Meet the Research Team
Bree Hemingway, PhD, MPH, CHES, (She/Her) |
Jamie Felicitas-Perkins, PhD, MPH, CHES, (She/Her) |
Reener Balingit, MPH, CHES, (She/Her) |
Maggie Hawkins, MPH, CHES, (She/Her) |
Maliha Hussain, MPH, (She/Her) |
Taryn Medina, MA, (They/She) |
Savannah Dale, MPH, (She/Her) |
Noel Perez, MPH, PhD, (He/Him) |
Jean Wang, MPH, (She/Her) |
Madison Avery, (She/Her) |
Kim Fong, MPH, CHES, RVT, (She/Her) |
Vanessa Macias, MPH (She/Her) |
Aaliya Noel, (She/Her) |
Negeen Seddiqi, (She/Her) |
May Smith, MS (She/Her) |
Kailani Tokiyeda, (She/Her) |
Graduate Student Research Team
Reener Balingit, MPH, CHES (SHE/HER)
Reener Balingit is a current PhD student at Claremont Graduate University, School of Community and Global Health and has obtained a Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis on Health Promotion, Education, and Evaluation (HPEE), as well as a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health at the California State University, Los Angeles. Reener serves as a research assistant at SCGH’s Community Health Innovation Learning Lab focused on program evaluation and research, and leads program evaluation and community outreach efforts on cancer health at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Research Center for Health Equity. Reener is currently working on projects related to understanding the public health workforce needs, establishing organizational goals and objectives for accreditation, and developing manuscripts on innovative approaches to program evaluation.
Savannah Dale, MPH (SHE/HER)
Savannah Dale is a dual degree student at Claremont Graduate University working towards her Master of Public Health in Applied Biostatistics and Epidemiology and her Master of Arts in Applied Social Psychology. Savannah’s research interests focus on evaluation in educational spaces, persuasive messaging in public health, and systemically rooted health disparities. In addition to her graduate studies, Savannah works as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the School of Community & Global Health, and as an Evaluation Research Assistant for Cobblestone, Applied Research & Evaluation. Her free time is full of her chosen family, friends, board games, and cats.
Maggie Hawkins, MPH, CHES (SHE/HER)
Maggie Hawkins (she/her) has 40 years of experience as an advocate, educator, organizer and trainer with various human rights, health, and educational organizations. Currently, Hawkins is adjunct faculty in the Master of Public Health Program at California State University Los Angeles. She holds an MPH degree from the University of Southern California and is presently a DrPH student at the School of Community & Global Health at Claremont Graduate University. Her primary areas of study are women’s, adolescent, and LGBTQIA+ health equity.
Maliha Hussain, MPH (SHE/HER)
Maliha Hussain is a Doctor of Public Health student at Claremont Graduate University with a concentration in Leadership and Management. She received her master’s degree in public health from Wayne State University and completed the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship addressing sexual health literacy in Muslim and Arab populations. She has worked in federal and county government to improve access to primary care and affordable housing. Driving her professional interests is the core value of justice. She is particularly committed to advancing maternal health through strategic integration of policy and research.
Taryn Medina, MA (THEY/SHE)
Taryn Medina is a Doctor of Public Health student at School of Community and Global Health with a concentration in Leadership and Management. They graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with her undergrad in Youth & Community Studies with a concentration in special populations and a minor social work. As well as earning a MA in Autism and Developmental Disabilities and obtaining a Critical Disability Studies portfolio. They are pursuing their DrPH to advocate, organize, and reform community-based living settings, where disabled individuals are empowered as active participants in shaping their communities, fostering critical change, and a culture of inclusion and respect. Their research interests include unmet needs and barriers to care for disabled individuals, aging with disability, long term workforce, Community Health Workers, transitions into adulthood, and violence against disabled individuals within community living.
Madison Avery (SHE/HER)
I am a motivated Master’s student pursuing a dual degree in Public Health and Business Administration (MPH/MBA) at CGU, ultimately pursuing medical school, and driven by a passion for improving public health outcomes. My background in psychobiology from UCLA and extensive healthcare experience provided me with a strong foundation in both the scientific and clinical aspects of health. Beyond academics, I volunteer at a local hospital, love music and the arts, trying new foods, exercising, cuddling with my pets, singing, beach sunsets, and spending time with friends and family. I look forward to applying my skills in study design, survey development, data management, and program evaluation as a research facilitator with CHILLab, contributing to data-driven evaluations that address critical public health challenges.
Kim Fong (SHE/HER)
Kimberly Fong is a Doctor of Public Health student at Claremont Graduate University’s School of Community and Global Health and she has an MPH in Health Education and Promotion from California Baptist University. As a registered veterinary technician for over 15 years, her research interests include One Health, environmental health, occupational health, and health education. In her free time she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and snowboarding.
Vanessa Macias, MPH (SHE/HER)
Vanessa Macias is a Doctor of Public Health student at the School of Community and Global Health with a concentration in Leadership and Management. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in Psychology with a minor in Public Affairs and holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University. She has over 15 years of experience in healthcare including work in community outreach, health education, health program development and implementation and currently works at Blue Shield of California, Promise Health Plan overseeing regulatory and operational metrics and initiatives. Her research interest lies in health program evaluation, health policy implementation, the healthcare workforce, community disparities, and maternal health and support.
Aaliya Noel (SHE/HER)
Hello my name Aaliya Noel! I am a dedicated Seeking Safety Facilitator with a strong foundation in psychology and a minor in sociology. My skills involve collaboration, critical thinking, and data analysis in which help me accomplish my tasks. I previously conducted research focused on mindfulness in recovery, contributing valuable insights to the field. Holding a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I am committed to using evidence-based practices to not only foster safe, supportive environments for people struggling with mental health but to also intertwine my skills to the world of public health.
Negeen Seddiqi (SHE/HER)
She is a Master of Public Health student at Claremont Graduate University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of California, Irvine. She is passionate about advancing health equity and addressing disparities in underserved communities. Through her work, she aims to develop innovative solutions to improve community health outcomes.
May Smith, MS (SHE/HER)
May is a recent graduate of Claremont Graduate University’s Master of Science in Evaluation and Applied Research (MSEVAL) program. She is dedicated to improving the well-being of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) through evidence-based solutions. With a focus on the intersections of evaluation, public health, data science, and technology, she aims to address systemic inequities on a large scale. May’s work is grounded in a commitment to fostering inclusive and equitable health outcomes.
Kailani Tokiyeda (SHE/HER)
Kailani Tokiyeda (she/her) is a Master of Public Health student at Claremont Graduate University with a concentration in Health Promotion, Education, and Evaluation. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from UCLA with a minor in Musicology and previously worked with UCLA’s Health Education and Resource Team as both their Digital Media Coordinator and Sexual Health Coordinator. She was also the Founder and Co-President of UCLA’s Dear Asian Youth Chapter, a non-profit organization dedicated to Asian, Pacific-Islander, and Desi-American sociopolitical awareness. Kailani’s interdisciplinary background reflects her interests in creativity, advocacy, and education, as well as a passion for helping and promoting others.