PhD, Behavioral and Community Health

Valérie Aldana (she/her), MPH is a PhD candidate in Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and a Senior Research Program Manager at the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN). Her research interests include digital health, cancer prevention and survivorship, maternal and child health, health equity, and improving health outcomes among underserved populations. Valerie's work integrates quantitative and qualitative research methods to better understand health behaviors and inform the development of patient-centered interventions. She is passionate about translating research into practical solutions that improve access to care and advance equitable health outcomes. valdana@umd.edu 

Hamoud M. Alotaibi is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist and a PhD candidate in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. He earned a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in health behavior from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science degree in health studies with a focus on community health education from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health at Portland State University. Previously, he worked as a clinical health educator, supporting adult patients with chronic conditions to improve their self-management skills and make informed health decisions. He is passionate about the creation, implementation, and evaluation of health education programs, and his research focuses on health literacy, disease prevention, and health services. halajel@umd.edu 

Sumayya A. Al-Mansur (she/her) is a Family Physician with clinical and public health experience, including serving as a State Clinical Mentor for HIV, Hepatitis, and health systems strengthening under Global Fund and CDC-funded programs. She is currently a doctoral student in Behavioral and Community Health and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research interests span digital health, women’s health, health communication, implementation science, and health equity with a focus on how trust and culturally grounded communication strategies shape health outcomes in underserved communities. In her spare time, Sumayya enjoys building digital health tools and is the founder of SheBlooms, a culturally sensitive and personalized women’s health platform designed to improve preventive health engagement and health literacy among women. Sumayya holds an MBBS (MD) and an MPH from the University of Jos, Nigeria.   salmansu@umd.edu 

Jordan K. Aquino (he/him) is a PhD student in Behavioral & Community Health and a Graduate Research Assistant at the CDC-funded, Prevention Research Center (PRC). He is also a Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at California State University, Fullerton, where he earned his BS in Health Science (and minor in Chemistry) and MPH in Health Promotion & Disease Prevention. Prior to his doctoral studies at the University of Maryland, he was the Center Director of the Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Center and Project Director/Co-Investigator a 10-year longitudinal study investigating the physical and mental statuses of older adults living with and without fibromyalgia training over 200 transdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate students. Mr. Aquino has been a NIMHD-funded Visiting Scholar at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, NCI-funded Visiting Scholar at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a CSU-funded Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Chronic Pain & Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan. He is currently working under the mentorship of Dr. Bradley Boekeloo at the UMD-PRC evaluating and disseminating a mental health provider cultural competency training with sexual and gender diverse clients. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods and grounded in intersectionality, minority stress, and social support theories, Mr. Aquino’s research interests span the sexual and mental health of LGBTQ+ people, substance use, and HIV prevention/U=U. jkaquino@umd.edu 

Zena K. Coronado is a PhD student and Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health, as well as a Graduate Research Assistant at UMD’s Center for Substance Use, Addiction & Health Research (CESAR). Zena applies an anthropological lens to public health, drawing on her B.S. in Anthropology from UMD and seven years of experience conducting complex, multi-sited qualitative and ethnographic research with people who use drugs and people experiencing homelessness. Her background includes serving as a qualitative researcher at the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, where she contributed to several NIH/R01 studies and the landmark California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH). Zena is interested in using mixed method approaches to investigate how shifts in public policy impact substance use patterns and overdose vulnerability among urban Black and Latino/x populations. She is deeply committed to advancing health equity through ethically rigorous, community-based, and trauma-informed research methodologies. zdhatt@umd.edu 

Cailín Frankland (she/they) is a PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health and the Grant Writer/Editor at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC). They received their Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Brown University and their Master of Science degree in Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Their research interests include the long-term effects of gender-based violence victimization on mental health and cognitive functioning, sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention, and the social determinants of age-related neurological conditions such as dementia. Beyond their work in public health, they are an avid reader and published creative writer, a devoted spouse and sister, and the proud parent of two old lady cats and a 70-pound rescue pit-bull affectionately known as Baby.(she/they) is a PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health and the Grant Writer/Editor at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC). They received their Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Brown University and their Master of Science degree in Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Their research interests include the long-term effects of gender-based violence victimization on mental health and cognitive functioning, sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention, and the social determinants of age-related neurological conditions such as dementia. Beyond their work in public health, they are an avid reader and published creative writer, a devoted spouse and sister, and the proud parent of two old lady cats and a 70-pound rescue pit-bull affectionately known as Baby. cfrankla@umd.edu 

