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Home » Our Team
Clinical & Scientific Investigation
Our multidisciplinary research team collaborates in the development of protocols, study designs, analyses, and policies. Investigators contribute collaboratively to the synthesis of results for reports, manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, and other mechanisms for disseminating research results.
Abigail Smith, PhD, MS Abigail Smith, PhD, MS
Abigail Smith, PhD, MS
Dr. Smith is a biostatistician with research interests in survival and recurrent event analysis and joint modeling. She received her PhD from the University of Michigan in 2016. Her dissertation research focused on methods for assessing time-dependent treatment effects for recurrent event outcomes using the method of sequential stratification. She received a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2007, and an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2012. Dr. Smith joined Arbor Research in 2011 and provided statistical support for the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL). She currently serves as lead biostatistician in Arbor Research's collaboration with the Pelvic Floor Research Group at the University of Michigan and contributes statistical expertise to several projects in the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) program area including the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Network (LURN) and Transplant Outcomes Using Generic and Brand Name Immunosuppressants (TOGBI) study. Dr. Smith has served as lead analyst on many manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts presented at national scientific meetings.
Alyssa Pozniak, PhD Alyssa Pozniak, PhD
Alyssa Pozniak, PhD
Dr. Pozniak is a health services researcher with over 14 years of healthcare and policy analysis research experience. She has worked on numerous federally-funded projects to address a variety of health policy issues, including identifying and defining vulnerabilities in CMS' hospice program; econometric and impact analyses to support CMS' efforts to add a case-mix adjustment to Medicare's end stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system; and evaluating the impact of value-based purchasing on home health quality, Medicare expenditures, beneficiary experience, and utilization. Dr. Pozniak has also conducted qualitative research, including case studies and interviews with key informants, patients, and medical providers. Dr. Pozniak is currently the project director for the CMS-funded project that evaluates the home health value-based purchasing (HHVBP) model. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2015, Dr. Pozniak served as project director and analytic lead at Abt Associates for projects funded by CMS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She received her PhD in Health Services Organization and Policy, with a concentration in economics, from the University of Michigan in 2006.
Health Economics/Health Services Research
Bruce Robinson, MD, MS, FACP Bruce Robinson, MD, MS, FACP
Bruce Robinson, MD, MS, FACP
Dr. Robinson obtained post-graduate training in nephrology and an MS in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Robinson joined Arbor Research in 2007 and has been Principal Investigator of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) Program since 2009. The DOPPS Program includes its longstanding international hemodialysis cohort study (DOPPS, since 1996), and newer studies in peritoneal dialysis (PDOPPS) and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKDopps). These large studies require substantial clinical, analytical, and operational oversight. As PI, Dr. Robinson has led growth in the DOPPS Program's scope and impact, including the launch of the study's fifth (2012) and sixth (2015) phases, expansion to over 20 countries, novel scientific directions, and the transition to a consortium of industry and public funding sources. Dr. Robinson is Co-PI of the Data Coordinating Center for the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN), an NIH/NIDDK-funded multi-center cohort study of patients with glomerular disease; and he is Co-Deputy Director of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Coordinating Center, a state-of-the art NIH/NIDDK-funded registry. Dr. Robinson has research expertise in quantitative analysis for observational studies of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease, including the epidemiology of these conditions; the period of transition to kidney failure; management of complications including anemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease; and the effects of policy on clinical practice. Dr. Robinson has a high commitment to providing research oversight and mentoring in renal epidemiology to analysts, trainees, and investigators.
Vice President, Clinical Research
Lead Investigator, DOPPS
David Dickinson, MA David Dickinson, MA
David Dickinson, MA
Mr. Dickinson is Vice President of Information at Arbor Research, where he started as director of information services and a senior research analyst in 1998. He is the organization's lead architect for analytical systems and data collection and dissemination services. Mr. Dickinson holds a BA from Haverford College and an MA, Applied Economics, from the University of Michigan. His experience bridges econometric training, analytic activities, and software system development in the design of applications and databases for economic and medical outcomes research. Mr. Dickinson was instrumental in the development of the ArborLink support system for data collection and study protocol administration, which is implemented in the over 20-country longitudinal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and in supporting multiple studies for the NIH. He developed and oversaw the regular adaptation of hundreds of gigabytes of operational data into analysis files used in policy development and for release in the research community as part of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), as well as for other projects for the US Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, he manages responsibilities in project development and organizational administration. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Dickinson held analytic and data systems positions with the Urban Institute and the University of Michigan.
Vice President, Information
Eric Lammers, PhD Eric Lammers, PhD
Eric Lammers, PhD
Dr. Lammers is a health services researcher studying health care delivery systems and innovations, with emphasis on health IT. He has worked on and led quantitative studies of the impact of health IT and other innovations on utilization, costs, and quality of care. His evaluation research spans a variety of innovations in care delivery, including studies of emergency department care management, telehealth to enable care access in rural areas, behavioral health care interventions for children, and health information exchange through electronic health records. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2019, Dr. Lammers served as a Researcher at Mathematica Policy Research. He helped to lead their impact evaluation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act programs, to stimulate adoption and Meaningful Use of health IT for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. He has presented these results at national conferences and in leading health services research journals. Dr. Lammers also served as an impact evaluation leader for three Health Care Innovation Awards from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. He has led environmental scans and organized Technical Expert Panels to identify new measures that fill gaps in quality measurement of hospitals and other health care organizations. Dr. Lammers specializes in rigorous quantitative research methods, integrates mixed-methods analyses, and has extensive experience with data from national surveys of health care providers and Medicare and Medicaid claims. He received his PhD in Health Services Organization and Policy, with a concentration in economics, from the University of Michigan in 2012.
Eric Young, MD, MS Eric Young, MD, MS
Eric Young, MD, MS
Dr. Young graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1981. He went on to clinical training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology followed by masters-level training in research design and statistics from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1993. After serving on the faculty of Oregon Health Sciences University for four years, he joined the Division of Nephrology at the University of Michigan in 1990, rising to the rank of Professor of Internal Medicine. He served as Chief of Staff at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and Assistant Dean for Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2018, when he joined Arbor Research. He has been involved with many studies in the areas of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease including the DOPPS (Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study). He has also been involved with multiple projects related to quality improvement, patient safety, clinical efficiency and clinical program evaluation in many areas, including home care, telehealth and medication management.
Gang Liu, PhD Gang Liu, PhD
Gang Liu, PhD
Dr. Liu received his PhD in Industrial Engineering from University of South Florida. He joined Arbor Research in September 2015 to work on projects involving process modeling/monitoring, biomarker identification and system prognostics. He is a data scientist, mathematical modeler and biostatistician with a solid background in statistics, mathematics and physics. Dr. Liu has been conducting high-quality, interdisciplinary research in the fields of engineering, physics and medical science. His areas of expertise include complex systems modeling and control, big data analytics for large-scale systems, healthcare informatics and signal processing, quality engineering and applied statistics, computer simulation and optimization.
Jarcy Zee, PhD Jarcy Zee, PhD
Jarcy Zee, PhD
Dr. Zee is a biostatistician with methodological research interests in survival analysis, measurement error, and biomarkers. She received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where she developed survival estimation methods and study design strategies for data with both mismeasured outcomes and a subsample of validated outcomes. Dr. Zee joined Arbor Research in 2014 and contributes statistical expertise for the design and analysis of data from studies in chronic and end-stage kidney disease. These include the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) program, the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN), and the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE). For the CureGN and NEPTUNE studies, Dr. Zee has not only served as a senior statistician for numerous research projects but also provides support and leads aspects of Data Coordinating Center (DCC) operations. Dr. Zee was the principal investigator on two NEPTUNE ancillary studies to develop statistical methods for estimating agreement, defining disease progression outcomes, and using time-varying and high-dimensional biomarkers to predict outcomes. She has extensive experience with a wide array of statistical methods, including diagnostic testing, longitudinal and survival data analysis, observational data analysis, and machine learning methods. She also has previous experience with clinical research in mental health, women's health, and organ transplant.
Keith McCullough, PhD, MS Keith McCullough, PhD, MS
Keith McCullough, PhD, MS
Mr. McCullough joined Arbor Research in 1998. He uses statistical models and computer simulations to describe interrelationships between patient characteristics, policy, patterns of care, and outcomes. He also investigates methodology issues, including informative censoring, missing data imputation, and measures of model predictive power. Mr. McCullough supported the Kidney and Thoracic Committees of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network with statistical and simulation analyses that informed policy decisions. He has 29 peer-reviewed publications on dialysis patient and transplant recipient survival, hospitalization, and quality of life. At Arbor Research he contributes to the study design and/or analyses for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), and the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN) project with having previously worked with the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), the Managed Care Demonstration (MCDemo), and the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). Mr. McCullough received an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan.
