Forge AHEAD Center
Our People & Partners
At Forge AHEAD Center, we are committed to eliminating disparities in health and healthcare in the Deep South and throughout the United States. We develop and evaluate research-based solutions to address healthcare disparities caused by social, economic, and environmental factors prevalent in the South.
We couldn’t provide the important work that we do without our hardworking team of staff, investigators, scholars, and partner institutions and networks.
Meet Our Center Leadership
Carson, April
Degree: PhD
Role: Co-Site PI, Common Data Elements Liaision
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Administrative
Cherrington, Andrea L.
Degree: MD, MPH
Role: MPI, Core Co-Lead
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Community Engagement
Compretta, Caroline E.
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Lead; Co-Site PI
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Community Engagement
Dutton, Gareth R
Degree: PhD
Role: MPI, Core co-Lead
State: AL
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Institution: UAB Core: Administrative
Hebert-Henderson, Lauren
Role: Community Advisory Board Member, Chair
State: LA
Affiliation: Director of Community Relations, Baton Rouge General Health System
Core: Community Engagement
Katzmarzyk, Peter
Degree: PhD, FACSM, FAHA, FTOS
Role: Project MPI, Site PI, Executive Committee Member
State: LA
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Institution: PBRC
Core: Administrative
Mugavero, Michael
Degree: MD, MHSc
Role: Core Lead
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Turner, Timothy
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Site PI
State: AL
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Institution: TU
Core: Investigator Development
Meet Our Investigators
Broyles, Stephanie
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: LA
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Institution: PBRC
Core: Community Engagement
Carson, April
Degree: PhD
Role: Co-Site PI, CDE Liaision
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Administrative
Carter, Vivian
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
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Institution: TU
Core: Community Engagement
Cherrington, Andrea L
Degree: MD, MPH
Role: MPI, Core Co-Lead
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative
Compretta, Caroline E.
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Lead; Co-Site PI
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Community Engagement
Cornelius, Denise
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development
Elopre, Latesha E
Degree: MD, MSPH
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Gamble, Abigail
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development
Hearld, Larry R
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Translational Methods Unit
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Investigator Development
Katzmarzyk, Peter
Degree: PhD, FACSM, FAHA, FTOS
Role: Project MPI – PROPEL-IT, Site PI, Executive Committee Member
State: LA
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Institution: PBRC
Core: Administrative
Mugavero, Michael
Degree: MD, MHSc
Role: Core Lead
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Newton, Robert
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: LA
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Institution: PBRC
Core: Investigator Development
Pisu, Maria
Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Translational Methods Unit
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Investigator Development
Price-Haywood, Eboni
Degree: MD, MPH, FACP
Role: Site PI, Project MPI – PROPEL-IT
State: LA
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Institution: Ochsner
Rana, Aadia I.
Degree: MD, FIDSA
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Meet Our Scholars
Andrabi, Mudasir
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UA
Core: Investigator Development
Caldwell, Jennifer
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: LA
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Institution: PBRC
Core: Investigator Development
Clarkson, Stephen
Degree: MD Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Cooper, LaQuita
Degree: PhD Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development
Crockett, Kaylee
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Exford, TJ
Degree: PhD Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: NC
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Institution: NCATSU
Core: Investigator Development
Gamble, Abigail
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development
Gazaway, Shena
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Ghazi, Lama
Degree: MD, PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Karlson, Cynthia
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
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Institution: UMMC
Core: Investigator Development
Khodneva, Yulia
Degree: MD, PhD Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Kinsey, Amber
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Lai, Byron
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Myers, Candice A.
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: LA
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Institution: PBRC
Core: Investigator Development
Schneider-Worthington, Camille
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Yanes Cardozo, Licy
Degree: MD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
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Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development
Xie, Rongbing
Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Meet Our Staff
Dobelstein, Amy
Degree: BA, BS
Role: Communications
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative
Horton, Trudi
Degree: PhD
Role: Program Director
State: AL
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Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development
Lee, Chiquita
Degree: BS, MBA, MPA
Role: Program Administrator
State: AL
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Institution: TU
Core: Administrative
Meet Our Community Advisory Board Members
Buckley, Jill
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: MS
Affiliation: Executive Director, Stewpot
Core: Community Engagement
Ferguson, Cheryl
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: AL
Affiliation: Community Liaison, TU
Core: Community Engagement
Floyd, Brooke
Degrees: MSEd, MAT
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: MS
Affiliation: Coordinator, JXN People’s Assembly, People’s Advocacy Institute
Core: Community Engagement
Frazier, Bernice
Degrees: BA
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: AL
Affiliation: Chairman, Macon County Health Care Authority, Inc.
Core: Community Engagement
Hebert-Henderson, Lauren
Role: Community Advisory Board Member, Chair
State: LA
Affiliation: Director of Community Relations, Baton Rouge General Health System
Core: Community Engagement
Lemieux, KiTani
Degree: PhD
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: LA
Affiliation: Xavier University of Louisiana
Core: Community Engagement
Mobley, Cassandra
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: MS
Core: Community Engagement
Williams, Chris
Degree: BS
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: AL
Affiliation: Quality of Life Health Services, Inc.
Core: Community Engagement
Wilson, Cynthia
Role: Community Advisory Board Member
State: AL
Affiliation: TU
Core: Community Engagement
Forge AHEAD Scholars
Community Advisory Board
Advance Health Equity With Us
Contact us today to learn more about the Forge AHEAD Center, our research, and how to partner with us.
Cite Forge AHEAD's Grant
Forge AHEAD Center is a regional comprehensive research center funded by a P50 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). Click below for citation information.
