Alexandria DiOrio is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests focus on restrictive reproductive policies and maternal mental health, morbidity, and mortality in the context of the U.S. political landscape. She serves as a research assistant with Dr. Julia Steinberg investigating the impact of the sociocultural context on unintended pregnancies in different states. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Ali worked in public health practice and higher education for 9 years and hopes to integrate these experiences into her approach to research. In the future she plans to work at the intersection of research and policy development to ensure access to the full range of reproductive health services for all individuals.
- Year entered: 2023
- Previous degrees: B.A., Psychology, Arcadia University; MPH, Community Health, Arcadia University
Anahita Asghari-Kamrani is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests include understanding how early-life nutritional exposures and developmental factors influence pregnancy outcomes and infant health during the first year of life. Previously, Anahita has conducted research on gestational weight gain patterns in low- and middle-income countries, as well as on health risk behaviors—including substance use, violence, aggression, and related outcomes—among children, adolescents, and young adults. She also developed an Infant Mortality Dashboard for the Virginia Department of Health, analyzing trends over time, comparing rates across regions and demographic groups, and assessing the influence of factors such as race, ethnicity and maternal age on causes of death. She aims to contribute to evidence-based public health interventions and policies that improve maternal and child well-being. She is working under Dr. Maria Steenland as a Research Assistant, and as a Teaching Assistant for Maternal, Child and Family Health (FMSC 310).
- Year entered: 2025
- Previous degrees: BS, Community Health, George Mason University; MPH, Epidemiology, George Mason University
Anna Paden McCormick is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Prior to beginning her PhD, Anna spent 14 years working for mission-driven health and development organizations managing research and health development projects. She has worked to strengthen community, primary, and laboratory healthcare systems in more than 25 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Anna is interested in a range of public health issues including intimate partner violence and pregnancy outcomes, maternal mental health and child development, addressing gender based violence, and infertility care and treatment including the development sector’s role in facilitating infertility care and treatment in low and middle income countries.
- Year entered: 2021
- Previous degrees: Georgetown University; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Becky Shasha is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests include family planning and abortion access, use, and decision making among women in Africa. She is the Women’s Health Lead for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the Maryland Department of Health. She also serves as a graduate teaching assistant for the Global Public Health Scholars program. Previously, she was a Program Officer at Jhpiego and interned for the Reproductive Health Project at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Becky holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health, both from the University of Pennsylvania.
- Year entered: 2020
- Previous degrees: BA, University of Pennsylvania; MPH, University of Pennsylvania
Chinedu Obioha is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. She is interested in health determinants, experiences of intimate partner violence and pregnancy outcomes research in underserved populations. She is presently a teaching assistant for Dr. Donney’s Research methods in Family Science class (FMSC 302) and serves as a research assistant for Dr Barrie whose research work centers around gender roles in minority populations.
- Year entered: 2022
- Previous degrees: B.Sc., Biochemistry, University of Calabar, Nigeria; M.Sc., Environmental Management, Coventry University; MPH, Adelphi University
Dara Gleeson is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests are varied. However, the work that she pursues is influenced by her desire to understand how the social, structural, and systematic factors within one’s community influence health access, utilization, and outcomes for mothers and children. Dara’s most recent work has focused on topics such as maternity care deserts, health equity, reproductive health, nutrition, and other related areas. Dara has worked with numerous academic institutions, governmental organizations, and non-profit agencies, including the NYU School of Medicine, the Yale School of Medicine, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the United Nations. Dara strives to utilize the knowledge and skills obtained from her experiences inside and outside of the classroom to address maternal and child health issues and to improve health for all, through health education, promotion, policy, and research in her future career endeavors.
- Year entered: 2024
- Previous degrees: BS, Community Health, Minors in Psychology and Civic Engagement, Hofstra University; MPH, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Maternal and Child Health Promotion Track, Yale School of Public Health
- Contact: Please feel free to reach out to Dara on LinkedIn.
Imani Sykes is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Prior to beginning her PhD, Imani served as Lab Manager for the Childbirth and Development Lab at Villanova University, contributing to research on childbirth experiences and the psychological needs of mothers during the perinatal period. Internationally, she worked in Cape Town, South Africa as a Maternal Health & Equity Intern with S-Cape, facilitating maternal health education and digital literacy workshops for survivors of human trafficking. She also conducted research with the American Heart Association examining patient-provider communication in cardio-genomics, particularly within marginalized communities. Her research interests include Black maternal health disparities, perinatal mental health, and the role of public policy in advancing equitable maternal healthcare. Imani has presented her work at national and international conferences, including the International Congress of Infant Studies in Scotland.
- Year entered: 2025
- Previous degrees: BS, Psychology minor in Chemistry, University of Missouri–Columbia; MS, Psychology, Villanova University
Janay Johnson is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. After graduating from undergrad, Johnson worked at the Michigan State University Division of Public Health, helping to lead research projects focused on African American men's mental health and diabetes management. During her master's degree, Johnson worked as a research specialist, conducting numerous projects on international maternal, infant and young child nutrition. At UMD, she has served on the School of Public Health Graduate Advisory Council and is currently a graduate instructor for the Global Public Health Scholars program.
