Pre-doctoral Programs

Daniel Mishail
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Sequestration of Speciality Providers in California’s MediCal Dental Program
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD

Katharina Schmolly
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Reducing diagnostic delays in Acute Hepatic Porphyria (AHP) using a machine learning approach
Mentor: Simon Beaven, MD, PhD

Damaris Arriola Zarate
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Establishing a Quality-Adjusted Life Year Proxy for Children’s Dental Caries to Calculate Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio: A Discrete Choice Experiment
Mentor: Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DDS

Jasmeet Dhaliwal
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Undertreatment of Hypertension in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rosemarie DiPentino
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Identifying an adolescent vital sign: gradebook data as a marker for substance use among low-income minority middle school students
Mentor: Mitchell Wong, MD, PhD

Mariam Khan
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluating the Associations between Domains of Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Health Outcomes
Mentor: Adam Schickedanz, MD PhD

Jennifer Wenchi
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Dental Referral Tracking at California's Federally Qualified Health Centers
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD

Neda Ashtari
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Eliminating Gaps in Medicaid Coverage During Youth Reentry
Mentor: Elizabeth Barnert, MD

Natalia Garcia Penaloza
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Developing an Evidence-based, Culturally Appropriate Survey to Assess the Needs of Immigrant Youth and Families in LA County
Mentor: Alice Kuo, MD

Allison Leggett
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: The Role of Nontraditional Risk Factors in the Development of Chronic Kidney Disease
Mentor: Keith C. Norris, MD, PhD

Vanessa Nunez
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Whole Person Care Los Angeles: Community Stakeholder Analysis
Mentor: Arleen Brown, MD, PhD

Vivek Shah
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: An Evaluation of the Relationship between ACE Scores, Social Connectedness, and Medical Utilization
Mentor: Adam Schickedanz, MD, PhD

Imran Ahmed
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Medical-Dental Integration in Pediatric Health
Mentor: Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DDS, MPH

Amanda Ankrom
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evidence-Based Management of Dental Caries in Los Angeles County Community Clinics
Mentor: Ian Coulter, PhD

Vania Chan
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Early Oral Health Education in Los Angeles Schools
Mentor: Kathryn Atchison, DDS, MPH

Kearny Chang
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: The effects of e-cigarettes on the oral microbiome, host defense, and periodontal health.
Mentor: Flavia Pirih, DDS, PhD

Anna Dermenchyan
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Impact of Sociodemographic Factors on Outcomes in Primary Care Heart Failure Patient Population
Mentor: Lynn Doering, PhD

Brittany Tate
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Effect of Academic Climate on the Development of Practitioners
Mentor: Kathryn Atchison, DDS, MPH

George Truong
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Effects of substance use on ART adherence and viral suppression among PLWH entering jail.
Mentor: William Cunningham, MD, MPH

Olivia Wu
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Building and Evaluating a Medical-Financial Partnership: Measuring the Impact of Financial Coaching on Health
Mentor: Adam Schickedanz, MD

Victoria Chen
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Caregivers’ Engagement in and Attitudes towards Pediatric Oral Health Practices: Findings from Los Angeles Community-Based Health Clinics
Mentor: James Crall, DDS MS, ScD

Cassandra DeWitt
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Statin Use: Patient Problems Obtaining Recommended Treatment (SUPPORT)

Gerardo Flores
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Influence Of Source Of Pay On Emergency Department Visits And Hospitalization Rates Among Patients Presenting To U.S. Emergency Departments After A Soccer-Related Injury
Mentor: Dorothy Wiley, PhD, RN, FAAN

Walter Fuentes
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: DentiCal Service Utilization, in 0-5 Year Olds Across LA County, Based on Socioeconomic Status, Marital Status, and Ethnic Demographics of Zip Codes
Mentor: James Crall, DDS MS, ScD

Bria Pettway
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science 
Project: The Role of Parent Engagement in Access to Health Care for Youth After Incarceration 
Mentor: Elizabeth Barnert, MD

Mercedes Scott
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Screen to Save: A Faith-based Approach to Increasing the Awareness of Colorectal Cancer Screening in African Americans
Mentor: Juana Gatson, PhD

Sogole Tabatabaiepur
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Dentist to Patient Figures for DentiCal Accepting Dentists Across Los Angeles County
Mentor: James Crall, DDS MS, ScD

Kelly Vitzthum
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Applying the Integrated Behavioral Model to promote better oral health communications
Mentor: James Crall, DDS MS, ScD

Marquell Craddock
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine  
Project: Evaluation of the UCLA-Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)
Mentor: O. Kenrik Duru, MD, MSHS and Wendy Slusser, MD

Sandy Ha
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Dentists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions in Treating Medically Complex Patients
Mentor: Fariba Younai, DDS

Desiree Hsiou
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluate the correlation between the perception of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid and an individual's poverty and education level in the Los Angeles County
Mentor: Diana Messadi, DDS, MMSc, DMSc

Haejin Kang
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: A knowledge, attitude, beliefs, and practices (KABP) survey on special needs patients and their student dentist providers
Mentor: Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DDS, MPH

Deborah Lee
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Patient's knowledge and perception on medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) among the users of anti-resorptive drugs rs
Mentor: Reuben Kim, DDS, PhD

Tiffany Lin
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Proteomic Analysis of Chronic Alcohol Use
Mentor: Shen Hu, PhD

Damond Ng
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Hypertension control in urban underserved communities: Impact and analysis of a behavioral economics intervention
Mentor: Martin Shapiro, MD, PhD

My Nguyen
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: User's View of Electronic Cigarettes
Mentor: Diana Messadi, DDS

Rebekah Rogers
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Do Changes in Adolescent Career Aspirations Predict their Health Behaviors?
Mentor: Rebecca Dudovitz, MD, MS

