Site Coordinators

Sitara Abraham, MPH

sitara.abraham@bswhealth.org

Sitara Abraham is a Project Manager at Baylor Scott & White Health. Sitara has a breadth of experience and expertise in project management. She works with principal investigators to plan, organize, and implement research project protocols, coordinates and provides technical direction of work activities to ensure effective completion of projects, manages day-to-day activities including applications and reports to IRB, and monitors progress towards goals and implementation of project tasks. Her research interests include program design, implementation and best practices in program evaluation of rigorous, collaborative and theory-driven evaluations. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas A&M University and an MPH in Community Health Policy & Management from the University Of Texas School Of Public Health. Sitara will be the Site Coordinator for the D-CARE study and will work closely with the Principal Investigator to oversee implementation at BSWH including day-to-day operations, responding to all inquiries and being the point person for intervention staff.

Jordan Reese, PMP, LSSBB

Jordan.Reese@bswhealth.org

Jordan Reese is a Project Manager/Site Coordinator at Baylor Scott & White Health. He has a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He works with principal investigators to plan, organize, implement, and monitor research project protocols. He conducts risk analysis and implements mitigation measures to ensure the day-to-day activities are streamlined and that the research project yields the best possible experience for the patients and their loved ones.

Clinical Research Assistants

Sybila Godoy

Sybila Godoy is a Research Assistant at Baylor Scott & White. She is a Certified Medical Interpreter-Spanish (CMI) and is completing her Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration at Brigham Young University-Idaho. Her background as a medical interpreter gave her exposure to a variety of settings, patients and experiences that she is utilizing as she assists in recruitment and retention efforts for the D-CARE study. Because of her bilingual background, she will help us with Spanish speaking participants enrolling in the study, as well as the general enrollment and data collection process.

Sophia Essiet

Sophia Essiet is a Clinical Research Assistant at Baylor Scott and White Health. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience at Harding University. She has experience in care management, patient care, and data collection. For the D-CARE Study, Sophia will be assisting in recruitment, enrollment and data collection for the person living with dementia and their caregiver.

Principal Investigator

Alan B. Stevens, PhD

Dr. Stevens is the Director of the Center for Applied Health Research at Baylor Scott and White Health (BSWH) where he also holds the Vernon D. Holleman-Lewis M. Rampy Centennial Chair in Gerontology. Dr. Stevens is a highly regarded and respected leader within the field of gerontology. With over 25 years’ experience in academic medical schools and a leading integrated health care organization, he has made significant contributions to the fields of dementia care, family caregiving, care transitions, and management of chronic diseases. His projects are person- and family-centered and built on partnerships between healthcare organizations and community-based organizations with a focus on outcomes that are meaningful to the multiple stakeholders engaged in promoting the health of older adults. He serves on a number of local, state, and national boards and advisory committees, contributing to the incremental public policy changes that are already culminating in significant shifts in the healthcare policy landscape. He has helped advance the community of dementia care researchers in Texas by forging stronger partnerships with other dementia care experts across the State, creating an informal professional network that keeps each other apprised of recent research and policy updates in dementia care, and to generally support each other’s research and advocacy efforts. Dr. Stevens will be Dr. Reuben’s primary contact at the BSWH site and will be responsible for the oversight of all project activities conducted within the BSWH system.

Co-Investigator

Aval-Na'Ree Green, MD, CMD

Dr. Green is the Division Director of Geriatrics at Baylor Scott & White in Temple, Texas. She is also the Medical Director for Baylor Scott & White Hospice. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Her passion is creating innovative ways to integrate healthcare for elderly individuals across the continuum. She has extensive experience and expertise in the care of dementia patients across all treatment settings. Dr. Green will be responsible for the oversight of the health systems-based dementia care arm of the D-CARE study and will be the supervisor for the Dementia Care Specialists.

Assistant Investigator

Sandhya Sanghi, PhD, MPH

Sandhya Sanghi is an Assistant Investigator at Baylor Scott & White Health. She is a trained Molecular Biologist who after working full-time as a basic biomedical research for over 10 years switched career path to research development and management. She has extensive experience in developing research projects in the area of family caregiving, identifying funding opportunities for innovation and demonstration projects and developing grant proposals that continue to support partnerships between healthcare and community-based settings. Additionally, she is involved in health policy research related to aging and care. Sandhya received her Masters and Doctoral degree in Biochemistry from Indian Agricultural Research Institute in India and another Masters in Health Policy and Management from Texas A&M University. Sandhya makes a significant contribution to the local community by serving on multiple agencies and education foundations. She is a member of board of trustees for Temple Independent School District. Sandhya is a Site Coordinator for the D-CARE Study and will be responsible for budget and IRB related items. She also assists with various project-related needs and provides technical assistance and support to all team members.

Leslie “Shannon” Drew, MSN, ANP-BC

Shannon has been an Nurse Practitioner(NP) for over 25 years, initially in Internal Medicine treating adults in the clinic part time, but exclusively geriatrics in the long term care and Assisted Living Facility settings the past 20 years. Prior to being an NP, she worked in home health/hospice for 5 years, and NICU/PICU/adult ICU for 12 years before that. Shannon is a Dementia-Care Specialist for the Healthcare System-based Dementia Care arm.

Tametra Jones, DNP, FNP-C

Tametra wears many hats. Currently, she work at Baylor Scott and White in the Geriatric and Palliative Care Dept as the lead APP manager and she does recertification visits for Baylor Scott and White Hospice. Tametra holds an adjunct faculty position as an online professor for a University. She obtained her license as an EMT in the 1990’s while living in Germany. When she returned back to the United States, she went back to school to become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN). She worked as a pediatric nurse for approximately 12 years before going back to nursing school to get an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (AND). She didn’t stop there, she continued on to get her BSN, MSN, and finally a DNP. Tametra is a Dementia-Care Specialist for the Healthcare System-based Dementia Care arm.

Jamyl Walker, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C

Jamyl Walker is a Dementia Care Specialist for the D-Care study in the College Station region. As an Adult Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, she completed her NP training, (Masters of Science in Nursing) at The George Washington University, Washington, DC and her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Texas pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a specialization in Gerontology. She provides both primary care and post acute care in multiple settings including nursing homes, clinic, assisted living, memory care facilities and group homes. Her other research/advocacy interests include transitional care planning for the older adult, policies on aging, and refining post acute care needs.

Care Consultant

Sara Kroloff

Sara Kroloff joined the team from Cleveland, Ohio. Sara Kroloff is a Health and Community Interventionist and Care Consultant for the D-CARE Study. Sara studied psychology at Touro University in New York City. Sara is a certified Care Consultant, Dementia Share Counselor, and a Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Before this position, Sara worked at the Alzheimer’s Association as a Care Consultant, facilitated support groups, and was also a SHARE Counselor where she worked closely with caregivers and those touched by Dementia.

Sara will be providing phone-based support, educating participants, coordinating care, and connecting participants with providers and resources. Sara has been working with the geriatric population for over twelve years. She is passionate about her work and feels honored to work for Baylor Scott and White.

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