- Year entered: 2022
- Previous degrees: BA, Psychology and Religion, Kalamazoo College; MPH, Maternal and Child Health, George Washington University School of Public Health
Jasmine Lusane is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Broadly, her research focuses on minority health equity, reproductive/sexual health, and maternal and perinatal health. Professionally, she served as a Project Manager in the non-profit sector and Research Assistant at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. After receiving her MPH, Jasmine was in the 2019-2020 cohort of Planned Parenthood of Metro Washington D.C Developing Leaders Program and an inaugural Data Science Fellow of Correlation One Data Science for All. She currently is a University of Maryland institutional Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholar and student research affiliate of the Maryland Population Research Center.
- Year entered: 2022
- Previous degrees: BS, Health Services Administration, Auburn University; MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Florida A&M University
Kerra Mercon is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests include promoting reproductive justice and equal access to reproductive care for all. She is also interested in developing and evaluating interventions to increase social support and improve health outcomes for birthing people and their infants. She works as a research assistant studying resilience factors that support desistance for formerly incarcerated people with Dr. Amy Morgan. She also is a teaching assistant for Dr. Amy Lewin’s course Sex, Drugs, and Social Media: Adolescent Health and Development (FMSC 270). Her prior work experiences include conducting economic evaluations of pediatric public health interventions and promoting inclusion of the patient perspective in medical decision-making to inform federal health policy.
- Year entered: 2023
- Previous degrees: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Bucknell University; MS, Biomedical Engineering, George Washington University
Khiara (Makayla) Lee is a doctoral scholar in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests include adverse pregnancy outcomes, specifically maternal mortality, and breastfeeding rates of Black women. She is currently in the process of submitting her paper on breastfeeding rates for publication. Makayla is working under Chair Dr. Mia Smith-Bynum as a Research Assistant doing work around racial socialization and Black adolescents. She is also a Teaching Assistant for Research Methods in Family Science (FMSC 302) under the professorship of Dr. Julie Fife Donney. Through this assistantship, she is afforded the chance to practice and refine her teaching skills and mentor students.
- Year entered: 2023
- Previous degrees: BA, Biology and Psychology, Tougaloo College; MPH, Maternal and Child Health, Brown University
Marlen Cruz is a doctoral scholar in Family Science. Marlen is a research assistant on the Encuentros team and serves as a teaching assistant for Dr. Amy Lewin’s course Sex, Drugs, and Social Media: Adolescent Health and Development (FMSC 270). Prior to her doctoral studies, she was a program coordinator for Parent Cafés at the Early Childhood Innovation Network, Children’s National Hospital. During her MPH program, she gained hands-on experience as a community health intern at Holy Cross Health and as a research assistant at the Department of Family Science. Her research interests include mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and nutritional health, with a particular focus on health promotion and education among Latino youth and families. Marlen is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES ® ).
- Year entered: 2025
- Previous degrees: BS, Public Health Science, University of Maryland, College Park; MPH, Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park
Naomi Whitaker is a doctoral scholar in Family Science. Naomi is very interested in adverse childhood experiences in black youth such as poverty and community violence, and how this impacts youth development especially as it relates to educational outcomes. During her master's degree, Naomi worked as a graduate research assistant helping to advance projects related to hospital based and community-based violence programs. She also was very involved in supporting the Rollins graduate community as a program assistant for the Peer to Peer Mentoring Program and Equity and Engagement team. She currently serves as a graduate assistant at The Consortium for Race, Gender, and Ethnicity at The University of Maryland; and Dr. Rabiatu Barrie’s research lab focused largely on trauma and violence in the black community. Naomi has been very involved with the School of Public Health community by founding the first Association of Black Public Health Students group at The University of Maryland to help foster community at the school.
- Year entered: 2023
- Previous degrees: BS, Public Health, East Carolina University; MPH, Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Pond Ezra is a doctoral scholar in Family Science who’s research focuses on transgender parenting. Specifically, they wish to explore how transgender parents, specifically seahorse dads, navigate parenting roles after birth; in what contexts does gender dysphoria show up in transmasculine parenthood; and what socialization messages are transgender parents sending to their children about gender. Pond is a research assistant in Dr. Jessica Fish’s SOGI health lab, working on multiple projects that investigate socialization messages communicated among heterosexual parents and sexual minority youth.
- Year entered: 2022
- Previous degrees: B.A., Texas State University; M.S., Texas State University
Raya Francis is a doctoral student in Family Science. Her research interests include fostering health and well-being among children and youth in underserved communities through community-engaged, family-based interventions. She works as a research assistant with Dr. Ghaffar Ali Hurtado Choque on national and international community-engaged research projects. Their collective focus is on promoting the physical and mental well-being of Latinx youth, acknowledging the unique challenges and opportunities within this community. Through this collaborative effort, she is gaining valuable insights into community engagement strategies that can drive positive change and enhance the overall quality of life for youth and their families. She also serves as a teaching assistant to Dr. Christine Schull’s Children in Families course (FMSC 332). This role allows her to impart knowledge, guide students, and further refine her understanding of the diverse dynamics within families. She is originally from Beirut, Lebanon Her academic background instilled a deep-rooted interest in understanding and addressing the diverse needs of individuals and families. She envisions a future where her research and educational contributions will make a tangible difference in the lives of underserved children, youth, and their families, ensuring they have access to the support and resources necessary for optimal health and overall well-being.
