Our Team
Faculty
Jeroan Allison
Dr. Jeroan Allison currently serves as the Chair for the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences and as the Associate Vice-Provost for Health Disparities Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Initially trained as a primary care physician, Dr. Allison has made an increasing commitment to the emerging field of health equity intervention over the past 10 years. His team has a particular interest in the concept of narrative intervention, or “storytelling” to address health disparities.
Milagros Rosal
Dr. Milagros C. Rosal is Vice Provost for Health Equity at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and a Tenured Professor of Medicine in the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine in the Department of Population and Quantitative Sciences, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Rosal is a clinical psychologist with a 25-year record of uninterrupted funded research. She has expertise in the conceptualization, development and implementation of behavioral interventions, clinical trials and formative qualitative research studies.
Research Team
Germán Chiriboga
Germán Chiriboga is a Program Director at the Population and Quantitative Health Sciences Department. Germán has worked in all aspects of study and intervention development using storytelling as a tool of health communication. In his work with SPRC, he is deeply embedded in creating sustainable and mutually beneficial connections with community partners with the aim of elevating issues connected to social determinants of health. Germán is responsible for the overall operations of SPRC.
Geraldine Puerto
Geraldine Puerto is a Research Coordinator at the Population and Quantitative Health Sciences Department. Geraldine has worked in a variety of studies that include the use of simulation to increase cultural humility, qualitative studies, as well as project management and using online media for health communication. Geraldine manages our online presence and content for SPRC and is a great resource to connect research teams and communities in the virtual space.
Brooke Staples
Brooke Staples is a Research Coordinator and Research Video Specialist at the Population and Quantitative Health Sciences Department. Apart from having experience in coordination of day to day operations of a variety of studies locally and internationally, Brooke manages the pre and post production process of storytelling studies and interventions. Brooke applies her diverse experience at SPRC by connecting research teams and community partners with opportunities for consultation, simulation, or community engagement.
Community Partners
Joanne Calista
Joanne Calista has been the Executive Director of the Center for Health Impact (CHI)-CMAHEC in Worcester, Massachusetts for more than 20 years. Ms. Calista has dedicated her career to address health disparities in community settings and has served as a direct collaborator in many local efforts to increase professionalization of CHW workforce, increase language inclusion, and reduce health disparities around behavioral health, end of life, among many other efforts. The work with CHI has helped SPRC advance its presence in the community and increase language and culturally relevant practices in our work.
Fred Jenoure
Fred Jenoure has been part of SPRC from its inception and has maintained a highly engaged and dynamic Community Advisory Board. Mr. Jenoure has elevated SPRC’s community connections by working across the community and creating strong bridges with community partners serving different groups in the city.
Martha Benitez
Martha Benitez is the Director of Health and Linguistic Equity at the Center for Health Impact (CHI)-CMAHEC in Worcester, Massachusetts. Ms. Benitez brings a wealth of experience working with community organizations across Central Massachusetts. She has been fundamental for SPRC in her work with bringing community organizations and research teams to the table when it comes to building lasting collaborations.