Heydy Herbert (she/they) is a PhD student in Behavioral and Community Health. Heydy grew up undocumented and in urban communities along the East Coast, primarily New York City and Baltimore City. Heydy’s experiences with health disparities have shaped their research interests in promoting health and well-being among racialized youth. Heydy's previous research has  examined strategies to repurpose vacant properties to improve quality of life among youth living in these communities. Additionally, Heydy holds a B.S in Community Health, double minored in Anti-Black Racism & Disabilities Studies from UMD and has a MPH in Global Health with a Maternal & Child Health certificate from Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. hherbert@umd.edu 

Alexis S. Hunter (she/her) is a Teaching Assistant and a PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. Alexis earned her BA in Psychology from Michigan State University with specializations in Health Promotion and Bioethics, Humanities, and Society. She completed her MA in Community Psychology and Social Change at the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to joining the University, she worked within an urban-metropolitan university with health and racial disparities in chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, and HIV/STI). Alexis is passionate about her work within health and racial disparities, substance use, sexuality, and HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention. She has extensive experience as a qualitative researcher, working inside urban and rural communities. She has worked as a Research Project Manager as well as a HIV test counselor and prevention specialist in the Metro Detroit Area. She is interested in finding creative and innovative ways to use community engaged research to structure socio-behavioral and sexual health interventions for adolescent and emerging adults to address the gaps that exist for understanding sexual and gender minority health disparities. huntera5@terpmail.umd.edu

Ogechi Vinaprisca Ikhuoria (Vina) (she/her) is a PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health and a graduate assistant with the Global Public Health Scholars Program. Vina’s research interests focus on the social and behavioral determinants of sexual and reproductive health among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular interests in contraception, menstrual health, HIV prevention, and maternal health. She is also interested in how gender equity, power relations, and reproductive agency shape sexual and reproductive health experiences and outcomes. Her broader work centers on the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions and the translation of research into sexual and reproductive health policy and advocacy. ogechivi@umd.edu 

David Liendo (he/him) is a first-year PhD student and Graduate Research Assistant in the Behavioral and Community Health program at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. His research focuses on enhancing health interventions for Latinx communities in response to COVID-19. David also serves as a Data Analyst for the CDC-Esperanza Hope For All Vaccine Program at UnidosUS, managing COVID-19 data and supporting strategic data visualization for CDC-funded affiliates. Previously, he worked at the Fairfax County Department of Health, conducting epidemiological research to address COVID-19 challenges and vaccine inequity among Latinos. David holds a Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Research in Biology and Society from Cornell University and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Brown University. He is dedicated to advancing health equity and improving the well-being of underserved communities. dliendo@umd.edu

Micaela Manley, MPH, is a doctoral student in Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, where she works under the supervision of Dr. Kerry Green and Dr. Hee-Jung Song (Department of Nutrition & Food Science). Her research focuses on understanding how social and environmental factors influence dietary behaviors and health outcomes, with particular interests in food security, nutrition, and obesity-related health behaviors. Prior to her doctoral studies, Micaela earned an MPH in Health Promotion from George Washington University. Outside of research, she has worked as an epidemiologist and volunteered with organizations supporting food security in her local community. mkmanley@umd.edu 

Asli McCullers (she/her) is a current PhD candidate in the Behavioral and Community Health Department at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a Graduate Research Assistant supporting the CHAMP Lab (including the CHAMP Ambassadors program) and community engagement for the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. Through an integrated health equity lens, her research interests are at the nexus of reproductive and maternal health, adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer education and survivorship, and digital wellness. Additionally, Asli is a Research Specialist at the MedStar Health Center for Health Equity Research. Previously, she received her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Delaware, her post-baccalaureate from University of Massachusetts Medical School in Clinical and Population Health, and her BS in Biology and Music Performance from Towson University.  amccull5@umd.edu

