Darina is a research associate whose work has focused on investigating the relationship between various risk factors and dementia outcomes, as well as studying cross-cultural variations in diagnostic measures of dementia. She is the project director of the HAALSI Dementia Study (HAALSI-HCAP) and is responsible for overseeing study data collection, management and analysis as well as managing the cognitive components of the HAALSI project. Through her work, Darina endeavors to…
Meagan Farrell
Meagan Farrell’s research has broadly focused on the effects of aging, disease, and injury processes on cognition. As a Pop Center research scientist, she works on the measurement and interpretation of cognitive outcomes for the HAALSI project. Meagan received a PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Florida before completing a post-doctoral fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center. Her previous work investigated changes to language, memory, and metacognition in…
Sarah Gao
Sarah is a research assistant working in data management and analysis for the HAALSI Dementia study and the HAALSI project more broadly. Her research interests include cognitive health, reproductive health, and social networks. Sarah holds an MPH in epidemiology from the University of Michigan with a concentration in social epidemiology. Prior to joining HCPDS, she conducted research on the modern public health implications of forced sterilization in the United States…
Nigel Harriman
Nigel Harriman is a research assistant at the Center for Population and Development Studies supporting the HAALSI project. His research aims to identify the social determinants of health, with a specific focus on how health disparities are explained by differential clustering of social stressors. Nigel earned his BS from Cornell University and is currently pursuing his MPH in the health and social behavior field of study at the Harvard T.H.…
Elyse Jennings
Elyse joined us in 2016 as a research associate and was promoted to research scientist in 2019. As director of research, she leverages her training and experience as a sociologist and family demographer, as well as her substantive work on the HAALSI project (including her expertise in fieldwork training, survey development, and grant proposal writing) to help to shape and oversee the Center’s research initiatives. Her responsibilities include offering guidance…
David Kapaon
David Kapaon is a research assistant helping with data collection, management, and analysis for the HAALSI project. He holds a dual MA/MS in sustainable international development, and global health policy and management from the Heller School at Brandeis University. Prior to joining HCPDS, David helped conduct research examining the economic and health impacts of the Health Extension Program in Ethiopia.
Channah Leff
Channah is the data compliance specialist at the Center. She oversees reviews for research protocols, data use agreements (DUAs), and data safety for Center projects. She also manages the HCPDS’s data procurement licenses, as well as the restricted data enclave for sensitive data. Furthermore, her ongoing priorities involve working with affiliates to ensure the understanding of and compliance with policies and procedures related to human subjects research. Channah has several…
Meg Lovejoy
Meg Lovejoy is the research program director for the Work and Well-being Initiative, a broad-based research and policy program designed to develop and implement evidence-based workplace change for worker well-being. She is also project director for the initiative’s core grant, Workplace Redesign for Worker Well-Being: Blueprint for Resilience. This study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, examines sustainable practices for enhancing worker well-being, with a focus on low- and…
Julia Rohr
Research Scientist Julia Rohr is project director of HAALSI. She oversees all aspects of this complex and ground-breaking study, including data management and analysis, research dissemination, and training team members on data collection. She served as research associate on the Willows Reproductive Health Impact Evaluation project at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the Department of Global Health and Population, leading project work in Turkey. Prior to…