Associate Research Scientist
Laura Mariani, MD, MS Laura Mariani, MD, MS
Laura Mariani, MD, MS
Dr. Mariani is a nephrologist and researcher with a focus on glomerular disease progression and the extra-renal manifestations of this complex disease. Dr. Mariani received a BS in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University and completed her MD at the University of Michigan. She completed her residency, nephrology fellowship, and the MS in Clinical Epidemiology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mariani now holds a joint appointment at the University of Michigan and Arbor Research. She currently has a mentored clinical scientist career development grant through the University of Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research. This study aims to identify clinically relevant subgroups of patients with glomerular disease. At Arbor Research she serves as an investigator with the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps), the Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) Study, the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE), and the NephCure Kidney Network Patient Powered Research Network.
Lisa Henn, PhD Lisa Henn, PhD
Lisa Henn, PhD
Dr. Henn received her PhD in biostatistics in 2015 from the University of Minnesota. Her methodological research interests include clustering and the limitations of Bayesian statistical methods and hypothesis tests for complex, high-dimensional data objects. Additionally, she has delineated conditions governing the emergence of multiple maxima in restricted likelihood and posterior distributions as well as the performance of Gaussian copula regression models when applied to non-continuous data. She has broad experience in statistical analysis approaches ranging from causal inference to item response theory. Additionally, she has over 10 years' experience in the medical device industry as a mechanical engineer in roles spanning research, production, project management, and functional management. Dr. Henn leads operational improvement initiatives and serves as a statistician for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN), supported by the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. For Medicare's End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), she validates measure implementation and conducts methodological research into potential QIP improvements. She also provides analytic support for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and as well as methodological support for newly proposed projects. Dr. Henn joined Arbor Research in 2016.
Marc Turenne, PhD Marc Turenne, PhD
Marc Turenne, PhD
Dr. Turenne joined Arbor Research in 2010 and has more than 15 years of research experience related to the cost and quality of health care and to health policy design, implementation, and evaluation. He has led several projects in the Health Policy and Practice Program area of Arbor Research. Currently, he directs a project funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide analytic and operations support for the implementation of the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program, and is the principal investigator for a health disparities study funded by the National Institutes of Health. He has also directed projects that provided support to CMS for the development of ESRD quality measures and a prospective payment system for Federally Qualified Health Centers. His research experience includes previous positions at the University of Michigan (UM) and the Urban Institute. He received his PhD in Health Services Organization and Policy, with a concentration in economics, from UM in 2003.
Lead Investigator, HP3
Robert Merion, MD, FACS Robert Merion, MD, FACS
Robert Merion, MD, FACS
Robert M. Merion, MD, FACS, has been President and CEO of Arbor Research Collaborative for Health since 2009. Throughout his research career, he has focused on the intersection between medical practice and high-quality study design and data analytics. He has been the principal investigator of four National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded scientific and data coordinating centers (DCCs) and currently leads the DCC for the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) and the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN). He also conducts research on living organ donors (National Living Donor Assistance Center and the Donor Lost Wages Study). From 2000 to 2010, Dr. Merion served as the clinical transplant director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-funded Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). Prior to joining Arbor Research, Dr. Merion was a kidney, pancreas, and liver transplant surgeon for 32 years at the University of Michigan (UM), where his positions included Chief of the Division of Transplantation and Director of the UM Transplant Center. He was elected the 36th president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons from 2009 to 2010. He retired from clinical practice in 2014 and is now Professor Emeritus of Surgery at UM. Dr. Merion has published over 280 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters.
Lead Investigator, SDCC
Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN
Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN
Dr. Roberto Pecoits-Filho is a Senior Research Scientist at Arbor Research and a full professor of Medicine at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) in Brazil, where he is a practicing Nephrologist and Clinical Researcher. He received a Ph.D. from the University of São Paulo and was a visiting scholar at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and at the George Institute in Sydney. He is currently a country investigator for CKDOPPS in Brazil and a member of the CKDOPPS Steering Committee. He is a current Council Member of the International Society of Nephrology for the Americas and was from 2017-2019 a member of the Executive Committee of the Society. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of KDIGO from 2015-2017 and is a member of the Executive Committee of the SONG initiative. Dr. Pecoits has published his research in over 240 papers in international indexed journals and lectured in over 50 countries around the world.
Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS
Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS
Dr. Pisoni is a Senior Research Scientist at Arbor Research, and Deputy Principal Investigator for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). He has held key roles in the DOPPS since its international expansion in 1997. He earned a PhD from Wayne State University in biochemistry in 1981, completed post-doctoral studies at the VA Outpatient Clinic, Boston/Harvard Medical School and the University of Michigan (UM), and received an MS in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the UM School of Public Health in 1997. Before joining Arbor Research, he served as an assistant research scientist faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Internal Medicine at UM from 1987-1997.
Victor Andreev, PhD, DSc Victor Andreev, PhD, DSc
Victor Andreev, PhD, DSc
Dr. Andreev is a mathematical modeler, computational biologist, bioinformatician, and physical chemist with a strong background in mathematics, physics, and analytical chemistry. He received his PhD in Physics from the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and his DSc degree in Physics and Mathematics from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Andreev is experienced in proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, pathway analysis, mass spectrometry, and separation science. He joined Arbor Research in October 2014. Prior to this he was an Associate Professor at the University of Miami, doing systems biology, bioinformatics, and mathematical modeling of complex systems in particular related to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and rejection in transplantation. At Arbor Research, Dr. Andreev is involved in multiple projects that require 'omics,' bioinformatics, and complex systems modeling expertise. Dr. Andreev is the author of 66 (51 first-authored) papers and 2 patents. His current scientific interests include development of clustering methods for deep phenotyping of complex diseases as well as multiscale computer simulation of chronic diseases progression and treatment.
Research analysts are proficient in a variety of statistical techniques, including regression, survival analysis, longitudinal methods, hierarchical methods, and power analysis.
Alissa Kapke, MS Alissa Kapke, MS
Alissa Kapke, MS
Ms. Kapke provides support for the Health Policy and Practice Program area of Arbor Research. Presently she is the managing analyst on the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project, which provides validation of final performance scores and payment reductions for over 5,000 Medicare-certified dialysis facilities in the United States, help desk support during the score preview period, and analytic support for the ESRD QIP Final Rule, published yearly in the Federal Register. Ms. Kapke received an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 1996. She is also a managing analyst for the U.S. Renal Data Systems project. She previously served as a senior analyst on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ESRD Quality Measure Development and Maintenance contract. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2010, Ms. Kapke was a biostatistician at Henry Ford Hospital for ten years where she was funded on several National Institutes of Health grants in areas of cancer, stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Parkinson's disease research. She also was a consulting statistician to physicians and residents at Henry Ford Hospital and served as a statistician on the hospital's Institutional Review Board from 2007-2009. Ms. Kapke has co-authored several papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to many abstracts presented at major scientific meetings.
Managing Senior Analyst
Angelo Karaboyas, MS Angelo Karaboyas, MS
Angelo Karaboyas, MS
Mr. Karaboyas provides epidemiologic and biostatistical support for the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). He joined Arbor Research in 2010 after receiving his MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Prior to graduate school, he earned his BS in Mathematics from the University of Michigan – Dearborn and worked as a Research Analyst at DTE Energy. At Arbor Research, Mr. Karaboyas helps identify best practices in hemodialysis using appropriate and innovative statistical methods, making extensive contributions to all aspects of DOPPS research, including proposal development, study design, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. Mr. Karaboyas has represented Arbor Research at several international conferences, contributed to numerous abstracts, and worked as the lead analyst on over 30 manuscripts accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Senior Research Analyst II
Brian Bieber, MPH, MS Brian Bieber, MPH, MS
Brian Bieber, MPH, MS
Mr. Bieber earned his MS in Physiology from Michigan State University in 2005 and Master's in Public Health Epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2007. He has worked as a bench scientist studying diabetes, and as a public health epidemiologist conducting chronic and infectious disease surveillance. He joined Arbor Research in 2008 and has contributed to the management, study design, and analytics of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the Peritoneal Dialysis and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), and the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps). He has coordinated the DOPPS Practice Monitor to report trends in US dialysis care, worked extensively with Arbor Research clinicians to design and revise study questionnaires, while also collaborating with investigators on projects and publications involving a number of different statistical approaches including Cox proportional hazards models, parametric models, generalized linear models (e.g. logistic and Poisson regression), and linear mixed models.
Chad Cogan, MS Chad Cogan, MS
Chad Cogan, MS
Mr. Cogan conducts health outcomes research, and provides analytic support and statistical expertise for the Health Policy and Practices Program area. He has excellent experience performing quantitative analyses with Medicare claims, especially through contract work on Measure and Instrument Development and Support (MIDS) and Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design, and Analysis (RMADA) projects. His current contract work through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) includes a project to monitor and evaluate the effects of the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP). He also plays a key analytic role on a RMADA project focused on evaluating how Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) incentives have influenced Home Health Agency (HHA) behavior, quality of care, Medicare expenditures, beneficiary experience, and utilization in selected states. His research additionally includes National Institute of Health (NIH) grant work focused on the ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS) and health disparities in ESRD. Mr. Cogan's experience on MIDS contracts has also included validation work supporting the ESRD QIP implementation, and the development of quality measures in the areas of ESRD and population health. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2012, Mr. Cogan was a biostatistician at Henry Ford Health System where he was funded on NIH grants and served as a consulting statistician to physicians and residents within the hospital. He has co-authored papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to several abstracts presented at major scientific meetings. He received his BS in Applied Statistics from Western Michigan University in 2008 and an MS in Biostatistics from Grand Valley State University in 2010.
