Promoting Health, Safety and Equity
Team Members
Ju Nyeong Park, PhD, MHS: Principal Investigator
Ju Nyeong Park, PhD, MHS: Principal Investigator
Ju Nyeong Park, PhD, MHS: Principal Investigator
Dr. Ju Nyeong Park (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology (Research) at Brown University and faculty at the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) on Opioids and Overdose. Dr. Park's research focuses on promoting the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs through harm reduction. She leads and collaborates on several projects in Rhode Island and Maryland. Dr. Park earned her Ph.D. and MHS in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University and B.Sc. from the University of Sydney. Dr. Park can be reached directly at ju_park@brown.edu
Erin Thompson, MPH: Project Coordinator
Ju Nyeong Park, PhD, MHS: Principal Investigator
Ju Nyeong Park, PhD, MHS: Principal Investigator
Erin Thompson (she/her) is the Project Coordinator at the Harm Reduction Innovation Lab where she manages daily operation and logistics. Erin recently earned her M.P.H. from the University of New England. Being a native Rhode Islander, she is determined to use her degree to positively impact the community around her through her work with the lab. Her interests include health policy, the intersection between socioeconomic status and health, and the effect of privilege and oppression on individual health. Erin can be reached directly at ethompson1@lifespan.org
Jessie Tardif, BA: Research Assistant
Ju Nyeong Park, PhD, MHS: Principal Investigator
Jessie Tardif, BA: Research Assistant
Jessie Tardif (she/her) is a research assistant who works on mixed-methods research at HRIL. She is currently most involved in leading the DISCS media analysis and being an interviewer for DISCS in depth interviews. She graduated from Clark University with a B.A. in Sociology, with a concentration in Ethics and Public Policy. Her focus lies in the social determinants of health, and she plans to continue a career in public health and public policy in the future. Jessie can be reached directly at jtardif1@lifespan.org
Johnny Bird, BA: Medical Student
Christina Vasquez, BSc: Medical Student
Jessie Tardif, BA: Research Assistant
Johnny Bird (he/him) is a medical student at Brown University. He is passionate about eliminating barriers to life-saving harm reduction strategies. His research is focused on implementation of drug checking programs in countries throughout the Americas.
Christina Vasquez, BSc: Medical Student
Christina Vasquez, BSc: Medical Student
Christina Vasquez, BSc: Medical Student
Christina Vasquez (she/her) is a medical student at the Warren Alpert Medical School and earned a B.Sc. with honors from Brown University. She is interested in research, advocacy, and public policy that will reduce health disparities. Christina is currently assisting with efforts to pilot overdose detection technology in Rhode Island.
Kate Dowling, BA: MPH Student
Christina Vasquez, BSc: Medical Student
Christina Vasquez, BSc: Medical Student
Kate Dowling (she/her) is an MPH student at Brown University's School of Public Health and earned a B.A. in public health from Brown as an undergrad. Her previous research has focused on barriers to and facilitators of the use of safe consumption sites in the United States. She is interested in health policy and substance use, and is studying Health Services for her MPH. At HRIL, Kate is working with Dr. Park on a thesis using data from the DISCS study media analysis to look at stakeholder opinions on safe consumption sites. She is excited to work with them on other research projects as well.
Collaborators
Javier Cepeda, PhD, MPH
Javier Cepeda, PhD, MPH
Javier Cepeda, PhD, MPH
Dr. Javier Cepeda is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on characterizing the intersecting epidemics of substance use, infectious disease, and justice involvement, and specializes in economic evaluation. His current work involves application of methods drawn from epidemiology, prevention science, mathematical modeling, and economic evaluation, using data from studies based in the United States, Mexico, and Kyrgyzstan.
Traci Green, PhD, MSc
Javier Cepeda, PhD, MPH
Javier Cepeda, PhD, MPH
Dr. Traci Green is a Professor of Social Policy and Management and epidemiologist whose research focuses on drug use, opioid use disorder, and drug-related injury. She is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University where she co-directs the COBRE on Opioids and Overdose at Rhode Island Hospital. Dr. Green also serves as an advisor to the Rhode Island Governor on addiction and overdose, and consults for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas on public health and public safety opportunities.
