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Community Medicine Research Team



Mark DeHaven, Ph.D.
, Vice Chair & Chief, Community Medicine Division, Family Medicine
Barbara Foster, Ph.D., Biostatistician
Nora Gimpel, M.D., Assistant Professor, Family Medicine- CART Program Director
J.R. Newton, R.N., Senior Research Nurse
Jan Rookstool, Research Associate
Jacob Thurman, M.P.H., Research Study Coordinator
Tikisa Walker, M.S., Research Study Coordinator-CART Program Coordinator


Mark DeHaven, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Vice Chair
Chief, Division of Community Medicine
mark.dehaven@utsouthwestern.edu

DeHaven faculty directory page


Dr. DeHaven has been involved in building community-oriented research and health promotion capacity for more than a decade, and since 1994 he has been developing community-based models for improving the health of vulnerable populations in underserved communities. He is especially active in addressing health disparities through community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiatives, and is principal investigator of “Project Access: Caring for the Uninsured,” a three-year study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. DeHaven is also co-investigator of “Community Leadership in Preventing (CLIP) Asthma,” a two-year study funded by Exxon-Mobil investigating school-based interventions for reducing pediatric asthma episodes. In 2004, he completed a national evaluation study titled “Health Programs in Faith-Based Organizations: Are They Effective?,” and he is a frequent national speaker on issues of faith-health partnerships for reducing chronic disease. Dr. DeHaven is principal investigator and program director of the Community Health Fellowship Program (CHFP) and co-developed the Community Action Research Track (CART) for training medical students in participatory research while improving health outcomes in underserved communities. He is a member of several local and national boards and panels related to reducing chronic disease among the underserved, and is presently a member of the U. S. Secretary of Health’s Expert Panel on Innovations in Prevention. Dr. DeHaven is the author of more than two-dozen peer-reviewed journal articles and over 60 peer-reviewed and invited presentations, devoted to understanding models and research approaches for improving care delivery and health outcomes among those in greatest need.


 
Nora Gimpel, M.D.,
Assistant Professor, Family Medicine-CART Program Director
nora.gimpel@utsouthwestern.edu

Gimpel faculty directory page

Dr. Nora Gimpel is a family physician originally from Argentina with significant experience teaching evidence-based medicine, working with underserved communities, and performing community-based participatory research. Dr. Gimpel is a native Spanish language speaker and is very active in addressing minority health issues in underserved communities.

She teaches community-based research principles, health promotion and prevention and is interested in Global Health. Dr Gimpel participates developing the interface between the CART and the community, especially through the Community Service Core and activities related to the Alternative Community Medicine Research Training Experiences.



Barbara Foster, Ph.D.
Biostatistician
barbara.foster@utsouthwestern.edu

Dr. Foster is a biostatistician with over 20 years experience participating in the full range of research studies undertaken at an academic health center. She has experience with database development related to data analysis, providing support for peer-reviewed presentations and publications, and providing technical guidance for all matters related to statistical analysis.


J.R. Newton, R.N.
Senior Research Nurse
johnrice.newton@utsouthwestern.edu

Ms. Newton is originally from Lubbock, Texas and moved to the Dallas area in 1992. She has over 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and working in the community as a Parish Nurse and Health Promoter. She is currently the program coordinator for the GoodNEWS Program, which is a lifestyle enhancement program developed to be an effective tool for changing the health of church congregations. Ms. Newton also serves as an active member of the DFW Faith and Health Collaborative. She is currently the chair of the Health Task Force for the South Dallas Action Coalition and the founder and program coordinator of the Youth Expecting Success (YES!) program for teens ages 13 to 19.



Jan Rookstool
Research Associate
janice.rookstool@utsouthwestern.edu

Mrs. Rookstool is currently the Research Associate in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Mrs. Rookstool started working in the department in 1999 as a Research Assistant II where she assisted the Vice-Chair, faculty, and residents with research and scholarly activity. Currently Mrs. Rookstool supervises all research staff and manages staff needs in regards to hiring, training, salary, work performance, and evaluations. In addition to her various departmental activities, Jan coordinates department research needs and communication with other university departments. She also supports the Division Head of Research with group development, financial planning and team communication.




Jacob Thurman, M.P.H.
Research Study Coordinator
jacob.thurman@utsouthwestern.edu

Jacob has an undergraduate degree in the biological sciences from the University of Oklahoma. He received a Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City. He previously worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at OUHSC’s College of Public Health. He has been working with the department as a Research Study Coordinator since December 2005. Jacob works with a number of projects, including but not limited to, Project Access Clinical Indicators, the ALLIFE Study and as the IRB Coordinator.


Tikisa Walker, M.S.
Research Study Coordinator-CART Program Coordinator
tikisa.walker@utsouthwestern.edu

Ms. Walker is a Research Study Coordinator in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and works primarily with the Community Action Research Track (CART) as the program coordinator. Ms. Walker has a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and a Masters of Science degree in Health Science from Ball State University. She has experience and training to assess, plan, develop, implement, evaluate, and manage various health education and promotion programs. In addition, she has experience with the coordination of health fairs, facilitating smoking cessation classes, performing Blood-borne Pathogens and Standard Precautions training, performing alcohol assessments, and planning and implementing health marketing programs.