Skip to main content

Equity Council Executive Core

The Executive Core of the Equity Council was formed as part of Phase 1 to address diversity, equity and inclusion at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Meet the Equity Council Co-Chairs

Dr. Wendy Brewster and Dr. Sam Cykert standing at the bottom of stairs outside

Wendy Brewster, MD, PhD

Professor, OBGYN-GYN Oncology

Director, UNC Center for Women’s Health Research

Associate Director, UNC Lineberger Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

and

Sam Cykert, MD

Professor of Medicine

Meet the Executive Core Members

Headshot of Ashley Leak Bryant

Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD, RN
Associate Professor

Headshot of Marjory Charlot

Marjory Charlot, MD, MPH, MSc
Assistant Professor, School of Medicine

Assistant Director, Community Outreach and Engagement

Headshot of Stephanie Wheeler

Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, MPH

Professor of Health Policy and Management

Associate Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Headshot of Stuart Gold

Stuart Gold MD
Distinguished Professor, Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Headshot of Barbara Alvarez Martin

Barbara Alvarez Martin DrPH, MPH
Assistant Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, and Population Sciences

Headshot of Lauren Matthews

Lauren Matthews, MPH
Chief Operations Officer for Lineberger Equity Council and C.R.E.A.T.E. initiative

Headshot of Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena

Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena, PhD
Oliver Smithies Investigator, Professor and Chair

Headshot of Buddy Weissman

Bernard Weissman, PhD
Professor of Pathology & Lab Medicine, Pediatrics

 

Meet the Equity Council Members

The Equity Council was divided into committee groups to further develop plan for the recommendations that were developed during Phase 1.


Aggression Prevention

Pavita Derebail, JD

Financial Analyst

Headshot of Jon Powell

Jon Powell, M.A., PhD

Continuing Education Specialist

Headshot of Juanita Ramirez

Juanita Ramirez, MPH

Clinical Trials Director

Headshot of Leila Kiefer

Leila Kiefer, PhD

Clinical Protocol Development Associate

Headshot not available

Yumika Forney, MPH

Regulatory Associate

Headshot of Lisa Spees

Lisa Spees, M.A., PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Barbara Alvarez Martin

Barbara Alvarez Martin DrPH, MPH

Assistant Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, and Population Sciences

Jennifer Potter Headshot

Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES

Statewide Outreach Specialist


Care Communications

Richard Cansler

Patient/PFAC Advisor

Ronald Taylor

Patient/PFAC Advisor

Headshot of Lorinda Coombs

Lorinda Coombs, PhD, MSN, FNP

Clinician Scientist/Assistant Professor

Headshot of Erin Kent

Erin Kent, MS, PhD

Research Associate Professor

Headshot of Allison Beam

Allison Beam, MPAP, PA-C

Adv Prac Prov Inp/Subspec – PA

Headshot of Stuart Gold

Stuart Gold, MD

Distinguished Professor, Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Fernando Diaz, MD

Hematology-Oncology Fellow

Headshot not available

Victoria Petermann, BSN, RN

PhD Candidate

Patricia Morfeld, BSN

CN IV

Headshot not available

Joyce Tyler

Patient Advocate

Headshot of Catherine Swift

Catherine Swift, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Social Worker, AYA Cancer Program

Headshot of Grace Byfield

Grace Byfield, PhD

Research Associate/Community Engagement

Headshot of Bejal Kikani

Bejal Kikani, MSN

Nurse Practitioner

 

 


Dismantle Ineffective Systems

Headshot of Debby Stroman

Deborah Stroman, PhD, CLU

Founder of SAAM LLC & Center of Sport Business and Analytics​

​Associate Professor of Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights​

Shannon Condon headshot

Shannon Condon, BA, TBD

Data Coordinator

Headshot of Sara Asad

Sarah Asad, MSc

PhD Candidate, Cancer Care Quality Training Program Predoctoral Fellow

Headshot not available

Hayley Morris, MPH

Health Services & Engagement Research Specialist

Headshot of Kristen Jarman

Kristen Jarman, MSPH

Associate Director – Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program, Project Manager

