CCTST LEADERSHIP & STAFF
CCTST Co-DirectorS
Jessica Kahn, MD, MPH
Director & Rauh Chair, Division of Adolescent & Transition Medicine
Associate Chair, Academic Affairs & Career Development
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: jessica.kahn@cchmc.org
Jareen Meinzen-Derr, PhD, MPH, FACE
Associate Director, Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Co-Director, Faculty Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: jareen.meinzen-derr@cchmc.org
Jeffrey Strawn, MD
Professor and Associate Vice Chair of Research,
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience
University of Cincinnati
Email: jeffrey.strawn@uc.edu
Achala Vagal, MD
Professor, Radiology
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Vice Chair of Research
University of Cincinnati Medical Center
Email: achala.vagal@uc.edu
CCTST Administrative Staff
Sandy Geideman
Coordinator - Program Management
Email: sandra.geideman@cchmc.org
Krista Metz
Program Director
Email: krista.newland@uc.edu
Emma Jones, MA
Communication Specialist
Email: emma.jones2@cchmc.org
Venois Peebles
Program Manager
Email: venois.peebles@uc.edu
Christy Keller, BBA
Program Manager
Email: christina.keller@cchmc.org
Jamie Tharrington
Program Manager
Email: james.tharrington@uc.edu
Mo Kelly
Program Manager
Email: maureen.kelly@uc.edu
Michael Vierling, MBA
CCTST Business Director (CCHMC)
Email: michael.vierling@cchmc.org
Connie Logan
Administrative Assistant
Email: constance.schenk@cchmc.org
Julie Wijesooriya, MPA
Research Community Liaison
Email: julie.wijesooriya@cchmc.org
Trina McFarland
Business Manager (UC)
Email: mcfarlkm@ucmail.uc.edu
Program Directors & Staff
Acute Care Research Council (ACRC)
Lynn Babcock, MD, MS
Co-Director, Acute Care Research Council
Professor, Pediatrics
Emergency Medicine
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: lynn.babcock@cchmc.org
Jason McMullan, MD
Co-Director, Acute Care Research Council
Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Email: jason.mcmullan@uc.edu
Timothy Pritts, MD, PhD
Co-Director, Acute Care Research Council
Division Chief, General Surgery
Vice Chair, Clinical Operations
Professor, Surgery
University of Cincinnati
Email: timothy.pritts@uc.edu
Jamie Tharrington
Program Manager, Acute Care Research Council
Email: jamie.tharrington@uc.edu
Biomedical Informatics (BMI)
Eneida Mendonca, MD, PhD, FAAP, FACMI, FIAHSI
Co-Director, Biomedical Informatics
Director, Division of Biomedical Informatics
Rieveschl Chair of Biomedical Informatics
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: eneida.mendonca@cchmc.org
Umberto Tachinardi, MD
Co-Director, Biomedical Informatics Chief Health Digital Officer,
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine & UC Health
Interim Chair, University of Cincinnati Department of Biomedical Informatics
Associate Dean for Health Informatics & Professor, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Vice-President, UC Health
Email: umberto.tachinardi@uc.edu
Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD)
Nicholas J. Ollberding, PhD
Director, Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Research Design
Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Associate Professor, Pediatrics Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise, & Nutrition University of Cincinnati
Email: nicholas.ollberding@cchmc.org
Center for Improvement Science (CIS)
Jenn Molano, MD, FAAN
Co-Director, Center for Improvement Science
Director, Collaboration & Team Science
Professor, Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Email: jennifer.molano@uc.edu
Headshot of Jackie Knapke
Brittany Rosen, PhD, MEd
Co-Director, Center for Improvement Science
Director, Evaluation
Research Associate Professor, Division of Adolescent and Transition Medicine
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: brittany.rosen@cchmc.org
Taylor Groeschen
Program Management Specialist, Center for Improvement Science
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: taylor.groeschen@cchmc.org
Laura Hildreth
Program Director, Center for Improvement Science
University of Cincinnati
Email: laura.hildreth@uc.edu
Jackie Knapke, PhD
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Email: jackie.knapke@uc.edu
Angela Mendell
Program Manager, Center for Improvement Science
University of Cincinnati
Email: angela.mendell@uc.edu
Community Engagement
Lori Crosby, PsyD
Director of Community Engagement
Co-Director, Innovations in Community Research
Professor, Pediatrics
Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: lori.crosby@cchmc.org
Monica Mitchell, PhD
Co-Director of Community Engagement
Senior Director of Community Relations
