worked on improving the healthcare experiences of autistic patients and their families within an urban safety-net setting. She holds a HBSc in biology and psychology from University of Toronto Mississauga and an MA in child development from Tufts University. 

Michael Onu (he/him/his) is interested in developing scalable, technology-based interventions for chronic disease treatment and prevention in under-resourced populations, with a particular interest in physical activity promotion. Michael holds a BS in Human Performance in Clinical Settings from Rowan University. Michael also worked as a research coordinator at Drexel University on a clinical trial evaluating engagement and efficacy of a novel game-based weight loss program.

Siobhan Perks is interested in understanding motivations and risk/protective factors for substance use among adolescents and young adults. She is interested in developing and evaluating health behavior interventions for at-risk drinkers that reduce negative alcohol-related consequences and the co-use of or progression to other substances, like tobacco. Prior to Brown, Siobhan worked at Truth Initiative, where she focused on the formative and summative evaluation of large-scale health communication campaigns to influence tobacco-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of youth and young adults. Siobhan holds an MPH in Epidemiology from Emory University and a BA in Biostatistics and Global Public Health from the University of Virginia.

Michelle Perry (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a Uruguayan American doctoral student who is interested in using research as a tool to reduce health disparities that disproportionately impact high risk Latinx/e populations. She is particularly interested in 1) understanding the impact social determinants of health have on eating behaviors, particularly in Latinx/e children, and 2) developing effective interventions that improve dietary quality, increase access to food, and ultimately create more healthful food environments. She received a BS in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Pittsburgh and a MS in Food and Nutrition from Meredith College. Prior to Brown, Michelle worked as a research specialist for the University of North Carolina’s Global Food Research Program where she evaluated global food policies that aimed to reduce diet-related disparities and improve public health, conducted clinical trials with children on the autism spectrum at the Duke Center for Autism, and directed nutrition education programs at a hunger-relief nonprofit in Carrboro, NC.  In her free time, you can find Michelle cooking, listening to true crime podcasts, and going on walks with her partner and two dogs, Alfalfa Sprout and Rutabaga.

Ma. Irene Quilantang (pronouns: she/her/hers) holds a BS in Behavioral Sciences from the University of the Philippines Manila, a MA in Psychology (Clinical) from the University of the Philippines Diliman, and a ScM in Global Public Health from Brown University. Irene is interested in the development and implementation of culturally sensitive behavioral health interventions that address HIV among young populations in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in the Philippines. Her overarching goal is to contribute to efforts aimed at decolonizing public health. Prior to joining Brown University, Irene worked as a behavior therapist for kids with learning disabilities and as an assistant professor of psychology and behavioral sciences at the University of the Philippines Manila. At present, Irene is a NIH Fogarty Fellow under the NIH-Fogarty Training Program for the Prevention of HIV in Vulnerable Populations, and an active member of the Philippine Health Initiative for Research, Service, and Training (PHIRST).

Ashlynn Ruleman (pronouns: she/her/hers) is interested in understanding complex patterns of multiple tobacco product use and cannabis-tobacco co-use use among young adults. She aims to utilize qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the contextual influences and motivations behind polysubstance use. Before Brown, Ashlynn evaluated self-reported reasons for tobacco and cannabis use among young adults as a research assistant on the Texas Adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance Study. She was also a science writing intern at Truth Initiative, where she worked on translating scientific and technical findings into accessible educational materials for the public. She holds an MPH in Epidemiology from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a BS in Anthropology from The University of Vermont. When she is not working, you can find Ashlynn practicing yoga and hiking with her dog, Moose.

Ellis Silva (pronouns: she/they) is a queer, second-gen doctoral student who holds a BS in Biology from Northeastern University and an MPH from Brown University. She is interested in using community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches in conjunction with storytelling and other qualitative methods that challenge the current status quo of knowledge production within public health. Her interests are rooted in intersectionality, historical trauma, and food insecurity, but her main focus is on being part of research that is conducted by and for Latino and Hispanic communities. She is a recipient of the Diversity Fellowship provided by the Graduate School and hopes to use this funding to focus her research on improving health outcomes for first- and second-generation adolescent communities. When she is not working, you can find her eating Mexican food, watching true crime, and parenting her dogs with her partner.

Garrett Stang (he/him) is interested in identifying and interpreting underlying risk factors for social inequities and barriers to tobacco treatment care services in people with HIV and sexual and gender minorities. Before coming to Brown, he worked in the Medical University of South Carolina's (MUSC) Hollings Cancer Center Tobacco Treatment Program. Prior to his clinical research career, Garrett served as a community health educator and high school math teacher in rural North Carolina during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He holds a BS in Public Health/Community Health Education from UNC Wilmington and an MPH in Health Behavior and Health Promotion from MUSC. In his free time, Garrett plays trivia, walks his dog, Moose, and tries new restaurants!

Galya Walt (she/her) is interested in the intersection between harm reduction, substance use, reproductive justice and parental and child health. Before joining Brown University, she worked for the Implementation Science Core of the MA HEALing Communities study conducting qualitative interviews with community coalition members implementing harm reduction and substance use disorder treatment interventions in Massachusetts. More recently, she worked with Dr. Davida Schiff at the Perinatal Substance Use Research and Advocacy at Mass General (PRISM) research group on a pilot study exploring the acceptability and feasibility of an overnight infant respite care program for parents in residential substance use disorder treatment programs. She received a BA from Tufts University in Community Health and Psychology and an MPH in Health and Social Behavior from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Alison Weber holds a BA in Biology and Spanish from Mount Holyoke College and an MPH from Brown University. Prior to Brown, she worked in quality control testing for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Her research interests are centered around global maternal health. Her work focuses on 1) the health of women living with HIV in global south contexts, particularly in South Africa and 2) maternal health equity in the United States. She is interested in using mixed methods designs and intersectionality to understand structural racism in the United States and drive health equity within the context of maternal health.

Alysandra Zhang (pronouns: she/her/hers) is interested in digital therapeutics, big data, and scalability. She received an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University with a focus on quantitative research methods and a B.A. in Psychology (Honors) from UC Berkeley. Alysandra is particularly interested in leveraging digital technology to broaden the accessibility of high-quality, evidence-based clinical interventions to improve mental health outcomes at the population scale. Prior to Brown, Alysandra worked as a Senior Analyst at Healthfirst LLC in New York City and as a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Medicine at the Northern California Institute for Research and Education in San Francisco, California. In her free time, Alysandra enjoys learning about individual cultures and societies through food, cooking, and dance theatre.