Sharlene Cam
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Risk of complications in HIV-seropositive patients undergoing invasive dental procedures
Mentor: Fariba S. Younai, DDS

Mahsa Dousti
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Impact of Parent's actions during pregnancy and after childbirth on children's behavioral health
Mentor: Nancy Reifel, DDS, MPH

Catherine Gliwa
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Perceived effects of social support on diabetes management in African American women with type 2 diabetes
Mentor: Arleen Brown, MD, PhD

Jacob Gutierrez
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Adolescents' desire for popularity and its influence on substance use
Mentor: Mitchell Wong, MD, PhD

Amit Iyengar
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Lung Transplantation in the LAS era
Mentor: Abbas Ardehali, MD

Grace Kim
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Urban Student Perspectives on School-Based Social Networks, Identity, and Substance Use
Mentor: Rebecca Dudovitz, MD, MSHS

Sue Kim
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Nanodiamond-Based Growth Factors As Alternative To Costly Bone Graft Procedures
Mentor: Dean Ho, PhD

Kevin Lee
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Gammaherpesvirus ORF10 selectively inhibits cellular mRNA nuclear export
Mentor: Ting-Ting Wu, PhD

Rachel Lim
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Optimization of NELL-1 Dosage Frequency and Delivery Method in Osteoporotic Mice
Mentor: Eric Kang Ting, DMD, DMedSci

Lawrence Lin
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Effectiveness of Oral and Overall Health Instruction in Underprivileged Teenage Populations
Mentor: Diana Messadi, DDS

Christina Ma
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: The effects of vitamin D3 versus 25D3 on mineral balance and immune function in a multi-ethnic cohort of healthy adults
Mentor: John S. Adams, MD

Cherlyn Perez
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Pharmacodynamic Changes in Notch3 Expression Levels in Response to Targeting Notch3 with an Antibody Drug Conjugate
Mentor: Sara Hurvitz, MD

Thomas Poelman
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Attitudes and Knowledge of Dental Students towards Caries Management by Risk Assessment
Mentor: Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DDS, MS, MPH

Deborah Rothhaar
Professional Program: PHD
Institution: UCLA
Project: The Effect of Patient Attributes on Alarm Burden in the ICU
Mentor: Dorothy Wiley, PhD

Hafifa Siddiq
Professional Program: PHD
Institution: UCLA
Project:Cultural Influences On Breast Cancer Screening Among Korean American Women
Mentor: Eunice Lee, PhD

Eric Tam
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Engagement with physician, ART adherence, and viral load suppression among HIV+ men leaving LA County jail
Mentor: William Cunningham, MD, MPH

Ryan Wong
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluating Peri-implantitis and Periodontitis in a Murine Model
Mentor: Flavia Pirih, DDS, PhD

Jeffrey Brumbaugh
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Identification of Gene Expression Signatures in Smoking Related Oral Cancer
Mentor: Shen Hu, PhD

Noel Carillo
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Differences Between Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, and HIV Disease Status Among Persons Living in HIV Supportive Housing
Mentor: Steve Shoptaw, PhD

Clayton Chan
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Impact of Parent Characteristics on Child Development
Mentor: Nancy Reifel, DDS, MPH

Yoonah Danskin
Professional Program: DDS
Institution:UCLA
Project: E-Cigarette (e-cigs), Marijuana, and Cigarette usage among UCLA Dental Patients
Mentor: Diana Messadi, DDS, MMSc, DMSc

Krystle Frazier
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Clinical Trial of Stem Cell Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease: Development of a Novel Immunoassay to Detect Immunogenicity to HbAS3
Mentor: Donald Kohn, MD

Elyse Guran
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluating a New Model for School Based Health Centers
Mentor: Rebecca Dudovitz, MD, MSHS

Kia Skrine Jeffers
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: LA Seniors Get "On the Move": A Pilot Evaluation of a Media-Based Intervention Aimed to Improve Physical Activity
Mentor: Catherine Sarkisian, MD, MSPH

Clark Knowlton
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: California Dentist’s Compliance with AAPD Recommendations for a Year-one Dental Visit
Mentor: Chanel McCreedy, DDS

Carter Le
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Comparison of Behavioral Self-Management Goals in Remineralized and Non-Remineralized White Spot Lesions In Patients Ages 1-5 From Disadvantaged Communities
Mentor: Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DDS, MS, MPH

Alan Nguyen
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Phenamil Diet Counteracts Ovariectomy-induced Osteoporosis
Mentor: Eric Kang Ting, DMD, DMedSc

Kelly Nguyen
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Individuals with Single White Spots on Tooth Enamel had Higher Childhood Stress
Mentor: Shane White, PhD, BDentSc, MS, MA

Steve Petritz
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project:  Nanomedicine application to the field of dentistry
Mentor: Dean Ho, PhD, MS

William Sheppard
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Occult Hypoperfusion is Associated with Mortality Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Mentor: Dennis Kim, MD

Graal Ventura-Diaz
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Health, Injury and Sociodemographic Predictors of Hip Fractures in Public-Use Datasets: National Emergency Department Survey (NEDS) and the National Inpatient Survey (NIS)
Mentor: Dorothy Wiley, MSN, RN, MPH, PhD

Drake Williams
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Role of Interleukin 36 in Bisphosphonate Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BRONJ) pathogenesis
Mentor: Reuben Kim, DDS, PhD

Lindsay Williams
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Women Veterans Perceptions of Mental Health Outpatient Services
Mentor: Sally Maliski, PhD, RN, FAAN

Hoover Wu
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: The Socioeconomic Realities Behind Elevated Pre-Operative Hemoglobin A1c and Surgical Risk of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Mentor: James McKinnell, MD

