Contacts & Profiles

Short Biography

Tienne L. Anderson, ESQ, is the Managing Counsel for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

A Niagara Falls, New York native, Tienne received a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Buffalo and her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. She was admitted to the Tennessee State Bar Association in 2016. Before joining St. Jude, Tienne worked at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare as Interim Chief Legal Officer and Assistant General Counsel, where she engaged with stakeholders from across the organization to build efficiencies and provide strategic direction.

Prior to that, Tienne worked for Medtronic offering litigation management, advice and counsel on quality and regulatory matters, and legal support to identify potential risks and manage them appropriately. She also served the Memphis City Schools as a legal counsel representing the agency in a variety of federal and state litigation matters, and administrative proceedings before the Tennessee Department of Education and the Office of Civil Rights.

Tienne began her law career at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP before spending several years working and living abroad in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the US Virgin Islands. Anderson’s experience includes law teaching and DEI advocacy in various roles. She is excited to use her skills and experience in support of the GPM Department and is honored to be a part of the St. Jude mission.

In her spare time, Tienne enjoys yoga, gardening, reading, and spending time with her husband and two teen-aged sons. 

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Heather is a people-focused leader with deep experience in financial services, specializing in transformation, operational excellence, and leadership development. Throughout her career, she has been a trusted advisor to C-suite and senior leaders, guiding organizations through major transitions, including mergers and acquisitions, workforce transitions, technology implementations, and cultural shifts.

Passionate about bringing people, processes, and technology together, Heather has built and mentored high-performing teams, shaped PMO centers of excellence, championed Agile transformations, and introduced customer journey frameworks to improve decision-making. As a Design Thinking enthusiast, she thrives on solving complex challenges and finding better ways to work, always with a human-centered approach.

Now at St. Jude, Heather is excited to apply her expertise in a mission-driven environment, helping to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and impact. Motivated by a deep commitment to people and purpose, Heather looks forward to contributing to the lifesaving mission of the St. Jude Global team.

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Daisy Angeles is a bilingual communications professional, parent advocate, and community organizer with extensive experience in community outreach, education, and nonprofit leadership. Born and raised in California, Daisy chose Memphis as her home to build her family and invest in a community that aligns with her values. 

With over a decade of experience in higher education and K-12 education, including her roles at the University of Memphis, Freedom Prep Charter Schools, and Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Daisy has developed expertise in creating communication strategies, managing social media, and fostering relationships with diverse communities. She has also served as a Social Media & Marketing Specialist at Girls Inc. of Memphis, where she works to empower young girls and advocate for the organization's mission of inspiring them to be strong, smart, and bold. Daisy is especially passionate about advocating for underrepresented groups, including Latinx students and families, to ensure educational equity.

Daisy's work with organizations such as Votes for All, Shelby County Voter Alliance, and Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH) reflects her deep commitment to empowering marginalized voices. As a parent advocate, Daisy draws from her personal experiences supporting her son with autism and her stepchild, an English language learner, which fuels her drive for equitable opportunities for all children. Memphis is not just where Daisy resides; it is her home, her heart, and the place she is committed to nurturing for her children's future and the community she loves.

Daisy holds a Master of Arts in Sociology and a Graduate Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Memphis. Her passion for empowering communities, advocating for educational equity, and bridging language gaps has shaped her professional journey. Drawn to St. Jude's global mission of improving the lives of children and families, Daisy is eager to contribute her skills to a team that values compassion, equity, and service. She looks forward to leveraging her community organizing expertise on a global scale to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families worldwide.

Short Biography

Originally from West Memphis, Arkansas, Callie attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and graduated in 2016 with a degree in Communication. 

Upon graduating, Callie became a travel advisor with Regency Travel, a Virtuoso agency in Memphis. She earned her certification as a Virtuoso Certified Travel Advisor. While at Regency, Callie organized a wide range of travel experiences, from group trips to luxury international vacations. 

With a love for connecting with people and a passion for travel, Callie became a Flight Attendant for American Airlines in 2018. This role gave Callie a deeper understanding of the travel industry and a strong customer service background. 

She is now able to bring her experience to St. Jude, contributing positively to a meaningful and impactful purpose, furthering St. Jude Global’s mission. What motivates Callie is the opportunity to continuously learn and adapt, as well as the chance to connect with the team.

Short Biography

Dhwani Babla is a global health and international development professional with expertise in health systems strengthening, strategic partnerships, and implementation planning. She currently works with the Global Agencies team, where she drives global and cross-regional collaboration, fosters strategic partnerships, and contributes to operational strategy to strengthen national childhood cancer programs and expand access to essential medicines. Previously, Dhwani worked with the ARIA Guide program, focusing on disease-specific guideline development, evidence synthesis, and implementation strategy to advance evidence-based approaches to pediatric cancer care.

Before joining St. Jude, Dhwani worked across multiple global health organizations, including World Health Organization’s Cancer Initiative, Health Finance Institute, and ICAP at Columbia University, contributing to initiatives spanning health systems strengthening, access to medicines, financing, research, and policy. Her work covers multiple regions and programmatic areas, reflecting a commitment to advancing equitable and sustainable health solutions globally.

Dhwani’s technical strengths include program strategy and implementation, health systems strengthening, policy development and analysis, strategic planning, multi-stakeholder engagement, and health promotion. She brings a strategic, solutions-oriented perspective to complex global health challenges, with a focus on translating strategy into tangible, system-level impact. Her passion for collaboration, adaptability, and innovation underscores her commitment to advancing global health equity and strengthening programs that create sustainable, lasting change.

Dhwani holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University in New York City and a Bachelor of Science in Population and Quantitative Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University.

Short Biography

A proud native of Memphis, TN, LaQuita Bell embodies the city's moniker "Grind City" through her relentless determination and spirit. She is a strong advocate for being a good steward to others and believes in the potential for everyone to succeed.

LaQuita holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Memphis and a Master of Business Administration from Bethel University. 

With over a decade of experience in the private and public sectors, specifically in contract management, procurement, and the legal fields, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Her expertise in contract management and negotiations positions her well to contribute to the team and to the collective success of St. Jude.

Short Biography

Ashley Bradberry grew up in Okinawa, Japan. Her time overseas fostered her interest in learning more about other cultures. She earned a bachelor's degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures (Chinese and Japanese) from the University of Memphis and worked in Administrative and customer-facing positions over the last 11 years. She will use her various skills as Program Specialist to build relationships and contribute to the overall goal of the St. Jude Global mission.

Short Biography

Tyria Biggers received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Auburn University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law. Upon graduating from law school, she was admitted to the Alabama State Bar and practiced law, representing underserved clients at the YWCA Central Alabama.

After several years of practicing law, Biggers relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, and earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics. Following graduation, she worked as a contract manager for Smith & Nephew in their Professional Affairs, Office of Ethics and Compliance department, where she managed all aspects of healthcare professional consultant contracts from inception to completion. 

Throughout her career with the YWCA and Smith & Nephew, Biggers has held multiple supervisory positions, utilizing her leadership skills on cross-functional team projects and employee-inclusive collaboration to increase team efficiency. She has experience in process optimization to enhance organizational efficiency and productivity.

Biggers is enthusiastic and grateful to use her experience and skills to advance the mission of St. Jude within the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

In her spare time, Biggers enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters, as well as exercising, spinning, reading, and traveling. 

Short Biography

Kelly Brown, MBA, started her career at St. Jude in November 2021 in the Patient and Housing Services Department as a Guest Representative at Target House. She then transitioned to her previous role as Special Events and Volunteer Assist. Coordinator for Target House and The Domino's Village. She worked with families in Housing and Patient Services to organize events ensuring families had support during their treatments. 

Kelly’s passion for helping kids and families during difficult times brought her to St. Jude. She is motivated by the unified goal shared by everyone at St. Jude: to advance research and support patients and families worldwide.

Short Biography

Chris comes to us with experience in higher education and human resources, having previously worked with institutions such as the University of Southern Mississippi, the Tennessee Department of Education, the American Red Cross, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Chris enjoys working with Global Pediatric Medicine and engaging with colleagues both domestically and internationally to further the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with his wife and son.

Short Biography

Paige Gabriel is a public health professional with over five years of experience in global health and program management at the CDC and the CDC Foundation supporting a strategic initiative to improve surveillance and health data used for policymaking in low- and middle- income countries. 

Prior to this role, Paige received her master’s degree in public health (MPH) from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. 

She is interested in contributing to St. Jude's mission-driven work to strengthen pediatric care capacity and expand global health equity.

Short Biography

Charles Gipson is a Program Coordinator for St Jude Global Operations. A native of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Charles attended the University of Mississippi earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 2019 and his Masters Degree in Spanish and Linguistics in 2021.  

Charles comes to St. Jude having worked with the University of Mississippi’s Study Abroad Office and Office of Pre-College Programs for the past two and a half years. During his tenure at Ole Miss, Charles built up experience with program creation and management being responsible for the development, logistical planning, and execution of non-credit outreach initiatives for K-12 students at the University. Through these programs, Charles helped to develop impactful projects that taught students about the University of Mississippi and the various academic opportunities available to them. 

During his studies and work, Charles has developed a passion for community outreach and international relations, two areas that he hopes to continue exploring with St. Jude Global. Charles comes to St. Jude passionate and driven about the importance of contributing to the overall mission of St. Jude. He is especially interested in joining the team at Global Pediatric Medicine and aiding in developing programs that can help to educate people around the globe about St. Jude’s mission.

Short Biography

Vivian Gresham is a Program Coordinator, St. Jude Global Operations for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine, supporting and implementing new global projects and programs, as well as identifying areas for process improvement and developing solutions.

Vivian was born in Bolivia and grew up in Mexico City. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Martin on a tennis scholarship where she played four years of varsity tennis. She previously worked at Data Facts as an assistant of the Accounting and HR director.  As coordinator of operations, she will develop, implement and coordinate programs and projects within GPM, St. Jude Global and the St. Jude Global Alliance. Vivian will develop and oversee operational initiatives and manage special projects and assignments to further St. Jude Global’s mission.

Vivian enjoys playing tennis, traveling and spending time with her daughter, Nicole, son, Mark Grady, and husband, Mark.

Short Biography

Jeremy Harris is an experienced project and program manager, bringing his skills from large companies like FedEx, small businesses like the coffee roasting company he ran for seven years, and international experience with several organizations.

Jeremy grew up in Memphis and has known about St. Jude from a very young age; whether it was driving past the campus on the way to a Tigers or Grizzlies game at the Pyramid, or seeing the logo at the FedEx St. Jude golf tournament. Those early memories instilled a desire to one day work at St. Jude, so he’s thrilled that his skills and the right opportunity aligned.

Jeremy is passionate about project management. What really excites him is helping others succeed and bringing all the pieces together so his team and organization can deliver meaningful results. He’s excited to bring that energy to projects that expand the global presence of St. Jude.

Short Biography

Marcela Hill is Program Manager, St. Jude Global Alliance Operations. She was born and raised in Mexico, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from the University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi. Marcela moved to Memphis in 1998 and worked for AutoZone Inc. from 1998 and until 2005.

She spent the next 10 years in Reno, Dallas and Memphis working for Radians Inc. as an account manager/project administrator for the International Department, which gave her extensive exposure to Latin American, European, Asian and Australian cultures. Marcela also worked for the St. Jude Infectious Disease – International Outreach Program from 2005 to 2006 and served as a consultant with the program for 10 years before returning to St. Jude in 2017 full time where she served as an operations coordinator before transitioning to her current role as project coordinator for St. Jude Global Operations.

In her current role, Marcela manages the design, coordination, implementation and oversight of processes and initiatives benefitting St. Jude Global and the St. Jude Global Alliance.

Short Biography

LaKenya Irby is an executive coordinator in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She serves as the primary administrative support for Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, which includes coordinating visitors, executive-sponsored meetings and events, and managing special projects and assignments.

Before joining St. Jude, LaKenya worked as director for in-person conferences at Church Pension Group for twenty years. Some of her responsibilities included all aspects of event logistics, vendor and faculty/staff management, research data analytics, and employee leadership.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and cooking (especially baking). One of her guilty pleasures is watching reruns of any and all episodes of “Law and Order” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

LaKenya has a passion for helping others and thrives in being a part of a community that has purpose and meaning. And St. Jude offers that for her while continuing to nourish her passion.

Short Biography

Dustin James, a native of Jackson, TN, is a distinguished professional with a background in forensic and medical anthropology. He earned his bachelor’s degree in forensic anthropology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where his focus on forensic criminal investigation methodology laid the foundation for his academic journey.

Following the completion of his master’s degree in medical anthropology from the University of Memphis, Dustin embarked on a multifaceted career representing his commitment to education and healthcare. He started as an adjunct faculty member at Christian Brothers University, contributing to the creation of a minor program in public health. He also served as the coordinator for the NIH Minority Health International Research Training Program, facilitating international research training opportunities for minority students across South America, East Africa, East Asia and the Caribbean.

Dustin's dedication to improving healthcare access and understanding community perceptions led him to conduct research in rural Eastern Uganda. This valuable experience shaped his role as the executive director of the Mid-South AIDS Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on HIV prevention. In 2013, Dustin joined St. Jude as a clinical research associate in the Hematology Program, making a substantial impact on studies related to sickle cell disease, hemophilia, and bleeding and clotting disorders.

In 2016, he transitioned to the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine where he started as a program coordinator. His journey to administrative director at St. Jude reflects his dedication to advancing pediatric medicine on a global scale.

Short Biography

With nearly a decade of experience in the Learning and Development sector, Katava has demonstrated expertise in the healthcare, education, and nonprofit arenas. Holding a master's degree in education, Katava is deeply committed to driving organizational growth through a dedication to people, passion for continuous learning, and strategic development initiatives. Throughout her career, Katava has successfully designed and implemented innovative training programs that have enhanced employee performance and engagement. Her ability to align learning solutions with organizational goals has consistently resulted in improved outcomes and a more robust learning culture. Her passion for people and learning is evident in her approach, making her a valuable asset to the St. Jude organization. Katava is most excited to know that her work will have a meaningful impact on both the staff and the patients’ lives, and this fills her with a deep sense of purpose and motivation. Katava is looking forward to contributing to the continued legacy of hope, innovation, and excellence that St. Jude embodies.

Short Biography

Natalie is excited to return to her hometown of Memphis for this opportunity after spending 14 years living in Washington, D.C., studying and working in international development. She comes to St. Jude from the National Endowment for Democracy, where she spent a decade managing grants supporting civil society organizations promoting human rights and democratic development in Southern and East Africa. She then transitioned to a manager role in the endowment’s Grantmaking Resource Center, working to coordinate and improve the workflows of multiple grantmaking departments. 