Senior Research Analyst I
Charlotte Beil, MPH Charlotte Beil, MPH
Charlotte Beil, MPH
Ms. Beil oversees the efforts of the team of masters- and doctoral-level biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and economists conducting research in the Science and Data Coordinating Centers program. Ms. Beil received her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2005 and is skilled in study design and a wide variety of statistical techniques, including Cox proportional hazards models, generalized linear models (e.g. logistic and Poisson regression), linear mixed models, and simulation modeling. She has provided statistical analysis and research support for multiple projects, including numerous publications, abstracts, and oral presentations for national audiences.
Charlotte Tu, DrPH Charlotte Tu, DrPH
Charlotte Tu, DrPH
Dr. Tu joined Arbor Research in 2014 and provides analytical support for the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) program, including the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps). She has experience applying various types of statistical models as a means of multivariable data exploration and of subgroups identification for electronic health records from large administrative/claims databases as well as for clinical data from longitudinal/multilevel health services research, comparative effectiveness research, and translational community-based clinical trials. She has been a co-author on several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and poster/oral presentations. She received her doctoral degree in Biostatistics and master's degree in Health Information Systems from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she worked as a data manager and biostatistician in the Prevention Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh.
Daniel Muenz, PhD Daniel Muenz, PhD
Daniel Muenz, PhD
Dr. Muenz earned his PhD in biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2017, where he developed novel designs for phase I clinical trials for cancer therapies. He joined Arbor Research in 2017, mere weeks after defending his PhD dissertation. At Arbor Research he is an analyst on the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). Before graduate school, he worked at Harvard's Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, as a SAS programmer and apprentice statistician. He has extensive experience collaborating with physicians and other statisticians on a range of medical and public health topics, from the potential of antiretroviral drugs to cause birth defects, to whether a new form of cancer therapy justifies its extra expense compared to an older technology. He loves the diversity of scientific topics his expertise in biostatistics allows him to explore.
Research Analyst II
Dongyu Wang, MS Dongyu Wang, MS
Dongyu Wang, MS
Ms. Wang joined Arbor Research as a Research Analyst in 2016. With a wide variety of statistical techniques and skills in SAS programming, as well as multi-disciplinary knowledge, she provides analytical support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project and the ESRD Monitoring and Evaluation Program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She also contributes to the production of the Annual Data Report (ADR) of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institutes of Health. Ms. Wang received her MS in Analytical Chemistry from Duke University in 2013 and MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2015. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she was a statistician for the University of Michigan Health System.
Doug Fuller, MS Doug Fuller, MS
Doug Fuller, MS
Mr. Fuller provides a broad range of analytical and data management skills in support of the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) programs, co-developing and maintaining the DOPPS Practice Monitor (DPM) reporting tool. He earned a BS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2002 and an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 2008, and is credentialed as a SAS Certified Base Programmer and SAS Certified Advanced Programmer for SAS 9. Previously, Mr. Fuller was a Research Assistant (Data Manager) at Wayne State University, provided statistical consulting at the University of Michigan Center for Statistical Consulting and Research (CSCAR), and co-developed an introductory SAS workshop for the Ann Arbor chapter of the American Statistical Association. Mr. Fuller has been a co-author on more than 18 peer-reviewed manuscripts across a variety of research journals.
Jane Liu, MPH Jane Liu, MPH
Jane Liu, MPH
Ms. Liu joined Arbor Research in 2014. She received her Bachelor of Medicine from Central South University in China in 2012, and Master of Public Health (MPH) from Washington University in St. Louis in 2014. At Arbor Research, Ms. Liu provides statistical support for the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL), Transplant Outcomes Using Generic and Brand Name Immunosuppressants (TOGBI) and Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) projects. Ms. Liu has contributed as an analyst on several manuscripts accepted in peer-reviewed journals as well as abstracts presented at national science meetings.
Jillian Schrager, MPH Jillian Schrager, MPH
Jillian Schrager, MPH
Ms. Schrager graduated from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2015 with a Master's of Public Health degree, specializing in Epidemiology Methods and Applications. Her graduate thesis research examined the relationship between genetic variation and expression and cognitive function among adults enrolled in two national cohort studies. Ms. Schrager brings her analytical skill set to Arbor Research and provides statistical support to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Program funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Additionally, Ms. Schrager applies her knowledge of statistical analysis and her strong interest in chronic disease health outcomes to the production of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Annual Data Report (ADR). Prior to joining Arbor Research's Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) area in March 2017, Ms. Schrager worked as the Cancer Genomics Epidemiologist at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, where she focused on state-wide surveillance of hereditary cancer syndromes.
Research Analyst I
Jonathan Wiseman, MS Jonathan Wiseman, MS
Jonathan Wiseman, MS
Mr. Wiseman joined Arbor Research in 2014 and provides statistical support for the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) as well as the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP). He received his BS in Financial Mathematics and Economics from the University of Michigan in 2008, and his MS in Biostatistics from Grand Valley State University in 2014. Mr. Wiseman has served as lead analyst on several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts submitted to national scientific meetings.
Junhui Zhao, PhD Junhui Zhao, PhD
Junhui Zhao, PhD
Dr. Zhao joined Arbor Research in 2014. She provides analytical support for the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), and the Empowering Patients on Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT) Study. Dr. Zhao earned her PhD degree from Beijing Forestry University in China in 2010. She has been an author on several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and poster/oral presentations, and she serves as a reviewer and editor board member for many international journals. Before joining Arbor Research, she worked as a research biometrician at Oregon State University.
Kaitlyn Repeck, MS Kaitlyn Repeck, MS
Kaitlyn Repeck, MS
Ms. Repeck joined Arbor Research in 2015 as part of the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) research team. She earned her BS in Statistics from Grand Valley State University in 2010, and proceeded to earn her MS in Biostatistics in 2012 from the same institution. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Ms. Repeck worked as a research assistant for a retina specialist in Grand Rapids, followed by working as a clinical research assistant for Detroit Medical Center Sports Medicine and its Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship program.
Katherine Hanslits, MPH Katherine Hanslits, MPH
Katherine Hanslits, MPH
Mrs. Hanslits joined Arbor Research's Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) in 2017. At Arbor Research she uses her statistical knowledge and skill with SAS programming to provide analytic support to the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), the ESRD QIP Monitoring and Evaluation Program, and the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Program. Mrs. Hanslits earned a BA in biology from Barnard College of Columbia University in 2013 and a MPH in epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2017. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mrs. Hanslits was a laboratory research assistant at Oregon Health & Science University where she studied the heritability of cardiovascular disease traits and epigenetic effects of alcoholism.
Kieran Hawthorne, MS Kieran Hawthorne, MS
Kieran Hawthorne, MS
Ms. Hawthorne joined Arbor Research in 2015 in support of the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) study. She holds a BA in Biology and Quantitative Studies from Bard College at Simon's Rock and an MSc in Epidemiology from McGill University. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she spent three years at Mayo Clinic as a Statistical Programmer Analyst providing statistical and database support for pancreatic and ovarian cancer research. She has particular experience with survival analysis, logistic regression, genetics, and immunology. Ms. Hawthorne is a co-author on several peer-reviewed publications.
Marcelo Lopes, MD, PhD, MPH Marcelo Lopes, MD, PhD, MPH
Marcelo Lopes, MD, PhD, MPH
Dr. Lopes joined the analyst team for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) at Arbor Research in January of 2018. While earning his master's degree at the University of Michigan, he worked on a project using mediation analysis to investigate health disparities in albuminuria as part of the Kidney Surveillance Program at the Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center. Dr. Lopes is a trained nephrologist and has published papers on the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in the very elderly and as an investigator in the Prospective Study of the Prognosis of Patients Treated Chronically by Hemodialysis (PROHEMO) developed in Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Margaret Helmuth, MA Margaret Helmuth, MA
Margaret Helmuth, MA
Ms. Helmuth provides managerial and statistical support in the Science and Data Coordinating Centers program area at Arbor Research. Her current work is primarily in support of two large Data Coordinating Centers funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) and the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN). She previously served as the managing analyst for the Transplant Outcomes Using Generic and Brand Name Immunosuppressants (TOGBI) project and as a lead analyst in the Health Policy and Practice program area working with the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), and the U.S. Renal Data Systems Project (USRDS). Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2013, she worked a statistician in the Epidemiology and Family Medicine Departments of the University of Michigan, with a primary research focus in women's health. She holds a BS in Statistics from the University of Michigan and an MA in Applied Statistics from Eastern Michigan University. Ms. Helmuth has served as the lead analyst on several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts presented at national scientific meetings.
