Morehouse School of Medicine

Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC) Institution

Similar to the grants awarded to the FIRST Cohort institutions, funding for the FIRST CEC institution is provided by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund. Morehouse School of Medicine is honored to have been selected as the FIRST CEC institution. As the FIRST CEC, Morehouse School of Medicine collaborates with FIRST Cohort institutions to identify and harmonize a set of common data elements to be used by each institution to facilitate an objective evaluation of the FIRST program goals.

FIRST CEC Leadership

The overall objective of the FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC) at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation grounded in realist evaluation theory, by collaborating with FIRST Cohort awardees to iteratively assess the impact of key institutional culture change strategies and other innovative approaches implemented at FIRST Cohort sites to promote inclusive excellence.

The FIRST CEC Investigators collectively have over 100 years of national consortia management, research and mentoring collaboration with expertise in Coordination and Management of large research networks, Data Management, Evaluation, Dissemination and Communication, including experience leading the Research Centers at Minority Institutions (RCMI) Coordinating Center (CC); the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN); the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (Georgia CTSA); the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) and Cancer partnerships (PACHE). These assets and the team’s expertise uniquely position MSM to lead the FIRST CEC.

Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Contact Principal Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Brian Rivers, Ph.D., MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Multi-Principal Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Alexander Quarshie, MD, MS

Morehouse School of Medicine

Director of Informatics/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Mohamed Mubasher, Ph.D., MA

Morehouse School of Medicine

Senior Biostatistician/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Muhammed Idris, Ph.D.

Morehouse School of Medicine

Data Scientist/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Daniel Sarpong, Ph.D.

Yale University

Lead Evaluator/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Yulia Strekalova, Ph.D., MBA

University of Florida Gainesville

Co-Lead Evaluator/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Douglas Landsittel, Ph.D.

Indiana University

Data Management/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Maritza Salazar Campo, Ph.D.

University of California Irvine

Organizational Learning/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Linda Pololi, MBBS

Brandeis University

Lead, C-Change Faculty Survey/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Tay McNamara, Ph.D.

Brandeis University

C-Change Faculty Survey/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Mohamad Malouhi

Jackson State University

Senior Software Engineer

Kimberly Lawson, MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Project Director, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Geannene Trevillion, CRA

Morehouse School of Medicine

Director of Budget/Finance,
FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Megan Carter, MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Research Assistant,
FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Grantee Principal Investigators

The NIH FIRST Program aims to transform culture at NIH-funded extramural institutions by implementing a cohort faculty recruitment model and by building a self-reinforcing community of scientists committed to diversity and inclusive excellence (IE). Implementing and sustaining cultures of inclusive excellence within the program has the potential to be transformational for biomedical research at the awardee institutions and beyond.

This community will be built through recruitment of a diverse group of early-career faculty who are competitive for an advertised research tenure-track or equivalent faculty position and who have demonstrated strong commitment to promoting diversity and inclusive excellence.

Avery August, Ph.D.

Cornell University

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator

Ana Diez Roux, MD, Ph.D., MPH

Drexel University

Contact Principal Investigator, FIRST MPI/Member – Administrative Core

Frank (“Frankie”) Y. Wong, Ph.D.

Florida State University

Contact Principal Investigator, Overall – Administrative Core

Emma K. T. Benn, DrPH, MPH

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Contact Principal Investigator, Principal Investigator – Administrative Core

María Luisa (“Mari”) Zúñiga, Ph.D.

San Diego State University

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator – Administrative Core, Director – Faculty Development Core

Angela Liese, Ph.D.

University of South Carolina

Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

Clayton Yates, Ph.D.

University of Alabama at Birmingham and Tuskegee University

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator

Coretta Jenerette, Ph.D.

University of South Carolina

Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

Jane Ellen Smith, Ph.D.

University of New Mexico

Co-Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

JoAnn Trejo, Ph.D., MBA

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator (MPI) Co-lead, Administrative Core and Faculty Development Core

Elena Martinez, Ph.D.

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator(MPI), Co-lead–Administrative Core

James B. Kaper, Ph.D.

University of Maryland School of Medicine / University of Maryland Baltimore County

Multiple Principal Investigator, Contact PI

William R. LaCourse, Ph.D.

University of Maryland School of Medicine / University of Maryland Baltimore County

Multiple Principal Investigator

Eric Perreault, Ph.D.

Northwestern University

Clyde Yancy, MD, MSc

Northwestern University

Melissa Simon, MD, MPH

Northwestern University

Irene Salinas, Ph.D.

University of New Mexico

Project Lead, Faculty Development Core; Co-Project Lead, Administrative Core

Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Contact Principal Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Brian Rivers, Ph.D., MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Multi-Principal Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Alexander Quarshie, MD, MS

Morehouse School of Medicine

Director of Informatics/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Mohamed Mubasher, Ph.D., MA

Morehouse School of Medicine

Senior Biostatistician/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Muhammed Idris, Ph.D.

Morehouse School of Medicine

Data Scientist/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Daniel Sarpong, Ph.D.

Yale University

Lead Evaluator/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Yulia Strekalova, Ph.D., MBA

University of Florida Gainesville

Co-Lead Evaluator/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Douglas Landsittel, Ph.D.

Indiana University

Data Management/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Maritza Salazar Campo, Ph.D.

University of California Irvine

Organizational Learning/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Linda Pololi, MBBS

Brandeis University

Lead, C-Change Faculty Survey/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Tay McNamara, Ph.D.

Brandeis University

C-Change Faculty Survey/Co-Investigator, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Mohamad Malouhi

Jackson State University

Senior Software Engineer

Kimberly Lawson, MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Project Director, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Geannene Trevillion, CRA

Morehouse School of Medicine

Director of Budget/Finance, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Megan Carter, MPH

Morehouse School of Medicine

Research Assistant, FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Avery August, Ph.D.

Cornell University

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator

Ana Diez Roux, MD, Ph.D., MPH

Drexel University

Contact Principal Investigator, FIRST MPI/Member – Administrative Core

Frank (“Frankie”) Y. Wong, Ph.D.

Florida State University

Contact Principal Investigator, Overall – Administrative Core

Emma K. T. Benn, DrPH, MPH

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Contact Principal Investigator, Principal Investigator – Administrative Core

María Luisa (“Mari”) Zúñiga, Ph.D.

San Diego State University

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator – Administrative Core, Director – Faculty Development Core

Angela Liese, Ph.D.

University of South Carolina

Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

Clayton Yates, Ph.D.

University of Alabama at Birmingham and Tuskegee University

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator

Coretta Jenerette, Ph.D.

University of South Carolina

Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

Jane Ellen Smith, Ph.D.

University of New Mexico

Co-Principal Investigator, Administrative Core

JoAnn Trejo, Ph.D., MBA

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator (MPI) Co-lead, Administrative Core and Faculty Development Core

Elena Martinez, Ph.D.

University of California, San Diego

Principal Investigator(MPI), Co-lead–Administrative Core

James B. Kaper, Ph.D.

University of Maryland School of Medicine / University of Maryland Baltimore County

Director of Budget/Finance,
FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center

Research Assistant,
FIRST Coordination and Evaluation Center