Natalie is passionate about pursuing work that bridges inequality and resource gaps by building the capacity of local actors to tap into regional and global networks of research and expertise. 

Natalie graduated with a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Tennessee and holds a master’s in public policy from the University of Maryland. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, crosswords, hanging out with her two cats, and spending time in nature.

Short Biography

Victoria Killebrew is Program Specialist, Department Operations for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Victoria Killebrew is a native Memphian who recently earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communication from The University of Memphis. She entered the finance world in 2007, where her passion for analytics and problem solving was born. Since then, Victoria has worked for Bank Of America and Raymond James Financial in various customer service and analytical roles. As a New Accounts Associate, she gained data collection skills, root cause analysis, and a greater ability to empathize and relate to people from all walks of life.

In 2019, Victoria joined the logistics team of Williams Sonoma as a Logistics Coordinator. It was here she received an in-depth introduction and appreciation for the world of distribution and operations. Effective communication, accuracy, and attention to detail became an even more critical component of mastering her job effectively. In this Coordinator role, she documented a process to help streamline WS’s work processes and assist the team with being more timely communicators – ensuring the product got to its intended location on time and in full. She was recognized by the directors of WS for her work ethic and contributions to the entire transportation department.

Victoria is so excited to begin her dream career with St. Jude as a Coordinator in GPM Operations and Administration. She believes this experience will stretch her even more professionally and again afford her the opportunity to work collaboratively with some of the best & brightest professionals in the world!

Short Biography

Bailey Longserre was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. She later attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where she studied Spanish.  Her love of language learning led her to work with people of all ages who wanted to learn English as a second language or Spanish. She worked as a teacher in the Shelby County School system before heading several non-profit programs. Through these various experiences, she learned she enjoys creating efficient processes and ensuring seamless administrative support to drive organizational success.

Bailey comes to St. Jude from her role at World Relief Memphis, which is a non-profit organization that helps resettle arriving refugees in addition to working with the broader immigrant community. During her time at World Relief Memphis, she served as the Operations Manager for the start-up adult language school for individuals learning English as a second language. She was later promoted to assist overseeing operations for the entire organization.

Bailey is passionate about working in cross-cultural settings and believes different perspectives make both the work and team better. She is excited to continue to grow professionally and personally while supporting St. Jude and St. Jude Global's mission.

Short Biography

Sherrie Lynn is a Program Manager, GPM Employee Experience for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Sherrie wants to help people to do their best work in healthy and enjoyable environments. She has worked at St. Jude since 2009, previously serving on the HR Learning and Development (L&D) team.

Most recently, Sherrie's focus was on developing and leading six cohorts of the St. Jude Leadership Academy program for individual contributors named Leading Through Influence (LTI). Sherrie was instrumental in developing the inaugural L.E.A.D. conference in 2011 and managed and coordinated the event bringing speakers such as Brene Brown, Susan Cain, Natalie Nixon, Marshall Goldsmith, Pat Lencioni, Dan Pink, Bill Strickland, and Amy Cuddy to St. Jude. Sherrie was the L&D lead and served on the planning team for each HR Career Day event.

Sherrie has a Ph.D. in organizational leadership and is a certified executive coach. She has worked in the organizational development, leadership training, and information technology fields. She loves watermelon, shiny shoes, and the Oxford comma.

Short Biography

Maggio first joined St. Jude as a graphic designer in 2018. In this role, she created design concepts and illustrations, managed brand continuity, and provided guidance on design best practices to meet learning outcomes for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. She collaborated with departments across the institution to produce numerous projects, including executive presentations, strategic plans, medical concepts for Together by St. Jude, patient educational content, coloring books, St. Jude yard signs, and more.

Before coming to St. Jude, Maggio worked as an art director, developing creative strategies for clients including Ballet Memphis, Hilton Worldwide, Shelby County Health Department, and several Memphis nonprofit organizations. Maggio received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from the University of Memphis and brings over 10 years of creative leadership experience to St. Jude.

As a native Memphian, Maggio is proud to support St. Jude and contribute to Global Pediatric Medicine’s mission of ensuring children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases have access to quality care no matter where they live. She loves making handmade pasta, camping with her dogs, and dancing to Earth, Wind & Fire. 

Short Biography

Lena began her professional career as a litigation paralegal before transitioning to corporate legal roles at several prominent Philadelphia-area corporations. At Comcast, Lena flourished within the Legal Response Center, garnering high praise for innovative process implementation. This led her to several leadership roles, where she continued to drive high efficiencies across multiple departments.

With a passion for helping others, Lena excelled at Temple University Health System, promoting health equity. She was integral in rolling out several DE&I initiatives at American Water. Most recently, as a senior manager of contract management at Johnson & Johnson, Lena mentored numerous team members and played a key role in creating an environment of self-development.

Raised just outside of Philadelphia in southern New Jersey, Lena received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. She is a huge fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. Outside of work, Lena loves spending time with her partner, Q, and their two dogs.

Short Biography

Beth Anne Miller serves as the Vice President, St. Jude Global Operations, for Global Pediatric Medicine. With more than 25 years of experience in leadership and change management in healthcare organizations, Miller joined St. Jude in 2016 to help create St. Jude's first global department and establish its main initiative with St. Jude Global.

Miller began her career at the Histiocytosis Association, Inc., a small nonprofit dedicated to funding research and providing education and support to patients and families dealing with the rare disease. In 19 years, she progressed from program assistant to Director of Development and Chief Operating Officer. During that time, she also served as the Administrator for the Histiocyte Society. In December 2014, Beth Anne took the opportunity to work as a Program Manager with Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo in forming the North American Consortium for Histiocytosis, affectionately called NACHO. Based at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, this research collective was formed with funding from a St. Baldrick's Consortium Grant.

Miller is driven to help staff and faculty to build a solid foundation for the robust and diverse programs and initiatives that bring St. Jude to the world. She is passionate about team-building and implementing strong collaborative networks internally and externally to the department. Her strong background in change management and program development optimize her ability to accept the challenge of transitioning the International Outreach Program into Global Pediatric Medicine.  

Raised just outside of Philadelphia in Southern New Jersey, Miller received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ, and Master of Nonprofit Management from Regis University in Denver, CO.

Short Biography

Akoya Nelson is a Program Coordinator with St. Jude Global Operations, where she coordinates the operation of digital platforms that support the St. Jude Global mission. She manages key web platforms including the St. Jude Global Alliance Online Community and global.stjude.org, ensuring seamless user experiences and strategic alignment with institutional goals. Akoya collaborates with over 30 global programs, optimizing content for accessibility, SEO, and engagement. With extensive experience in global web operations, online communities, and cross-functional collaboration, she drives impactful digital strategies, fosters strong partnerships, and leads projects that enhance visibility and connectivity across St. Jude Global.

Akoya worked as the Assistant to the Director of Recruiting at the University of Memphis for several years, gaining valuable experience in marketing strategies, website content, event promotion, and building vendor relationships. As a member of the football staff, Akoya played an intricate part in the recruiting and operations efforts. Those efforts produced an American Athletic Conference Championship and the first-ever Cotton Bowl appearance in 2019. She has experience leading multiple projects, including the Reading Challenge that connected elementary students to the University and the Football Student Ambassador program that created involvement opportunities for college students.

She has a passion for helping others, which is what led her to St. Jude. The experience she gained by working with diverse populations contributed to her interest in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She is thrilled at the opportunity to join St. Jude.

Although Akoya is a native Tennessean, she is an adopted Memphian. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Memphis. As an avid sports fan, she enjoys attending live sporting events, concerts and discovering new restaurants.

Short Biography

Christian Pritchard is a Program Coordinator, St. Jude Global Operations – Alliance Engagement for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Christian joined GPM in February 2021 and served as the Communications Specialist on the St. Jude Global Operations team where she expanded the capacity of the St. Jude Global/GPM Communications team through management of the Global Flyer and St. Jude Global Alliance newsletter, increased messaging and calendaring for the department, and exploration of new techniques. She also took on the significant challenge of coordinating the last two Alliance Convenings and launching the Sharing the Journey Alliance town hall series. She has effectively collaborated with all stakeholders to increase Alliance engagement with St. Jude Global projects and initiatives. In her new role, Christian will use her talent and experience to focus more fully on the annual Convening, Sharing the Journey series, and developing the potential for more engagement of Alliance members around those events, as well as creating new opportunities through close partnerships with St. Jude Global Operations and the St. Jude Global program teams.

Christian is a native of Memphis but calls the mountains of East Tennessee her second home. During her time in East Tennessee, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Following graduation, she accepted a role at the university’s Center for Renewable Carbon. Christian supported the launch of an award-winning analytical tool that offered a real-time logistical business analysis on the management of cellulosic biomass, the most abundant raw material on earth for biofuels. She later returned to Memphis and assisted multiple small businesses with their marketing efforts and customer database management.

In 2012, Christian joined Hilton Worldwide supporting the Quality Assurance department. She became interested in Hilton’s outreach efforts and developed a passion for community service and event planning. Her creative communications and projects to get others involved in community service led to a role in Human Resources in the Recognition department. As a Recognition Coordinator, Christian promoted Hilton’s diverse offering of recognition programs that supported 16 brands consisting of more than 6,000 hotels in over 110 countries. As the owner of the Memphis campus events for more than 1,300 team members, Christian nurtured a culture that garnered high levels of performance and engagement through positive interactions, informative communications and community service.

In support of Hilton’s 2030 goals, Christian launched the Mats for the Homeless program, which provided employees from all business functions an opportunity to come together for the shared cause of sustainability and service. An on-site plastic recycling program was implemented, and in its first year over 30,000 plastic bags were diverted from local landfills. Each plastic bag was upcycled into plastic yarn and crocheted to make mats for community members in need.

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Kimberly Nelson is an administrative coordinator, department operations, for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She has been with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since January 2024.

Nelson is a native Memphian and has always admired the company’s work ethic and innovative strategy.

Her professional goal in the department is to provide support, services, and guidance to travelers to ensure a safe, convenient, and enjoyable journey.

Outside of work, Nelson loves spending time with her family. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities and creating content for social media.

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Stephanie was raised in Southern California. She earned a B.S. in International Health from Georgetown University, an MSW from the University of Southern California, and an MPH from George Washington University. Her professional background combines public health and social work, with a focus on advancing community health and promoting equity.

She brings over ten years of experience in federal grant management, program operations, and public health. She previously served as a Grants Management Specialist at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where she oversaw multimillion-dollar portfolios and ensuring regulatory compliance. Her previous roles have included senior project positions supporting NIH and CDC programs, as well as project coordination in behavioral health and social services.

She is excited to the join the wonderful team at St. Jude and contribute to an institution dedicated to such transformative work.

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Ellie Rencher is a Project Coordinator, St. Jude Global Operations Executive Projects and New Programs for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. In this role, she will manage processes and initiatives benefiting St. Jude Global and the St. Jude Global Alliance.

With more than 15 years of experience in project management and administration in both the strategic communications and nonprofit sectors, Ellie comes to St. Jude with a desire to work with others in the extraordinary mission of finding cures and serving children. She is especially interested in joining the St. Jude Global team to make resources accessible to diverse worldwide populations through community-building and partnerships.   

Ellie comes to St. Jude from CasaLuz where she served as assistant director, responsible for managing grants, fundraising, communications, and special projects. Previously she worked as project manager for Canticle Communications where she created and organized programs and initiatives for multiple faith-based clients throughout the U.S. She also brings the experience of program associate and conference administrator with the Church Pension Group, providing administrative support for leadership and coordinating programs nationally and internationally.

 A native Memphian, Ellie holds a B.A. in Spanish from The University of Mississippi and an M.A. in Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Short Biography

Karen Rodriguez is the Program Coordinator, Department Operations for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She is responsible for the department operations portfolio of projects, including the development of policies and procedures and management of recruitment and talent acquisition.  

Karen is a native of Mexico. She moved to Hernando, Mississippi, with her family at the age of 9. She graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in International Business.

Karen began her career at Latino Memphis, a nonprofit organization that advocates and assists Latinos in the areas of health, education and justice. During her time there she created and grew the operations and finance department, increasing the budget to $1.5 million from $300,000.

Prior to joining St. Jude, Karen worked at CBRE, the largest commercial real estate services company in the world, as a Lease Administration Analyst. She managed client portfolios and built strong relationships with teams around the globe.

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Amber is joining St. Jude with 15 years of in-house experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial and government sales agreements. Her previous roles within industries such as communications technology; alcohol beverage; aerospace manufacturing; and medtech have provided her with experience reviewing a wide range of legal agreements. She enjoys collaborating with colleagues to drive legal agreements to completion while providing knowledge and guidance on contract terms, compliance and regulatory matters. 

She was born and raised in Michigan and earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies from Grand Valley State University. Shortly after graduation she relocated to Chicago with her husband, Ray, where they resided for almost 10 years. Shortly after welcoming their daughter Lilliana (11), they decided to move back to Southwest Michigan to be closer to family. 

Passionate about community-based youth sports, Amber spends her free time coaching youth and high school softball. Each year she heads a community-based fundraiser to teach youth athletes the importance of philanthropy and help those athletes organize the funds they raise into a give-back day. She also enjoys traveling with her family and exploring new Spanish-speaking countries with Lilliana, who is fluent in the language. Amber and her daughter love crafting and planning parties together.

Short Biography

LaTonya Summers serves as the administrative coordinator for operations support in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

LaTonya has a Master of Business Administration from Union University and a Bachelor of Science in organizational management from Bethel University. She has over 10 years of experience in healthcare administration and business.

LaTonya joined Global Pediatric Medicine as travel support in July 2022 and has since transitioned to operations administrative coordinator with a focus on CRM management. She has supported multiple teams with tasks including preparation and assistance with workshops, events, and travel support.

She loves working with the GPM team and enjoys learning and assisting with the development of various reporting projects within the CRM. She looks forward to becoming more involved in the reporting and financial aspects of the department.

Outside of work, LaTonya enjoys traveling, spending time with her daughter, family, and friends, and participating in local charity events, including Miracles in Memphis, Christmas in November, and events fostering child development.

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Jouy Thomas is a certified communications and marketing professional specializing in strategy, content creation, and branding with more than a decade of experience in communications, marketing, development, and volunteer management. She has worked with several local nonprofits, including BRIDGES USA and Christian Brothers University, and most recently served as the assistant director of advancement communications at the University of Memphis. There, she spearheaded strategic communication efforts for major gift donors, prospects, and UofM alumni, handling major gift proposals, campaign collateral for priority university fundraising initiatives, and division-wide communications.

Thomas received a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2010 and an MPA with an emphasis in nonprofit management from Keller Graduate School in 2014. A native Memphian, Thomas enjoys traveling and spending time with her 10-year-old son, Jace. She is excited to bring her experience and passion for nonprofit communications to this role.