Judith Afonta
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Low HPV Vaccination Rates Among African Americans, A Literature Review
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD

Eric Chen
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: HIV Discrimination in Dental Care: An Investigation of Discriminatory Behavior among General Dentists in Los Angeles accepting Delta Dental Insurance
Mentor: Fariba Younai, DDS

Gerardo Flores
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Comorbid Conditions Influence Hospitalization Rates across Age Groups Among those who Fall
Mentor: Dorothy Wiley, PhD, RN, FAAN

Marcel Fomotar
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Conceptualizing Challenges to Optimizing Health and Healthcare Access among Transgender Persons in the U.S.
Mentor: Martin Shapiro, MD, PhD

Shelia Ganjian
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Determining What Physicians Know and Support in Health Care Reform
Mentor: Patrick Dowling, MD

Brian Hui
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Impact of audio-visual aids on the informed consent of oral surgery patients
Mentor: Tara Aghaloo, MD, DDS

Phong Huynh
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Identifying community perceived causes of childhood obesity in Boyle Heights and analysis of its pediatric health profile
Mentor: Wendy Slusser, MD

Eugen Kim
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Dental Public Health - Who Cares? An Exploration of Dental Students' Perspective on the Specialty
Mentor: Katherine Atchison, DDS, MPH

Ebony King
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University
Project: National Trends in Access to Minimally Invasive Surgery for Adrenalectomy
Mentor: Jim Hu, MD

Eyerus Masho
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Cultural Variation and Perinatal Care Practice Between African American Women and Mexican American Women: a Critical Review
Mentor: Vanessa Miller, DrPH, RN

Judith McKelvy
Professional Program: PhD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Family and Friends Involvement in Self-Care Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Review of the Literature
Mentor: Arleen F. Brown, MD, PhD

Linda Phi
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Characterizing the Mechanism of Inflammation by Assessing Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with TMD
Mentor: Francesco Chiappelli, PhD, MA

Kevin Quan
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Oral Health Status Index Applied to NHANES
Mentor: Nancy Reifel, DDS, MPH

Pardis Rajabi
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Prevalence of Enamel Hypoplastic Defects in a Psychological Stressor-Defined Population
Mentor: Shane N. White, BDentSc, MA, MS, PhD

Raymund Rebong
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Racial Ethnic Disparities in Dental Care Based Health Status and Dental Insurance in California
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD

Dawn Santos
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: The Relationship between Menopause and Sexual Function amongst Periomenopausal Women: A Literature Review
Mentor: Vanessa Miller, DrPH, RN

Samantha Tangchaiburana
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: UCLA
Project: Reducing Stimulant Use and Sexual Behaviors Among Gay/Bisexual Men: A Literature Review
Mentor: Adeline Nyamathi, PhD, ANP, FAAN

Maria Tobar
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Culturally Adapting Physical Activity Promoting Interventions for the Prevention of Stroke in Older Adults
Mentor: Catherine Sarkisian, MD, MSPH

Erica Tukiainen
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluating the Impact of Health Education at a Federally Qualified health Center for Persons with Diabetes
Mentor: Carol M. Mangione, MD, MSPH

Uzoma Uwakah
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Cultural factors affecting pap smear utilization and adherence to the recommendations amongst Asian American Women in California
Mentor: Magda Shaheen, MD PhD

Jane Agu
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: No Time to Wait: Late Diagnosis of HIV & African Americans, A Literature Review
Mentor: Martin Shapiro, MD, PhD - UCLA

Alejandra Bautista
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Family Influence on Antidepressant Medication Use in Depressed Spanish-Speaking Latinos
Mentor: Jeanne Miranda, PhD - UCLA

Lubabah Ben-Ghaly
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: The Effect of Implementing an Electronic Prescription Ordering System on Improving Health Outcomes and Eliminating Disparities in HIV+ Patients
Mentor: William Cunningham, MD, MPH - UCLA

Michael Hoang
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Children with Special Care Needs and their Access to Preventative Medical and Dental Care
Mentor: Carl Maida, PhD, MA - UCLA

Christine Kho
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Beyond the Grade: The Impact of High-Performing Schools on Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health Outcomes
Mentor: Mitchell Wong, MD, PhD - UCLA

Catherine Kim
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Impact of the Elimination of Denti-Cal Adult Services on Community Clinics in California
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD, MSPH - UCLA

David Lee
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Children with Special Health Care Needs and their Access to Preventative Medical and Dental Care
Mentor: Carl Maida, PhD, MA - UCLA

Michael Mangubat
Professional Program: MD
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Methimazole Dose Titration for Maintenance of Hyperthyroid Patients
Mentor: Theodore Friedman, MD, PhD - CDU

Adrienne Martinez-Hollingsworth
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Use of Social Media via Mobile Phones to Promote Diabetes Education in South Los Angeles
Mentor: Patricia Humbles, PhD, MSN - CDU

Ozioma Nwosu
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality in U.S. Adults
Mentor: David Martins, MB, MS - CDU

Amarachi Okoro
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Finding the "Win-Win": A Needs Assessment Identifying the Barriers and Facilitators to a Greater Partnership Between Academic and Community Collaborators in Los Angeles
Mentor: Michael Rodriguez, MD, MPH - UCLA

Mark Ortega
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: A Comparison of Perceived Peridontal Oral Health Status and Periodontal Oral Health Based on Clinical Determinants in a National Probability Sample
Mentor: Marvin Marcus, DDS, MPH - UCLA

Rebecca Paddack
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: A Comparison of Perceived Peridontal Oral Health Status and Peridontal Oral Health Based on Clinical Determinants in a National Probability Sample
Mentor: Marvin Marcus, DDS, MPH - UCLA

