Hematology

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.

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

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

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

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.