Our Scholars

Our Scholars

Jeylan Close, MD

Duke

Implementing evidence-based mental health treatments in nontraditional settings, such as schools and primary care, with a focus on increasing overall access and equity in access to mental health care for youth.

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Cassandra Dictus, PhDc, MPH, RN

Duke

Investigating long-term care, systems, and policy to improve quality of life and health equity for older adults and their caregivers

Tyra Girdwood, RN, PhD

(VA Scholar)
Duke

Investigating structural barriers to successful transitions to adult health care in young, vulnerable populations and exploring health policy innovations to enhance transitional care outcomes.  

Ceshae Harding, MD

Duke

Optimizing chronic disease management prior to pregnancy; improving postpartum follow-up care; establishing the healthcare infrastructure needed to provide comprehensive care for women of childbearing age.

Stephanie Hart, PhD, NP-C

Duke

Improving quality of stroke care and stroke outcomes by examining and addressing health disparities and social determinants of health through policy and community-engaged approaches.

Ryan Kane, MD, MPH

Duke

Utilizing community engaged research methods, health system integration, and political advocacy to address inequities in socially derived metabolic diseases with a particular focus on co-occurring obesity and food insecurity.

Gabriela Plasencia, MD, MAS

Duke

Assessing the impact of community engagement in decreasing health disparities in access to COVID-19 resources and COVID-19 health outcomes.

Carri Polick, PhD, BSN, RN, CEN

(VA Scholar)
Duke

Investigating the impacts of social determinants of health, such as trauma and adversity, on biopsychosocial health outcomes and healthcare service disparities spanning the general population, veterans, and multiple sclerosis populations.

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Allison O. Taylor, MD, MS

Duke

Understanding disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients with hematologic malignancies from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, and developing relevant interventions to address these inequities through community engagement.

Judith Vick, MD, MPH

(VA Scholar)
Duke

Understanding and intervening upon the frictions of health care to design a more user-friendly system and coproduce goal-concordant care, particularly for older adults and their families in the inpatient setting.