Meet SPH’s 2025 APHA Presenters and Awardees

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SPH is proud to be leading 41 presentations, panels, discussions, and awards at the nation's preeminent public health conference

Read our guide below to learn more about the 41 presentations, panels, and awards that will be led by School of Public Health faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Learn more about the American Public Health Association (APHA) conference here. Can't make the conference? Be sure to follow our social media channels for a behind the scenes look SPH's presentations.

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Jocelyn Faydenko Headshot

Assessing the Effect of Group Antenatal Care on Health-Promoting Behaviors in Malawi

Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Session: 2033 | Board 5

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Jocelyn Faydenko, DC, ND, MS ‘25  |  Alumni
Kayla T. Moore Headshot

Immortal Like Her: Unveiling the Legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the Enduring Impact of Historical and Systemic Barriers in Healthcare and Research in Chicagoland Communities

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Session: 1058

Location: Marriott Marquis – Marquis Salon 3

Kayla T. Moore, MPH ‘19  |  PhD Candidate, Community Health Sciences
Ayesha Akhtar Headshot

Intervention: Reducing Epilepsy-related emergency department visits on the South Side of Chicago

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Session: 2109.0 | Board 2

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Ayesha Akhtar, MPH ‘10  |  Adjunct Faculty
Hannah Bergman Headshot

Child opportunity and youth suicide risk in the U.S.: A county-level analysis

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Session: 2132.0 | Board 1

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Hannah Bergman, MPH  |  PhD Candidate, Community Health Sciences, and Research Assistant, IHRP
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Synthetic Food Dyes, Artificial Sweeteners and the Law: How states are taking action

Time: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Session: 2169.0

Location: WCC – 144C

Rebecca Schermbeck, MPH, MS, RD  |  Research Specialist, IHRP
Tooka Zokaie Headshot

Truth Decay and Tooth Decay – New Challenges to Community Water Fluoridation (Moderator) 

Time: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Session: 2187

Location: Marriott Marquis – Marquis Salon 4

Tooka Zokaie, MPH, MAS, CPH  |  DrPH Candidate
Alfreda Halloway headshot

Understanding the Data Reliability of Two Data Sources for the Opioid Overdose Death Records in Cook County, IL

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Session: 2208.0 | Board 4

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Alfreda Holloway, PhD ‘14, MS ‘07  |  Adjunct Assistant Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Halli Watts-Rich headshot

Area Level Deprivation and Opioid Overdose Deaths in Chicago

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Session: 2208.0 | Board 5

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Halli Watts-Rich, MPH ‘25  |  Research Assistant, Population Health Analytics, Metrics, and Evaluation Center
Karriem Watson headshot

Stronger Smiles for a Better Tomorrow: Working Alongside Communities to Embolden the Oral Health Workforce (Moderator)

Time: 8:30 AM -10:00 AM

Session: 3009.0

Location: Marriott Marquis – George Washington University

Karriem Watson, DHSc, MS, MPH’10  |  Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Mile Square Health Center
Sue Etminan Headshot

Mile Square Health Center Dental Assistant Certification Program: Expanding Access to Community-Based Oral Health Professionals

Time: 8:30 AM -10:00 AM

Session: 3009.0

Location: Marriott Marquis – George Washington University

Sue Etminan, DMD, MPH’13  |  Alumni
Ayesha Akhtar headshot

Bridging health equity, human rights, and disability justice: a roundtable approach to advancing equitable epilepsy care

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 3036.0

Location: Marriott Marquis – Liberty Ballroom J

Ayesha Akhtar, MPH ‘10  |  Adjunct Faculty
Jamie Chriqui headshot

Developing policy rating systems for evaluating the impacts of law on chronic disease outcomes

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 3041.0

Location: Marriott Marquis – Silver Linden

Jamie Chriqui, PhD, MHS  |  Senior Associate Dean, Professor, Health Policy and Administration
Sarah Lomahan headshot