Nan Ji, MS Nan Ji, MS
Nan Ji, MS
Mrs. Ji joined Arbor Research in 2015 as part of the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) research team. She holds an MS degree in Statistics from the University of Toledo (UT). At Arbor Research she is applying her knowledge in data analysis and skills in SAS programming in order to extract data information for statistical analysis. Mrs. Ji has previous experience in data analysis and SAS programming as a member of the statistical consulting services group at UT. Complementing her experience in statistical analysis, Mrs. Ji achieved certification as a SAS Advanced Programmer in 2014. She is currently providing analytical support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project and the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Program funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She also contributes to the production of the Annual Data Report (ADR) of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Nathan Goodrich, MS Nathan Goodrich, MS
Nathan Goodrich, MS
Mr. Goodrich has over nine years of experience performing data analysis for health outcomes research as part of the Arbor Research team with extensive focus on pre- and post-liver transplantation outcomes. He earned an MS in biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2003 gaining a solid foundation in methods of analyzing healthcare data including: linear regression, logistic regression and survival analysis. While providing analytic support to multiple projects at Arbor Research, he has also gained experience in the areas of data collection, data management, missing data imputation and simulation modeling. He has been the primary analyst on many publications using a variety of data sources. Mr. Goodrich is part of a team carrying out analyses to study renal function in liver transplant recipients based on registry data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). He is also the primary analyst on multiple manuscript projects analyzing data for two multi-center cohort studies, the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort study (A2ALL) and The Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN).
Purna Mukhopadhyay, PhD Purna Mukhopadhyay, PhD
Purna Mukhopadhyay, PhD
Dr. Mukhopadhyay conducts health outcomes research, performs statistical analyses, and provides support and biostatistical expertise to the Health Policy and Practice Program area. She applies her in-depth statistical knowledge to evidence-based medical research that informs policy and improves patient care. Her areas of expertise include statistical models (logistic regression, generalized linear models, Cox regression, mixed effects models, etc.), biostatistical study design, statistical computing, and data analysis. She has worked on several National Institutes of Health- and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-funded projects. With over 8 years of experience in management of health care research data and observational data analyses, Dr. Mukhopadhyay works with lead investigators to design analytical approaches for answering research questions. She manages and motivates teams of programmers and research analysts while also providing mentorship. Working with investigators, she identifies potential new projects and writes key sections of winning proposals. Dr. Mukhopadhyay has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, conference presentations, and reports for federal sponsors. She received her doctoral degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2008. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she worked as Research Assistant professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Rebecca Mandell, PhD, MS Rebecca Mandell, PhD, MS
Rebecca Mandell, PhD, MS
Dr. Mandell joined the Health Policy & Practice Program at Arbor Research in 2017. Current and past projects include an evaluation of value-based purchasing for home health care for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a CMS initiative on aligning quality amongst public reporting programs, and patient-centered research on treatment of chronic kidney disease. She has extensive training and expertise in qualitative and mixed methods research, community-based participatory research, policy analysis, and addressing health inequities through multi-level interventions. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she received her PhD from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. For her dissertation, she used grounded theory to understand how advocates are mobilizing to protect vulnerable communities from toxic exposures harmful to reproductive health. She previously worked for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York AIDS Coalition, and the Harvard School of Public Health. She also served as a health volunteer in the Peace Corps in Niger. She received her master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health and her bachelor's degree from Harvard University.
Senior Health Analyst
Sarah Mansfield, MS Sarah Mansfield, MS
Sarah Mansfield, MS
Ms. Mansfield provides analytic support for the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN) and Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) projects. She received her BS in Mathematics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and her MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Ms. Mansfield previously worked at Arbor Research from 2011-2015, before rejoining the company in 2017. Ms. Mansfield has served as lead analyst on several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts presented at national scientific meetings.
Tony Cuttitta, MPH Tony Cuttitta, MPH
Tony Cuttitta, MPH
Mr. Cuttitta joined Arbor Research in 2015 and brings expertise in population health analytics, provider evaluations, public health programming, and community health needs assessments in health insurer and community-based non-profit settings. His work at Arbor Research focuses on the development of population health metrics; this builds on prior experience assessing multi-sectorial population health strategies and the development of health-focused data scorecards to analyze aggregate populations as well as specific social and demographic groups. Mr. Cuttitta received his MPH from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2009 and prior to joining Arbor Research he worked as a Senior Population Health Analyst at HealthPlus of Michigan (Flint, MI).
Yan Jin, PhD Yan Jin, PhD
Yan Jin, PhD
Dr. Jin provides statistical support for the Health Policy and Practice Projects at Arbor Research, a group of projects primarily funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Before joining Arbor Research in 2012, she led research projects and provided statistical support to the Physician Group Incentive Programs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for over a year. Her research findings were employed to develop an assessment measure to rank primary care physicians and specialists based on their cost profiles for incentive designations. She also was a research statistician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Cincinnati, OH for three years. Dr. Jin was the lead author and co-author of several statistical methodology and epidemiology research papers published in peer reviewed journals. She earned a PhD in Mathematical Sciences focused in Statistics from the University of Cincinnati and a BS from Tsinghua University in China.
Zhechen Ding, MS Zhechen Ding, MS
Zhechen Ding, MS
Mr. Ding joined Arbor Research in May 2018. He previously worked as a research assistant during summer 2017. Mr. Ding provides analytical support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) and the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Annual Data Report (ADR) project. He received his Bachelor of Medicine from Central South University in China in 2012, and MS in Biostatistics from Tulane University in 2018. Before getting the MS degree, he worked as a resident physician in China for three years. He is also a SAS Certified Base/Advance Programmer.
Project and Program Area Management
Project managers provide high-level oversight and direction to functional teams within the project to ensure that respective work priorities and approaches are internally consistent and align with the overall goals and budget of a project.
Aya Inoue, BA, PMP Aya Inoue, BA, PMP
Aya Inoue, BA, PMP
Ms. Inoue joined Arbor Research in 2008. She holds a BA in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Michigan, and was certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) in 2015. She has worked in the Health Policy and Practice Program area for several years and oversees a number of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded contracts and grants. She currently serves as the Project Manager on the CMS Measure and Instrument Development and Support (MIDS) contract to support the implementation of the following projects: End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program and Alignment of Quality and Public Reporting Programs and Websites.
Colleen Kincaid, MS Colleen Kincaid, MS
Colleen Kincaid, MS
Ms. Kincaid is the Vice President of Operations for Arbor Research, where she works across the organization to break down challenges, find alternatives, and manage risk. As head of the Project Management, Administration, Communications and Publications, and Compliance areas, Ms. Kincaid works to develop and implement transparent and repeatable processes that allow individuals and teams to work better and deliver better results. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2015, she served as Operations Director of the nephrology Applied Systems Biology Core at the University of Michigan; COO at Eloquence Communications, COO at Compendia Bioscience, and held various positions in Data Management, Clinical Data Programming, and Statistics at i3 STATPROBE.
Vice President, Operations
Ellen LaChance, BS Ellen LaChance, BS
Ellen LaChance, BS
Ms. LaChance joined Arbor Research in 2016 as part of the Scientific and Data Coordinating Center team. She provides management support of the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) studies. Before joining Arbor Research, Ms. LaChance worked as Project Manager and Director of Operations at Trialynx providing management and operational support of multiple clinical research studies. She previously worked at the University of Michigan Medical School Institutional Review Board (IRBMED) as Assistant Regulatory Analyst, and at Clinical Lynx, Inc. as Pharmacovigilance Administrator.
Jeffrey Pearson, MS Jeffrey Pearson, MS
Jeffrey Pearson, MS
Mr. Pearson provides direction and expertise in the Health Policy and Practice Program area of Arbor Research. His areas of focus include the application of statistical and econometric methods, quality measurement, public reporting, delivery and payment system design, program evaluation, disparities, value-based purchasing, and Medicare. He has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and reports for federal sponsors. Mr. Pearson is currently working on a Ph.D. in Health Services Organization and Policy at the University of Michigan with a focus on health economics. He earned an MS in Survey Methodology in 2005 from the University of Maryland and a BS in Statistics, Computer Science, and Mathematics in 2002 from Central Michigan University. Mr. Pearson previously worked at the University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Program Area Manager, HP3
John Graff, PhD, MS John Graff, PhD, MS
John Graff, PhD, MS
Dr. Graff received his PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health and his MS in Community Medicine from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He has over 20 years of experience in conducting epidemiologic studies of cancer causes, control, and outcomes, with most of his research focusing on quality of care in newly diagnosed cancer patients and treatment outcomes well into their survivorship period. He served as a Principal and Co-Investigator at the State of New Jersey and Metropolitan Detroit NCI-funded SEER Registries, overseeing data collection, data access, data use, and population participation in numerous research studies. Dr. Graff joined Arbor Research Collaborative for Health in 2016, serving as Program Area Manager for the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) Program and associated SDCC program area studies.