Walter Perez
Professional Program: MSN
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Project: Actos Versus Discontinuing Actos HbA1c Outcomes in a Minority Population
Mentor: Theodore Friedman, MD, PhD - CDU

John Pierce
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Impact of the Elimination of Denti-Cal Audit Services on Community Clinics in California
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD, MSPH - UCLA

Amy Tam
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluation of the Implementation of Health Literature Organization Tool Box Guidelines
Mentor: Jennifer Holtzman, DDS, MPH - UCLA

John Thanasukarn
Professional Program: MD
Institution: UCLA
Project: Perspectives on Parenting Education as a Prenatal School Readiness Intervention
Mentor: Ashaunta Tumblin, MD, MPH, MSHS - UCLA

Khoa Tran
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: First 5 California - Improving Children's Dental Homes within Greater Los Angeles County
Mentor: James Crall, DDS, MS, ScD - UCLA

Laura Van
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Children with Special Health Care Needs and their Access to Preventative Medical and Dental Care
Mentor: Carl Maida, PhD, MA - UCLA

Olivia Yue
Professional Program: DDS
Institution: UCLA
Project: Evaluation of the Implementation of Health Literate Organization Tool Box Guidelines
Mentor: Jennifer Holtzman, DDS, MPH - UCLA

Kendall Darfler, MS
Graduate School and Degree: Drexel University, MS in Science and Technology Studies
Undergraduate School and Degree: UCLA, BA in Anthropology

Career and Educational Plan: Kendall has an MS in Science and Technology Studies (STS), an interdisciplinary field that examines the sociopolitical dynamics of science, technology and medicine. Her research interests include substance use policy, disparities in access to care, and peer-delivered services. Her STS background has led her to attend to how expertise is valued in health care policymaking. Since 2017, she has also worked as project director for UCLA’s evaluation of the California Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project.

---

Wilson Hammett, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: University of Washington, MPH in Global Health
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Virginia, BA in Anthropology and Global Sustainability

Career and Educational Plan: Wilson worked as a middle school science teacher and in the mental health technology space before receiving her MPH in 2020 from the University of Washington, where she focused on implementing and evaluating global mental health interventions and injury and violence prevention. Wilson’s research interests include the public health implications of firearm policy and mass incarceration and initiatives that address disparities in access to mental healthcare.

---

Tiffany Luong, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: University of Michigan, MPH in Epidemiology
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California San Diego, BS in Biochemistry

Career and Educational Plan: Ms. Luong earned her BS in Biochemistry/Cell Biology from the University of California San Diego and her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan. Since 2013, Ms. Luong has been working with Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s Department of Research & Evaluation and has supported various research projects within the fields of cancer (bladder, pancreas), hypertension, ophthalmology, and outpatient safety. For her doctorate, Ms. Luong will explore the intersection of food policy and health outcomes, particularly obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. She is also interested in pursuing work that contributes to a more equitable and sustainable food system to support the health of local, national, and global communities.

---

Julianna Rava, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: Drexel University, MPH in Epidemiology
Undergraduate School and Degree: Gettysburg College, BA in Health Sciences

Career and Educational Plan: Julianna is pursuing her PhD in Health Policy and Management at the Fielding School of Public Health. For the past five years, she has worked as a science policy analyst in the Office of Autism Research Coordination at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Previous to her work at NIMH, she worked with Dr. Paul Shattuck at Drexel University’s Autism Institute. At both NIMH and Drexel University, her work focused on the life course outcomes and health service needs of youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She earned her Master of Public Health at Drexel University and her Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences at Gettysburg College. As a PhD student, she is interested in expanding her research in mental health services research to support youth transition to adulthood.

---

Jeffrey Rollman, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: Johns Hopkins University, MPH in Health Systems and Policy
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Pittsburgh, BS in Emergency Medicine

Career and Educational Plan: Jeff received his MPH in Health Systems and Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a BS in Emergency Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to graduate school, Jeff worked as a corporate safety specialist, 911 paramedic, and emergency medical services (EMS) safety officer in Pennsylvania. He has research interests in public policy, telehealth, EMS/prehospital care systems, and integrated health delivery networks. In addition to his doctoral studies and graduate student researcher position at the Veterans Health Administration, Jeff continues to work part-time as a paramedic in the Los Angeles area.

---

Eryn Block, MPP
Graduate School and Degree: Vanderbilt University, MPP
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Oregon, BA

Career and Educational Plan:
Eryn has a Master's in Public Policy focusing on quantitative methods of research from Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and a B.A. from the University of Oregon Clark Honors College in International Studies and German. She is a former middle school science teacher and current President of the Palms Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles. Her primary research interests are positive mental health for children and city and state policies and initiatives that promote child wellbeing. She works at the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities.

---

Linh Chuong, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: UC Berkeley, MPH in Health Policy and Management
Undergraduate School and Degree: Hendrix College, BA in Sociology/Anthropology with a Sociology Emphasis, BA in Gender and Social Justice

Career and Educational Plan:
Linh wants to ensure that all children and families can thrive, particularly Asian immigrants and refugees. She believes she can best serve them by bridging between policy, practice, and research. Prior to her time at UCLA, she provided direct service to and advocated with Vietnamese migrant workers and new immigrants in Taiwan. She then spent two years advocating alongside a statewide coalition of Southeast Asian serving community-based organizations on their health equity priorities. Since 2017, she has been working on a social needs screening pilot at a safety net clinic. Her interests are in social determinants of health, culturally competent care, and health disparities (e.g. mental health, diabetes).