Izabelle “Izzy” Mendez's (she/her) background includes public health research, teaching, mentorship and student support, with experience in health equity, nutrition and community-based initiatives. Izzy has worked as a health equity research analyst at the Association of American Medical Colleges and as a research fellow at NIH/NIMHD, where she supported population health research, data analysis, literature reviews and scientific reporting. At UMD, she also served as a graduate research and teaching assistant and supported food security efforts through the Campus Pantry. imendez@umd.edu 

Abby Pollock (she/her) is a Graduate Research Assistant and doctoral student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. She earned a Master of Health Science from the Department of Mental Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the impact of social determinants on aging trajectories in African American older adults. She is particularly interested in utilizing a life course approach to understand the effect of adverse life experiences on cognitive decline and dementias in racially diverse older adults. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in music from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In her free time, Abby enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, Henry. apolloc2@umd.edu

Bella Rios (they/she) has a background in Epidemiology and Movement Science from the University of Michigan. They have worked on a number of community focused projects within transgender and gender diverse populations. Having completed their MPH training at U-M, where their thesis focused on the utilization of a zine as a health promotional tool for folxs who chest bind, they're excited to further pursue this line of work as a PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. They are currently a Program Facilitator for the TEA3 intervention study and a Mockenhaupt Endowed Distinguished Graduate Fellow. Bella is also an enthusiastic postcard sender, always on the lookout for unique postcards and limited edition stamps. ierios@umd.edu 

Hasmin Ramirez-Villegas (she/her), MPH, is a second-year PhD student in the department of Behavioral and Community Health and the Doctoral Research Fellow within the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy.

She received her MPH in Epidemiology from George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, with a focus on HIV/AIDS and infectious disease. Her research examines the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomics research, with a focus on sickle cell disease, health disparities, and equitable knowledge integration among Latina/o/x communities. She also examines how health literacy and language proficiency shape health-related behaviors and contribute to health inequities among underrepresented communities. In her current role within the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, her primary research focuses on developing a population-level measure of health literacy to better understand and characterize the state of health literacy across the United States. hcrv7@umd.edu 

Tiffany Saavedra (she/her) serves as the Director of Global Oncology and Strategic Initiatives for VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (Massey) and has 15+ years of experience in global public health, research administration, and oncology research and development in community, academic, and industry settings. Before joining Massey, Tiffany was a consultant with the Huron Consulting Group, providing subject matter expertise to emerging and NCI-designated Cancer Centers in various areas, including strategic planning, change management, implementation science, and Cancer Center Support Grant (NCI P30) strategies and applications. As a PhD student within the Behavioral and Community Health Program at the UMD School of Public Health, Tiffany aims to focus on community-engaged research to address systemic or structural inequities in cancer outcomes. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, respectively. tsaaved1@umd.edu

Jessica Salzwedel (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. She received her Master’s in Bioethics from New York University. Jessica serves as a Teaching Assistant for the department. Her background is in global health research, and she has experience evaluating engagement programs in South Africa and Zambia. Jessica’s research interest focuses on improving community engagement throughout the research lifecycle including how to measure effective engagement,  partnership development and trust building and maintenance mechanisms. jsalz7@umd.edu 

Anu Sangraula (she/her) is a Graduate Research Assistant and doctoral student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. She previously worked at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center where she managed projects related to lung cancer screening and served as a health education specialist. Her interests include the development and implementation of community-engaged interventions that address multilevel barriers to cancer prevention and early detection through screening. asangrau@umd.edu 

Kenan Zamore (he/him) is a PhD student and an Epidemiologist focused on population level health dynamics. My Interests include injury epidemiology, behavioral health/SUDs, health disparities and informatics. I am interested in applying public health surveillance techniques to non-traditional public health problems ( most notably violence prevention and substance misuse disorders )and using surveillance data to inform public policy and intervention efforts, and to attack barriers to the routine exchange of vital data. kzamore@umd.edu