Program Area Manager, SDCC
Justin Albert, BA Justin Albert, BA
Justin Albert, BA
Mr. Albert graduated in 1998 from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Biology. Working with lead investigators and senior staff, Mr. Albert is responsible for strategy, leadership, and management functions contributing to the growth and development of the Dialysis and Outcomes Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) Program Area. He additionally provides high-level oversight to project, analytic, and programming teams to ensure respective work priorities and approaches are consistent within and across the portfolio of projects within the DOPPS Program Area. Prior to serving as Program Area Manager, Mr. Albert spent several years as a DOPPS Research Analyst and was the first the Project Coordinator for DOPPS. Mr. Albert joined Arbor Research in 2001 and possesses 15 years of project experience in many facets of DOPPS and provides all aspects of research and operations support to ensure successful completion of program area goals.
Program Area Manager, DOPPS
Kaden Milkovich, MPA Kaden Milkovich, MPA
Kaden Milkovich, MPA
Mr. Milkovich joined the Health Policy and Practice Program in 2015. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Milkovich managed the administrative, research, and philanthropic activities for the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, a nonprofit health care policy organization focused on innovative benefit design research and policy recommendations to improve health care quality and reduce costs. Previously, Mr. Milkovich served as a nonprofit manager for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center in New York City—a community health center focused on health service provision and licensed outpatient chemical dependency programs. He has substantial experience engaging diverse communities in culturally appropriate health behavior interventions; qualitative research; organizational strategy and significant project administration experience. He holds a Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts in English Literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration and Health Care Policy from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
Matt Wladkowski, MS Matt Wladkowski, MS
Matt Wladkowski, MS
Mr. Wladkowski joined Arbor Research in 2017 as part of the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers team. He holds a BS in Accounting from Bryant University, a MS in Regulatory Affairs from Northeastern University, a MBA from Eastern Michigan University and is a certified Regulatory Affairs Professional (RAC). He has extensive experience in clinical research including project management, regulatory preparation and research compliance. Mr. Wladkowski currently serves as Project Manager for the Cure Glomerular Disease Research Network (CureGN) and the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE).
Melissa Fava, MPA, PMP Melissa Fava, MPA, PMP
Melissa Fava, MPA, PMP
Ms. Fava joined Arbor Research in 2015 as part of the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers team. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan, an MPA in nonprofit management from Eastern Michigan University, Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, a certificate in Clinical Trials Administration from the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI), and is a Certified Research Administrator (CRA). She has significant experience in managing contracts and grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and industry. Ms. Fava lends her expertise by managing the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN), IMPACT PDA International High-Risk Consortium, HRSA Lost Wages Support for Living Organ Donors Demonstration, and National Living Donor Assistance Center projects.
Members of this team contribute expertise in health care informatics, analytic programming, and data architecture. They also develop the instruments for original data collection, as well as the processes necessary to acquire and link existing administrative or externally collected data into analytic files.
Ankit Salgia, MS Ankit Salgia, MS
Ankit Salgia, MS
Mr. Salgia joined Arbor Research in 2014. He is well versed in all phases of analysis, design, development, administration, implementation, and testing client/server application using Microsoft SQL Server and the MSBI suite. Currently he is the lead programmer for the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) and supports CRF 2.0, as well as other projects as needed. He is involved in gathering requirements, evaluating the impact of changes on functionality, implementing new changes in development, code testing, prioritizing release, and releasing to production. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Salgia worked on development of OLTP, data warehouse, and BI applications as a SQL/BI consultant for Stericycle, Johnson & Johnson, and RR Donnelley, among others. He received his Master's degree from the University of Florida.
Programmer II
Beth Kirschner, BS Beth Kirschner, BS
Beth Kirschner, BS
Ms. Kirschner joined Arbor Research in 2017. She has over twenty-five years of software experience as a technical manager, project manager, and application developer of enterprise web applications, embedded systems, and industrial automation. In her current role, she is focused on project management of new and existing software across the full software development life cycle, as well as product development of current and future core capabilities. Ms. Kirschner holds a BS in Computer Science from Michigan Technological University.
Information Services Product Manager
Christine Pellar-Kosbar, MS Christine Pellar-Kosbar, MS
Christine Pellar-Kosbar, MS
Ms. Pellar-Kosbar joined Arbor Research in 2015. She holds an MS from Michigan Technological University in Rhetoric and Technical Communication. At Arbor Research, she applies her skills in quality assurance, business analysis, and technical communication to enhance and update the ChiLDReNLink user interface. Ms. Pellar-Kosbar's previous experience includes business analysis, testing, and procedural documentation in education and health care settings.
Information Services Analyst
David Glover David Glover
David Glover
Mr. Glover joined Arbor Research in 2013 and is responsible for supporting MS SQL Servers and Oracle databases. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Glover had a 10-year career at The Auto Club Group supporting MS SQL Server, Oracle, and UDB databases. Before that, he worked for 5 years as a DBA for Computer Consultants of America, working at different clients as a SQL DBA Lead, Sybase, and Oracle DBA. He also worked for 20 years at Michigan Bell/Ameritech/SBC; his work there included programming, application design & implementation, and database administration. He has an AAS degree.
Debra Halbleib Debra Halbleib
Debra Halbleib
Ms. Halbleib is responsible for database design and development for the ArborLink electronic data capture and study management system. Since joining Arbor Research in March 2015, she has been the primary database developer for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) observational studies and the Living Kidney Donor Lost Wages Reimbursement Study. She has also provided database support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Surveillance project. She has extensive experience in software development, implementation and project management, as well as experience in product management, technical sales support, data warehousing and reporting. She has been an advocate and author of software development and implementation methodologies. She has experience implementing and customizing Microsoft business management and accounting software. She has an AS degree in Computer Technology, and has completed course work in Operations Management and Project Management.
Senior Programmer I
Dori Bilik, MBA Dori Bilik, MBA
Dori Bilik, MBA
Dori Bilik is the senior programming analyst on the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program and the NephCure Kidney Network project. Before joining Arbor Research in 2009, she was a senior programmer analyst at the University of Michigan (UM) Medical School, where she served as the central administrative data coordinator for Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes, a national multi-center study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has extensive experience in manipulating federal and commercial healthcare data, including extracting, processing, reformatting, linking, standardizing and cleaning data from the CDC, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, Truven Health's MarketScan® and managed care health plans. Ms. Bilik received an MBA with concentrations in computer and information systems and management and a BA in economics with concentrations in statistics and econometrics from UM.
Senior Programmer II
Greg Wirth, BS Greg Wirth, BS
Greg Wirth, BS
Mr. Wirth joined Arbor Research in 2012. He earned a BS degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Maryland. Presently he supports the electronic data collection software (ArborLink) and manages the database programmers that support and develop the instances for the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) program and Dialysis Outcome and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) programs. He previously worked as a programmer on the implementations of the three different DOPPS instances of ArborLink. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Wirth spent six years at General Dynamics providing custom solutions for private insurance companies.
Managing Senior Programmer
Heather Dudek, MS Heather Dudek, MS
Heather Dudek, MS
Heather Dudek has over twenty years' worth of experience working with Business Analytics in a few different industries. She has worked with pharmaceutical, sales, and insurance data, and programmed with a variety of tools and languages including SAS and SQL. She received her MS degree in Mathematical Statistics from Purdue University in Indianapolis. From joining Arbor Research in 2014 up until 2019 she was the lead SAS programmer for the implementation of the Childhood Liver Disease Research and Education Network (ChiLDReN). Currently she is the lead programmer on the Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease Network (CFLD), as well as providing programming support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Monitoring and Evaluation project.
Jiawei Xing, MS Jiawei Xing, MS
Jiawei Xing, MS
Mr. Xing joined Arbor Research in 2015, with an MS degree in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan. He holds excellent experience in SAS, SQL and Python programming with big data, statistical modeling, and analysis. Mr. Xing also has an interest and solid skills in data mining, machine learning and deep learning (Neural Networks). At Arbor Research, Mr. Xing is working as the primary programmer for the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) evaluation project funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the National Living Donor Assistant Center (NLDAC) project, and the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) project. He also worked on the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) project.
Karen Downing, BS Karen Downing, BS
Karen Downing, BS
Ms. Downing joined Arbor Research in 2015. She has extensive experience as a Database Administrator and Architect working with both SQL Server and Oracle. She has specialized in tuning databases and code to allow for better scalability. She has experience supporting and tuning very large databases (VLDBs) and planning for growth for both hardware and software needs. Additionally, she has extensive development experience in health care, manufacturing, and retail. She has worked on medical research including data mining and is one of the authors on several research papers studying anti-depression medications and suicide. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Lisa Renko, BBA Lisa Renko, BBA
Lisa Renko, BBA
Lisa Renko, BBA, Senior Programmer I, Data Services. Ms. Renko joined Arbor Research in 2012. She received her BBA in Computer Information Systems from Eastern Michigan University. Currently, Ms. Renko is working on the ArborLink suite of projects where she is responsible for the database design and development of the data collection tool that forms the basis for all new studies that require a data entry and study management platform. The tool is being used for studies such as the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN), the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) and the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN). She is currently the lead database developer for the NEPTUNELink data collection website and the CureGNLink site. Previously, she worked on the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Plan (QIP) project funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), developing and supporting the databases and reports for the DialysisReports.org website. She has over 25 years of experience designing, developing, and maintaining software applications and databases on various platforms. She has extensive experience working with various database management systems, including Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server.