Brandon Marshall, PhD
Javier Cepeda, PhD, MPH
Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Dr. Brandon Marshall is a Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health, and the Founding Director of the People, Place & Health Collective (PPHC) at Brown University. His work focuses on substance use epidemiology, harm reduction research, and the social, environmental, and structural determinants of health of drug-using populations. His team conducts research that aims to improve the health and well-being of people who use drugs.
Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Dr. Brandon del Pozo is an Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Medicine at Brown University and conducts NIH-funded research at the intersection of public health, public safety, and justice. Prior to research, he served as a police officer for 23 years. Nineteen were spent in the New York City Police Department, where he went on to command two patrol precincts. He also spent four years as Chief of Police of Burlington, Vermont, where he directed the city's interdisciplinary response to the opioid crisis. His efforts were associated with a substantial and sustained reduction in opioid overdose deaths.
Greg Rosen, PhD, MSPH
Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Saba Rouhani, PhD, MSc
Dr. Greg Rosen is an Assistant Scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Working at the intersection of HIV and substance use, Greg uses mixed methods and implementation science frameworks to optimize delivery of health services to marginalized populations worldwide, with a focus on people who sell sex and/or use drugs.
Saba Rouhani, PhD, MSc
Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Saba Rouhani, PhD, MSc
Dr. Saba Rouhani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and core faculty member at NYU's Center for Anti-racism, Social Justice, and Public Health. Her research is situated at the intersection of the contemporary overdose and policing crises, with a particular focus on examining impacts of changing drug laws and enforcement practices on health equity and racial justice.
undergraduate students
Claire Kim: Undergrad Student
Alison Lu: Undergrad Student
Claire Kim: Undergrad Student
Claire Kim (she/her) is a rising junior at Brown University concentrating in Neuroscience. As an intern at HRIL, she assists in research and data analysis under the guidance of her peers and mentors. She hopes to extend her scope of research into the field of public health to become a better advocate for the well-being of community.
Alexa Lombardi: Undergrad Student
Alison Lu: Undergrad Student
Claire Kim: Undergrad Student
Alexa Lombardi (she/her) is a rising junior at Boston College, studying Biology with minors in Global Public Health and the Common Good & Educational Leadership in Higher Education and Community Settings. Interested in substance use disorders & harm reduction interventions, Alexa aims to further her knowledge in public health. She intends to use her experience with HRIL to better represent the needs of her community in medical school and beyond.
Alison Lu: Undergrad Student
Alison Lu: Undergrad Student
Alison Lu: Undergrad Student
Alison Lu (she/her) is a rising junior at Brown University concentrating in
Public Health, as well as a certificate in Engaged Scholarship. Her research interests are in studying substance use disorders, including alcohol addiction and opioid overdoses, as well as harm reduction interventions to help those afflicted with addiction. Alison Lu received Brown University's Yat K. Tow Prize for in 2023 for her outstanding commitment to serving the community.
Orly Richter: Undergrad Student
Orly Richter: Undergrad Student
Alison Lu: Undergrad Student
Orly Richter (she/her) is a rising junior at Brown University in the 5-year Undergraduate/M.P.H. program concentrating in Public Health. Her research interests lie in health equity and community engagement in public health.
Jocelyn Yang: Undergrad Student
Orly Richter: Undergrad Student
Jocelyn Yang: Undergrad Student
Jocelyn Yang (she/her) is a junior at Brown University concentrating in Public Health. She is interested in health equity and access, the psychosocial impacts of drug use and harm reduction interventions, and how law and policy affect the health of people who use drugs. Utilizing her experience at HRIL, Jocelyn hopes to be a better advocate for the health and wellness of marginalized communities and to use what she learns here at medical school and beyond.