Headshot not available

Binh Truong, Master’s in Engineering

Melody Snow headshot

Melody Snow, MHS

University Program Specialist

Headshot not available

Christina Gutierrez Ford, PhD

Research Specialist

Headshot not available

Hunter O’Brien

Data Coordinator


Faculty Pathway, Recruitment and Retention

Headshot of Ashley Leak Bryant

Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD, RN

Associate Professor

Headshot of Buddy Weissman

Bernard Weissman, PhD

Professor of Pathology & Lab Medicine, Pediatrics

Headshot of Ilona Fridman

Ilona Fridman, PhD

Postdoctoral scholar

Tope Keku headshot

Tope Keku, PhD

Professor of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Nutrition; Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Headshot for Michael Sturdivant

Michael Sturdivant, BS

Graduate Student

Headshot of Katie Reeder-Hayes

Katie Reeder-Hayes, MD, MSc, MBA

Associate Professor; Chief of Breast Oncology

Headshot of Kelly Tan

Kelly Tan, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

 


Staff Pathway, Recruitment and Retention

Myra Suarez, MS

Regulatory Associate

Sherette Godfrey, PhD

Postdoctoral Trainee

Headshot of Rachel Hirschey

Rachel Hirschey, PhD

Assistant Professor

Headshot for Jennifer Mendel Sheldon

Jennifer Mendel Sheldon, MPH

Project Director

Headshot not available

Jane Alison Little, MD

Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology

Director, UNC Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease program

Headshot of Kirsten Nyrop

Kirsten Nyrop, PhD

Associate Professor

Headshot of Chassidy Dixon

Chassidy Dixon

Office Manager


Research Equity Lens

Headshot of Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena

Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena, PhD

Oliver Smithies Investigator, Professor and Chair

Headshot of Stephanie Wheeler

Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, MPH

Professor of Health Policy and Management

Associate Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Headshot of Benyam Muluneh

Benyam Muluneh, PharmD

Assistant Professor

Dalia Fleifel headshot

Dalia Fleifel, BS

PhD Candidate, Graduate Research Assistant

Deborah Usinger headshot

Deborah Usinger, BA

Project Manager

Headshot not available

Sara Mitra, MPH, MSW

Research Project Manager


Research Recruitment and Conduct

Headshot of Marjory Charlot

Marjory Charlot, MD, MPH, MSc

Assistant Professor, School of Medicine

Assistant Director, Community Outreach and Engagement

Cherise Glodowski, MPhil

PhD Candidate, Graduate Research Assistant

Eden Zewdie, BS

PhD Candidate, Graduate Research Assistant

Marc Emerson, PhD

Postdoc, Cancer Control Education Program

Headshot not available

Victoria Bae-Jump, MD, PhD

Professor and Fellowship Director, Division of Gyn Oncology

Headshot of Joannie Ivory

Joannie Ivory, MD, MSPH

Hematology/Oncology Fellow

Headshot of Lauren Bates

Lauren Bates, MA, BS (PhD in progress)

PhD Candidate, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Teaching Assistant

Headshot not available

Victoria Xu, BS

Project Manager

Headshot of Hazel Nichols

Hazel Nichols, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology


The Training of Culture

Danny Ellis, PhD, MBA

Community Researcher

Headshot not available

Andrea Walens, PhD

Assistant Director of Collaborative Science

Headshot of Emily Kounlavong

Emily Kounlavong, MD, PhD

Student, Doctor of Medicine

Headshot not available

Julianne O’Daniel, MS, CGC

Clinical Associate Professor & Genetic Counselor

Headshot of Jacob Stein

Jacob Stein, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor, Oncology (sarcoma)

Ana Salas, MPH

Community Outreach Coordinator

Headshot not available

Janine Jones, BSN, MBA

Patient Advocate

Headshot not available

Hilary Lee, BS, MS

Patient Advocate


Previous Cohorts of Council Members

2020-2021 Equity Council Members

The Equity Council was formed as part of Phase 1 to develop DEI recommendations, oversee implementation efforts and provide a mechanism for ongoing accountability.