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Chasia began her career as assistant director of integrated communications at the University of Memphis before joining St. Jude. At the University of Memphis, she worked to increase social media presence and engagement across multiple accounts while also acting as a liaison for media outlets and a communications contact.

Outside of work, Chasia enjoys spending time with her family and experiencing new cultures around the world.

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Lance Wiedower is Program Manager, Global Communications. He brings a 20-year communications career to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including various roles as writer, reporter, editor, newsroom manager and health care content strategist. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and spent much of his career in various roles in newspapers, including managing editor of The (Memphis) Daily News. He most recently served as marketing content strategist at Regional One Health in Memphis.

Lance has a passion for travel and experiencing other cultures. His travel writing has appeared in numerous local and international publications. He believes this role gives him the opportunity to use his extensive communications background to help St. Jude expand its vital mission to the world.

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Emily Baum, CCRP, is a Clinical Research Associate III in Global Pediatric Medicine where she uses an extensive background to provide clinical research leadership and guidance to partner sites around the world.

Emily first arrived at St. Jude in 2000 as a post-undergraduate intern in the Pediatric Oncology Education Program, which helps prepare young adults for careers in the biomedical sciences, providing short-term training in laboratory or clinical research. Emily was hired full time upon completion of the program, serving as a co-investigator on several cross-departmental research protocols doing everything from leading consent discussions to administering, scoring and reporting neuropsychological tests, and monitoring and coding patient data.

Emily later joined the After Completion of Therapy Department as a Clinical Data Abstractor, creating summaries for patients transferring to ACT status. This detailed abstraction work sparked her desire to work more closely with active therapeutic protocols.

For the next 13 years, Emily worked in the Leukemia/Lymphoma division of the Cancer Center. There she served as the lead Clinical Research Associate for the St. Jude Total studies, working on three of the most recent iterations – Total15, Total 16 and Total 17. The Total study is St. Jude’s front-line protocol for the initial treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Emily has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology/anthropology from the University of Iowa and a Master of Science in educational psychology and research from the University of Memphis. She has been a Certified Clinical Research Professional since 2002.

Short Biography

Lara received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh. After college, she worked on a research team at Magee-Womens Research Institute in Pittsburgh, studying how events during pregnancy relate to child health outcomes. She then continued her education and obtained a Master of Public Health with a specialization in global health from Washington University in St. Louis.  

Lara’s previous basic and clinical research experience has been in pediatric genetics, maternal and child health, microbiology, and pediatric infectious disease. She completed her graduate practicum with the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine in the summer of 2022 and continued working with the department as a contractor in the Global Critical Care Program.

She enjoys working and collaborating with diverse teams and is excited to continue her journey at St. Jude. Outside of work Lara enjoys traveling, reading and spending time outdoors. 

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Dr. Maria Isabel Cuervo is a dedicated medical professional specializing in Family Medicine with a Master's Degree in Pediatric Palliative Care. Her expertise encompasses holistic care for individuals and families of all ages, along with specialized skills in managing the complex needs of patients and families facing serious illnesses. Dr. Cuervo is actively involved in research focused on Chronic Complex Diseases, demonstrating a commitment to advancing medical understanding and improving patient outcomes. Her background highlights a strong foundation in clinical practice, education, and a passion for innovative solutions in long-term illnesses. She seeks to contribute her expertise and dedication to patientcentered care and global pediatric initiatives at St. Jude.

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Shannon Dodds grew up as a military kid, experiencing life in the United States and Europe before moving to Scotland. Although she initially aspired to become a physician, the demands of starting a family at an early age led her to shift her career path. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with honors from the University of the West of Scotland in 2012, balancing her professional ambitions with her personal responsibilities.

Not long after graduating, Shannon relocated to Canada, dreaming of continuing her nursing career there. However, she faced the complexities of registering as a nurse in Ontario. Opting for a new direction, she embraced an opportunity in clinical research, starting as a Research Assistant in the Department of Medicine - Hematology and Thrombosis at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. She later advanced to the role of Clinical Research Project Manager for the Department of Surgery – Orthopedics.

In 2021, yearning to return to the United States to be closer to family, Shannon accepted an offer from St. Jude’s Epidemiology and Cancer Control department. She began her role there in November 2021, fulfilling her desire to strengthen family connections while continuing her dedication to impactful work. 

Shannon’s career journey underscores her adaptability and commitment to blending her professional aspirations with her personal values and family connections.

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Gia Ferrara is a Clinical Research Associate III in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where she conducted a senior comprehensive research project investigating the neurotoxicity of BPA in Sprague-Dawley rats. She then went on to receive her Master of Science in Global Health from the University of Notre Dame in July 2018. While at Notre Dame, she developed and conducted a study in collaboration with a partner organization in México investigating potential biomarkers for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Her experiences at Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame allowed her to combine her passions for traveling and serving others with her interests in science and medical research. Gia loves learning about and experiencing new cultures and is excited to serve as a clinical research associate in Global Pediatric Medicine at St. Jude.

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Buthainah Ghanem, RPh, MSc, PhD, is joining St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a Health Economic Research Scientist. She brings a background in pharmacy, government affairs, and health economics and outcomes research, with prior experience at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where she helped establish product value and market access frameworks for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Her work focused on generating evidence to support novel clinical interventions and address unmet medical needs. Prior to that, she held roles in regulatory affairs, academic research, and hospital pharmacy.

Her motivation to join St. Jude stems from a commitment to improving patient outcomes and advancing evidence generation that supports better care for children with serious illnesses. She is driven by the belief that rigorous research and collaboration can translate into meaningful impact for patients and families.

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Tanya Ghaziani is a program management specialist with about 10 years of experience. Prior to St. Jude, Tanya worked on USAID-funded programs in the areas of public health, agriculture and youth employment and entrepreneurship. She holds an MPH (Maternal and Child Health) from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a BA in International Studies from DePaul University in Chicago, where she is originally from. Tanya has spent time working in Tanzania, Tajikistan and India and worked on programs based in East Africa and Central, South, and Southeast Asia. She is excited to start a new chapter in her career at St. Jude’s Department of Global Pediatric Medicine and contribute to their mission.

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Montserrat Hernandez-Garcia is a Program Manager, SJCARES Registry for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Montserrat is a Pediatric Oncologist with a high specialty in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT). She earned her MD and completed her residency and fellowships at Instituto Nacional de Pediatria, Mexico. After that, Montserrat trained at Boston Children’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute with a focus on improving pediatric oncology and HSCT quality of care in Mexico, her home country, where she worked as one of the founders of Hospital Infantil Teleton de Oncologia (HITO). There, she pioneered and led a successful HSCT Program that is a national referral center. Monteserrat worked actively with multidisciplinary teams, and national and international partners to facilitate oncologic patient complex care including timely access to target therapy and international donor registries.

Her work through the implementation of pediatric oncology and HSCT point-of-care clinical protocols in a LMIC setting allowed her to better understand the need to have access to high-quality research to improve patient outcomes and strengthen hospitals. She has also served as Ethics Committee President in Mexico and participated in collaborative research studies to improve pediatric oncology /HSCT local quality of care, from diagnostics and risk stratification tools (like implementation and validation of minimal residual disease by flow cytometry in pediatric acute leukemias) to innovative therapeutic approaches like haploidentical transplants in LMIC Setting.

Montserrat knows that improving access to quality research with quality data in an ethical and collaborative environment is key to accelerating science and improving pediatric oncology outcomes worldwide, especially in LMIC where the childhood cancer burden is high and the access to new therapies through clinical trials is needed.

“Ensuring children have access to quality care and treatment no matter where they live” is a phrase that has a special meaning for her.

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Renee began working for the Department of Hematology at St. Jude in April 2019 within the clinical trials management group. What was supposed to be a three-month contract performing data entry for the Sickle Cell Comprehensive Research Intervention Program (SCCRIP) turned into three and a half years of abstracting data for the longitudinal cohort study.

In the fall of 2022, Renee was invited to join the hematology team as a CRA I, helping manage a program creating severity classifications and cumulative burden analysis processes for sickle cell disease (SCD) health outcome events.

Renee is surprised and delighted to find herself continuing this work in global pediatric medicine as a CRA II, helping achieve the research goals of Drs. Nickhill Bahkta, Jane Hankins, Cliff Takemoto, and Yutaka Yasui with this interdepartmental SCD cumulative burden analysis project. She is motivated by the large visions of GPM and is particularly inspired to see the global hematology program grow and thrive for SCD communities around the world.

Renee has a B.A. in communication and fine arts, and prior to her recent pivot into clinical research, she was a creative entrepreneur. When time allows, she still coordinates the occasional artist market pop-up, makes leather jewelry, supplies blooms from her garden to local florists, and paints murals around Memphis.

She is a multi-passionate human who is extremely lucky to have the partnership and support of her husband, Jason Hodges, and the love and laughter of two awesome teenage daughters. Renee is beyond excited to have the opportunity to join the global team.

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Madelyn holds a Master of Science in Nursing Informatics. While earning her MS, she learned how to apply data science and technology to improve health care outcomes and delivery. She also holds two bachelors' from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa — her hometown: a BS in Health Sciences and a BSN via an accelerated second degree BSN program. 

While at Duquesne, Madelyn gained knowledge and experience with clinical research, numerous EMRs and many EDCs. Before working in her current role, she worked as data manager, a CRA in Evidence (Phase IV)/ HEOR, and an In-House CRA II. During her time in these positions, she conducted on-site and remote monitoring, site training, and quality assurance including leading quality issues and CAPAs.

Additionally, she has three years' experience as a Staff Nurse at a Level II Trauma Center, where she provided direct patient care with a focus on women’s oncological health. During this time, Madelyn participated in quality improvement initiatives while also training new graduate nurses. Madelyn is skilled in Real World Evidence (RWE), Clinical Trials, Clinical Site Monitoring, Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS), various Electronic Data Capture (EDC) platforms, as well as multiple Electronic Health/medical Record (EMR) Systems, and Data Management.

But most importantly, she is passionate about advancing the field of clinical research to improve the lives and outcomes of the patients in the world we all live in.

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As a Lead Clinical Research Associate, Angela oversees the clinical data management activities for the Global Clinical Research Core and manages international multisite pediatric hem-oncology research studies. 

Angela is a native of Lima Perú and received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú and her doctoral degree in organic chemistry from Indiana University in the US. She learned about the cutting-edge research done at St. Jude when recruiting students at the SACNAS National conference representing IU´s Graduate School Office. She was strongly motivated to become part of an institution committed to helping children suffering from catastrophic diseases and she knew she could contribute to important discoveries in oncology and infectious diseases working at St Jude.

In 2012, Angela first joined St Jude as a postdoctoral research associate under the direction of Dr. Kip Guy in the Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics where her work as a scientist focused on the preclinical phases of drug development for the parasitic diseases' malaria, sleeping sickness and leishmaniasis. In 2016, she decided to apply her drug discovery and clinical research knowledge into more directly impacting the health of children worldwide, especially children from low- and middle-income countries, and she joined the St Jude Global family excited to take St Jude to the world.

At St Jude Global, Angela has contributed to the implementation of multiple international multisite research studies across the globe and many publications have arisen from those studies. In her current role, she creates case report forms and ensures that the study protocol, CRFs and electronic data capture tools are aligned. She works closely with Global Analytics and Global Technology to develop and test databases for global research studies and serves as the primary Global Clinical Research Core liaison with Identity, CRiSP, REDCap admin, and other external teams.

Angela lives in Memphis with her husband and her little son. They love traveling to tropical areas and visiting family within the US and Perú. Angela is extremely proud of her roots and continues to try to perfect her favorite Peruvian dishes. Angela loves spending time with her family, doing pilates, weight training, and hosting gatherings at home.

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Rebeca Caires Mugarra, Ph.D., is a clinical research associate I, clinical research operations for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Rebeca was born and raised in Venezuela, where she obtained her degree in biology and chemistry at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. She moved to Spain to earn a Ph.D. in neurosciences at the Instituto de Neurosciencias de Alicante, where she studied how viscoelastic substances modulate ion channels to reduce chronic pain.

For her postdoctoral studies, Rebeca joined the laboratory of Dr. Julio Cordero-Morales in the Department of Physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. There, she focused on the study of omega-3 fatty acid-enriched diets and their health benefits on hypertension and proprioceptive sensory disorders.

Throughout her career, Rebeca has been passionate about contributing to a better understanding of several human diseases, with the ultimate goal of finding a cure. After many successful years in basic research, she wanted her work to have a more immediate impact on the health of patients.

For this reason, Rebeca decided to join St. Jude Global, where she can contribute to making a positive impact on the accessibility and improvement of the quality of care for children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries.

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Prior to joining St. Jude as a contractor in 2022, Aaron worked for over ten years in clinical and academic research, focusing on cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and nephrology. As a clinical research scientist, he oversaw the day-to-day operations of multiple clinical trials, with a particular interest in the research of rare and hard-to-treat pathologies.

Aaron is driven to provide safe and accurate investigational research to improve outcomes for pediatric cancer patients around the globe, aligning with the values and mission of St. Jude. He is devoted to increasing access to treatments and diagnostics for children both domestically and internationally. Aaron’s strong foundation in phases I-III of clinical studies is an excellent fit for his first role at St. Jude—developing the first international drug trial at GPM and working with low- and middle-income sites across the globe to bring frontline therapy to pediatric patients with gliomas.

Originally from the Washington, D.C., area, Aaron is of Puerto Rican and Persian descent. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in clinical psychology from Keene State College and completed an honors thesis in psychological resilience. After working as a wilderness first responder, EMT, and patient care technician in oncology, Aaron completed a Master of Science in biophysics from Georgetown University, where his elective research focused on the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and nutrition.

Short Biography

Hilmarie “Himy” Muñiz-Talavera is a member of the clinical research associate team in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Himy is originally from Puerto Rico where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. Upon finishing her degree, she decided to continue her studies in biomedical science, and she obtained her doctorate degree from The University of Illinois-Chicago.

Himy is a basic scientist who has dedicated most of her career to trying to understand illnesses affecting pediatric populations. That brought her to join St. Jude in 2016 as a postdoctoral fellow studying pediatric brain cancer. After three years as a researcher in St. Jude, Himy had a change of heart, and she began looking for clinical positions. As a former college educator, Global Pediatric Medicine’s efforts in enhancing programs, training the clinical workforce, building capacity and doing research are what propelled her to join the department in 2019.

Coming from a different culture has taught Himy to truly value the outstanding resources provided by St. Jude, and in her role in GPM she looks forward to helping make an impact on the accessibility of quality care for children worldwide. Her passions include education, travel, science, food, research and communication. Her work in GPM consists of fostering global partnerships and collaborations with physicians in partnering sites, co-leading departmental clinical research and quality improvement initiatives, and managing projects to promote quality care and improve patient outcomes globally.

