Health Equity Scholars Doctoral Programs
Meet Our Health Equity Scholars
These students are eager to examine and dismantle racist and discriminatory health and wellness structures. Impatient to make a difference in their communities, they are developing equitable public health interventions that will help people thrive both across the United States and around the world.
Vanessa Boadi, MHSA
![Headshot of Health Equity Scholar Vanessa Boadi Headshot of Health Equity Scholar Vanessa Boadi](/sites/default/files/2023-09/boadi-from-ppt-27-x-31-96-dpi.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Evaluate and improve representation in patient recruitment in clinical trials
Breanna Calhoun, MS
![Headshot of Breanna Calhoun Headshot of Breanna Calhoun](/sites/default/files/2023-09/calhoun-bre-27-x-31-96-dpi.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Population and Family Reproductive Health
- Research Interest: Understand and address U.S. disparities in maternal health
Rashida Callender, MPH
![Headshot of Rashida Callender Headshot of Rashida Callender](/sites/default/files/2023-09/callenderrashidaheadshot27x31.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering
- Research Interest: Evaluate environmental justice and climate resilience using a health equity lens
Mia Campbell, MHS
![Headshot of Mia Campbell Headshot of Mia Campbell](/sites/default/files/2023-09/campbellmia27x3196dpi.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Mental Health
- Research Interest: Evaluate health equity in adolescent mental health and prevention
Aja Clarke, MPH
![Headshot of Aja Clarke Headshot of Aja Clarke](/sites/default/files/2023-09/ajaclark-27x3196dpi.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Population and Family Reproductive Health
- Research Interest: Evaluate adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, and menstruation using a health equity lens
Ameilia Cobb, MPH
![Headshot of Ameilia Cobb Headshot of Ameilia Cobb](/sites/default/files/2023-09/cobbfromppt.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Evaluate how health equity intersects with Black birth equity and maternal mental health and disparities
Indya Hairston, MPH
![Headshot of Indya Hairston Headshot of Indya Hairston](/sites/default/files/2023-09/indyahairston27x3196dpi.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Evaluate and understand the intersection of health equity with Black women's sexual and reproductive health as well as maternal health, using community-based research methods.
Oscar Lopez, MPH
![Headshot of Oscar Lopez Headshot of Oscar Lopez](/sites/default/files/2023-09/oscarlopez27x3196dpi.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering
- Research Interest: Evaluate the built environment, mental health, and contaminant exposures among disadvantaged populations to address environmental justice
Kenneth Massey, MS, MPH, MLS
![Headshot of Kenneth Massey Headshot of Kenneth Massey](/sites/default/files/2023-09/masseyfromppt.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Analyze how social determinants of health increase the incidence and prevalence of communicable and non-communicable disease in minority populations
Kiara Mayhand, MPH
![Headshot of Kiara Mayhand Headshot of Kiara Mayhand](/sites/default/files/2023-09/mayhandkiara27x3196dpi.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Health, Behavior and Science
- Research Interest: Investigate the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare, particularly for predictive modeling and clinical decision-making
Maria Moncayo, MPH
![Headshot of Maria Moncayo Headshot of Maria Moncayo](/sites/default/files/2023-09/moncayofromppt.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Investigate the social determinants of health and their impact on refugee and other vulnerable populations' health
Kyle Moon
![Headshot of Kyle Moon Headshot of Kyle Moon](/sites/default/files/2023-09/kylemoon27x3196dpi.jpg)
- PhD student
- Department of Mental Health
- Research Interest: Evaluate overdose prevention and harm reduction as well as social epidemiology
Tahmina Parvin, MSc
![Headshot of Tahmina Parvin Headshot of Tahmina Parvin](/sites/default/files/2023-09/tahminaparvin27x3196dpi.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Evaluate factors involved in child health, nutrition, and infection diseases vis-à-vis health equity
Paulo Pontemayor, MPH
![Headshot of Paulo Pontemayor Headshot of Paulo Pontemayor](/sites/default/files/2023-09/paulopontemayor27x3196dpi.jpg)
- DrPH student
- Department of Health Policy and Management
- Research Interest: Understand and evaluate health care financing and federal health care policy vis-à-vis health equity initiatives
Michael Ramirez, MPH
![Headshot of Michael Ramirez Headshot of Michael Ramirez](/sites/default/files/styles/rich_text_half_size/public/2023-09/ramirezfromppt.jpg?itok=j4NjWU9D)
- PhD student
- Department of Mental Health
- Research Interest: Evaluate harm reduction, the impacts of trauma, opioid use disorder, dual treatment for comorbidities, and socioeconomics as a risk factor
Barbara Wong, MPH
![Headshot of Barbara Wong Headshot of Barbara Wong](/sites/default/files/styles/rich_text_half_size/public/2023-09/barbarawong96dpi.jpg?itok=0rU2XQkG)
- DrPH student
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Research Interest: Evaluate community health and partnerships, the impact of social determinants of health, and maternal, newborn, and child health
Sierra Grey-Coker
![Sierra Grey-Coker](/sites/default/files/styles/rich_text_half_size/public/2024-05/sierragrey-coker.jpg?itok=X12lZkwM)
- PhD candidate
- Department of Biostatistics
- Research Interest: Using statistical methods, evaluate positive public health outcomes to reduce health disparities