Co-Director, Innovations in Community Research
Professor, Pediatrics
Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: monica.mitchell@cchmc.org
Farrah Jacquez, PhD
Co-Director of Community Engagement
Professor & Assistant Head,
Department of Psychology
University of Cincinnati
Email: farrah.jacquez@uc.edu
Stacey Gomes, MS
Senior Program Management Specialist
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: stacey.gomes@cchmc.org
Kendal Lindsey, MS, CHES
Program Management Specialist
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: kendal.lindsey@cchmc.org
Ethics, Regulatory Knowledge and Support
Jane Strasser, PhD
Director, Ethics, Regulatory Knowledge & Support
Sr Associate Vice President for Research
Director, Office of Research Integrity University of Cincinnati
Email: jane.strasser@uc.edu
Holly Bante, PhD, MPH
Co-Director, Ethics, Regulatory Knowledge & Support
Assistant Vice President for the Office of Ethics in Industry Engagement, Office of Research
University of Cincinnati
Email: holly.bante@uc.edu
Richard Ittenbach, PhD
Co-Director, Ethics, Regulatory Knowledge & Support
Professor, Pediatrics Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: richard.ittenbach@cchmc.org
KL2/CT2 Research Scholars Career Development Award
Meg Zeller, PhD
Director, KL2/CT2 Research Scholars Program
Pediatric Psychologist, Research, Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: meg.zeller@cchmc.org
Moises Huaman, MD, MSc.
Associate Director, KL2/CT2 Research Scholars Program
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Email: moises.huaman@uc.edu
Katherine A. Bowers, PhD, MPH
Associate Director of Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: katherine.bowers@cchmc.org
Krista Metz (Newland)
Program Director, KL2/CT2 Research Scholars Program
University of Cincinnati
Email: krista.newland@uc.edu
Jackie Knapke, PhD
Director of Evaluation, KL2/CT2 Research Scholars Program
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine University of Cincinnati
Email: jackie.knapke@uc.edu
Jamilah Hackworth, EdD
Associate Director of Diversity & Vitality
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Email: jamilah.hackworth@cchmc.org
Learning Health Systems to Accelerate Translation and Implementation Optional Module
Michael Seid, PhD
Module PI
Director, Health Outcomes & Quality Care Research, Division of Pulmonary Medicine
Member, James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: michael.seid@cchmc.org
Peter Margolis, MD, PhD
Scientific Advisor
Co-Director, James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: peter.margolis@cchmc.org
Lifespan Data Integration Optional Module
Jareen Meinzen-Derr, PhD
Module Director
Associate Director, Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology Co-Director, Faculty Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: jareen.meinzen-derr@cchmc.org
Shelley Ehrlich, MD
Module Director
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: shelley.ehrlich@cchmc.org
Cole Brokamp, PhD
Collaborating Investigator
Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: cole.brokamp@cchmc.org
Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies (PTC)
James Geller, MD
Co-Director, Pilot Translational & Clinical Studies
Medical Director, Kidney & Liver Tumors Program, Division of Oncology
Professor, Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: james.geller@cchmc.org
Dennis McGraw, MD
Co-Director, Pilot Translational & Clinical Studies
Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Director, Pulmonary Medicine
Cincinnati VA Medical Center
Email: dennis.mcgraw@uc.edu
Venois Peebles
Program Manager
Email: venois.peebles@uc.edu
Schubert Research Clinic (SRC)
Mark Mitsnefes, MD, MS
Medical Director, Schubert Research Clinic
Professor, Nephrology & Hypertension
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: mark.mitsnefes@cchmc.org
Michael Vierling, MBA
Business Director, Schubert Research Clinic
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: michael.vierling@cchmc.org
Translational Workforce Development
Patrick Ryan, PhD, MS
Director, Translational Workforce Development
Professor, Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: patrick.ryan@cchmc.org
Jackie Knapke, PhD
Associate Director, Translational Workforce Development
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine University of Cincinnati
Email: jackie.knapke@uc.edu
Jason Blackard, PhD
Pipeline & Community Outreach
Professor, Internal Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Email: jason.blackard@uc.edu
Jen Veevers, PhD
Grant Development Specialist
University of Cincinnati
Email: lowejr@ucmail.uc.edu
