An Interdisciplinary Team with a Disciplined Focus

We are a team focused on men's health outcomes and the full range of factors that affect men's health.

Derek M. Griffith, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Research on Men's Health

Professor of Medicine, Health, & Society

Email: derek.griffith@vanderbilt.edu

Research Interests: Addressing men's health disparities and improving men's health and well-being.

Gregory (Dan) Ayers, M.S.

Biostatistician

Education/Training:

M.S. in Applied Statistics from Louisiana State University

M.S. in Forestry from Louisiana State University

B.S. in Forestry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Jacquelyn Pennings, Ph.D.

Associate Director of Statistics for Center for Research on Men's Health

Research Assistant Professor of Medicine, Health, & Society

Accredited Professional Statistician™

Education/Training:

Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Texas Christian University

M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Texas Christian University

B.S. in Psychology from Belmont University

Emily Cornish Jaeger, M.P.H.

Project Director

Education/Training:

M.P.H. in Community and Behavioral Health from the University of Iowa;

B.S. in Health Sciences from Drake University

Erin M. Bergner, M.P.H., M.A.

Senior Research Specialist

Education/Training:

Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology at Vanderbilt University;

M.P.H. in Behavioral Sciences from Emory University;

B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Tulane University

Andrea R. Semlow, M.P.H., M.S.

Project Coordinator

Education/Training:

M.P.H. in Community Health from University of North Texas Health Science Center

M.S. in Applied Anthropology from the University of North Texas

B.S. in Biology and Anthropology from Grinnell College

Elizabeth C. Stewart, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education/Training:

B.S in Biology from Fisk University

M.S. in Public Health from Meharry Medical College

Ph.D. in Behavioral Health and Health Education from Florida A & M

Jennifer Ellison, M.A.

Project Coordinator

Education/Training:

M.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach

B.S. in Psychology from Arizona State University

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Career Award Mentees

Nicole Senft, PhD – (AHRQ PROgRESS T32) Center for Clinical Quality and Implementation Research, VUMC

Ebele Umeukeje, MD, MPH – (NIDDK K23), Clinical Medicine Instructor, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, VUMC

Former Junior Faculty Mentees - American Academy of Health Behavior, Research Scholar Program

Ledric Sherman, PhD – Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University

Michael Rovito, PhD – Assistant Professor, Department of Health Professions, University of Central Florida

Former Junior Faculty Mentees - Obesity Health Disparities PRIDE Program, NHLBI R25

Shani K. Collins, PhD, MSW - Assistant Professor of Social Work, Austin Peay State University

Krista Mincey, DrPH, MPH, Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences, Xavier University of Louisiana

Jameta N. Barlow, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Writing, George Washington University

Veronica J. Oates, PhD, RDN, LDN, Associate Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences, Tennessee State University

Jylana L. Sheats-Stuart, PhD, MPH – Manager, Behavior Science at Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions, Inc.

Michelle S. Williams, PhD, MPH, MSPH, CHES - Assistant Professor, John D. Bower School of Population Health,

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Janella Melius, PhD, LCSW - MSW-Core Faculty at Walden University, Barbara Solomon School of Social Work & Human Services

Desmond W. Delk, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education, Langston University

LaToya J. O’Neal, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health and Wellness, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida

Former Undergraduate Students

Mallory Johnson (2016-2017)

Junh Hyan "Joony" Seo (Fall 2018)

Heath Moore (Spring 2018)

Mia Ross (Fall 2018)

Hassan Hassan (Spring 2019)

Patrick Jeon (Spring 2019)

Jeremy Mani (Spring 2018)

Kamala Mullur (Spring 2019)

Loveis Jackson (Spring 2020)

Former Graduate Students

Katie Marrero (2015) – MHS MA Thesis, VU

Meera Nargarsheth (2016) – MHS MA Thesis, VU

Ashley Klein (Summer 2016) – MPH student Middle TN State University

Venus Green (2016-2017) – MHS MA student, VU

Peter Kent-Stoll (2017) – MHS MA Thesis, VU

Chelsea McQueen (2017) – Human & Organizational Development MA Thesis, VU

Ashley White (2017) – PhD program, University of Alabama, Department of Health Science

Titilola A. Ogunsola (2018) – New York Medical College, MD Candidate, '21 (VUMC Vanderbilt Diabetes Center/ Vanderbilt Summer Research Training Program in Diabetes - NIDDK Medical Student Research Program)

Glory Stanton (2018) – Medicine, Health, & Society 4+1 program

Vanderbilt University Faculty Affiliates

Velma McBride Murry, Ph.D.

Lois Autrey Betts Chair in Education and Human Development

Professor, Human and Organizational Development in Peabody College at Vanderbilt University

Hector Myers, Ph.D.

Professor, Medicine, Health and Society and Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Vanderbilt University

Ebony O. McGee, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Education, Diversity, and STEM education, Dept. of Teaching and Learning in Peabody College at Vanderbilt University

Lauren M. Gaydosh, PhD

Assistant Professor, Medicine, Health, & Society and Psychology, Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Faculty Affiliates

Kelvin A. Moses, M.D., PhD.

Assistant Professor, Urologic Surgery in Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Chief of Urology, Urologic Surgeon/Oncologist

Gregory (Dan) Ayers, M.S.

Senior Associate in Biostatistics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Jacquelyn Pennings, PhD

Assistant Research Professor, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation

External Faculty Affiliates

Bettina M. Beech, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.

Associate Provost for Planning and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Houston

Bettina Campbell, M.S.W.

Executive Director, YOUR Center in Flint, Michigan

David O. Garcia, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Univeristy of Arizona

Director, Nosotros Comprometidos A Su Salud

Director, Community Health and Outreach, Center for Health Disparities Research, University of Arizona Health Sciences

Assistant Director of Community Outreach & Engagement, The University of Arizona Cancer Center

Gary G. Bennett, Ph.D.

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Bishop-MacDermott Family Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University

Keith C. Norris, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research University of California Los Angeles

Co-Director UCLA-CTSI Community Engagement & Education Center, University of California Los Angeles

Ken A. Resnicow, Ph.D.

Irwin M. Rosenstock Collegiate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan

Kevin L. Billups, M.D.

Professor, Urology/Internal Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College

Executive Director, Meharry Men's Health Program, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College

Luis A. Valdez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Health Sciences at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Marino A. Bruce, Ph.D, M.S.R.C., M.Div.

Science Director, OHD PRIDE, The Univeristy of Mississippi Medical Center

Natasha Schaefer-Solle, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Assistant Director of Behavioral and Community-Based Research Shared Resource

Robert L. Newton, Jr., Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physical Activity and Ethnic Minority Health in Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University

Roland J. Thorpe, Jr., Ph.D.

Professor, Health, Behavior, and Society in Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University

Director, Program for Research on Men's Health, Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions