STEPHEN E. LANKENAU, PHD | Principal Investigator
Drexel University
Steve is a professor in the Department of Community Health and Prevention at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health. He is responsible for the overall scientific direction of the study including protection of human subjects. A sociologist by training, Steve has been conducting studies on substance use and misuse for the past 20 years.
CAROLYN F. WONG, PHD | CHLA Site Principal Investigator
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA); Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Carolyn is a health psychologist and research methodologist who has devoted most of her research career to understand social and developmental risk and protective factors that lead to differing health outcomes for vulnerable adolescents and young adults and to translate this work to inform ways to reduce health disparities, increase access to care, and improve programs, treatments, clinical practice, and interventions. Carolyn works closely with Steve (PI), and the CHLA and Drexel study team by providing oversight and leadership in all aspects of data collection and research-related activities. Carolyn is currently an Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine and is based in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA); Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Carolyn is a health psychologist and research methodologist who has devoted most of her research career to understand social and developmental risk and protective factors that lead to differing health outcomes for vulnerable adolescents and young adults and to translate this work to inform ways to reduce health disparities, increase access to care, and improve programs, treatments, clinical practice, and interventions. Carolyn works closely with Steve (PI), and the CHLA and Drexel study team by providing oversight and leadership in all aspects of data collection and research-related activities. Carolyn is currently an Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine and is based in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
BRIDGID M. CONN, PHD | Co-Investigator
Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Bridgid is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Southern California and a board-certified child and adolescent psychologist (CA PSY27641) in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine (DAYAM) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Her research focuses on addressing suicidality, self-injurious behavior, substance use, and other health risk behaviors among historically marginalized and minoritized communities of adolescents and young adults. Her dedication lies in understanding the myriad factors (individual, familial, social, and systemic) that contribute to health disparities and further exploring how minority stress, discrimination, and trauma influence health behaviors and outcomes for ethnic/racial, sexual, and gender minority youth.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Bridgid is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Southern California and a board-certified child and adolescent psychologist (CA PSY27641) in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine (DAYAM) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Her research focuses on addressing suicidality, self-injurious behavior, substance use, and other health risk behaviors among historically marginalized and minoritized communities of adolescents and young adults. Her dedication lies in understanding the myriad factors (individual, familial, social, and systemic) that contribute to health disparities and further exploring how minority stress, discrimination, and trauma influence health behaviors and outcomes for ethnic/racial, sexual, and gender minority youth.
ELLEN IVERSON, MPH | Co-Investigator
Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Ellen Iverson is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine and is based in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. For more than 25 years, Ms. Iverson has designed and conducted mixed-method research focusing on individual, familial, social, and structural issues that have an impact on health outcomes and healthcare utilization.
ELLEN IVERSON, MPH | Co-Investigator
Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Ellen Iverson is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine and is based in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. For more than 25 years, Ms. Iverson has designed and conducted mixed-method research focusing on individual, familial, social, and structural issues that have an impact on health outcomes and healthcare utilization.
EKATERINA (KATYA) FEDOROVA, DRPH | Senior Research Scientist
Drexel University
Katya is a Senior Research Scientist at the Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University. She has been doing clinical and research work in the field of substance use over the last 15 years. For this project, she is involved in tracking of study participants through short follow-up surveys, data analysis and manuscript development for peer-reviewed journals looking primarily at the relationships between medical cannabis use and other substance use within a context of developmental changes, major life and historic events.
JANNA ATAIANTS, DRPH | Senior Research Scientist
Drexel University
Janna is a Senior Research Scientist in the Community Health and Prevention Department of Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health. She's been involved in the analysis of health data for the CHAYA project. Janna has more than 15 years of experience in the field of substance misuse as a grant maker, harm reduction advocate, and researcher.
MEAGAN SUEN, MA | Research Coordinator
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Meagan is responsible for overseeing all study-related logistics. Some of the many hats she wears include: providing administrative support, keeping track of study progress and status reporting, data management, and corresponding with community members to gain feedback to enhance productivity of the CHAYA study. She has 7 years of research experience focused primarily on cognitive aging, chronic pain, and geriatric neuropsychology.
ALISHA OSORNIO, MA | Field Interviewer
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Alisha is a Research Associate ll on the project where she is primarily responsible for tracking participation and conducting qualitative and quantitative interviews. She has a Master's in Psychological Research and has an extensive background in both academia and clinical trial settings. She has experience working with various populations, such as children, domestic violence survivors, adults diagnosed with psychological disorders, and Hispanic/Latino communities. Her interests include stress and coping, preventative medicine, and health disparities.
ALISHA OSORNIO, MA | Field Interviewer
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Alisha is a Research Associate ll on the project where she is primarily responsible for tracking participation and conducting qualitative and quantitative interviews. She has a Master's in Psychological Research and has an extensive background in both academia and clinical trial settings. She has experience working with various populations, such as children, domestic violence survivors, adults diagnosed with psychological disorders, and Hispanic/Latino communities. Her interests include stress and coping, preventative medicine, and health disparities.
SUSIE (SOOJIN) LEE, MPH | Field Interviewer
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Susie Soojin Lee is a Research Associate II in the study and is responsible for tracking participants and conducting qualitative and quantitative interviews. Susie has a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in population and family health and a specialty in child, youth, and family health. She has experience working with underprivileged, minority populations, such as American Indian and Alaskan Native people and families/children in foster care, on various qualitative research projects. Her main interests lie in studying how health behaviors and trauma in childhood/adolescence effects individuals during adulthood.
SUSIE (SOOJIN) LEE, MPH | Field Interviewer
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Susie Soojin Lee is a Research Associate II in the study and is responsible for tracking participants and conducting qualitative and quantitative interviews. Susie has a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in population and family health and a specialty in child, youth, and family health. She has experience working with underprivileged, minority populations, such as American Indian and Alaskan Native people and families/children in foster care, on various qualitative research projects. Her main interests lie in studying how health behaviors and trauma in childhood/adolescence effects individuals during adulthood.