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Prior to joining Global Pediatric Medicine, Paula helped build the clinical research infrastructure for the Department of Hematology as the clinical and experimental divisions joined to form a new department. She directed a team of study coordinators and research nurses to manage a clinical research portfolio which ranged from natural history of disease to multi-site, therapeutic trials. The scope of that work covered research concept to protocol completion: protocol development, regulatory compliance, data management, and quality assurance. She helped develop the clinical research career ladder at St. Jude, and continues to serve on the evaluation committee for the ladder.  Paula has also served on the Internal Monitoring Committee, which is charged with oversight of the clinical research monitoring and auditing reports for the institution.

Paula graduated from the Honors Program at Auburn University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences. She later earned a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Epidemiology. She is a Certified Clinical Research Professional.

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Jasmine Pulliam is originally from Chattanooga, TN. Jasmine obtained a Bachelor of Science in Communications - public relations from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in 2019. She then continued her education at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) where she obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) in 2021. 

During her time at UTC, Jasmine worked as a manager for the university’s COVID-19 Task Force and assisted the local health department with their contact tracing efforts throughout the pandemic. 

Her attention to detail and dedication to helping others led her to Atlanta, GA where she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Emory University. During her time in Atlanta, Jasmine developed a strong passion for clinical research and knew it was an area that needed more attention and that she wanted to grow more in. 

Jasmine is delighted to be coming back home to Tennessee and assisting the GPM team in all of their efforts of fulfilling St. Jude’s mission.

Short Biography

Maricela Robles-Murguia is Clinical Research Associate I, Clinical Research Operations for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Maricela is originally from Mexico where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the Universidad de las Americas-Puebla. She later earned a Master of Science in Entomology focused on Infectious Diseases from Kansas State University.

Maricela joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in August 2015 under the laboratory of Dr. Fabio Demontis in the Department of Developmental Neurobiology. Her work focused on dissecting the role of muscle-to-brain signaling in aging and age-related disease. After four years of productive research, she transitioned to the Talent Acquisition team in the Department of Human Resources as a Scientific Recruiter where she collaborated with principal investigators and hiring managers to identify scientists to join the different departments across St. Jude. Maricela has also worked in the University of Notre Dame and Kansas State University on different research projects related to Circadian Biology, Cancer, and Infectious Diseases.

Maricela enjoys working and collaborating with the diverse culture of professionals, scientists, and physicians at St. Jude, and she is looking forward to contributing with Global Pediatric Medicine into making a worldwide impact on the accessibility to quality health care for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

Short Biography

Firas Sakaan, MD, is a Clinical Research Associate I, Clinical Research Operations for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Firas grew up in Syria and migrated to the states in 2012. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kalamoon, Syria. Firas started working with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as a contractor in late 2019. He initially started as a reviewer for the Arabic content of the Together website and later joined the Interpreter Services team as an English-Arabic Onsite Interpreter.

In February 2021, Firas began supporting GPM as a contractor, coordinating and supporting projects with local and international partners in the Global Critical Care Transversal Program and Euro Regional Program. Firas also spent a period of time in Turkey working with local and international NGOs to support Early Childhood Development projects in the region of Northwest Syria.

As a parent, Firas feels very strongly about the mission of St. Jude Global Pediatric Medicine in sharing St. Jude's knowledge and expertise with the world so no child can die at the dawn of life. 

Outside of work, Firas enjoys soccer, tennis, and spending time with his family.

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Victor M. Santana is from Puerto Rico where he obtained his undergraduate and medical degree from the Catholic University and the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, respectively. He subsequently obtained specialty training in Pediatrics and in Hematology-Oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1984, he joined the faculty at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where he has contributed in many roles as physician, clinical researcher and administratively as a Division Chief for Solid Malignancies, Chair of the Institutional Review Board and as past Senior Vice President for Clinical Trials Administration and Associate Director for Clinical Research in the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center. Presently he directs the Global Research Unit in the St. Jude Global Alliance.

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Nadya is a clinical research associate for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Nadya started as an intern and researcher at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science Campus. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in integrative biology, she completed a master’s in public health and epidemiology in 2019. During her master’s degree, she worked in the Department of Public Health and Prevention at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, creating a program to enhance the health of women, infants and families by reviewing individual fetal and infant health cases.

Nadya is currently completing her Ph.D. in Public Health and Epidemiology. Working with and for children has always been essential to her professional and academic career and joining the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine at St. Jude has been a breakthrough. She looks forward to learning, growing and developing to become an agent of positive change.

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Courtney Staples, MS, CCRP, is a Senior Coordinator, Clinical Research Operations for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She is a Memphis native and Certified Clinical Research Professional. Courtney has a Master of Science degree in Educational Psychology and Research, specializing in research methodology, along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Memphis.

Courtney began her career in research while working on her graduate degree at the Center for Research in Educational Policy at the University of Memphis. As a research associate, she performed assessments and provided recommendations for school improvement plans for elementary schools across the United States. Courtney also evaluated federally-funded early intervention reading programs in local city schools and provided evidence of the efficacy of the programs based on research findings.

To contribute to the improvement of children’s lives but with the most significant outcomes possible, Courtney joined St. Jude in 2007 as Clinical Research Associate in the Leukemia/Lymphoma division of the Cancer Center. During her 12 years there, she worked on multiple St. Jude-sponsored and Industry Phase 1, 2 and 3 studies, specializing in frontline and relapse therapy for children with ALL. Courtney most notably worked on TOTXVI and TOT17 studies, with each iteration being the largest clinical research trial for children with leukemia at St. Jude.

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César Villegas is a senior clinical research associate in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine within the Research Operations Core. His responsibilities include coordinating, implementing, and overseeing clinical research projects initiated by St. Jude faculty. He is a SoCRA Certified Clinical Research Professional with 15+ years of experience in the field.

An American citizen, he was born and raised in Venezuela. César’s education and training include graduating as a general surgeon from Universidad Central de Venezuela (Central University of Venezuela). In 2005 he joined The University of Tennessee Health Science Center as a post-doctoral clinical research trainee, and worked as study coordinator/co-investigator at the Department of Pediatrics-Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, and at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

In 2012 he joined St. Jude as a clinical research associate in the Department of Epidemiology & Cancer Control providing guidance, leadership and training to CRAs within the department. He also created standard operating procedures, performed clinical data abstraction and implemented quality assurance measures to support multiple clinical research protocols while ensuring compliance with prescribed interventions and evaluations of the assigned studies.

César and his wife are the parents of two boys and a girl. His many interests include fine art, travel, history, photography, music, dancing and learning languages (he speaks four so far).

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Kayla Wynja, BSN, RN, is a clinical research associate II in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Prior to transitioning to Global Pediatric Medicine, Kayla was a clinical research associate in the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control. She received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Mississippi State University and her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. 

Kayla is currently enrolled at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to pursue her DNP in family practice and PhD in nursing research. She is conducting her dissertation on reintegration into the community for stroke survivors.

Short Biography

Yichen Chen, PhD, MSc, is a Senior Biostatistician, Global Analytics for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She earned her Ph.D. in biostatistics from the University of Florida in 2019 and M.Sc. in statistics in China in 2014.

While a student at Florida, she worked as a statistician and graduate assistant at the Children’s Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center (COG SDC) for 3.5 years. Under the supervision of senior statisticians, she supported clinical trials on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Her job responsibilities included monitoring the ongoing studies on study accrual, data collection and toxicity, and generating regular study reports to study committee, data safety monitoring committee and institutional review board. In addition, Yichen served as a resource to senior statisticians in data analyses, ad-hoc analysis, protocol amendments, abstracts and presentations at conferences and manuscript preparation.

In her spare time, Yichen enjoys reading, playing music, swimming, cycling and fitness dancing.

Short Biography

Tanvi Deshpande is a program coordinator for Global Analytics in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She completed her Master of Public Health at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City in 2023.  

Tanvi is originally from India and moved to the United States to pursue her undergraduate degree. During her education, she worked with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health and East Harlem Health Outreach Partnerships, a student-run clinic in New York. She also worked with the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability as a program coordinator. Her master’s thesis was with HaitiChildren orphanage to understand children's role in a qualitative photovoice study and their autonomy during the process.  

In her position at St. Jude, Tanvi is responsible for coordinating and overseeing projects, planning and scheduling project-related efforts, and collecting and analyzing records to prepare reports and standard operating procedures for Global Analytics. She likes working with people who have different mindsets and perspectives.  

Apart from work, Tanvi likes reading, hiking, board games, exploring restaurants around the city and crocheting for her twin nieces. 

Short Biography

Islam is a statistician with a doctoral degree in statistics from the University of New Hampshire. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the Stephen Freedland research team at the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in October 2022 as a biostatistician. At IMR, his responsibilities include providing statistical analysis, ensuring data quality, drafting statistical analysis plans, and writing reports for prostate cancer research projects utilizing VA healthcare data.

Before coming to the U.S., Islam completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in applied statistics from ISRT at Dhaka University. He then worked as a full-time faculty member in the Department of Statistics at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology for nearly six years. During his time there, he served as an associate sub-project manager for two years on the "Development of Teaching and Learning System of Statistics through Modern Technology-Based Programs" project, sponsored by HEQEP, University Grant Commission, Bangladesh.

Islam is excited to begin his new role as a biostatistician in Global Pediatric Medicine at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He will use his statistical expertise and experience in data analysis to collaborate with teams to enhance treatment and survival rates for children battling various fatal diseases.

In his leisure time, Islam enjoys spending time with his family, including his two children, dining out, and playing cricket and soccer. He misses seeing the fall colors and swimming in the freshwater lakes of New Hampshire.

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Godwin Job is a Statistical Analyst, Global Analytics for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. He has worked at St. Jude for about 14 years. He joined the Department of Biochemistry at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2007 and worked in a basic science research laboratory as research technologist, senior research technologist, and research lab specialist.

In 2014, he joined the Department of Pathology and worked as a Medical Technologist validating new clinical tests. During this time, he enrolled at University of Memphis for a master’s program in Biostatistics and graduated in May of 2021. After graduation, he began work with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care/HCA Healthcare in an FDA sponsored project involving antimicrobial stewardship. He is excited to join the St. Jude family again and make meaningful contributions to the work done in GPM.

Godwin loves camping, exploring the outdoors, and visiting state parks in the Mid-South with his spouse and two boys.

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Aman has been working as a Data Analyst for the past 10 years including as a contractor for St Jude over the last two years. He currently resides in Southern California and is originally from Cincinnati, OH. Aman's motivation to join the St Jude team is to utilize his technical skills to address important matters that make an impact globally and that drives and motivates him to invest in his work and the outcome.

Short Biography

Srikanth Naradasu is a Statistical Analyst, Global Analytics for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. He received a master's in Information Technology and Management from the University of Texas - Dallas in 2021 and has hands-on experience in data-driven analytics with a strong foundation in R Programming, and other analytical tools.

His previous work as a Junior Data Engineer in Accenture included developing an ETL workflow pipeline, ingesting data from different sources, and making appropriate data transformations.

Apart from work, Srikanth enjoys traveling, photography, basketball, and waking up early on weekends to watch Formula-1 racing.

Short Biography

Linh Pham is Statistical Analyst, Global Analytics for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She will apply statistical and computational knowledge to improve the quality of care for children’s health around the globe.

Prior to joining St. Jude, Linh was a Senior Prospect Information Analyst at Georgetown University where she improved prospect research efficiency with automation tools which decreased manual labor by 70% and added $1B in new donation capacity to the university’s database.  She also supported a variety of clients in creating dashboards and analyzing data to design action plans and help them reach their goals.

Linh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Bard College, and a Master of Science in Mathematics and Statistics from Georgetown University. 

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Joe Wardell, MPH, is an associate epidemiologic research analyst for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. He earned his MPH in general epidemiology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2023 and a Bachelor of Science and Arts in biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021.

While a graduate student at Michigan, he worked as a research associate at the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center (CHEAR) at Michigan Medicine for 1.5 years. As a research associate, he supported research studies focusing on type 1 diabetes management and inequities in type 1 diabetes care.

His job responsibilities included data collection and processing in both R and SAS, creating an analysis framework, and implementing and validating the data analysis. In addition, Wardell served as a resource to multiple PIs in abstract preparation and manuscript writing.

In his free time, Wardell enjoys traveling, playing sports, swimming, cooking, and relaxing with friends.

Short Biography

Becky graduated with a Masters of Arts in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Maryland College Park, Masters of Philosophy in Statistics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining St Jude as a full-time staff, she worked in a variety of research institutes and hospitals including National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health), St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memorial Sloan Ketting Cancer Center, and Institute of Digestive Disease (Chinese University of Hong Kong). Her past work includes research in bioinformatics/statistical genomics and retrospective cohort studies in Chronic Hepatitis B, which led to multiple first- and co-authored publications in top-ranked journals. 

Her career aspiration is to utilize her skills and knowledge to improve medicine and human health and is ecstatic to join St Jude and the mission of GPM!

Short Biography

Paige Jones is a program specialist with Travel for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Before coming to St. Jude, she worked at AAA Carolinas as a leisure travel agent. She specialized in making "impossible trips" possible with her tenacity and out-of-the-box thinking.

While at AAA, Paige guided her clients to embrace cultural differences they may encounter while on their travels, listened to their travel goals and planned all logistics associated with their trips.

In addition to her professional experience, Paige has been passionate about international travel and culture from a very young age. Her parents met while studying abroad and instilled in her a love for learning and experiencing different cultures. She has visited over 35 countries with many more on the bucket list.

Paige grew up in a bed-and-breakfast that hosted guests from around the world. She has been on or hosted five student trips to Europe, lived in Australia as an American Field Service student and studied abroad in Munich while earning her degree in political science and international business management. Her unique experiences drive her to provide the sensitivity to work with culturally diverse populations and to embrace and value what differing cultural perspectives can offer.

Outside of work she is a voracious reader, enjoys being active in her community and spending time with her son.

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Elizabeth is a dedicated event planner with over 5 years of experience. During her tenure at Ducks Unlimited, she played a pivotal role in a small, dynamic team managing a board of 68 and orchestrating an annual convention for 1,000 attendees. 

Her passion for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was ignited during her time as a Tri Delta at the University of Arkansas. During her studies, she expanded her horizons by studying abroad in four different countries, including South Korea and South Africa. 

Originally from Little Rock, she relocated to Memphis to embrace new opportunities. 

Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her corgi, Mia, and indulging in her love of films.

Short Biography

Anna Malone is an event specialist for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Before St. Jude, she served in various positions at Ducks Unlimited, a wetlands and waterfowl habitat conservation organization. Her most recent role was as the manager of Event Promotions, where she facilitated the development, implementation and analysis of all marketing pieces associated with 4,000+ annual fundraising events. 