Rachel Forringer, MS Rachel Forringer, MS
Rachel Forringer, MS
Ms. Forringer joined Arbor Research in early 2017 as part of the Data Services team. She provides management support for the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) and Lost Wages studies. Ms. Forringer has over 20 years of project management experience in health care, higher education, non-profits, agency, and corporate settings. Prior to Arbor Research, she worked as Project Manager at the Center for Health Communications Research (CHCR) within the Cancer Center at Michigan Medicine. During her time there she project managed the development of six clinical intervention projects, including a pediatric clinical electronic medical record linked in-patient iPad app, a breast cancer post-surgery support app, and a urinary incontinence education tool for women. Her recent publications include "User-Centered Design Groups to Engage Patients and Caregivers with a Personalized Health Information Technology Tool." Ms. Forringer also previously worked at the University of Michigan Medical School Information Services (MSIS) as a project manager. Ms Forringer is a University of Michigan graduate, earning her BA degree in 1987.
Information Services Project Manager
Sabrina Zhang, MPH, MS Sabrina Zhang, MPH, MS
Sabrina Zhang, MPH, MS
Ms. Zhang joined Arbor Research in 2017. Currently, she provides programming support for the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Services Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) project and the ESRD Quality Incentive Program. Ms. Zhang received an MS in Pharmacology from National University of Singapore in 2015, and an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2017. While working at the University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center (UM-KECC), she participated in the United States Renal Disease System (USRDS) project, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) surveillance project. She is also a SAS® Certified Advanced Programmer.
Programmer I
Shannon Li, MS Shannon Li, MS
Shannon Li, MS
Ms. Li earned her MS in Health Informatics with a minor in Health Services Research and Policy from the University of Minnesota. Ms. Li oversees all the database support activity within Arbor Research. She has extensive experience in managing health care data to support large-scale (national and international) research projects and directs the effort of promoting the usage of health care data exchange for outcome research. Since joining Arbor Research in 2002, she has led several National Institutes of Health-funded research projects that used ArborLink software for customized study protocols for the primary data collection, as well as the deployment of a multi-language data collection application for a fifteen-year longitudinal study. She has also led the team to organize the process of using claims data and other analytical data warehouses that are sized in terabytes to support policy-making analysis. Her IT skills and background in Health Informatics and Medicine bring a unique perspective of information technology in the healthcare field.
Director of Data Services
Shengqian Li, MA Shengqian Li, MA
Shengqian Li, MA
Ms. Li joined Arbor Research in 2016 where she applies her data analysis and programming skills to support the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) project as well as the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) project. She received her master's degree in Statistics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Ms. Li is a SAS Certified Advanced Programmer and has previously worked with a variety of different kinds of data using tools and languages including SAS and SQL.
Victoria Pullen, BA Victoria Pullen, BA
Victoria Pullen, BA
Ms. Pullen joined Arbor Research in 2012 and as an Information Services Analyst, she works with studies utilizing the ArborLink data collection application, helping to improve the user experience, track outstanding issues, and assemble and/or create technical and functional specifications incorporating the study protocol and user requirements. Ms. Pullen has been an installer/trainer and project manager of software applications for newspapers, for which she did quality assurance testing, provided end-user technical support, and wrote technical documentation. Most recently she worked with a non-profit to integrate technology into the classroom at the top liberal arts colleges and universities in the country. Ms. Pullen has a BA from Smith College.
Wenbin Ji, PhD Wenbin Ji, PhD
Wenbin Ji, PhD
Dr. Ji graduated from the University of Toledo with a doctorate in Cell and Molecular Biology in 2016. He worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan for one year before joining Arbor Research in 2018. He has experience in analyzing and interpreting data in the life sciences and has published three peer-reviewed papers. Complementing his experience in statistical analysis, he achieved certification as a SAS Base Programmer in 2017. As a programmer at Arbor Research, Dr. Ji provides programming support for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) and the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).
Xue Dietrich, MS Xue Dietrich, MS
Xue Dietrich, MS
Mrs. Dietrich joined Arbor Research in 2014 and holds two MS degrees in Statistics and Civil Engineering from the University of Toledo. Mrs. Dietrich is a certified SAS Advanced Programmer. She applies her knowledge in data analysis and skills in SAS programming to extract and present relevant information from intricate data sets. Mrs. Dietrich provides programming support for Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDOPPS), and the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project funded by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She also contributed to the production of the Annual Data Report (ADR) and manuscript development of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) during 2014 to 2018.
Zach Dietrich, MS Zach Dietrich, MS
Zach Dietrich, MS
Mr. Dietrich joined Arbor Research in October 2014, after graduating from the University of Toledo with an MS degree in Statistics. He currently provides programming support to several projects, including the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model Evaluation, and also the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) data querying web tool, RenDER. Previously, Mr. Dietrich also provided data processing and analysis support for the End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (ESRD QIP) Validation and Population Health Measures projects. Prior to joining Arbor Research, he achieved certification as a SAS Advanced Programmer.
Applications Development
The applications development team designs the customized software used to communicate research findings and coordinate study protocols. Team members are responsible for engineering, developing, and maintaining Windows and web-based customized applications.
Ben Guidinger, BS Ben Guidinger, BS
Ben Guidinger, BS
Since joining Arbor Research in 2006, Mr. Guidinger has overseen the development and operations of all in-house software engineering projects, as well as the various websites hosted by Arbor Research. Those websites include: the Arbor Research website (ArborResearch.org); the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study website (DOPPS.org); a dialysis facility reporting website for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (DialysisReports.org); various research-related websites sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCCD.CDC.gov/CKD), Health Resources and Services Administration (LivingDonorAssistance.org), and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (USRDS.org); and all current implementations of the ArborLink suite of data-collection websites. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Guidinger worked as a lead software engineer at several companies, including United Health Group, Ford Motor Company, and Motorola. Mr. Guidinger received a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Applications Development Manager
Ben Sutton, BBA Ben Sutton, BBA
Ben Sutton, BBA
Mr. Sutton joined Arbor Research in 2015. He received his BBA in Computer Information Systems from Eastern Michigan University. Prior to joining Arbor Research, he worked within the University of Michigan Health System and at the Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Quality Institute where he was responsible for creating and maintaining over 30 unique web applications. He has over 16 years of experience with web application development and database design. At Arbor Research, his responsibilities include web application design and development for the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC), DOPPS Practice Monitor (DPM), and NephCure Kidney Network (NKN) Registry websites. Additionally, he provides support for the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Surveillance website.
Applications Programmer II
Charlie Sirich, MS, MBA Charlie Sirich, MS, MBA
Charlie Sirich, MS, MBA
Mr. Sirich works to build and support customized web-based applications and content management systems. At Arbor Research, Mr. Sirich has worked on a website for the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), a national data system that collects, analyzes, and distributes information about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. His primary focus has been with public websites (e.g. ArborResearch.org, DOPPS.org, ChoosingDialysis.org, USRDS.org) and also with internal tools (e.g. our Intranet, publications maintenance system, JIRA ticketing system), where he has efficiently worked to integrate off-the-shelf software products and custom development work into Arbor Research's portfolio of website and product offerings. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2009, he worked for Dana Corporation and Shell Oil Company. Over the past years, Mr. Sirich has successfully designed and implemented numerous solutions for different industries including automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare. He holds various IT certifications and MS/MBA degrees from the University of Toledo.
Senior Applications Programmer I
Jack Liao, MS Jack Liao, MS
Jack Liao, MS
Mr. Liao joined Arbor Research in 2007 where he designs customized software used to communicate research findings and coordinate study protocols. He is responsible for engineering, developing, and maintaining Windows and web-based customized applications. Mr. Liao also works to implement the ArborLink data collection application for a variety of projects. He earned an MS in Computer Sciences from Eastern Michigan University in 2001.
Michael Lipham, DMA Michael Lipham, DMA
Michael Lipham, DMA
Mr. Lipham has spent his career developing software for a number of disparate fields ranging from marketing to manufacturing and finance. With an eye toward efficiency, he has developed and maintained several real-time financial market trading software applications and numerous internal and external corporate websites. Additionally, Mr. Lipham has spent time teaching classes in development of .NET and database technologies. At Arbor Research, he is working on projects to portray the results of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) research on the web and applications to improve the internal software development process flow. Mr. Lipham holds various IT certifications and holds a Doctorate in Music from the University of Michigan.