- Year entered: 2023
- Previous degrees: BS, Speech-language pathology, Saint Joseph University of Beirut ; MS, Speech-language pathology, Saint Joseph University of Beirut
Rebecca Foss is a part-time doctoral scholar in Family Science, whose research focuses on mental health and innovative communication and dissemination methods, particularly in the use of online interventions, social media, and transmedia storytelling. Rebecca has nearly two decades of experience in marketing and communications resulting in a working knowledge of multiple media executions and communication delivery methods. She aims to draw from her past experience and present research to transform public health communication using mixed-media methods based on what resonates most with specific populations. Rebecca has been involved in multiple capacities with the TOGETHER Program at UMD, including marketing and recruitment, research, data management, and case management.
- Year entered: 2020
- Contact: Feel free to reach out to Rebecca on LinkedIn
Salwa Shan is a doctoral scholar in Family Science with research interests in Muslim Americans' mental health. Having completed her undergraduate and master's degrees at UMD, she is very familiar with the campus and the surrounding area. Her involvement with the Muslim community, experience as a high school teacher, and educational background in Couple and Family Therapy, allowed her to build a strong foundation in mental health and explore meaningful relationships. Her master's thesis focused on Black families and racial socialization. Salwa is very passionate about tying together her clinical and research experience to serve marginalized communities and to increase awareness about mental health and accessibility to mental health services in diverse communities.
- Year entered: 2021
- Previous degrees: BA , University of Maryland, College Park; MS, University of Maryland, College Park
Samantha Moran (she/her) is a part-time doctoral scholar in Family Science. Broadly, her research interests include the experience of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) in the context of the school system, and the importance of creating safer environments, inclusive curricula, and supportive measures that empower teachers and staff to affirm students. Samantha is a member of Dr. Jessica Fish's SOGI Health Research Group and is currently involved in several projects exploring associations between youth/school policies and SGMY mental health and other outcomes such as bullying and school safety. She is also a Project Manager in the Psychology Department at UMBC working in the Home Visiting Training Center sponsored by the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting division at the Maryland Department of Health.
- Year entered: 2022
- Previous degrees: B.S., Family Science and Sociology, Towson University; M.S.W, University of Maryland School of Social Work
- Contact: Twitter: @SamanthaMoran__ || Email: smoran12@umd.edu
SD Murry is a doctoral scholar in Family Science whose research focuses on mental health and substance use disorder treatment design, implementation, and evaluation for LGBTQIA+ peoples, especially for those with gender minority identities. SD is partnering with Dr. Mariana Falconier on the TOGETHER Program as a Research Assistant (RA) and works with Dr. Jessica Fish's Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Health Lab. They have also served as a RA for Dr. Amy Morgan's Post Incarceration Resilience Lab and are currently serving as a Teaching Assistant for Mental Health and Healing for Families (FMSC 340). Prior to beginning their doctoral studies, they worked as a licensed social worker for over 9 years providing outpatient mental health treatment and substance use disorder treatment. Sara is currently offering telehealth therapy to LGBTQIA+ community members as an Licensed Certified Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) with Chesapeake Behavioral Health, LLC, and is a board-certified supervisor for both mental health and substance use disorder clinicians.
- Year entered: 2023
- Previous degrees: A.A.S., Human Services, Anne Arundel Community College; B.S., Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; M.S., Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore
Sun A Cho is a doctoral scholar in Family Science. Sun Cho is currently a Ph.D. Candidate whose research centers on a core question: Can fathering foster caring, interdependence, and relationality in men—the very qualities that advance gender equality within families? Drawing on life course theory, her empirical work examines how social inequality, masculinities, fathering, and men’s mental health intersect across the life span, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Her theoretical project, currently under review at the Journal of Family Theory & Review, expands life course theory by conceptualizing reflexive agency emerging from men’s emotions
- Year entered: 2021
- Previous degrees: B.S., Psychology and Human Development, Duksung Women's University 2016; M.S., Human Development and Family Studies, Kyunghee University 2018
Sarah (Zeinab) Azizi is a doctoral scholar in Family Science. Her research focuses on the effect of stress on couple relationships, particularly among couples managing chronic diseases. She is also deeply interested in developing and evaluating relationship education interventions tailored to couples facing chronic health challenges. Sarah works as a research assistant with Dr. Mariana Falconier in the TOGETHER program, where she oversees data collection, manages data, and evaluates the program’s effectiveness. Her previous work includes adapting and pilot-testing a psychoeducational program for Iranian couples coping with cardiovascular disease. Her strong academic foundation, combined with clinical training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, informs her research and practice, emphasizing the importance of emotional connection in promoting health and well-being in couples.
- Year entered: 2022
- Previous degrees: BS, Counseling, The University of Tehran; MS, Family Counseling, The University of Tehran