During her eight-year tenure at Ducks Unlimited, Anna recognized that her passion for work was rooted in serving the organization's mission. This led her to St. Jude, where she is thrilled to join the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine to help spread St. Jude's mission globally. As an event specialist, Anna leads the coordination and planning of workshops, conferences and other events for both regional and transversal programs within St. Jude Global.  

Originally from Memphis, Anna returned to the mid-South in 2015 after spending a decade between various cities across the United States including Atlanta, Dallas and Knoxville. She received both a bachelor's degree in marketing and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Memphis. In her spare time, Anna enjoys trying new experiences, which has manifested into a love for travel — both domestically and internationally. 

Short Biography

Prior to working for St Jude, William worked nearly 10 years in the hospitality industry, holding positions at Peabody Hotel as banquet captain, Gaylord Opryland as conference coordinator, and Compass Rose Events as turnkey events specialist.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, William was eager to bring people together again, prompting him to join Global Pediatric Medicine as an event specialist. During William's time with GPM, he has enjoyed meeting people from all over the world and watching his work make their jobs easier.

When William is not working, he spends time with his four boys, playing music or golfing.

Short Biography

Mindy Stevenson is the program manager for Events in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She will oversee Event Operations management within the department.

Hailing from the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York, Mindy is new to Memphis, and has enjoyed learning about the history of the city, including its renowned institution, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Before joining the department, Mindy developed over 15 years of experience managing events for Cornell University. Throughout her tenure at Cornell, she showcased her proficiency by successfully managing and coordinating a diverse range of events and projects. These included small luncheons and specialty dinners, recognitions, conferences and symposiums. She coordinated events for the staff, presidential inauguration, university anniversaries, council leadership, alumni, donors and volunteers.

Mindy also collaborated with a variety of planning partners across the globe to include colleagues, university leadership, Cornell alumni, donors, parents, and event vendors. She assisted in the planning and execution of community festivals and music events, showcasing her versatility and commitment to creating memorable experiences. Now at GPM, she brings her extensive experience and expertise to enhance the organization’s event management capabilities.

Mindy is an avid reader and enjoys music, writing and engaging in outdoor activities. When she is not working, she loves spending quality time with her family and her Yorkie-poo.

Short Biography

Akira Strong is an administrative coordinator with the logistical operations team, joining in March 2023. In this role, she coordinates and supports the programs of Global Pediatric Medicine in the event planning process.

Strong graduated from the University of Memphis, where she was heavily involved in local nonprofits such as the Memphis River Parks Partnership and the Peer Power Foundation. There, she learned the value of service, community, and collaboration. In her previous roles, she created opportunities and spaces that encouraged growth and built community for local youth and musicians and artists in the city.

Her passions include helping others and building community, which motivates her to continue the mission of St. Jude and Global Pediatric Medicine.

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Gia was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and has been living in the United States since 2005, calling several cities across the country home. She pursued a career in Hospitality and Tourism at San Diego State University, and over the course of 14 years, she has gained extensive experience in hospitality and event management. Gia joined St. Jude GPM Events as a contractor and is excited to continue her professional journey with the team.

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Prior to joining SJCRH, Joe served as Group Manager, Global Financial Planning and Analysis, with Procter & Gamble Corp., where he led the forecasting processes, long term financial planning, financial reporting and business decision support for the Duracell Battery Division. He also worked for Purdue Pharma LLP, a rapidly growing privately owned pharmaceutical in the role of Associate Director of Planning and Analysis, where he led financial decision support for drug development, business financial performance reviews and budgeting processes. 

A native of Connecticut, Joe received his Bachelors of Science degree in Economics from Southern Connecticut State University and MBA from the University of New Haven, CT.  

Short Biography

Chris Wallace, MBA, MSA, is a Program Coordinator, Grants and Contracts Program for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She has been with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since May 2000.

Chris started in the Department of Hematology/Oncology as an administrative assistant before transitioning to the Grants and Contract Management Office (GCMO), which is now Grants and Sponsored Programs (GSP). She continued to advance and was promoted several times while there. Chris worked with Information Services on system issues and enhancements, as well as assisted with training and development of policies and procedures within GCMO/GSP.

Chris joined Global Pediatric Medicine as the coordinator of grants and contracts and within a year advanced to project coordinator. Chris loves working with the GPM team as well as learning and assisting with various contract projects. She is looking forward to becoming more involved in the budgeting and finance aspects of the department.

Aside from work, Chris loves listening to music and spending time with her children, grandchildren and family.

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Phyliss joined St. Jude Global in October 2015. She is a native Memphian. Phyliss received her BBA in Accounting from the University of Memphis and a Masters of Health Services Administration from Strayer University. She has been in the Healthcare field for more than 15 years and her expertise is in the finance and budget division. As a Memphian, Phyliss is thrilled to join St. Jude Global, where children around the world benefit from the work done by St. Jude.

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Roman is a seasoned finance professional with over 15 years of experience in corporate finance and analytics across diverse sectors including healthcare, technology, and higher education. He has a strong background in FP&A, business intelligence, and operations, honed through leadership roles at prominent companies like Optum, Scientific Games and Kaplan Higher Ed.

With a master’s degree in finance and ongoing studies in business analytics with a focus on AI and machine learning, Roman is constantly making efforts to expand his knowledge and skillset.  He is passionate about using data to drive strategic decision-making and help improve healthcare outcomes.

He is driven by a personal commitment to fighting cancer, having been impacted by the disease in his own family. In his role at St. Jude Global, Roman is dedicated to supporting their mission of finding cures and providing quality care to children everywhere.

In his personal time, Roman enjoys a variety of interests including travel, hiking, volunteering, a solid game of UNO, and quality time off the grid with his black lab Nash.

Short Biography

Cole holds a Master of Accountancy and a Bachelors of Accounting from the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in South Carolina. 

Cole's career began in audit at Grant Thornton LLP, where he led financial audits for high-revenue companies across industries like automotive manufacturing, retail, and construction. His leadership experience included managing audit teams and overseeing year-end audits and quarterly reviews. His experiences helped him hone skills in financial analysis, system integration, and project leadership. 

Cole moved to Nashville with his fiancé in September 2021 where he transitioned into the healthcare industry. He gained experience in FP&A at Traditions Health before he saw the opportunity for a career at St. Jude. Cole is motivated by being a team player, making a difference where he can, and learning something from everyone he meets.

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A former rower and crew coach, Nyles maintains a team-first mentality. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers University. He has a work philosophy of "see a need, fill a need" and loves taking on new skills to make the jobs of those around him easier. Since 2019, Nyles has served as an analyst at Calero, a telecommunication expense management firm. In that role, he helped various clients keep their telecommunication expenses within budget during a time when maintaining communication was pivotal, utilizing practices in data management, invoice processing, and vendor relations to keep operations below cost.

Nyles is proud to be part of St. Jude Global's finance team, helping deliver insights that spread global care. Outside of work, he enjoys concerts, fitness, and museum trips.

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Ola Akintola, MBA, is a database analyst II in the Global Pediatric Medicine department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she has been contributing since March 2023. Starting in the IS department as a business analyst, Akintola transitioned to a full-time role, leveraging her expertise across various projects and spearheading the development of numerous surveys using Qualtrics.

She looks forward to embracing her new role as a full-time employee with enthusiasm. Outside of work, Akintola finds joy in cooking, staying active through exercise, immersing herself in nature, and exploring new destinations through travel.

Short Biography

Meghana Avula is the Director of Global Technology for the department of  Global Pediatric Medicine.

In her role she will capture requirements; define, plan and coordinate the execution of the technical projects; administer the project management solution; help with the overall planning and design of the services required to achieve department goals; and lead the design and implementation of the dashboard, reporting and analytical platforms and solutions.

Short Biography

Sherri Blackburn is a Senior Business Analyst 1 in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Sherri is a native Memphian, who has had the fortunate opportunity to be educated and to expand her professional career within her hometown of Memphis.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Christian Brothers University in Information Systems Management. She has over 20 years of leadership, systems and business analysis experience, working for industry leaders to deliver IT solutions that maximize stakeholder value.

Prior to joining St. Jude, Sherri served as Lead IT Analyst at Smith and Nephew within its Global Quality and Compliance Department. Her previous experience also includes time as an IT Senior Product Manager within the Supply Chain division at Williams-Sonoma, a contractor role as an IT Business Analyst with ALSAC, an IT Logistics Senior Business Analyst at Medtronic and a Senior Production & Process Manager for Discover Financial Services. 

She considers the opportunity to work for St. Jude to be one of the most rewarding and meaningful endeavors of her career, including the opportunity to contribute to the development of new technology and solutions that bring value to the staff and patients of St. Jude and its partner institutions.

During her spare time, Sherri loves to travel but remains very busy caring for her three rumbustious Fur Babies (dogs) and taking them on long walks. Sherri stretches her time by participating in local charities, including Race for the Cure, FedEx St. Jude golf tournament and Juvenile Diabetes.

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Katrini Lopes is a seasoned clinical data manager adept at overseeing the full lifecycle of clinical data processes across diverse research environments. Before joining St. Jude, she served as the senior manager of clinical data management at Exai Bio in the United States, where she managed all aspects of database design, data collection, and maintenance while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Her technical prowess extends to multiple coding languages and electronic data capture systems, particularly in implementing CDISCCDASH SDTM standards. Utilizing Python and R in Databricks, Katrini develops sophisticated data solutions that enable the engineering department to analyze data with AI and ML, aiding in identifying unique patterns in oncRNAs and enhancing cancer patient care.

Previously, Katrini held roles as the associate director of clinical data management at Care Access in the United States and as a clinical data manager – research method specialist at the University of Toronto - CAMH in Canada. In Canada, she collaborated with investigators and cross-functional teams to optimize study start-up activities and ensure adherence to regulatory, safety, and ethical standards, significantly enhancing data quality and accuracy across clinical trials.

Her educational credentials include advanced degrees and certifications in data analytics, molecular medicine, and neuropsychology from prestigious institutions such as Cornell University and the University of São Paulo. Katrini's commitment to ongoing professional development is demonstrated by her recent certifications in data privacy and database management.

Motivated by the chance to significantly impact medical research and improve patient outcomes, Katrini's work at St. Jude reflects her dedication to both professional excellence and compassionate healthcare.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and pets and attending equestrian competitions with her kids.

Short Biography

Matthew Lupo is a database/Web developer for Global Pediatric Medicine.

Originally moving to Memphis from Colorado with his wife for her postdoctoral work at St. Jude, he was also fortunate to join the GPM team. He works on planning, designing and implementing new solutions.

Having more than nine years of experience in IT/technical roles, Matthew enjoyed helping others find solutions to their issues and teach them valuable skills. He then moved into application development to create solutions to technical problems as well as to store collected data.

Matthew also has extensive experience with web technologies, APIs, Apple computers, iOS devices, and most of Apple’s software, both pro and consumer. He is passionate about programming, demonstrated while working on internal development teams. He has a strong will to learn new skills, teach others, and assist in their development.

Short Biography

Janet Middlekauff is a senior research systems analyst in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. A native Texan, Janet received her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She spent eight years working at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in database management and electronic data collection development for clinical research in Preventive Medicine.

Janet came to St. Jude in 2016 as a clinical research associate in Hematology where she served as a study coordinator for pharmaceutical and St. Jude-initiated studies focusing on sickle cell disease. She moved to St. Jude Global in 2017 where she manages and supports the survey and data collection solutions for St. Jude Global.

Short Biography

Julie Simon, MA, has over 20 years of experience in IT project leadership. Julie focuses on establishing and nurturing PMOs, governance, and Stage-Gate to facilitate strategic alignment and prioritization. She specializes in launching work management systems to boost operational efficiency, enhance communications, and mitigate risk, ensuring project management processes drive outcomes. 

Julie embraces a growth mindset and is dedicated to continuous improvement, fostering transparency and embracing ambiguity and change. She is drawn to St. Jude Global’s commitment to collaboration and collective responsibility, reflecting her belief in the power of teamwork for achieving exceptional results. Julie looks forward to fully supporting our shared mission. 

She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from The Pennsylvania State University and is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI). 

In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, antiquing, savoring coffee, and navigating life as an empty nester with her husband and their loquacious Australian Shepherd.

Short Biography

Chandrasekar is an IT professional with extensive experience across IT, Telecommunications, Healthcare, and Call Center sectors. Known for his solutions-oriented approach, Chandra has a proven track record in providing application support and technical guidance while ensuring the quality and accuracy of deliverables aligns with business needs.

His career is characterized by a commitment to creating operational efficiencies and leading improvement initiatives that facilitate successful project deployments. With expertise in both Waterfall and Agile methodologies, he has successfully delivered multiple projects while maintaining exceptional standards of excellence in fast-paced and high-risk environments.

Motivated by a passion for making a meaningful impact, Chandrasekar is drawn to St. Jude for its mission of advancing healthcare and supporting those in need. He is dedicated to leveraging his skills and experience to contribute to St. Jude’s commitment to excellence and innovation in the field.

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Skilled in web development, database design and server administration, Drew Wellman received Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from Christian Brothers University. He previously interned at NASA’s Langley Research Center in the Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory. In the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, he develops and maintains Cure4Kids.org, acts as administrator for the department Sharepoint site, and provides a wide range of technical support.

Short Biography

Since January 2024, Courtney has served as office manager and administrative support for GPM. In her new role, she will continue the work she was doing as a contingent worker while adding support for the VP of Regional Programs to her responsibilities.

Courtney values the mission of St. Jude and is excited to be part of the administrative team within GPM. In her free time, she enjoys exploring with her son, Maverick, and their two dogs, Merle and Maizey. (No, all the M names were not planned.)

Short Biography

Wendy Archibald is an administrative specialist in Global Pediatric Medicine.

Wendy has been with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 2005, serving in Human Resources and Information Services. She’s originally from Louisiana and lived in many states in the southern U.S. until moving to the Memphis area in 1997. Wendy currently lives in Brighton, Tennessee, with her husband, David, their dog Miss Ruby and cat Poppy, both shelter rescues. They have five adult children, four of whom have served or are currently serving in the U.S. military (U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force).

In her spare time, Wendy is an artist. She draws, paints and creates things from cut paper, incorporating fine glitter whenever possible. Other favorite activities include gardening and home decorating.

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Marcia Chia is an administrative specialist supporting the Global Pediatric Medicine department.

Marcia joined St. Jude in 2008. She originally supported the International Outreach Program, the precursor to St. Jude Global. Marcia is a native of Brazil who enjoys photography in her free time.

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Sandra Da Silva is an Administrative Specialist for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine where she supports several teams with various tasks, including workshop and event planning, travel support and visitor reception.