Patrick Callahan, BS Patrick Callahan, BS
Patrick Callahan, BS
Mr. Callahan joined Arbor Research in 2011. He has been dedicated to the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, Peritoneal Dialysis and Outcomes Practice Patterns Study, Chronic Kidney Disease Outcome and Practice Patterns Study, United States Renal Data System and the Permissions systems. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Callahan was the vice-president of Development for Data Application Solutions, Boston MA; the director of Business Development and Data Services for Avizent, Dublin OH; company principal and director of Special Projects for the DORN Technology Group, Livonia MI; and vice president of R&D, later president for Advanced Systems and Designs, a statistical software and services company, Farmington Hills, MI. He earned BS degrees in Physics, Math and Computer Sciences from Central Michigan University.
The project support teams assist in carrying out day-to-day implementation of the various studies under way at Arbor Research. Members facilitate communication with participating research centers and external collaborators; they also provide logistical support for dissemination of results through publications and scientific meetings, as well as the submission of contract deliverables to sponsoring agencies.
Alison Keesey, MPP Alison Keesey, MPP
Alison Keesey, MPP
Ms. Keesey joined the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) team at Arbor Research in 2016. Currently she coordinates study operations and deliverables in Germany, Italy, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Ms. Keesey received her Master in Public Policy (MPP) degree from Michigan State University in 2010, and she is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP).
Senior Project Associate
Amanda Szymanski, BA Amanda Szymanski, BA
Amanda Szymanski, BA
Ms. Szymanski coordinates projects in the Health Policy and Practice Program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), including the Evaluation of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, and the End Stage Renal Disease Services Monitoring and Evaluation (ESRD M&E). She holds a BA in sociology and political science from the University of Michigan and previously worked at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center and the Institute for Social Research.
Senior Project Coordinator
Anna Hogan, BS Anna Hogan, BS
Anna Hogan, BS
Ms. Hogan joined Arbor Research in 2010. She received her BS degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Eastern Michigan University in 2007. She currently coordinates the operational project responsibilities for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and facilitates communication between the DOPPS Program Coordinating Center and participating dialysis facilities in 17 countries. Additionally, Ms. Hogan helps to manage the planning and execution of external meetings and conferences at both the national and international level. Prior to beginning her role as the DOPPS Project Coordinator, Ms. Hogan also served as a Project Associate for the DOPPS.
Brian Ronski, BA, BBA Brian Ronski, BA, BBA
Brian Ronski, BA, BBA
Mr. Ronski joined Arbor Research in 2010 supporting projects in the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) area and continues to coordinate the activities and completion of deliverables for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project. He also provides coordination and support for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) project in the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) program area. Mr. Ronski received a BBA in Management and a BA in French from Eastern Michigan University in 2001 and has prior experience with quality assurance, project coordination, and the pharmaceutical industry
Chris Kippola, BS Chris Kippola, BS
Chris Kippola, BS
Mr. Kippola completed his education at Eastern Michigan University in 2015 where he earned degrees in Political Science and History. His background is primarily in political organizations and non-profits, with over three years of experience in campaign organizing and county level government. He joined Arbor Research in 2015 as a Project Associate for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and joined the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps) in 2016. He currently provides study support for DOPPS in Canada and Sweden, and also provides study support for CKDopps in the United States and Brazil.
Danielle Norman, BA Danielle Norman, BA
Danielle Norman, BA
Ms. Norman joined Arbor Research in 2016 as a Project Associate for the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) and is currently working with the NephCure Kidney Network (NKN) project as well as the Evaluation of the Home Health Value Based Purchasing Model project. Previously, she worked as a student program coordinator at the University of Michigan's Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. Ms. Norman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan with concentrations in Psychology and Women's Studies, and is interested in non-profit program management.
Emily Bramblett, BFA Emily Bramblett, BFA
Emily Bramblett, BFA
Ms. Bramblett graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, and joined Arbor Research in 2016. Her current role at Arbor Research supports the SDCC program on the ChiLDReN project. Prior to Arbor Research, Emily worked at SoundRocket, as Study Coordinator for the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL).
Project Associate II
Joanne Lord, BA, LPN, CCRC Joanne Lord, BA, LPN, CCRC
Joanne Lord, BA, LPN, CCRC
Ms. Lord joined Arbor Research in 2015. She holds an LPN Diploma from Marion S. Whelan School of Practical Nursing and a BA degree in Psychology/Education with a Religion minor from Mount Holyoke College. Before joining Arbor Research, she worked at the University of Michigan in the Department of Neurology as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator where she coordinated numerous multi-center clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. At Arbor Research, Ms. Lord serves as a Clinical Monitor for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN).
Clinical Monitor
Julie Lock, MLitt, BA Julie Lock, MLitt, BA
Julie Lock, MLitt, BA
Ms. Lock joined Arbor Research and the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers team as a Project Associate in 2014. She received her BA in Art History and Literature from Eastern Michigan University and her MLitt in Literature from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Ms. Lock worked in project support, patient services, and quality control. She currently provides support to the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN), the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), and the Childhood Liver Disease and Research Network.
Kimberly Fox, BA Kimberly Fox, BA
Kimberly Fox, BA
Ms. Fox joined the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) at Arbor Research in 2016, leading PDOPPS operations in the US and Australia and providing support to PDOPPS in Colombia. She also joined the Patient-Centered Research program area (PCR) at Arbor Research as the Project Associate for the Sharesource project, and is a member of the Health & Wellness committee. Ms. Fox received a BA in Psychology and a concentration in Medical Anthropology from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she worked in research administration at the University of Michigan Medical School. Her interests include medical anthropology, public health, and patient-centered research.
Melissa Sexton, BBA, CCRP Melissa Sexton, BBA, CCRP
Melissa Sexton, BBA, CCRP
Ms. Sexton joined Arbor Research in 2009 as part of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) team. She transitioned to the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps) in 2012 and the Empowering Patients On Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT) project in 2014. Ms. Sexton received her BBA from Eastern Michigan University in 2010. She earned her Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) certification from the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) in 2016. Ms. Sexton is currently the project associate and clinical monitor for the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN). She is also a clinical monitor for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN).
Michelle Goebel Michelle Goebel
Michelle Goebel
Ms. Goebel joined Arbor Research in May 2013 and works on many projects, including data entry for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and ChiLDReN. She also coordinates the internal data entry process for DOPPS, PDOPPS and CKDOPPS Patient Questionnaires (PQ).
Senior Data Entry Specialist
Sayori Suda-Wilson, BS Sayori Suda-Wilson, BS
Sayori Suda-Wilson, BS
Ms. Suda-Wilson joined Arbor Research in 2013. She received her BS in Human Nutrition at University of Maine and is a Registered Dietitian. Ms. Suda-Wilson currently provides support for the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) project.
Yuko Schoenberg, BS Yuko Schoenberg, BS
Yuko Schoenberg, BS
Ms. Schoenberg joined Arbor Research in 2014. She received her BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Eastern Michigan University and was a restaurant manager/bartender. She currently provides support for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) project.
Publications & Communications
The publications & communications team works closely with investigators and analysts to coordinate and finalize manuscripts for journal submission, ensuring that all requirements are met throughout the peer-review and publication process. The team also edits proposals, reports, abstracts, and other research-based publications.
Heather Van Doren, MFA Heather Van Doren, MFA
Heather Van Doren, MFA
Ms. Van Doren joined Arbor Research in 2009 as a Medical Editor and currently serves as Senior Medical Editor. She holds a BS in Journalism from Bowling Green State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University, San Diego. Ms. Van Doren edits peer-reviewed manuscripts and other publications across project areas. She is also point editor on grant proposals. Her background as a consultant includes scientific editing for The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, Cognitive Pharmaceuticals/Mithridion, and Morehouse School of Medicine. She previously managed communications for Lourdes College and the American Red Cross.
Senior Medical Editor
Jennifer McCready-Maynes, BA Jennifer McCready-Maynes, BA
Jennifer McCready-Maynes, BA
Ms. McCready-Maynes joined Arbor Research in 2003 as a Project Assistant for the SRTR contract. She has a BA in English from the University of Michigan. Ms. McCready-Maynes has worked as a Medical Editor since 2004, successfully editing peer-reviewed manuscripts for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), Renal and Lung Living Donor Evaluation Study (RELIVE), and the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL) projects, along with annual reports, contract deliverables, and proposals. Prior to Arbor Research, she was the Senior Editor and Staff Writer for The Engravers Journal, a small trade publication. She also served as an Editing Specialist for OMI, Inc., and a Development Research Associate for the Colorado School of Mines.
