Leadership

Center Director: Rosanna Barrett, DrPH, MPH provides leadership and oversight for the strategic direction and implementation of the Center activities, including community-based participatory research projects, development of community partnerships and implementation of health promotion and disease prevention initiatives. The Center Director manages the annual objective to secure, manage, and expand efforts to secure grants/contracts to support the MSM PRC infrastructure. She works with the Center PI, staff, affiliated faculty, and community partners in the implementation and evaluation of all mission aligned approaches for the Center’s research and infrastructure. The Center Director facilitates community-engaged research and implementation practices to amplify expansion of the Center’s portfolio and mission. She contributes to the training and mentorship of community-based researchers and public health practitioners.

Deputy Director: Kimberly E. Davis, Ph.D. oversees the administrative and programmatic operations for the Prevention Research Center. Dr. Davis is responsible for assisting the PRC in setting policies, defining research programs, and developing strategies to achieve program objectives and goals under the direction of the principal investigator and center director. She represents the PRC on the National Communications Committee, collaborating across institutions and with community partners. She also provides oversight in the communication and dissemination with effective, culturally appropriate health information and research.

Assistant Director, Evaluation and Institutional Assessment: Supriya Reddy, Ph.D. MPH oversees the overall evaluation of the Center. She sets the strategic evaluation direction of the Center in conjunction with CCB members and the Center’s Senior Leadership. She leads evaluation plan development and implementation efforts, creates data collection surveys, provides relevant evaluation trainings and supports data collection, reporting and dissemination efforts with other assigned faculty and staff. She also collaborates with the Center PI/PD to lead strategic participatory evaluation partnerships, grants and contracts with internal (MSM) and external collaborators.

Director, Community Engagement: Charity Starr Mitchell, DMin MDiv, LMSW engages in the Center and Core Research strategies designed to sustain, strengthen and develop community partnerships (existing relationships established through the Center through prioritized ties to its partner communities and new partnerships central to implementation science approaches in collaboration with translation partners) aligned with the Centers Aims and priorities. She collaborates with the Center Director, Associate Director, Program Manager, Community Health Workers and the CCB in team-based approaches designed in response. She collaborates with the Center PI/PD and Core Research PI to scale partnerships with governmental and non-profit organizations in approaches that promote the roles, engagement and integration of community health workers in prevention and implementation science approaches.

Project Take Charge, Principal Investigator: Rhonda Conerly Holliday, Ph.D. provides leadership for the Core Research Project, Project Take Charge. Dr. Holliday is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Project Take Charge, including the strategic direction of the project, engaging and maintaining collaborative relationships among academic institutions and community partners, and ensuring project objectives are achieved. Dr. Holliday is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Community Health and Preventive Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.  

Associate Director, Extramural Partnerships and Programs: Rakale C. Quarells, PhD supports and provides oversight and guidance of extramural research partnerships and programs of the Prevention Research Center in collaboration with the Center’s leadership and affiliated faculty and staff. She ensures center-wide research partnerships and funding are efficiently aligned, monitored, and linked to the action plans, vision, and mission of the Center. She supports and/or contributes to strategic community-partnered grant submissions, research projects, and dissemination affiliated with the Center.

Program Manager: Leah Beavers, MPH manages and implements the day-to-day tasks for the Prevention Research Center (PRC). She manages the team under the leadership of the Deputy Director towards ensuring all deliverables of this initiative are achieved. She provides day to day leadership in planning, implementation and assessment associated with the MSM PRC Translation Plan and related action plan in collaboration the community coalition board and translation partners under the leadership of the Deputy Director, PI and Core Research PI. She regularly collaborates with the Deputy Director and all Associated Directors central to the Center infrastructure.

Administrative Assistant: Crystal Brown-Helem provides senior administrative support for the Center and supervises all administrative staff. She serves as the grant liaison with other institutional departments and ensures PRC grant adherence and compliance with federal and institutional funding.