A native of Venezuela, Sandra relocated to Memphis in 2016. She earned her Associate of Arts from the Instituto Universitario de Gerencia y Tecnología (IUGT) in Caracas, Venezuela. In her free time, Sandra enjoys watching movies and TV series, and experiencing new places and old favorites in Memphis with friends.

Short Biography

Felicia Martin is a native Memphian. She received her bachelor’s degree in human resource management from Ashford University, now known as the University of Arizona Global Campus. Martin has worked in the human resources sector for over 25 years, focusing on strategic planning, recruitment and hiring, compensation and benefits, employee retention, policy development, talent management/acquisition, and predicting workforce needs to optimize employees’ skills and aptitudes.

Martin is elated about her role at St. Jude because she has a true passion for serving others. She’s excited about her responsibilities in supporting several doctors and their teams with tasks such as workshops, supply ordering, event planning, travel support, and other assigned tasks. Her overall goal is to focus on St. Jude’s mission with others, learn and develop her experiences and talents, and aim for a managerial or leadership position someday.

In her spare time, she loves singing, writing, hunting, traveling, and spending quality time with her grandkids and family.

Short Biography

Shuntel Smith is an administrative specialist in Global Pediatric Medicine, where she provides support to 10 faculty members.

Shuntel has been with St. Jude since 2010, originally working in Epidemiology with long-term follow-up studies. She later moved to Genetics where she supported five research labs.

Shuntel is a native Memphian. She’s no stranger to the building where Global Pediatric Medicine now has offices on the St. Jude campus. It’s where she visited for dentist and eye exams when she was younger. She and her husband are the parents to five children.

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Adolfo Cardenas-Aguirre, MD, is a Program Manager, Global Critical Care Transversal Program for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Adolfo was born in Guadalajara, Mexico where he trained as a pediatrician and pediatric intensivist. In his role as department head in a pediatric children's cancer center, Adolfo began collaborating with St. Jude Global on Proyecto EVAT and other Critical Care Initiatives. He became captivated by the vision of Global Pediatric Medicine and interested in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives globally. 

Since joining the GPM team, Adolfo now works diligently in supporting the various critical care related initiatives to improve supportive care for children with cancer along our partner hospitals throughout Latin America and the world. He is particularly interested in Huma Factors, Quality improvement, Patient Safety, Early Recognition of Clinical Deterioration and Simulation & Education of Healthcare providers.  Adolfo hopes that with these tools he can contribute to the mission of GPM and bring quality care to every child, everywhere and make the world a better place. 

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Megan Coe, PhD, RN is a pediatric nurse and implementation researcher. She completed a PhD in Nursing Science at the University of Washington in 2024, where her dissertation focused on the design and evaluation of an implementation strategy to improve care for hospitalized children with severe acute malnutrition in Kenya. Most recently, she has been a Postdoctoral Scholar in the UW Department of Global Health, establishing the Child Health Implementation Science Research and Evaluation Support (CHIMES) Unit. The CHIMES Unit provides scientific consulting services to Ministries of Health and local implementers in low- and middle-income countries, serving as scientific partners to advance child health. 

Megan holds a BS in International Studies and Sociology from Johns Hopkins University and an MSN in Clinical Nurse Leadership from the University of Virginia. She began her career coordinating training programs for health workers with Operation Smile, which led her to pursue additional training as a nurse. She worked as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit nurse at New York Presbyterian. She then joined the Global Health Service Partnership (Peace Corps/Seed Global Health) and taught nursing students at Kamuzu College of Nursing in Lilongwe, Malawi for two years, followed by nearly two years piloting a Clinical Nurse Specialist role in the pediatric ward at Kamuzu Central Hospital. 

Megan is passionate about improving the quality of care for critically ill pediatric patients. Her research focuses on the experiences of front-line health workers and developing implementation strategies that work for them. She is excited to join the Global Critical Care Program and looks forward to collaborating with many members of the team.

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Tessa Concepcion joins GPM as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Through her career she has conducted global health research focused on HIV prevention, maternal health, and mental health across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She led projects evaluating long-acting PrEP in Kenya, SMS adherence interventions for pregnant women at high risk of HIV, and youth mental health initiatives with organizations including the WHO, UNAIDS, and citiesRISE.

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Rebekah Daniel brings over a decade of experience in global health, with a focus on program design, strategic coordination, and operational management in cross-cultural settings. She holds dual master’s degrees in public health and social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in maternal and child health, community-centered research, and global systems of care.

Before joining St. Jude, Rebekah most recently served at a community-based organization in the Portland metropolitan area, where she focused on promoting self-sufficiency, integration, and long-term success among African immigrants and refugees. In this role, she led sustainability planning, workforce development, and capacity-building efforts. Prior to that, she held several roles at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where she managed HIV/AIDS programs across South Sudan, India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Her work consistently emphasized sustainable systems development, cross-sector collaboration, and equitable program implementation.

Rebekah’s commitment to advancing pediatric health equity is deeply personal and ultimately what led her to St. Jude. As someone who grew up navigating chronic illness and time in pediatric ICUs, she is driven by a mission to ensure that children everywhere, regardless of geography or circumstance, have access to high-quality, coordinated, and compassionate care. This lived experience continues to fuel her passion for strengthening interdisciplinary, culturally responsive health systems.

Short Biography

Samantha Hayes is a Program Specialist with the Global Critical Care Transversal Program for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. 

Samantha received a Bachelor of Science in biology from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology and biosecurity disaster preparedness from Saint Louis University. While at Saint Louis University, Samantha co-led the COVID-19 contact tracing program. She also collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Washington University in St. Louis to evaluate COVID-19 transmission within K-12 school settings.

She furthered her career in research as a Clinical Research Coordinator II at Washington University in St. Louis, where she led a cluster-randomized trial that sought to assess COVID-19 testing strategies within five K-12 school districts. As her focus shifted to data analysis and management, she began examining epidemiological trends of staphylococcus aureus, developing databases for longitudinal research studies, and overseeing datasets from various studies.

Samantha is excited to bring her expertise in project management and data analysis to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Global Critical Care Transversal Program.

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Maria Lamia is the Program Manager of the Global Critical Care Program at St. Jude Global. Originally from Colombia and holding a degree in Foreign Trade, Maria brings a unique perspective shaped by her experience in finance and importations prior to joining St. Jude. In her current role, she oversees education, research, assessment, and international collaboration initiatives, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to improve pediatric critical care in resource-limited settings. Maria is also responsible for managing the program’s budget and supporting the training and onboarding of new employees.

Maria is passionate about sharing knowledge and fostering talent development within global healthcare networks. She is dedicated to problem solving and leading quality improvement efforts, ensuring that best practices are effectively implemented across diverse contexts. Through her leadership, Maria helps cultivate a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, advancing St. Jude’s mission to provide every child with access to high-quality critical care, regardless of where they live.

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Benjamin graduated from Rhodes College in 2023 with a degree in Biochemistry. After graduating, he received the Thomas J Watson Fellowship to explore the social, medical, and cultural barriers that children with cancer encounter. During his year, he traveled to nine countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa, where he learned the importance of patient stories as we build solutions to challenges facing children across the globe. In November of 2024, he joined the Global Critical Care Program as a contract worker. He is excited to join St Jude's Global Pediatric Medicine Department, as it embodies what he learned during his Watson year: keeping children and their journeys at the center of all its initiatives.

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Alejandra Quesada-Stoner is a passionate advocate for improving community health and fostering inclusivity, with aspirations to pursue an MD-MPH to serve underserved populations both domestically and internationally. Originally from Mexico, Alejandra’s journey to the United States at the age of 14 has deeply shaped their commitment to addressing health disparities and dismantling inequities within the medical field.

A recent graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in biomedical sciences and a minor in ethnic studies, Alejandra initially joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program. During their time in the program, they contributed to evaluating adaptations to Pediatric Early Warning Systems (PEWS) in Latin America, aiming to enhance pediatric safety and care quality. Following the program, Alejandra continued working as a research contractor at St. Jude, expanding their focus on sustainability strategies and quality improvement initiatives.

In addition to their work at St. Jude, Alejandra has extensive experience implementing evidence-based prevention programs. At Colorado State University, they facilitated The Body Project and the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) 10-14, adapting these programs to better support Latine and Hispanic communities. Their role as a medical scribe further deepened their understanding of healthcare systems, reinforcing their passion for creating more equitable and accessible care.

Now taking a few gap years before medical school, Alejandra is focused on honing their research skills and advancing their professional development, driven by a vision to create lasting, meaningful change in global healthcare.

Short Biography

Amela earned a Bachelor of Science in Epidemiology and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from Saint Louis University. While at SLU, she played an integral role as a Clinical Research Assistant at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where she helped lead research on decision-making tools designed to support pediatric cancer patients and their families.

Amela has a rich cultural background shaped by her roots in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as her experiences in Spain. These diverse cultural influences inform both her personal perspective and her professional work, particularly in advancing global pediatric cancer care—a cause deeply meaningful to her. Her unique background and unwavering dedication drive her commitment to improving cancer care for children worldwide.

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Stacey Wiedower is a Program Coordinator with the Global Critical Care Transversal Program for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She has been with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since October 2019.

Stacey began her work at St. Jude in the Office of Quality and Patient Safety as communication and education specialist. In this role, she managed communication strategy and execution, planned education events, and developed tools, programs and publications to support the hospital’s Safe and Sound Strategic Plan. She also collaborated with departments across the institution to produce informational and educational content for multiple audiences as a senior medical content writer for Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach.

In her role, Stacey supports the development and delivery of educational curricula for the St. Jude Global Academy, coordinates the St. Jude PICU Observership program, facilitates other program initiatives, and develops communication tools, resources and publications to aid in the global dissemination of pediatric onco-critical care research.

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Julia Hanebrink joins the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine as a Clinical Research Scientist. She has worked with the Culture and Communication Transversal Program since Oct. 2022. 

Broadly trained as a biocultural anthropologist, Hanebrink has 20+ years of experience directing global qualitative and mixed-method research projects and teaching in higher education. 

Her current initiatives include establishing qualitative research centers in St. Jude Global Alliance Regions and launching the St. Jude Global Academy: Qualitative Research Training Seminar. She also develops and delivers specialized educational content through Cure4Kids. 

Hanebrink's work bridges cultural understanding and medical practice, ensuring that research approaches are both scientifically rigorous and culturally responsive. She is honored to have the opportunity to advance the GPM mission through strategic education, capacity-building, and innovative research that ultimately improves care for every child, everywhere.

Short Biography

Shayla Lawrence began her work with the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine as program coordinator, Culturally Sensitive Global Oncology Program with the Culture and Communication Program.

Shayla joined St. Jude Global Pediatric Medicine with years of prior experience as a federal contractor with the Department of Defense and a public health coordinator, focusing on maternal child health and psychological/behavioral health for high-risk populations.  

She studied anthropology and foreign language and received a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Memphis.

She enjoys calling Memphis home and loves the music, food, and culture of the city, but also loves seeing and learning about new places all over the world.

Short Biography

Amirah Anderson is a Program Coordinator, Disease Burden and Simulation Transversal Program for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Amirah joins St. Jude Global Pediatric Medicine with 5+ years of experience in clinical trial coordination, protocol development, and multi-team management. She is adept at procuring and allocating necessary resources for projects and delivering secure, efficient, and cost-effective security solutions with a client-centric focus.

A native Memphian, Amirah graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology. She received a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Memphis with a concentration in Epidemiology.

Amirah has a passion for research development, community service, and civic engagement. She is thrilled to be working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, supporting the efforts of such a renowned healthcare institution.

Short Biography

Nancy Sobhy Bolous holds a dual appointment as an Instructor in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and a Senior Research Scientist, Disease Burden and Simulation in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. For her first role, Nancy teaches the Health Economics course in the Global Child Health Master’s Program and for her second role, she conducts research focused on costing and cost-effectiveness analysis of medical interventions in hematology and oncology. Nancy’s research projects span several geographic regions in which she collaborates with multiple stakeholders including the World Health Organization, local institutions and governmental bodies. She joined St. Jude from Cairo, Egypt, where she worked as a project manager on various health care projects on a national and international scale.

After completing her training as a physician in Cairo, Nancy pursued a double degree master’s program called the European Healthcare Economics and Management Program (Eu-HEM) in which she studied in three different European universities, The University of Bologna in Italy, Erasmus University of Rotterdam in The Netherlands and Management Center Innsbruck in Austria, over two years, and earned an MA and an MSc by the end of the program.

With the knowledge and experience gained from different countries, Nancy joined the health care management consulting department established by 57357 Children Cancer Hospital Egypt (57357 CCHE) as a Project Manager in which she managed multiple projects, most notably the viral hepatitis C national project with Tahya Masr Fund. Later, she joined IQVIA as a Public Health Project Manager during which she worked on several projects including a hospitals quality improvement initiative contracted by the Saudi Ministry of Health, and national health insurance scheme model for the Ghanian Ministry of Health.

Over the years, Nancy has been involved with multiple organizations and has traveled to serve the communities in multiple countries around the world. The dream of having a global-scale impact motivated Nancy to join St. Jude, the institution that inspired the establishment of 57357 CCHE in the first place. She aspires to use her expertise as an economist to help guide developing countries, such as her home country, to invest their limited resources in a cost-effective manner.

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Jessica Farmer, BA, is a program specialist for the ARIA Program in Global Pediatric Medicine. She started as an independent contractor with the program in 2022. Jessica is excited about the opportunity the ARIA Program has given her to expand her skills and abilities. She loves working with the ARIA Program and the GPM team.

Aside from work, Jessica has a 7-year-old son who keeps her busy.

Short Biography

Kristina Iligan completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida (UF) in 2017 and worked as a registered nurse on a bone marrow transplant unit at UF Health for two years. With a drive to work in the global health field, she moved to Baltimore, Maryland to pursue her Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Public Health degrees at Johns Hopkins University. Kristina completed this dual degree program in December 2020 along with a Global Health certificate. 

After graduate school, she has been working as a research nurse for malignant hematology clinical trials at the University of Florida, coordinating research participants' care to hopefully advance cancer treatment and interventions for patients with blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. 

As a child of Filipino immigrants, Kristina has always been passionate about global health equity. From listening to her parents' and grandmothers' stories to personally experiencing the stark contrast between the health system in the Philippines and the United States, she is dedicated to work for actionable and sustainable change that ensures health equity around the globe. 

Kristina is incredibly honored and excited to be a part of St. Jude's Department of Global Pediatric Medicine team and feels like their goal closely aligns with her own. St. Jude is a world-renowned organization doing pivotal work for children with cancer everywhere, regardless of where they live, and the opportunity to work here is a wonderful blessing.

