Team and Supporters
Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Professor, MD Anderson
MPI
Administrative Core Co-Leader
ALAC Research Project Principal Investigator
Lorna McNeill, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Professor, MD Anderson
MPI
Administrative Core Co-Leader
Engagement Core Co-Leader
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Ruth Rechis, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Research to Community, Cancer Prevention and Control Platform
MPI
Administrative Core Co-Leader
Research and Methods Core Co-Leader
Engagement Core Co-Leader
Our team
In collaboration with Acres Homes residents and community organizations, our team plans to bridge the gap between research and real-world practice through community-engaged approaches to address obesity — the second-leading preventable cause of cancer.
MD Anderson
Cheryl Anderson, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
Career Enhancement Core Member
Miranda Baum, M.A.
Clinical Studies Supervisor
Administrative Core Member
Alba Calzada
Sr Research Project Manager
Engagement Core Member
Chelsea Carrier
Program Coordinator
Engagement Core Member
Shine Chang, Ph.D.
Professor
Leader, Career Enhancement Core
Minxing Chen, M.S.
Senior Biostatistician
Research and Methods Core Member
Dalnim Cho, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
ALAC Research Project
Jasmine Dailey, M.P.H., R.D., L.D., C.H.E.S.
Program Manager
Engagement Core Member
Sophia Dove, M.A.
Predoctoral Fellow
Career Enhancement Core Member
Haley Gardiner, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Program Director
Engagement Core Member
Rybecca Kirkpatrick
Program Coordinator
Developmental Core Member
Kylee Laffoon
Research Data Coordinator
ALAC Research Project
Preena Loomba, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Career Enhancement Core Member
Qian Lu, Ph.D.
Professor
Co-Leader, Developmental Core
Mickie Lubin
Associate Director, Research Planning & Development
Developmental Core Member
Scherezade Mama, Dr.P.H.
Assistant Professor
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Stacy Mitchell
Program Manager
ALAC Research Project
Stephanie Nutt, M.A., M.P.A.
Scientific Project Director
Research and Methods Core Member
Britney Porter
Program Coordinator
Career Enhancement Core Member
Margaret Raber M.P.H., Dr.PH
Assistant Professor
Developmental Core Co-Leader
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Crystal Roberson, M.P.H.
Program Director
Administrative Core Member
Sanjay Shete, Ph.D.
Professor
Co-Leader, Research and Methods Core
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Patricia Tracy
Program Coordinator
ALAC Research Project
The University of Texas at Austin
E. Ciszek, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Yeonsoo Kim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Lauren Kriss, M.A.
Senior Program Coordinator
Brad Love, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Michael Mackert, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Health Communication
Jessica Hughes Wagner, M.P.H.
Deputy Director
UTHealth Houston
Cici Bauer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, Dr.PH, M.S.
Assistant Professor
Brighter Bites Research Project
Maria E. Fernandez, Ph.D.
Professor
Brighter Bites Research Project
Research and Methods Core Member
Natalia Heredia, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Christine Markham, Ph.D.
Professor
William Perkison, M.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor
Brighter Bites Research Project
Ryan Ramphul, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, Ph.D.
Professor
Brighter Bites Research Project Principal Investigator
Andrew Springer, Dr.P.H.
Associate Professor
Pilot Project Principal Investigator
Acres Homes Community Advisors
Tonya Dixon
Engagement Core Member
Felicia Light
Engagement Core Member
Scientific Advisory Board
Derek Griffith, Ph.D.
Georgetown University
Ernest Hawk, M.D., M.P.H.
MD Anderson
Brian Rivers, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Morehouse School of Medicine
Sonya Sloan, M.D.
The Luke Church
Melinda Stolley, Ph.D.
Medical College of Wisconsin