Meet Our Team

Ijeoma Opara

Our Director

Ijeoma Opara, PhD, MSW, MPH., studies strengths-based approaches to sexual health and youth substance use prevention for youth of color, strengths-based strategies for Black girls, and community-based participatory research.

More about Dr. Opara

Leadership

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Beatriz “Betty” Duran-Becerra, MPH

Deputy Director of Operations

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Dr. Sitara Weerakoon

Associate Director of Research

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Kimberly Pierre

Kimberly Pierre, MPH, CHES

Associate Director of Health Communications

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Cristina Pagen, LCSW

Associate Director Of Community Mental Health Initiatives

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Catherine Mwai, MPH

Project Manager

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Postdoctoral fellows

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Dr. Jaleah Rutledge

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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Dr. Gina Sissoko

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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Raquel Rose

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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PhD students

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Emmanuella Asabor, MPhil

Research Assistant, MD/PhD Student, Yale University

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Joy Lindsay

Joy Lindsay

PhD Student

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lab members

Dr. Shreya Jadhav

Shreya Jadhav

Graduate Research Assistant

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Nimisha Srikanth

Graduate Research Assistant

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Hailey Valles

Graduate Research Assistant

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Mirriam Mananah

Grad Research Assistant

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Olivia Francis

Graduate Research Assistant

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Moiyattu Banya-Keister, MSW

Graduate Research Assistant

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Monique Joseph

Monique Joseph

Executive Administrator

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Dr. Sandy Cayo

Assistant Professor of Nursing, Yale School of Nursing

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Research consultant

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Dr. Chioma Ogechi Egekeze

Research Consultant

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Funcia Jean-Louis

Social Media Specialist

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Kennedy Anderson

Lab Administrative Assistant

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Alyssa Makena

Undergraduate Research Assistant

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summer internship alumni

  • Kathy Tran, UT Southwestern Medical School
  • Layla DeCosta, Claflin University
  • Austin Schacht, Hampshire College

Alumni lab members

  • Alyssa Makena
  • Dr. Sandy Cayo
  • Jasmin Brooks Stephens, MA PhD
  • Cora Gabriel, MPH
  • Sydney Hussett-Richardson, MPH
  • Taylor Choe, MPH
  • Ann Abraham, MPH, MSW
  • Christine Pham,MD student at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
  • Courtnae Alves, MPH
  • Deanna Parisi, MPH
  • Kristina Cross, MSW
  • Tynisha D. George, MPH, MSW
  • Ashley Lizarraga, MSW
  • Maame Araba Assan, MPH, CHES
  • Petty Tineo, PhD
  • Livia Lazarro, MPH
  • Dharmi Desai, MPH, MBBS
  • Ebony Laboy, MPH
  • Morgan Brinker,  Current MD Student Yale School of Medicine
  • Carolanne Clark, MSW
  • Chavonn Duncan, MSW

Alumni Youth Advisory Board Members

  • Ayden Ramos-Schneider, PPP Youth Advisory Board 2020-2022
  • Marley Dias, DGP Youth Advisory Board 2021-2022
  • Shekinah Glory Peter Mba, DGP Youth Advisory Board 2021-2022
  • Natalya Charlemagne, DGP Youth Advisory Board 2021-2022
  • Kassidy Nola Scott, DGP Youth Advisory Board 2021-2023
  • Kailyn Dixon DGP Youth Advisory Board 2023-2024
  • Olivia Raymond DGP Youth Advisory Board 2022-2024
  • Rachel Oladepo DGP Youth Advisory Board 2022-2024