People & Partners


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
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Administrative

Cherrington, Andrea L.

Degree: MD, MPH
Role: MPI, Core Co-Lead
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Community Engagement

Compretta, Caroline E.

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Lead; Co-Site PI
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Community Engagement

Dutton, Gareth R

Degree: PhD
Role: MPI, Core co-Lead
State: AL
Email
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
Email
Institution: PBRC
Core: Administrative

Mugavero, Michael

Degree: MD, MHSc
Role: Core Lead
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Turner, Timothy

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Site PI
State: AL
Email
Institution: TU
Core: Investigator Development

Meet Our Investigators

Apolzan, John

Degree: PhD
Role: Project Investigator
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC

Baskin, Monica L

Degree: PhD
Role: Project PI – SILC
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

 

Broyles, Stephanie

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC
Core: Community Engagement

Carson, April

Degree: PhD
Role: Co-Site PI, CDE Liaision
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Administrative

Carter, Vivian

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: TU
Core: Community Engagement

Cherrington, Andrea L

Degree: MD, MPH
Role: MPI, Core Co-Lead
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative

UAB Favicon

Clark III, D. Trey

Degree: MD, MPH
Role: Investigator
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC

Compretta, Caroline E.

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Lead; Co-Site PI
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Community Engagement

Cornelius, Denise

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development

Delaney, Erin

Degree: MD
Role: Project Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy

Degree: PhD, RD
Role: Project Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Duck, Angela A.

Degree: PhD, RN, CNE
Role: Project Investigator
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC

Dutton, Gareth R

Degree: PhD
Role: MPI, Core co-Lead
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Elopre, Latesha E

Degree: MD, MSPH
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Gamble, Abigail

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development

Garla, Vishnu

Degree: MD
Role: Project Investigator
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC

Gutierrez, Orlando

Degree: MD
Role: MPI
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Hall, Katie C.

Degree: PhD, RN, CNE
Role: Project Investigator
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC

Hall, Michael

Degree: MD, MS
Role: Project MPI – FREEDOM
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC

Hearld, Larry R

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Translational Methods Unit
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Investigator Development

Hillegass, William

Degree: PhD
Role: Project Investigator
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC

Howell, Carrie R

Degree: PhD
Role: Project Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Katzmarzyk, Peter

Degree: PhD, FACSM, FAHA, FTOS
Role: Project MPI – PROPEL-IT, Site PI, Executive Committee Member
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC
Core: Administrative

Martin, Corby

Degree: PhD, FTOS
Role: Project Investigator
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC

Mehta, Tapan Shirish

Degree: PhD, MS
Role: Project MPI – FREEDOM
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Mugavero, Michael

Degree: MD, MHSc
Role: Core Lead
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Kinsey, Amber

Degree: PhD
Role: Project PI
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Newton, Robert

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC
Core: Investigator Development

Pisu, Maria

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Translational Methods Unit
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Investigator Development

Price-Haywood, Eboni

Degree: MD, MPH, FACP
Role: Site PI, Project MPI – PROPEL-IT
State: LA
Email
Institution: Ochsner

Presley, Caroline

Degree: MD
Role: Project PI
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Rana, Aadia I.

Degree: MD, FIDSA
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Sayer, Drew

Degree: PhD
Role: Project Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Shelton, Tanya C

Degree: MSN, RN, CDCES
Role: Site PI
State: AL
Email
Institution: CGMHS

Sodeke, Stephen

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: TU
Core: Community Engagement

Walker, Jeffery T

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Investigator, Translational Methods Unit
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative; Investigator Development

Wallace, Eric L.

Degree: MD
Role: Project Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Willig, Mandy

Degree: PhD, RD
Role: Project Investigator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Turner, Timothy

Degree: PhD
Role: Core Co-Lead, Site PI
State: AL
Email
Institution: TU
Core: Investigator Development

Meet Our Scholars

UAB Favicon

Andrabi, Mudasir​

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
Email
Institution: UA
Core: Investigator Development

Kristen Allen-Watts, Ph.D. headshot

Allen-Watts, Kristen

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

UAB Favicon

Caldwell, Jennifer 

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC
Core: Investigator Development

UAB Favicon

Clarkson, Stephen

Degree: MD                       Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Cooper, LaQuita

Degree: PhD                      Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development

Crockett, Kaylee

Degree: PhD
Role:
Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Exford, TJ

Degree: PhD                        Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: NC
Email
Institution: NCATSU
Core: Investigator Development

Gamble, Abigail

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: MS
Email
Institution:
UMC
Core: Investigator Development

Gazaway, Shena

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Email
Institution:
UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Headshot of Dr. Donald Gerke

Gerke, Donny

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Ghazi, Lama

Degree: MD, PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Headshot of Gravett

Gravett, Matt

Degree: MD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Karlson, Cynthia

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMMC
Core: Investigator Development

Khodneva, Yulia

Degree: MD, PhD                Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Kinsey, Amber

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Lai, Byron

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar​
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

UAB Favicon

Myers, Candice A.

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC
Core: Investigator Development

Schneider-Worthington, Camille

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
Email
Institution:
UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Yanes Cardozo, Licy

Degree: MD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: MS
Email
Institution: UMC
Core: Investigator Development

Xie headshot

Xie, Rongbing

Degree: PhD
Role: Forge AHEAD Scholar
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

Meet Our Staff

Agne, April

Degree: MPH
Role: Program Director
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative

UAB Favicon

Denstel, Kara D.

Degree: MPH
Role: Study Manager
State: LA
Email
Institution: PBRC

Dobelstein, Amy

Degree: BA, BS
Role: Communications
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative

El Zein, Aseel

Degree: PhD, RDN​
Role: Study Manager
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

UAB Favicon

Harden-Barrios, Jewel

Degree: MEd
Role:
Study Manager
State: LA
Email
Institution: Ochsner

Head, LaNeitria

Role: Grants Administrator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative

Horton, Trudi

Degree: PhD​
Role: Program Director
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Investigator Development

UAB Favicon

John, Tejossy

Degree: MPH​
Role: Recruitment & Retention Coordinator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

Lee, Chiquita

Degree: BS, MBA, MPA​
Role: Program Administrator
State: AL
Email
Institution: TU
Core: Administrative

Love, Charlotte

Degree: MSM​
Role: Study Manager
State: MS
Email
Institution:
UMC

Martin, Debbie

Role: Program Administrator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB
Core: Administrative

Odom, D’Andra

Degree: MPA
Role: Community Connector
State: LA
Email
Core: Community Engagement

Talley, Destiny

Degree: MPH
Role: Recruitment & Retention Coordinator
State: AL
Email
Institution: UAB

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.

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