Medical Editor II
Shauna Leighton, BA Shauna Leighton, BA
Shauna Leighton, BA
Ms. Leighton joined Arbor Research in 2007 and holds a BA in Journalism from Michigan State University. Ms. Leighton collaborates with international investigators and analysts, as well as with Arbor Research's own statisticians, investigators, editors, and administrative teams. She is responsible for the scientific editing of deliverables and manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications across multiple projects, including the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the DOPPS Practice Monitor, the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps), Empowering Patients on Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT), the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL), the Renal and Lung Living Donors Evaluation Study (RELIVE), the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN), the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN), the NephCure Kidney Network, the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN), and the Health Policy and Practices Project. Ms. Leighton is committed to clear communication and fluid cooperation with a wide and international range of medical researchers.
The administrative functions at Arbor Research include: business and financial operations; human resources; facilities; compliance; and funding and proposal development. Administration is responsible for overseeing and meeting the diverse needs of employees, guests, visitors, collaborators, and other external parties.
Colette Cloyd Colette Cloyd
Colette Cloyd
Ms. Cloyd joined Arbor Research in 2014. She has responsibility for assisting the President with a wide range of organizational, administrative, and strategic projects including calendar management and supporting the Board of Directors. She has 30 years of executive administrative experience, including more than 20 years as the Senior Executive Secretary to the Treasurer of the University of Michigan.
Executive Coordinator to the President
Courtney Kupres, BA, PHR Courtney Kupres, BA, PHR
Courtney Kupres, BA, PHR
Ms. Kupres joined Arbor Research in 2010 as the Human Resource Assistant, bringing with her human resource experience in small and large size companies. During her first two years, she provided the day-to-day support for the Human Resource Manager and introduced ideas to improve processes and the workplace. In 2012, Ms. Kupres was promoted to the management role and is now responsible for leading all aspects of the Human Resource department, including but not limited to, recruitment, employee relations, talent management, compensation & benefits, and policy interpretation. Ms. Kupres holds a BA from the University of Michigan and received her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in 2013.
Curt Esper Curt Esper
Curt Esper
Mr. Esper joined Arbor Research in June 2017. He has worked in healthcare, primarily in facilities & office management, for over 22 years. At Arbor Research, Mr. Esper supports and manages facility maintenance, operations contracts with vendors; oversees development of the administration and occupancy budgets; disaster management team administrator; physical security trainer; readytalk administrator; move team co-leader.
Gayle Jackson, MA Gayle Jackson, MA
Gayle Jackson, MA
Compliance and Proposal Coordinator
Glenda Ward, MS Glenda Ward, MS
Glenda Ward, MS
Ms. Ward joined Arbor Research in 2016. She works with internal customers on invoicing and provides additional support through financial analysis and reporting. Ms. Ward holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Kalamazoo College and a master's degree in Accounting from Eastern Michigan University.
Joanna Luan, MS Joanna Luan, MS
Joanna Luan, MS
Ms. Luan joined Arbor Research in January 2018. She works with the finance team to optimize accounting software and financial processes. She also prepares, examines, and analyzes accounting records, financial statements, and other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards. In addition, she supports financial analysts with completion of the monthly financial package by preparing specific monthly financial work papers. Ms. Luan holds a master's degree in Accounting from Eastern Michigan University.
Karen Crow, BS, CPA, CGMA Karen Crow, BS, CPA, CGMA
Karen Crow, BS, CPA, CGMA
Ms. Crow joined Arbor Research in 2015, bringing over 25 years of experience with healthcare delivery and health research organizations, supported by a mix of public and private funding. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she was the Director of Finance at Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) in Ann Arbor. Ms. Crow led that organization in forecasting results using financial modeling and analysis. She oversaw the annual budgeting process ensuring alignment with the strategic plan and was responsible for presenting the financial position to the Board of Directors. Ms. Crow graduated in 1985 from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, minor in Business Administration. Ms. Crow is a certified public accountant, member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Michigan Association of CPAs.
Katie Shi, MS Katie Shi, MS
Katie Shi, MS
Ms. Shi graduated from Eastern Michigan University with both her bachelor's degree and master's degree in accounting. She joined Arbor Research in October 2017. Her current role at Arbor Research supports and performs day-to-day accounting functions. She is also responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable procedures, and supporting financial analysts with completion of the monthly financial package.
Lynda Little, BA, SHRM-CP Lynda Little, BA, SHRM-CP
Lynda Little, BA, SHRM-CP
Before joining Arbor Research in May of 2017, Ms. Little was a Human Resources Specialist in the financial industry with responsibilities ranging from onboarding to training and development practices. Her role at Arbor Research focuses on creating and implementing learning and development programs within Arbor Research. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a BA in Communications in 2004, and has been working in the Human Resources field for six years.
Renee Seils, BS Renee Seils, BS
Renee Seils, BS
Ms. Seils joined Arbor Research in 2017. She is a graduate of Oakland University with a BS in Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention. Ms. Seils provides direct administrative support to the mid-level management team and investigators at Arbor Research.
Sandra Moran Sandra Moran
Mrs. Moran joined Arbor Research in 2007. She provides dedicated support to the vice presidents, including calendar management, travel arrangements, expense and credit card reconciliation, point of contact, correspondence, and conference registrations. Mrs. Moran manages the company travel system providing assistance to all staff regarding travel, and related expense and pre-request reporting. She manages subscriptions and professional memberships. Mrs. Moran oversees the day to day duties of the administrative assistant, providing direction and training as required. She has worked in the administration field for 30 years.
Sarah Boggio, BA Sarah Boggio, BA
Sarah Boggio, BA
Ms. Boggio joined Arbor Research in 2012. She is a graduate from Michigan State University with a BA in Human Resources and Society. Ms. Boggio has over 5 years of Human Resources experience. Her current job responsibilities include recruitment, benefits, payroll, data entry, etc.
Sarah Mason, JD Sarah Mason, JD
Sarah Mason, JD
Ms. Mason joined Arbor Research in September of 2017. Her main responsibilities include negotiation and monitoring of all major contracts including public and private funders; ensuring compliance with all company policies and procedures, government regulations and industry protocols; and supporting IT and Operations with data security and privacy. She received her BA in International Relations from Michigan State University in 1996 and a JD from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2004. Ms. Mason has been an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with Muskegon County, a Judicial Staff Attorney with the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County, Michigan, and has managed her own private solo practice. She also co-founded a niche recreational outfitter business in the Paddle Board Industry and toured all across the state of Michigan plus multiple countries. Ms. Mason has served as President over one of the largest adult female hockey leagues in the country and as an Advisor on the State Bar of Michigan Domestic Violence Committee. She received Oakland County's Domestic Violence Prevention award in 2005 and Outstanding Woman Law student in 2002. She is licensed in the State of Michigan and the U.S. District Court-Eastern District of Michigan.
Grants & Contracts Counsel
The IT team manages the Arbor Research computing environment; this includes upgrading the network infrastructure and selecting and deploying new applications and equipment to support organizational requirements. Team members provide security services and training for employees and subcontractors and maintain compliance with governmental and business security standards. IT also supports and administers installed systems, work that includes troubleshooting, maintaining, and upgrading hardware components; administering networked Microsoft systems; and monitoring system functions.
Abul Foej, MIT Abul Foej, MIT
Abul Foej, MIT
Mr. Foej received his BIT degree in Informatics and MIT degree in Enterprise Architecture from Griffith University, Australia. He joined the Arbor Research IT Support Team in 2015. His current role is IT Support Specialist and his responsibilities include providing primary-level technical support, maintaining workstations and laptops, and providing other computer-related support on a daily basis. He also provides operational support for the virtual private network (VPN) system and the electronic signage system for Arbor Research employees.
Daniel Vandermade, BBA Daniel Vandermade, BBA
Daniel Vandermade, BBA
Mr. Vandermade received a BBA in Entrepreneurship and Finance from Eastern Michigan University in 2009. He joined Arbor Research in 2007 and currently provides IT and computer related support and assistance for IT department staff and Arbor Research employees.
Josh Brucksch, BBA Josh Brucksch, BBA
Josh Brucksch, BBA
Mr. Brucksch received his BBA in Computer Information Systems from Western Michigan University in the summer of 2011. He joined the Arbor Research IT team in June 2015 to work on various network and server projects. He brings experience with and exposure to a wide range of enterprise technologies from his previous job as an IT field engineer.
Systems Administration Specialist
Kashish Jaiswal, MS Kashish Jaiswal, MS
Kashish Jaiswal, MS
Mr. Jaiswal has four years of experience designing and managing Enterprise Networks. He currently holds an MS degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Oklahoma with a major in Quantum Cryptography. He also holds CCNA and CCNP Routing certifications. He has been working at Arbor Research since May 2017 as a Network Administrator. His responsibilities include providing support to the Arbor Research IT Network, Network planning, and working on current and future IT projects.
Saurabh Patel, BS Saurabh Patel, BS
Saurabh Patel, BS
Mr. Patel graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a BS in Computer Science. He has over ten years of experience in the IT field and joined Arbor Research in 2006. His responsibilities include managing day to day operations of the Arbor Research Network, implementing security policies and providing technical support to end users. He currently holds SANS Security Essentials certification.
Network Services Manager