Associations between stressors, coping strategies, and mental health difficulties among Latina adults

Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Session: 3069.0 | Board 1

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Sarah Lomahan, MPH ‘21, BA ‘15  |  PhD Candidate, Epidemiology
Emily Suter headshot

Health in All Policies in Practice: Insights from a Multi-Case Study of U.S. Local Governments

Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Session: 3074.0 | Board 5

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Emily Suter, DrPH ‘25, MPH, MSP  |  Alumni
Caitlin Meyer headshot

Examining the relationship between experience and competency scores among non-manager and manager public health professionals

Time: 12:30 PM -1:30 PM

Session: 3168.0 | Board 5

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Caitlin Meyer, MPH  |  PhD Candidate, Community Health Sciences
Charlene Cariou headshot

Strengthening Family Bonds to Curb Teen Vaping: Insights from the Positive Partnerships Program

Time: 12:30 PM -1:30 PM

Session: 3172.0 | Board 7

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Charlene Cariou, MHS, CPH, CHES  |  DrPH Candidate
Danielle Westnedge headshot

Assessing Fish Consumption Among High-Risk Lake Michigan Angler Communities

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Session: 3223.1 | Board 6

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Danielle Westnedge, MPH ‘24, MBA ‘24  |  Alumni
Mackenzie A. Ferguson headshot

Employing Cancer Health Disparities Research Training to Advance Health Equity & Justice

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Session: 3228.0 | Board 6

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Mackenzie A. Ferguson, MPH ‘23  |  Alumni
Helen Margellos-Anast headshot

Facilitators and barriers of community health worker (CHW) adoption, integration and sustainability within healthcare and community based organizations serving Chicago’s Lawndale community

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Session: 3258.0

Location: WCC – 150B

Helen Margellos-Anast, DrPH ‘25, MPH  |  Alumni
Elizabeth Piekarz-Porter headshot

Empowering all kids: State laws that encourage physical activity for children with disabilities through adapted physical education

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Session: 3275.0 | Table 5

Location: WCC – 151A

Elizabeth Piekarz-Porter, JD  |  Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Administration
Karen Mancera-Cuevas headshot

Judith R. Miller Award (Public Health Education and Health Promotion)

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: WCC – East Salon C

Karen Mancera-Cuevas, DrPH, MS, MPH ‘15, CHES  |  Alumni
W. Howard McAlister headshot

Vision Care Section Distinguished Service Award

Time: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

Location: Marriott Marquis – Chinatown

W. Howard McAlister, OD, MPH’82  |  Alumni
Kelechi Ibe-Lamberts headshot

Navigating Care Across Borders: Understanding Dementia Care Among Nigerian Immigrant Caregivers in the U.S.

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 4012.0 | Table 1

Location: Marriott Marquis – Independence Ballroom D

Kelechi Ibe-Lamberts, PhD, MCHES  |  Clinical Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences
Sarah Lomahan headshot

The impact of food access on chronic disease among Chicago residents

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 4014.0

Location: WCC – 208B

Sarah Lomahan, MPH ‘21, BA ‘15  |  PhD Candidate, Epidemiology
Leslie Carnahan headshot

Findings from the 2023-2024 Community Health Worker (CHW) Common Indicators (CI) and Training Experiences Survey: Assessing the CHW workforce in Illinois

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 4018.0

Location: WCC – 150B

Leslie Carnahan, PhD ‘20, MPH ’12  |  Clinical Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences
Alfreda Halloway headhsot

Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Opioid Mortality in Cook County: A Municipality-Level Analysis of Racial Disparities and Opioid Type

Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Session: 4064.0 | Board 2

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Alfreda Holloway, PhD ‘14, MS ‘07  |  Adjunct Assistant Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Elizabeth Jarpe-Ratner headshot

Supporting Worker Health and Safety Through a Multi-Sector Partnership: Findings from An Environmental Scan of the Enforcement Environment in Suburban Cook County