---

Corey Jacinto, MPH 
Graduate School and Degree: Tulane University, MPH?
Undergraduate School and Degree: Pomona College, BA

Career and Educational Plan:
Mr. Jacinto earned a BA from Pomona College with a double major in economics and political science and an MPH with a concentration in health policy from Tulane University. Before matriculating at UCLA, Mr. Jacinto enjoyed his role as a program coordinator at the Center for Health Policy at the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health. Some of his work included supporting the research efforts of the State Health Official Career Achievement and Sustainability Evaluation (SHO-CASE) study, Indiana’s State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW), and an estimation of the medical cost burden attributable to childhood obesity in Indiana. Mr. Jacinto’s research interests include the economic evaluation of preventive interventions and care, value-based healthcare reform, leveraging economics to improve health outcomes, the social determinants of health, and the formulation and evaluation of policies intended to ameliorate health disparities that afflict racial/ethnic minorities and other historically marginalized and vulnerable populations and communities.

---

Elaine (Ellie) Albertson, MS, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: University of Washington, MPH; Stanford University, MS
Undergraduate School and Degree: Stanford University, BS

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Albertson holds an MPH in Health Systems and Policy from the University of Washington, and an MS and BS from Stanford University with a focus on sustainable development. Prior to joining UCLA, she supported evaluation of the Washington State Innovation Model health care reform initiative, and worked as a data analyst with public health and social service programs. Ms. Albertson’s research focuses on the intersection of health care and social services. Her interests include Medicaid, safety net health systems, behavioral health integration, social needs screening in clinical settings, and cross-sector collaboration.

---

Adam Resnick, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: University of Arizona, MPH
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Arizona, BS in Psychology

Career and Educational Plan:
Mr. Resnick has an MPH with a concentration in epidemiology and a BS in psychology from the University of Arizona. Prior to the program, he was a manager and epidemiologist for the State of New Mexico and an epidemiologist for Pima County Arizona. Most recently, he was a senior analyst for an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in Tucson, Arizona. His work at the ACO focused on improving the organization’s performance on quality metrics, reducing cost of care, and developing and implementing organizational initiatives. Adam’s primary research interests include policy development and implementation, organizational management, cost of care, and preventive health.

---

Taylor Rogers, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: University of Maryland, College Park, MPH in Health Equity
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Maryland, College Park, BS in Community Health

Career and Educational Plan:
Taylor B. Rogers earned her M.P.H. in Health Equity and B.S. in Community Health from the University of Maryland, College Park. Taylor’s journey in public health began in community engagement and health education. Frustrated with focusing on individual behavior change, Taylor pursued a M.P.H. to explore systemic and structural determinants of health. Throughout her MPH training, she worked as a Research Assistant for the UMD Maryland Center for Health Equity where she supported research efforts in barbershops and salons throughout Prince George’s County, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Taylor completed her M.P.H. internship at the National Center for Health Statistics, Health Promotion Statistics Branch where she supported Healthy People 2030 topic area and objective setting and published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Taylor’s research interests include exploring racial disparities in health care delivery and cancer prevention and control, social determinants of health, and health in all policies.

---

Nathaniel Anderson
Undergraduate School and Degree: Pomona College, BA in Mathematical Economics

Career and Educational Plan:
Mr. Anderson has worked for the UCLA Center for Health Advancement’s Win-Win Project since August 2015, extracting effect sizes from the literature and building simulation models for various interventions and policies focusing on health, education, and criminal justice. Previously he was a research associate for the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center where he studied insurance coverage and access among non-elderly adults and children. Mr. Anderson’s research interest is in social determinants of health and the intersection of the health and education systems. His long term career goals involve measuring the impact of evidence-based mental health interventions for youth in school and community settings.

---

Timothy Copeland, MPP
Graduate School and Degree: University of Southern California, MPP
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California, Berkeley, BA in Media Studies

Career and Educational Plan:
Mr. Copeland obtained his bachelor’s degree in media studies from UC Berkeley in 2013 and his M.P.P. from USC in 2015. Prior to the health policy & management doctoral program, he served a research associate at the University of California, San Francisco. His work at UCSF focused on exploring regional variations in health services utilization among breast cancer patients, imaging utilization management in cancer care, and data from wearable activity monitors as an alternative to self-reported activity in clinical settings. Mr. Copeland is primarily interested quantifying the benefits of genome and exome sequencing in clinical practice, optimization of electronic health records for decision support, and changes in provider behaviors related to the implementation of value-based payment models.

---

Lina Tieu, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: Emory University, MPH in Health Policy
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California, Berkeley, BA in Molecular and Cell Biology

Career and Educational Plan:
Lina Tieu has an MPH in Health Policy from Emory University and a BA in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley. Her past experience includes internships at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity and the National Center for Environmental Health, where she analyzed national frameworks to promote health equity and researched the burden of adverse health conditions linked to environmental exposures. Lina has also worked at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on projects relating to California's Medicaid managed care programs. Most recently, at the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, she supported research exploring the intersection of technology and health within safety net healthcare systems, including the usability of and potential interventions to improve engagement with patient portals, and the effects of homelessness on older adults.

---

Sara McCleskey, MS
Graduate School and Degree: University of Southern California, MS in Gerontology
Undergraduate School and Degree: Rice University, BA in Art History

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. McCleskey obtained a bachelor’s degree in art history from Rice University in 2005 and a master’s of science degree in gerontology from the University of Southern California in 2009. Since 2011, she has been a Research Associate at Vital Research in Los Angeles. For her doctoral training, Ms. McCleskey is interested in pursuing research on end-of-life care, addressing questions such as who utilizes end-of-life care and why, how doctors communicate with patients about death and dying, and what services are most effective at improving patient outcomes. She is particularly interested in the possibility of collaborating with VA researchers working in this area. Her long-term career goals involve integrating science and practice to optimize the quality of life and health care outcomes of terminally ill patients.

