preventGEN committee

Elisabeth Clymer Hockersmith is a returning preventGEN member. She is a student at the University of Texas School of Public Health and is pursuing her master’s degree in health promotion and education.

Valeria Copello is a research assistant at the Miami VA Healthcare System and a cancer biology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Suzanne Hafiz, MPH, CHES, is a returning preventGEN member. She is a PN2-certified precision nutrition coach, as well as a health education and promotion assistant at Benedictine University.

Sonya Jampel is an advocate for efficient, affordable and just medical coverage of prescriptions and durable medical equipment for patients predominately on Medicaid and Medicare.

Monica Kasting, Ph.D., is a behavioral epidemiologist and postdoctoral fellow focused on behavioral oncology. She works as an assistant professor at Purdue University.

Joan Malcolm, Ph.D., serves as the director of external affairs at GRAIL, a health care diagnostic startup. She is pursuing her MBA at the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business.

Gabriela Morales, Ph.D., CCHW, is a returning preventGEN member. She is an assistant professor at New Mexico State University and an adjunct professor at Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana. Her focus is on the importance of communication in health care and the representation of minority populations in empirical data.

Mary Nicholas, Ph.D., PMP, is a program director at Cancer Pathways in Seattle, Washington.

Elisa Salazar is a returning preventGEN member. She is an account director at a digital agency in New York City. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018 and is an advocate in the young adult cancer community.

Megan Sappenfield is a donor relations manager at Foundation Communities, a social services organization in Austin, Texas.

Jane Smith, MPH, is a project coordinator at the American Cancer Society. Her focus is to reduce geographic disparities in HPV vaccination rates in rural states of the Rocky Mountain region.

Erin Steigleder is the education manager at the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation and the board chair for the Cancer Action Coalition of Virginia.

Alicia Storkamp is a returning preventGEN member. She works as a professional singer in the Twin Cities and is a weekly host at Children’s Minnesota. After becoming inspired to live a healthier lifestyle, Alicia has been passionate about educating and inspiring others to prioritize their health.

Kelly Thomas, Ph.D., is a returning preventGEN member. She has 10 years of experience as a clinical and investigative cancer researcher. Recently, she created Cultivated Curiosity, which is focused on improving wellness to prevent chronic disease.

Irina Usherenko, MPH, is the senior program manager at Seattle Genetics, a global biotechnology company. She is a dynamic global health project leader, bringing over a decade of experience in medical research and program management.

Vanessa Uzoh, MS, CHES, is a returning preventGEN member. She recently received a master’s degree in health promotion management and has experience in public health, community health promotion and clinical research in minority populations for breast and cervical cancer.