Short Biography

Monica Key is the program manager for the Adapted Resource and Implementation Application (ARIA) Guide for Global Pediatric Medicine. In September 2022, Monica started working with the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine as a medical content writer contractor. She is currently witnessing and supporting the expanded global reach and continued success of the ARIA Guide program.

Her extensive professional nursing background includes direct patient care in oncology, hematology, breast health, palliative care, telemetry, medical-surgical, intensive care, critical care, emergency care, case management, program development, and as an oncology-hematology nurse practitioner. Monica earned specialized certification in critical care nursing and currently is an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner.

While providing oncology/hematology patient care, Monica also was key in supporting, building, and growing new clinics and programs such as a new Oncology Nurse Practitioner Transition-to-Practice program, Survivorship program and clinic, Breast Health Center, Young Adult and Adolescent program, Sickle Cell clinic, Prompt Care clinic as well as an Evaluation and Diagnostic Center.

Prior to joining Global Pediatric Medicine, Monica was pivotal in the launch of a new healthcare tech start-up leading a global oncology team and building a new data platform for both liquid and solid malignancies that experienced tremendous success in a very short time which resulted in a lucrative and exciting acquisition. She is a published author in various peer-reviewed healthcare journals, has served as an expert content writer and professional speaker for various organizations, and received many local and national awards for contributions to health care and community service.

Monica also served as a graduate and undergraduate adjunct didactic and clinical nursing instructor for various local higher education institutions and continues to participate in councils, committees, and boards in various roles and capacities. Nursing is a second career for Monica with 20+ prior years of experience as an executive in business development and marketing research assisting national, regional and local health care and non-profit organizations.

When she is not working, Monica enjoys her Mexican heritage, traveling, fitness endeavors, reading, writing, discovering new music, attending concerts and festivals, baking and spending time laughing with friends and family. 

Short Biography

Rocio Marilyn Caja Rivera, PhD, is a native of Peru, earning Bachelor and Licentiate degrees in Mathematical Sciences from Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima. She received a fellowship from the Mexican Council of Science and Technology and the Organization of American States for her doctoral dissertation, 'Control Policies and Vector Behavioral Effects in Vector Host Interactions with Novel Applications for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Peru.' Her research involved building mathematical models, using descriptive and Bayesian-inference statistical methods, and implementing computational techniques to understand vector-host pathogen interactions in endemic settings.

After completing her Doctorate at the Center for Research in Mathematics (CIMAT) in Mexico, Rocio worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame and the Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research at the University of South Florida. She collaborated with the Neglected Tropical Disease Modelling Consortium, contributing to research on vector-borne diseases (microparasites and macroparasites) in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Rocio has published her research in esteemed journals covering applied mathematics, medical sciences, and global health.

Additionally, she enjoys participating in multidisciplinary workshops and international conferences as both organizer and lecturer. Rocio, a bilingual PhD Applied Mathematician, is eager to join the Disease Burden Simulation Program at St. Jude to apply her skills in mathematical modeling and data analysis, collaborate with global multidisciplinary teams, and contribute to impactful research benefiting children worldwide.

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Madison’s interest in health care started while interning with ALSAC's donor relations team in 2008, leading her to obtain RN licensure before completing her bachelor's degree in liberal studies. This diverse educational background allowed her to succeed as a clinical research coordinator at West Cancer Center and Research Institute, helping to revive the gynecologic oncology research program through increased awareness, communication, and clinical knowledge.

Additionally, she was instrumental in developing policies, procedures, and training for departmental quality improvement and workflow optimization throughout the life cycle of clinical research programs.

For Madison, returning to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a meaningful, full-circle career milestone. With a servant leader’s heart and a naturally curious spirit, she is thrilled for the opportunity to expand St. Jude’s mission globally alongside the Global Pediatric Medicine team.

In her spare time, Madison enjoys spending quality time with her family, being outdoors, exploring all things Memphis, watching sports and reading. 

Short Biography

Lauren is a dedicated nurse and program coordinator with a strong background in oncology and a passion for improving patient care. With over a decade of experience in hospital settings, she transitioned to a fully remote role as a program coordinator for the ARIA guide at St. Jude, where she plays a key role in advancing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for pediatric oncology in low-resource settings. Driven by a deep commitment to making a difference, Lauren is pursuing a master’s in nursing informatics to bridge the gap between clinical care and data-driven solutions. She thrives on continuous learning and is motivated by the opportunity to enhance patient outcomes through innovation, collaboration, and education. Her work at St. Jude aligns with her mission to improve symptom management and care quality for children with cancer worldwide.

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Dave Wilkins is the research program director of St. Jude Global’s DIVIA project, which aims to provide a cloud-based molecular genetics diagnostic solution to St. Jude’s global partners. Prior to St. Jude, Wilkins was the COO of the Institute of Human Virology, where for 19 years he implemented an annual $80-$120 million PEPFAR program in 12 countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

Wilkins received his bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Lakeland, Tennessee, with his wife, Stephanie. Outside of work, he is passionate about surfing, ultimate frisbee, skiing (both water and snow), playing guitar, and enjoying outdoor activities with friends — not necessarily in that order.

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Desireé is an international development professional with over six years of experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and data analysis, specializing in initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion. She has worked across non-profits, government agencies, and multilateral institutions to strengthen data-driven decision-making and enhance program effectiveness.

Before joining St. Jude, Desireé was an Impact Associate at Slingshot Memphis, where she supported over 12 non-profits in evaluating their effectiveness through research and benefit-cost analysis. Previously, she was a researcher at the Inter-American Development Bank, focusing on integrating gender perspectives into transportation policies across Latin America. She also contributed to project monitoring and implementation efforts across more than 20 countries at CAF – Development Bank of Latin America.

Her expertise includes data analysis, program evaluation, and spatial econometrics, which she has applied to assessing and improving social programs. Desireé holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, a Master’s in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics, and a Master’s in Public Management from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores en Administración (IESA) in Venezuela.

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Minh Doan is a dedicated professional with an extensive background in public health and epidemiology. She has a passion for health and data analytics and believes in the power of data to inform and drive meaningful change. Prior to joining St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Minh worked as a Program Specialist in cancer registry and as an Epidemiologist in infectious disease.

Drawn by the mission and values of St. Jude, Minh is excited to contribute to the fight against life-threatening diseases affecting children. As a mother to a young child, she deeply empathizes with the hardships that families with sick children face. Minh is eager to bring her knowledge and expertise to the department and looks forward to making impactful contributions.

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Heather Fosburgh has over 20 years of experience working in international development and global health. Her primary focus is strengthening health systems in countries throughout the world. 

Heather has provided technical experience and support in human resources for health; leadership, management and governance; infection prevention and control; global health security; financial management; monitoring and evaluation; and advocacy and policy development, among other areas, for both infectious and chronic diseases. She has also led capstone projects, advised, and taught health care professionals and master's students about financial management, qualitative research methods, and strategic problem solving.  

Heather received her MPH in Health Policy and Global Health from the Yale School of Public Health and her MS in Applied Community and Economic Development from Illinois State University. She has worked in applied research and project management for non-profit and academic institutions, including Rotary International, the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute, and ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health. Heather is excited to join the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine and the Health Systems Unit.

Heather is excited to join the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine and the Health Systems Unit and begin to learn more about the different projects and initiatives. Heather was looking for a position that involved strengthening health systems outside of an academic setting. 

While Heather enjoys living in New York City, she was looking for a change. She feels fortunate that this position strongly aligned with her interests, the outdoor activities and climate are more plentiful in Memphis and most importantly, she was very impressed with everyone and the work.

Short Biography

Melissa is a dedicated public health advocate with over nine years of program and project management experience, who has specialized in oncology, epidemiology, behavioral science and public policy. 

Effective at leveraging strategic partnerships, using quality improvement methodologies and harnessing data to create impactful solutions, Melissa has most recently served as the American Cancer Society’s Program Manager on the Interventions and Implementation team and as the Cancer Control Strategic Partnerships Manager. She has managed a portfolio of 80 grant-funded projects while engaging with collaborators including CDC, alongside ministries, non-governmental organizations, industry partners, state coalitions, health systems, and payors.

Melissa has also served as a Cancer Control Committee Member in the Health Council of South Florida, contributing strategic input to the Governor of Florida and to legislation on cancer control, research, and health equity.

In her new role, Melissa will help strengthen interventions and partnerships, such as the Nexus of Policies and Systems (NexPoS) global network, including activities in essential diagnostics and medicines, national cancer control planning, referral systems, and ongoing work as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Childhood Cancer and harnessing data to create impactful solutions.

Melissa holds dual Masters in Public Administration and Public Health from the University of Miami and is deeply committed to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes.

Currently living in Atlanta, Georgia, Melissa enjoys an active lifestyle. In her free time, she can often be found playing tennis, exploring new destinations and hiking new trails.

Short Biography

La’Ron Browne is a Physician Science Instructor in the Global Hematology Program. Her focus is primarily on research projects aimed at strengthening health systems for non-malignant hematologic conditions in low-resource settings. Her work will complement ongoing initiatives led by the Global Hematology Program, particularly in advancing evidence-based strategies for the care and health service delivery for catastrophic pediatric blood disorders.

Short Biography

Nick Faris is a program manager for the Global Hematology team at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

Before joining St. Jude, Nick was a member of the Baptist Cancer Center’s Thoracic Oncology team in Memphis, serving most recently as the department director. In that role, he coordinated system-level efforts to design, implement and improve clinical programs that bridged the full care continuum from tobacco cessation to survivorship, with a mission to eliminate lung cancer stigma and mortality for all people. He also served as a member of several national and international patient advocacy committees.

Nick’s specific interest is in leveraging team science, implementation science and epidemiology to support large-scale public health interventions.

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Ombeni Idassi is a program specialist for the Global Hematology Transversal Program within St. Jude Global. Originally from Nashville, Ombeni obtained his Bachelor of Science in biology from North Carolina A&T State University.

Throughout the past 12 years, Ombeni has translated his passion for research into a deep-seated commitment to pediatric medicine and sickle cell disease. Following a three-year tenure at City of Hope Medical Center in a translational breast cancer lab, Ombeni pursued a master’s degree in health sciences at Meharry Medical College.

With three years of medical training under his belt, Ombeni harbors aspirations of effecting meaningful change in the lives of children and families grappling with hematological diseases. He seeks to enact a positive and substantial influence through implementation science, fostering collaboration, mentorship of the next generation of healthcare professionals and serving as a beacon of hope.

Short Biography

Kelly Pimenta is an epidemiologist who recently earned her PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Memphis. Her doctoral research focused on healthcare transitions among adolescents with sickle cell disease, reflecting her broader commitment to addressing health disparities among underserved populations. She also holds a Master of Public Health from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from The College of New Jersey.

Kelly’s career has centered on applying rigorous epidemiologic and implementation science methods to improve health outcomes in both domestic and global settings. She has conducted research in collaboration with institutions in Brazil, focusing on transition readiness, quality of care, and systems strengthening for chronic disease management. Her work integrates qualitative and quantitative approaches and emphasizes cross-cultural adaptation and equity-driven strategies.

Kelly was drawn to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by its mission to advance care for children with catastrophic illnesses and its commitment to global health equity. She is motivated by a desire to generate actionable evidence that can transform healthcare delivery for vulnerable populations—especially adolescents navigating the shift from pediatric to adult care. At St. Jude, she aims to contribute to impactful, patient-centered research that informs sustainable interventions across diverse healthcare systems.

Short Biography

The majority of Tessa’s professional experience has focused on improving care delivery and outcomes for individuals living with sickle cell disease, primarily through the establishment of innovative public-private partnerships. In 2018, she interned at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to support the launch of its Cure Sickle Cell initiative, as well as the coordination of its Women’s Health Maternal Morbidity & Mortality Working Group. Most recently, Tessa served the American Society of Hematology as manager of the SCD Coalition, where she led the strategic planning and daily operations of a diverse alliance representing more than 100 organizations dedicated to combating challenges for individuals with sickle cell disease. Tessa is thrilled to continue supporting the sickle cell disease community in this new role and contribute to St. Jude Global’s mission.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in government from William & Mary and a master’s degree in bioethics from Harvard Medical School.

Tessa is a proud native of the greater Washington D.C.-Maryland/Virginia area. Outside of work, she enjoys listening to live music, practicing yoga, and spending time outside with her cat, Rutherford.

Short Biography

Vivian Moreno Berrio, MS, is a program specialist in the Infectious Diseases Program for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. In this role, Moreno is responsible for providing administrative support in the design, logistics, and implementation of her team’s project portfolio.

A Garden State native, Moreno first gained experience in population health initiatives while working on community nutrition projects across New Jersey. Managing community health projects for over three years, she quickly found her passion as a dedicated advocate for health equity in the communities she served.

Considering herself a lifelong learner, Moreno is thrilled to join her dynamic team and support the Global ID Program’s goals as she embarks on a new role exploring and learning about global health.

Outside of work, Moreno enjoys reading, dabbling in photography, and spending quality time with her family.

Short Biography

Maysam R. Homsi is a program manager for the Infectious Diseases Transversal Program in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. In this role, she oversees the development, implementation and evaluation of infectious diseases initiatives worldwide. These include team-based mentoring and capacity-building activities, regional and global-focused training and education programs through the St. Jude Global Academy and collaborative multiregional research and quality improvement projects.

Maysam joined St. Jude in 2015, bringing with her a range of field experience working in Latin America, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa with local institutions and governments conducting needs assessments, managing project evaluations and collecting data for research projects.

Having grown up in Memphis, Maysam spent five years in Boston, earning her Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Public Health (concentrating in Global Health, with an emphasis in Health Program Management) from Boston University. She earned her Doctor of Public Health in Implementation Science from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where she focused her dissertation research on immunization practices for children with cancer in resource-limited countries.

Maysam speaks Arabic and French fluently, Spanish conversationally, and brings with her an intimate knowledge of Middle Eastern culture and language.

Short Biography

Vanessa loves learning and assisting with various contract projects. She looks forward to becoming more involved in the logistical and research aspects of the department.

Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys traveling to Mexico and spending time with her family and two dogs.

Short Biography

Milka Vazquez is a program coordinator, Infectious Diseases Transversal Program for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She provides support toward the designing, coordination and the implementation of infectious disease initiatives geared to improve the outcome of childhood cancer around the world. She previously served as a project coordinator for the Central and South America Region for St. Jude Global.

Milka is a native of Puerto Rico, relocating to the continental U.S. at the age of 16. Her cultural background is an important asset to the department in its pursuit of increasing pediatric cancer care around the world, a mission Milka is proud to take part.

Her project experience started with Alcoa Inc., the world’s sixth-largest producer of aluminum where she supported the Human Resources project team with strategic personnel deployment. More recently, she gained research environment experience while working for the Office of Research Excellence at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where she was responsible for coordinating the collaborative efforts between the National Laboratory and current and perspective partnering universities as well as the oversight of the Postdoctoral Association.

Milka enjoys quiet days on the lake and spending time with her husband and cat.

Short Biography

Alyana Alvarez is a Program Coordinator, Metrics and Performance for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She was born in the Philippines and moved to Alexandria, VA at the age of three. With continuous visits to the Philippines, Alyana was exposed to the diverse lifestyle and quality of life which grew her passion for global health. Alyana received her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology from Virginia Tech and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology at George Washington University.

Throughout undergrad and post-graduation, she held a wide range of positions from research assistant to a children's program coordinator as well as an administrative assistant. This blend of experiences within healthcare, non-profit, and laboratory settings helped cultivate her understanding of the mechanics in public health. Alyana is thrilled to be working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital knowing its vibrant community and endless opportunities will help strengthen her footprint within the public health realm.

Short Biography

Tracy Estevez is the program manager for the Metrics and Performance Transversal Program in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Empathetic and analytical, she is a dynamic and results-driven problem solver with experience spanning business management, project management, clinical research, and healthcare. 

She brings a unique blend of skills and expertise to her role, driven by a passion for innovation and a commitment to making a positive impact on local and global communities by leveraging health, financial and technological literacy with business and organizational acumen.

With a background in both medical and non-medical sectors, Tracy has demonstrated her ability to lead complex projects and develop innovative solutions that drive efficiency, productivity and improved outcomes. Her career journey has seen her take on diverse roles, from managing multimillion-dollar portfolios to spearheading the overhaul of project budgets and operations, and conducting impactful pediatric hematology research in the Dominican Republic.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Tracy is deeply committed to volunteer work, particularly in initiatives aimed at supporting children's health and well-being. Through her roles as a childhood-resilience advocate and a community capacity-building specialist, she has made significant contributions to empowering vulnerable populations and driving sustainable development initiatives, at home and abroad.

Tracy holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in healthcare management from Franklin University, complemented by a Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences from The City College of New York. She is also a Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt certified professional and holds certificates in Spanish Language & Literature from  Universidad de la Rioja.

Short Biography

Miriam Gonzalez-Guzman, MD, MSc, is a pediatrician and native of El Salvador. She is a program coordinator with Metrics and Performance for St. Jude Global. She has a diverse academic record to include a master’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Memphis.

At St. Jude, Dr. Gonzalez has been actively involved in improving the survival of children with cancer by designing and implementing infection control and educational quality improvement initiatives at international sites during the past 10 years. Currently, she is responsible for and participates in the planning, management and evaluation of the Global Metrics and Performance Unit projects implemented locally and at St. Jude Global international sites.

She has been particularly focused on the validation and implementation of the St. Jude Global Pediatric Oncology Facility Integrated Local Evaluation (PrOFILE) tool. Her research interests include the identification of metrics and organizational readiness factors that promote success during the implementation of evidence-based interventions in pediatric cancer centers in developing countries.

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Nate Lewis has devoted the last decade to population health research and program enhancement at Oracle Health/Cerner. During this tenure, he assisted numerous health systems in devising, implementing, evaluating, and refining programs spanning care management, quality measures, and primary care.

Before joining Cerner, Lewis engaged in four years of post-doctoral research at Shands Hospital, University of Florida, focusing on the pathogenesis mechanisms in oral microorganisms.

Lewis holds a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Arkansas, where his research delved into the universally conserved protein targeting and translocation mechanism termed the signal recognition particle pathway.

Before transitioning to roles in science and health services research, Lewis obtained a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Missouri State University and spent two years as a newspaper writer and editor.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Lewis enjoys staying active, spending quality time with family, walking his dog, and engaging in board games.

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Melissa Vickers is a program coordinator with Metrics and Performance for the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She was born and raised in the Memphis area.

Melissa received her Bachelor of Science in sport and entertainment management from the University of South Carolina. She then received her master’s in business administration from Wichita State University. Her diverse business experience includes working in college athletics and lawn care and even some brief government work. She started as a contractor with Metrics and Performance in March 2022. While a contractor, Melissa has overseen multiple cohorts through the Full Version of PrOFILE and organized multiple steering committee meetings.

When she is not working, Melissa enjoys spending time with her dogs, watching sports and reading. She is excited to use her business background to improve childhood cancer care around the world.

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Elizabeth grew up in Pennsylvania and was exposed to the field of global public health through time spent in Latin America. She pursued a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Following her degree, she worked in Chicago at a Federally Qualified Health Center as a planning and development specialist and later at a Chicago-based international development organization as a senior program manager. These roles provided her the opportunity to manage grants and programs at the city, state, and federal levels, as well as globally focused programs funded by corporate and foundation donors. She is thrilled to be working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in support of its important mission.

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Sergio Licona is a program coordinator, Infectious Diseases Transversal Program for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. As Project Coordinator, Sergio is responsible for the design, coordination, implementation, and oversight of projects to ensure the success of Infectious Disease initiatives around the world.

He holds an M.D. degree from the National University of Honduras and an MBA in Healthcare Management from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Sergio has had advanced training in epidemiology and hospital administration.

Since early in his career, Sergio has experienced global healthcare environments as a primary care physician and in managerial roles in the medical non-profit field. He has served in several leadership positions in eastern Honduras, overseeing the healthcare services for about half a million people through 37 healthcare facilities, including outpatient clinics and hospitals.

His global experience includes the development of partnerships with international organizations and governments in the Latin American region. Sergio comes to St. Jude because of his passion for global initiatives to provide comprehensive healthcare services for vulnerable populations in challenging healthcare environments.

After work, Sergio is exploring the city, reading in local cafes, planning his next trip, hiking, or shopping in local markets.

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Monnie Abraham, PhD, MSN, FISQua, CPHQ is the Director of Global Nursing for GPM. In her role, she is responsible for directing the nursing program and all associated activities and initiatives.

Monnie has more than 20 years of experience in international health care management and leadership, pediatric nursing, nursing education and quality improvement. Her previous professional positions include Director of Pediatric Nursing Practice, Oregon Health and Science University, and different leadership positions in nursing at the Dubai Health Authority, Dubai. Her experience includes responsibilities as a health care administrator for inpatient hospital operations, hospital-based services and staffing. She is an expert in implementing and introducing evidence-based practice in organizations utilizing change management principles. 

Monnie is currently an International Nurse Consultant for the Joint Commission and has consulted in several countries in Europe, Asia, the Far East and the Middle East. She was a faculty member at various JCI International Practicums and also serves as faculty for the Healthcare Quality Management & Patient Safety Program by JCI.

She has a doctoral degree in Health Management and Policy, a master’s degree in nursing (Pediatrics) from the College of Nursing, CMCH, Vellore, India, and a bachelor's degree in Nursing from Delhi University. She also is a fellow of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare.

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Shenila brings over 13 years of experience in the hospital industry, with a strong background in pediatric oncology nursing. She has recently served as a Local Contractor for the St. Jude Global Nursing ICON project in Pakistan and has held various leadership roles, most recently as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Pediatric Oncology at the Indus Hospital and Health Network. Shenila holds a Master of Science in Nursing from The Aga Khan University Hospital, along with a Diploma in Pediatric Oncology Nursing. Her extensive experience, coupled with her dedication to improving pediatric oncology standards, makes her a valuable asset to GPM.

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Kenisha Brock has been with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since May 2019, beginning her career as an Administrative Specialist in the Division of Cancer Predisposition within the Department of Oncology. In this role, she provided vital administrative support to clinical and research teams, ensuring efficient operations and contributing to the department’s mission of advancing cancer prevention and care.

A Memphis native, Kenisha brings more than 17 years of experience in healthcare administration, with expertise in overseeing complex administrative functions, coordinating cross-departmental initiatives, and streamlining operational processes. She is deeply committed to mentoring and professional development, applying her coaching and leadership skills to foster growth and collaboration within her teams. In recognition of her dedication to professional excellence, Kenisha earned her Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) credential in April 2024, along with a Project Management specialty certification from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).

Before joining St. Jude, Kenisha served as Charging Coordinator for the Radiology Department at Methodist South Hospital, part of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. There, she managed billing operations, optimized departmental workflows, and supported frontline staff in delivering high-quality patient care.

Today, Kenisha serves as Administrative Coordinator in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, where she supports international collaborations, program development, and strategic initiatives. She is enthusiastic about contributing to the department’s mission and advancing St. Jude’s global efforts to improve survival rates and quality of life for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases worldwide.

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Elianeth is a seasoned professional with over ten years of experience across both clinical and non-clinical settings, having held a variety of roles throughout her career. As an Oncology Nurse Specialist, she has provided comprehensive care to both inpatients and outpatients. Her extensive background encompasses nursing training, curriculum development, community health initiatives, research, grants management, project planning and evaluation, strategic planning, and business continuity.

In her clinical practice, Elianeth has exhibited strong leadership by spearheading quality improvement projects in pediatric oncology, including the Pediatric Early Warning System (PEWS), palliative care, and outreach programs. Her community impact is equally significant, with successful planning and execution of childhood and adolescent cancer awareness projects across the Southern Highland, Central, and Lake Zones in Tanzania, in collaboration with the Tanzania National Nurses Association. These initiatives focused on enhancing early detection through nurse training, establishing mentorship networks, and raising community awareness. Additionally, she has been involved in outreach interventions addressing sexually transmitted diseases particularly HIV/AIDS among youths in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, through Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) activities.

Elianeth is an active member of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), where she serves on the Steering Committee of the Nursing Network and is the Co-Chair of the Sub-Saharan Africa Pediatric Oncology Nurses Network. She previously held the role of Co-Chair for the SIOP Global Health Education Working Group, which aimed to promote education and training for healthcare providers in resource-limited settings on the care of children with cancer.

Driven by a commitment to improving patient outcomes and advancing healthcare practices, Elianeth is drawn to St. Jude due to its shared dedication to excellence in pediatric oncology and its groundbreaking work in the field. Her passion for teaching, strategic planning, research, and project management underscores her deep commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery and supporting the well-being of children with cancer and their families.

Short Biography

Winnie Wanjiru Leah Njuguna is a program coordinator for the Global Nursing Program in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine. Born and raised in Kenya, she joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in January 2023.

Winnie is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who graduated cum laude with a master’s degree in child nursing, pediatric hematology-oncology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Her experience in nursing spans more than 20 years and includes various nursing and leadership roles. The bulk of her extensive experience was in the vibrant and busy Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Winnie was a certified instructor for resuscitation courses such as Emergency Assessment and Treatment plus Admission Care (ETAT+), Pediatric Immediate Life Support (PILs), Newborn Life Support, and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS). Her other roles included pediatric hematology-oncology, quality and patient safety, general pediatrics, trauma and emergency.

Her passion for improving clinical outcomes for children and adolescents with blood and blood disorders in low- or middle-income countries through nursing education, research, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement motivated Winnie to join St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Aside from work, Winnie loves traveling to new places, watching movies, music, indoor games and discovering new restaurants.

Short Biography

Sangeetha Samuel, M.Sc. (N) Critical Care Nursing, served in dual roles as the Deputy Nursing Superintendent at Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMC), Ludhiana, Punjab, India, and as an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing. In these capacities, she managed the Critical Care Areas of the hospital while contributing to the academic development of future nursing professionals.

With extensive experience in critical care nursing, nursing education, and healthcare management, Sangeetha's professional journey began as a Staff Nurse in the Emergency Medicine Department at Christian Medical College, Vellore. She has progressed through various roles, including Ward In charge of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Assistant Nursing Superintendent overseeing the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Clinical Haematology, and Critical Care Areas, and finally as Deputy Nursing Superintendent, where she managed Critical Care Areas, Nursing In-service Education, and Quality at CMC, Ludhiana.

As a dedicated nurse leader and educator, Sangeetha is passionate about enhancing patient outcomes through the advancement of clinical skills among student nurses and registered nurses via effective technology integration. Her key initiatives include developing Interprofessional Practice modules in Cancer Care, implementing Nurse-Preceptorship programs, and conducting Continuing Nursing Education programs. She is also a CMCL FAIMER Faculty, actively engaged in health professional education, skill-based training, and simulation-based education. Additionally, she coordinates the Haematology Cancer Consortium (HCC) Nursing activities in India and is a member of the Asia Pacific BMT (APBMT) Nursing Core Committee.

Sangeetha leads the NIHR Global Surgery Nursing Collaborative network, focusing on improving patient outcomes in Low and Middle-Income Countries through collaborative nursing research and training. She is passionately committed to advancing nursing practice and education, with a continuous emphasis on fostering a culture of excellence and innovation in healthcare delivery.

Sangeetha finds the mission of St Jude inspiring as it uses research to improve cures and treatment of children with catastrophic diseases globally.

Short Biography

Lorena Segovia-Weber is a Program Coordinator, Global Nursing for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She will work with the St. Jude Global Nursing Program supporting the design and implementation of nursing initiatives to improve quality outcomes for children and adolescents with cancer in countries around the world.

Lorena is a Pediatric Oncology Nurse with 25 years’ experience at Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna Hospital in Santiago, Chile. In 2007, she began working as a contractor with St. Jude, directing the Latin American Center for Pediatric Oncology Nurses. A first of its kind in the world, the center’s objective is to promote excellence in pediatric oncology nursing education in Latin America (Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America) through training pediatric oncology nurse educators, a pioneer role in the region.

She worked to promote the standardization of high-risk processes in cancer nursing, such as the administration of chemotherapy. Thanks to the affiliation of the center and APHON course with St. Jude Global Nursing Program many nurses from Latin America have improved their knowledge and skills in this area.

Lorena has also advocated for the implementation of the baseline nursing standards recommended by SIOP for LMIC in several Latin American pediatric oncology institutions.

Short Biography

Ximena García-Quintero, MD, is a Program Manager for the Global Palliative Care Program within the Global Pediatric Medicine Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Originally from Cali, Colombia, Ximena trained as a pediatrician and holds a master’s degree in Pediatric Palliative Care. She further specialized through the Harvard Medical School  Palliative Care in Education and Practice (PCEP) program.

She is the founder of one of Colombia’s first pediatric palliative care programs, which  continues to sustain and expand. Her program was awarded a My Child Matters grant (2019-2021), significantly increasing its national reach and impact. During her time in Colombia, she began collaborating with St. Jude Global as a country leader for the ADAPT Study in Latin America, further deepening her interest in global health.

Since joining the GPM team, Ximena has supported various global palliative care initiatives in education, research, and quality improvement, including the Global Comfort Promise. She is particularly passionate about leadership and program implementation in LMICs, quality improvement, and research, striving to reduce unnecessary suffering in children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases by ensuring they receive high-quality, compassionate care.