---

Isomi Miyake-Lye
Project: Adoption of Evidence-based Practices: Patterns and Positive Deviants in the National Survey of Physician Organizations
Mentor: Emmeline Chuang, PhD
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Southern California, BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies

Project Description:
Little is known about the factors influencing physician organizations’ adoption of evidence-based practices for chronic care conditions, and a focus on high performers has created a dearth of information on organizations adopting later. Using data from the 2012-2013 National Survey of Physician Organizations, this dissertation uses an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to address four Specific Aims: 1) explore the adoption patterns of evidence-based practices; 2) Identify organizational characteristics associated with non-adoption; 3) Identify the characteristics of positive deviants who have adopted practices despite sharing similar characteristics with non-adopters; and 4) Explore the role of culture, leadership, and organizational priorities in the decision to adopt evidence-based practices. If the milieu of factors influencing adoption patterns are better understood, especially in low adopting practices, better strategies for evidence-based practice uptake can be crafted and disseminated.

---

Tanya Olmos, MPH
Project: Evaluation of an innovative delivery model for clinical preventive services in community settings
Mentor: Beth Glenn, PhD
Graduate School and Degree: University of California, Berkeley, MPH
Undergraduate School and Degree: Georgetown University, BA in Psychology and Anthropology

Project Description:
The project is focused on the evaluation of an innovative delivery model of clinical preventive services. The model takes the form of an urban health fair program organized by a non-profit health system in Los Angeles with the collaboration of thirty-seven faith-based organizations and preventive screening organizations. Understanding the development of the clinical-community partnership between the health system, the faith-based organizations, and the screening partners is important to identify and understand components of the partnership that may be replicable by other health systems looking to promote and increase the use of clinical preventive services beyond the clinical setting. This type of delivery model has the potential to reach more and different individuals, to promote wellness, save lives, and reduce health care costs. By linking clinical, evidence-based practice preventive services with unique delivery pathways in the community, these benefits may be replicated by other health systems.

---

Helen Ovsepyan, JD, MPH
Professional School and Degree: Loyola Law School, JD
Graduate School and Degree: University of California, Los Angeles, MPH
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California, Los Angeles, BA in Psychology and English

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Ovsepyan received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA in 2001, with majors in Psychology and English Literature, and a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology. In 2005, she received her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where she was a publishing member of the law review journal. She then became licensed to practice law in the states of California and Nevada, and proceeded to practice law for the next eight years in the areas of healthcare regulations, transactions and litigation. Throughout her time in practice, Ms. Ovsepyan contributed to a number of health law publications and speaking engagements. She also served on the Executive Board and program planning committees for the LA County Bar Association, Health Law Section. In 2015, Ms. Ovsepyan earned her Executive MPH from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Her fieldwork focused on health delivery program implementations and evaluations, and her coursework included healthcare leadership, organizational change and management. Her interests lie in the areas of health organizational behaviors, implementation and evaluation, and change management. Her plans include a career in academia and research, in conjunction with an organizational role with a health care delivery institution. Ms. Ovsepyan is bilingual in English and Armenian.

---

Andrea Sorensen, MPP
Graduate School and Degree: University of California, Los Angeles, MPP
Undergraduate School and Degree: Vassar College, BA in Economics & Political Science

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Sorensen is a current PhD student in the Department of Health Policy and Management at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health. Her research interests include implementation science, telemedicine and mHealth, shared decision making, and outcomes research more generally. She is currently working with the UCLA Health System on two major initiatives: 1) the implementation and evaluation of telemedicine across several clinical domains, and 2) the use of shared decision making for prediabetics in UCLA’s primary care setting. Prior to this program, Andrea worked as a Fellow at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. She currently works with Intel Corporation’s Global Health & Life Sciences organization focusing on dissemination and implementation of Health IT solutions.

---

Ayae Yamamoto, MSc
Graduate School and Degree: Harvard University, MSc in Epidemiology
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California, Berkeley, BA in Integrative Biology

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Yamamoto obtained her bachelor’s degree in integrative biology from UC Berkeley in 2009 and her Master of Science degree in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health in 2012, with certifications in maternal and child health and healthcare policy challenge. She became drawn to health services/health policy research and decided to pursue her doctorate in this field rather than epidemiology because she was interested in having a more direct impact. Ms. Yamamoto currently works as an analytical programmer with Southern California Permanente Medical Group in the Research and Evaluation division. She provides programming analytics for large research projects involving patient healthcare data across the Southern CA region and is the lead analytics for the construction of a PCORI-funded multi-center obesity cohort involving 9 different sites. For her graduate studies, Ms. Yamamoto is especially interested in policies that impact underserved women and children and evaluating those that promote disparities. For example, she is interested in investigating the effects of the Affordable Care Act on access to prenatal care and racial/ethnic disparities in access to healthcare and health outcomes.

---

Amy Bonilla, MPH
Graduate School and Degree: Syracuse University, MPH
Undergraduate School and Degree: Stanford University, BA in International Relations

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Bonilla received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 2008 and her MPH from Syracuse University in 2011. She also took classes at the State University of New York, Upstate Medical University to study administration issues related to public health services for underserved communities in Syracuse. Ms. Bonilla is bilingual in English and Spanish and worked as the Latin America and Caribbean Program Officer for John Snow. She also served as the CIO Project Manager/Liaison for Syracuse University’s Haiti Outreach Program and as a development assistant/specialist for several organizations. Her interests lie in the role of both socioeconomic factors and public governance in persistent health disparities across the Americas. More specifically, she is interested in finding viable ways to improve health system designs that address more effectively the unique needs of different populations, from communication strategies, to assessment and data collection, to informed analysis and dissemination.