Time: 10:30 AM -12:00 PM

Session: 4140.0

Location: WCC – 158B

Elizabeth Jarpe-Ratner, PhD ‘18, MPH, MST  |  Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Administration
Pooja Solanki headshot

Assessing the Impact of the Camp Lejeune Water Contamination on Military Families

Time: 10:30 AM -12:00 PM

Session: 4155.0

Location: Marriott Marquis – Independence Ballroom G

Pooja Solanki, MPH’14  |  Alumni
Rachel Rubin headshot

Alice Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award (Occupational Safety and Health Section)

Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Location: WCC – East Salon B

Rachel Rubin, MD, MPH  |  Adjunct Assistant Professor 
Supraja Sama headshot

Exploring vaccine hesitancy: The role of messages and trusted messengers in rural and urban communities

Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Session: 4165.0 | Board 6

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Supraja Sama  |  MPH Student, Epidemiology
Carolina Romero headshot

Comparative analysis of acculturative stress among first-generation, second-generation, and continuing-generation college students

Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Session: 4183.0 | Board 1

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Carolina Romero  |  MPH Student, Community Health Sciences
Grace Kadubek headshot

The health-related social needs of women with breast or gynecologic cancer using BRFSS 2022-2023

Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Session: 4188.0 | Board 1

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Grace Kadubek, MPH '24  |  Alumni
Halli Watts-Rich headshot

Trends in Opioid Overdose Deaths in Cook County, Illinois

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Session: 4192.0 | Board 5

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Halli Watts-Rich, MPH ‘25  |  Research Assistant, Population Health Analytics, Metrics, and Evaluation Center
Naseem Parsa headshot

HIV in the Middle East: An Examination of Iran and Afghanistan

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Session: 4207.0 | Board 5

Location: WCC – Exhibit Hall B

Naseem Parsa, MPH ‘22, MBA  |  Research Specialist, Collaboratory for Health Justice
Cristina Barkowski headshot

Overcoming PrEP misconceptions, lack of awareness, and hesitancy with provider-initiated conversations and empowerment:Barriers and facilitators to PrEP education for Black cisgender women at Planned Parenthood Illinois

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Session: 4281.0

Location: WCC – 144C

Cristina Barkowski, MSW, LSW  |  DrPH Candidate
Isabel McGoldrick headshot

Youth perceptions of digital marketing exposure

Time: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Session: 4315.0

Location: WCC – 150A

Isabel McGoldrick, MPH '24  |  Visiting Research Specialist, Health Policy and Administration
Sarah Lomahan headshot

Bridging the gap to primary care: understanding emergency room utilization and improving follow-up for women’s health

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 5009.0

Location: Marriott Marquis – Independence Ballroom F

Sarah Lomahan, MPH ‘21, BA ‘15  |  PhD Candidate
Samantha Marinello headshot

Adolescent Exposure to Food and Beverage Marketing on Digital Media in the United States

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 5024.0

Location: WCC – 209A

Samantha Marinello, PhD ‘22, MS ‘17  |  Research Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Administration
Naseem Parsa headshot

Peace Caucus/International Health Collaborative Session: Serving in Gaza, Humanitarian Medicine and Advocacy(Moderator)

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 5047.0

Location: Marriott Marquis Salon 10

Naseem Parsa, MPH ‘22, MBA  |  Research Specialist, Collaboratory for Health Justice
Nana Ama Erzuah-Bullock headshot

I Think It’s Male Privilege: A Qualitative Study of Personal, Behavioral, and Socio-Environmental Factors Influencing High-Risk Sexual Behaviors and HIV Transmission Among Heterosexual Adult Males in Ghana

Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session: 5056.0

Location: Marriott Marquis Salon 2

Nana Ama Erzuah-Bullock, PhD, MPH  |  Clinical Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences
Ebony C. Barney headshot

The next generation of the public health workforce is activating with resilience

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Ebony C. Barney, MPH ‘19, MSW, LSW, CPH  |  Alumni