What is your professional background?
I have taken a winding road! My undergraduate degree was in zoology, and I worked in labs and as a copy editor for scientific journals for several years before obtaining my master’s degree in biostatistics. Then, I worked as a biostatistician and as research faculty at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California San Francisco for several years before finally coming to Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH) to get my doctorate in epidemiology with the late Dr. Bill McClellan; my faculty appointment in the Department of Medicine began in 2015.
In what division do you work, and who is your mentor?
I am appointed in the Divisions of Renal Medicine and General Medicine & Geriatrics; I also have a joint appointment in the Department of Epidemiology at RSPH, where I teach. Like many interdisciplinary researchers, I do not have a single official mentor, although I do have a “team” (Drs. Stephen Pastan, Jeff Sands, Ted Johnson, and Camille Vaughan) who helps me with various aspects of my career, and a large network of peer mentors, including, but not limited to, Drs. Rachel Patzer, Cristina Drenkard, S. Sam Lim, C. Barrett Bowling (formerly of Emory, now at Duke), and Bernard Jaar (former colleague at Hopkins).
Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
My research is broadly focused on improving quality of care. In my research, I try to bring together multiple disciplines and break down silos, which can hinder delivery of the best possible care. Most of my projects include patients with end-stage renal disease or lupus; both diseases are disproportionately prevalent among minorities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. My research helps fill the gaps in health services research that exists in these often-neglected diseases and populations.
What do you like most about Emory?
The collaborative and congenial atmosphere among Emory researchers is extraordinary.
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
I have eclectic tastes that range from extremely serious, The Handmaid’s Tale, to extremely silly, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy hiking, dining out, watching movies, and reading.
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