---

Natalie Bradford, MS
Mentor: Ninez Ponce, PhD, MPP
Graduate School and Degree: University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign, MS in Community Health
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign, BS in Community Health

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Bradford has a bachelor’s of science in community health and business management from the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign in 2012 and received her master’s of science in community health in 2014, also from the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign. In 2009, Ms. Bradford was one of 2 freshmen from over 200 national applicants chosen to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Minority Research Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. As a SUMR Scholar, she conducted a pilot study that assessed access to outpatient cancer clinics for uninsured patients. In a separate study, she used information from focus groups to help create a culturally relevant HIV prevention program for African American adolescent girls. She also participated twice in the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, the first time analyzing geographic differences in the availability of healthy food and physical activity resources in the U.S. and the second time investigating variations in the provision of hospital charity care by location and ownership type. She also participated in the NIH-funded Summer Institute for Training in Biostatistics program at the University of South Florida. Ms. Bradford’s research interests focus on the social determinants of health and healthcare disparities among racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations. She is particularly interested in the role of place and the geographic distribution of quality, affordable health resources in underserved communities. As a doctoral student, Ms. Bradford hopes to develop expertise on healthcare disparities among vulnerable populations, especially as it relates to the demand for and supply of healthcare services. She would like to extend her research to include advanced economic analysis and policy implications of health reform on healthcare disparities.

---

W. Boyd Jackson
Mentor: Frederick Zimmerman, PhD, MS
Undergraduate School and Degree: Yale University, BA in Economics

Career and Educational Plan:
Mr. Jackson obtained his B.A. degree in Economics from Yale University in 2013 and was working on his M.S. degree in the Department of Health Policy and Management, so his admission to the doctoral program would be through a transfer. At UCLA, Mr. Jackson has been working with faculty on projects analyzing social services programs and as the lead research assistant for the book, “The American Healthcare Paradox: Why Spending More is Getting Us Less.” Mr. Jackson also served as an intern with Dr. Jonathan Fielding at the Los Angeles County Department of Health in 2011, working on issues related to social determinants of health, evidence-based public health practice and early childhood nutrition as it relates to obesity. Mr. Boyd’s research interest is in social determinants of health, how health systems should be organized to optimize delivery, and what policies the government can enact to promote more efficient practices. Upon entering the doctoral program, Mr. Jackson plans to choose the economics cognate and focus on both upstream and downstream determinants of health, using economic theory to guide his research.

---

Michelle Keller, MPH
Mentor: Nadereh Pourat, PhD, MSPH
Graduate School and Degree: University of California Los Angeles, MPH
Undergraduate School and Degree: Stanford University, BA in Human Biology

Career and Educational Plan:
Ms. Keller obtained her B.A. degree in Human Biology from Stanford University in 2005 and was working on her M.P.H. degree in the Department of Health Policy and Management, so her admission to the doctoral program would be through a transfer. Ms. Keller has a strong background in communications, having worked as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, a lobbyist for the American Heart Association and as a communications associate for the Kaiser Family Foundation. At UCLA, she has been working with faculty members on the CalSIM model to conduct policy research related to the Affordable Care Act. For her doctorate, Ms. Keller is particularly interested in researching policy solutions at a local level that can have a large impact in the aggregate, such as corporate wellness programs and other policy solutions at the insurance company or employer level that have the potential to incentivize healthy behaviors and improve health outcomes.

---

Andrew Siroka
Project: Poverty, tuberculosis, and the role of social protection
Mentor: Ninez Ponce, PhD, MPP
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Michigan, BA in Statistics

Career and Educational Plan:
Mr. Siroka has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan with an emphasis in statistics. Andrew worked as a research associate at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Health Economics Resource Center (HERC) for five years prior to enrolling at UCLA. During his time at the VA, Mr. Siroka published research on dialysis care, which influenced VA Palo Alto’s decision to scale back on hemodialysis frequency under certain conditions. More recently, he has been working at the World Health Organization’s Global TB Program as a health economist. His work at WHO has focused on analyzing national TB expenditures with an aim of promoting cost-effective interventions and guiding the policies of national treatment programs. Mr. Siroka has passed his comprehensive examinations and is currently working on his dissertation, with Dr. Ninez Ponce as his Chair. His research agenda is to explore the impact of national poverty reduction policies, such as conditional cash transfer programs and minimum wage laws, on health outcomes. He plans to utilize Dean Jody Heymann’s WORLD policy database, in combination with public Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), to investigate these relationships.

---

Julian Brunner, MPH
Project: Clinical Decision Support: Design Strategies and Quality Outcomes in VA Primary Care Clinics
Mentor: Emmeline Chuang, PhD
Graduate School and Degree: Johns Hopkins University, MPH
Undergraduate School and Degree: Vassar College, BA in Psychology

Project Description:
Clinical decision support (CDS) systems that provide computerized patient-specific reminders and order templates are among the most important tools that health systems have to improve uptake of evidence-based. However, there is substantial variability in the outcomes of CDS.The objective of the proposed dissertation is to explore the use of CDS in implementing evidence-based practices at VA primary care clinics across the country. It should result in a richer understanding of the strategies that make CDS successful, and the role that CDS plays in supporting evidence-based practice.

---

Geoffrey Hoffman, MPH

Project: Using the Disablement Process Model and Person-Environment Fit Theory to Understand Predictors and Outcomes of Falls in Persons 65 and Older in the United States

Mentor: Susan Ettner, PhD - UCLA

Project Description:
Geoffrey Hoffman received his BA (cum laude) in General Studies (emphasis on American and British Language and Literature) from Harvard College in 1994 and an MPH from UCLA's School of Public Health from the Department of Health Services with a concentration in health policy in 2008. After receiving his MPH, he worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Congressional Research Service for two years and then returned to UCLA to pursue a PhD in the Department of Health Policy and Management. His research interests pertain to the U.S. older adult population and, in particular, to the "duel eligible" population, informal and formal caregivers and older care recipients, late-life depression, and falls and fall-related injuries. He has studied the health-related behaviors of "baby boomer" caregivers, California's In-Home Supportive Services Program providing care to older, Medicaid recipients, and the relationship between cost-sharing and utilization of physician services among older Medicare beneficiaries. His three-part doctoral dissertation examines the relationships between receipt of formal and informal caregiving and the risk of falls and fall-related injuries; the temporal ordering of the relationship between falls, fall-related injuries, and emotional distress; and the Medicare utilization and expenditures associated with falls and fall-related injuries among U.S., community-dwelling older adults.

---

Anna Davis, MPH
Project: The Vital Few: Characterizing the comorbidity profiles and spending trajectories of super utilizers to better understand potential opportunities for intervention
Mentor: Jack Needleman, PhD
Graduate School and Degree: Boston University, MPH in Epidemiology
Undergraduate School and Degree: New York University, BA in Linguistics

Project Description:
This retrospective study using secondary data aims to generate a comprehensive profile of the characteristics and behaviors of the most costly segment of users of health care services. We hope to answer unanswered questions regarding the natural classes of patients who are high cost, the constellations of clinical characteristics that are grouped together in subsets of relatively homogeneous patients, and the kinetics or trajectory of their expenditure behavior over time. Focusing on the one percent of adult members of Kaiser Permanente of Southern California who are most costly among the total adult member population, we will apply statistical techniques to generate clinically and operationally meaningful clusters of patients with similar characteristic profiles. We will use a statistical method such as latent class analysis, principle components analysis, and trajectory analysis.

Sarah Friedman, MSPH
Project: The direct and modifying effects of three types of benefit design features on mental health utilization and expenditures
Mentor: Susan Ettner, PhD
Graduate School and Degree: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, MS in Health Policy and Management
Undergraduate School and Degree: Bryn Mawr College, AB in Mathematics and Economics

Project Description:
This study will use benefit design, claims, and enrollment data for commercial “carve-in” plans from academic partners, a large national managed behavioral health organization. Linking plan benefit design data with patient claims indicating members' service use and expenditures, I will explore the direct effects of financial requirements (e.g. copayments, coinsurance and deductibles), quantitative treatment limits (e.g. annual visit limits), and non-quantitative treatment limits (e.g. utilization management) on outpatient mental health utilization and expenditures. An additional component of this study investigates how each benefit feature modifies the effects of the other benefit features on their direct effect on mental health care utilization and expenditures.

Lauren Gase, MPH
Project: Identifying Opportunities to Improve the Health of At-Risk Youth through the Education and Juvenile Justice Systems
Mentor: Ninez Ponce, PhD, MPP
Graduate School and Degree: Emory University, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California Santa Barbara, BS in Biopsychology

Project Description:
My dissertation focuses on identifying ways to promote the health of at-risk youth through implementing interventions in the education and juvenile justice systems. My committee approved my proposal in June, 2015 and I have received IRB approvals for all three of my proposed analytic projects. The first analysis will examine the impact of the Los Angeles County Teen Court program on rates of youth recidivism. For this project, I will work in close collaboration with the Los Angeles County Superior Court and the County Probation Department to define research questions and abstract data. The second analysis will examine reasons underlying rates of racial/ethnic disparities in arrest among a national sample of youth and young adults, using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The third analysis will examine trends in youth health and academic outcomes in schools in Los Angeles County and identify opportunities to improve the health of youth through school-based interventions. This study will use data from the California Healthy Kids Survey. I am completing all three studies in close collaboration with my community partner, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Furthermore, in order to ensure relevance and real work impact of these studies, I am working closely with the Los Angeles County School Attendance Task Force, a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders chaired by the presiding judge of the Children’s Court. Results of this work will help inform their ongoing efforts to improve school attendance and keep youth out of the juvenile justice system.

Charleen Hsuan, JD
Project: Organizational Determinants of Noncompliance with Two Federal Health Care Laws
Mentor: Jack Needleman, PhD - UCLA
Graduate School and Degree: Columbia University, JD
Undergraduate School and Degree: Yale University, BS in Molecular Cell Developmental Biology

Project Description:
My dissertation studies organizational determinants of noncompliance with two federal health care laws.   First, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA) requires pharmaceutical clinical trials to register on a trial registry website and to post certain results after data collection completion.  Yet, compliance with the FDAAA is not actively monitored and enforced and remains low. I will focus on whether organizational context, including the type of organization or the nature of the pharmaceutical trial, differentially impact timely registration and reporting of clinical trial results before and after the FDAAA.  Second, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires most hospitals to appropriately screen, stabilize, or transfer uninsured patients.  Yet inappropriate transfers occur. I will explore the differential impact of not-for-profit status and the role of legitimacy pressures as drivers of potentially inappropriate patient transfers by hospitals before and after the 2003 regulations.

Diane Tan, MSPH
Mentor: Arturo Vargas Bustamante, PhD, MA, MPP
Graduate School and Degree: University of California Los Angeles, MS in Community Health Sciences
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California Los Angeles, BA in History

Career and Educational Plan:
Upon completing the PhD program in Health Policy and Management at UCLA, I hope to pursue a research career in a non-academic setting, such as at a think tank or a government agency. Ultimately, I would like to lead research projects that will help shape and better inform policies that affect access to care among vulnerable populations, especially among persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. At the moment, I am interested in how the Medicaid expansion under the ACA will affect access to care among newly insured persons living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County. While at UCLA, I hope to develop a strong methodological background and pursue a cognate in health outcomes. I expect to pursue post-doctoral training in health metrics or outcomes research to further refine my research skills and understand how to better measure certain health outcomes.