Leaders & Staff

Board of Directors

John Turner White, IV, MBA

President and Director

John Turner White, IV, MBA

President and Director

Executive Professor Helzberg School of Management, Rockhurst University (retired). Turner White was executive professor of management in the Helzberg School of Management for fifteen years following a career of over 30 years in business. He retired from active teaching in 2020. He was previously chief executive officer of Union Station Kansas City, Inc., a civic and commercial property development project in Kansas City, Missouri. His primary interests are business turnarounds and reorganizations, entrepreneurship, ethics, business decision-making, and international business. He holds a Master of Management from the International School of Management (2018), a Master of Business Administration as an executive fellow from Rockhurst University (1993) and a Bachelor of Arts in English and philosophy from Colorado College (1971). He was honored as Faculty Member of the Year at the Rockhurst University Festival of Student Achievement in 2016.

Secretary and Director

Chester Fox, MD, FAAFP

Secretary and Director

Chester Fox, MD, FAAFP

Professor of Family Medicine for the University at Buffalo. Chet Fox has been the director share of the upstate New York Patient Powered and Practice-based Research Network. (UNYNET). This PBRN specializes in practice transformation for primary care practices in order to translate evidence into practice. UNYNET has 49 active practices with 175 clinicians and serve a population base of close to 400,000 patients throughout the eight counties of Western New York. It is closely aligned with the Pursuing Perfection Collaborative Western New York which is a Robert Wood Johnson Aligning Forces for Quality community. This gives significant contact all-important organizations and practices within the eight counties. Through this alliance, UNYNET was part of one of the 17 Beacon communities from the Office of the National Coordinator. The PBRN has completed over 48 research projects and has published 68 papers. Dr. Fox is principal investigator on a large NIH study utilizing DARTNet to use computer decision support at the point of care to improve the quality and safety of chronic kidney disease care in primary care offices.

Kari Stephens, PhD

Director

Kari Stephens, PhD

Director

Dr. Kari Stephens is Helen D. Cohen Endowed Professor, Research Section Head, Director of Clinical Research Informatics, and Professor in Family Medicine and Adjunct Professor in Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education at the UW School of Medicine. Dr. Stephens is a practicing clinical psychologist and biomedical informaticist conducting research focused on health equity, integrated behavioral health, chronic pain, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, substance use, cancer, long COVID, and informatics data sharing, particularly in primary care settings. Dr. Stephens currently conducts clinical research and leads informatics and innovations in data sharing as Director of Data QUEST, overseeing a regional electronic health record systems based primary care data sharing network, which has supported over $100M in grant funded projects, Associate Director with the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center, and executive faculty member and lead of regional informatics within the Institute of Translational Health Science’s Biomedical Informatics Core. Her work has been funded by NIH, PCORI, AHRQ, SAHMSA, DoD, CDC, private agencies, and local and state government agencies.

Lawrence Kleinman, MD, MPH, FAAP

Director

Lawrence Kleinman, MD, MPH, FAAP

Director

Dr. Lawrence C. Kleinman is a pioneer and national leader in children’s health. He served four years in the National Health Services Corps, the first pediatrician to provide care in one of the most medically vulnerable neighborhoods in Connecticut. Over his career he has developed expertise in measuring and improving health care quality. His paper questioning the appropriateness of tympanostomy tube surgery in children was a landmark, and his paper on assessing the health of the homeless in the field was named Article of the Year by AcademyHealth. Dr. Kleinman spent a decade innovating as an entrepreneur: in Disease Management; as CMO for a venture funded medical informatics company, working with a community hospital system, and developing Quality Matters, Inc as a boutique consulting firm. Dr .Kleinman re-entered academia as Vice Chair of Population Health Science and Policy at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he created a Primary Care Research T32 program, assumed leadership of the Community Engagement Core of their CTSA, and was co-Director of the Masters and PhD programs in clinical investigation. He was PI for the CAPQuaM, a national consortium funded ($8M) as an AHRQ-CMS CHIPRA Center of Excellence in the federal Pediatric Quality Measures Program. Dr. Kleinman also developed an innovative analytical method that improves researchers’ ability to estimate the impact of an intervention. Dr. Kleinman has served as Vice Chair for Academic Development since February 2019 at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and is founding Director of the Division of Population Health, Quality, and Implementation Sciences (PopQuIS) within the Department of Pediatrics at Rutgers RWJ Medical School. Dr. Kleinman organized and led the HRSA funded Maternal Child Health Measurement Research Network and heads the HRSA funded primary care research T32, TRAP PCR. Dr. Kleinman has emerged as a national leader on COVID-19 research as PI of CONNECT to predict Severe Illness in Children, an NICHD project looking at undesirable outcomes of acute COVID-19 in children and as PI of CLOCK, a large national consortium that is a key hub for the NIH funded RECOVER initiative, which is focused on long covid in children. He was awarded a Director's Award for Collaboration from the NICH for his work on a team that worked to harmonize data definitions for COVID-19 research.

Deborah Altman

Director

Deborah Altman

Director

Debbie Altman is an accomplished financial professional with roughly 20 years of broad experience in research, analysis and reporting. For the majority of her career she was a stock analyst, mainly covering financial institutions as a member of a team that was consistently top ranked in the Brokers & Asset Managers sector by Institutional Investor. Most recently she worked in the corporate banking environment at a large global financial institution within the investment and consumer banks, where she provided analytics, assessed financial results, facilitated regulatory capital reporting, assisted with strategic initiatives, and interfaced with senior members of the organization. Debbie’s areas of expertise include equity research, financial modeling, as well as budget, strategic and capital planning. She possesses robust critical and strategic thinking, writing, presentation and communication skills; has a strong sense of ownership and urgency, and can quickly and effectively respond to change and shifting priorities. She effectively develops and implements process improvement that delivers enhanced quality, efficiency, transparency and effectiveness. Debbie has excellent management and relationship building skills with ability to effectively engage at all levels of an organization.

Chief Officers

Christina M. Hester, PhD, MPH

Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Research

Christina M. Hester, PhD, MPH

Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Research

Christina Hester leads and oversees primary care focused research studies in collaboration with DARTNet Institute’s broad network of clinicians and collaborators. Christina has her PhD in microbiology with postdoctoral fellowship training in public health and family medicine research and has served in leadership roles in family medicine research training programs and primary care focused translational and practice-based research projects for over a decade. The goal of her research program is to improve family medicine and primary care and ensure meaningful involvement of clinicians in research. Her work focuses on engaging practicing clinicians in identifying solutions for primary care through practice-based research in real-world practice settings and in supporting primary care clinical teams in adopting innovation derived from research.

Email:[email protected]

HR

Director of HR

HR

Director of HR

Email:[email protected]

Jim Keeney

Chief Financial Officer

Jim Keeney

Chief Financial Officer

Experienced CFO for over 30 years in 501C3 for research institutions and health facilities. Born and raised lifelong Kansas Citian. Jim lives in Blue Springs, Missouri. He loves sports and is a huge fan of the KC Royals, Chiefs, Mizzou Tigers, Notre Dame, and Air Force Academy. Jim is a long time Fastpitch Girls/Women's Softball Coach who helped place over 90 softball academic athletes scholarships to play college softball. Jim has been married since 1989 to Shari Keeney and together they have two children Josh (31 years old Geometry and Algebra Teacher) and Erin (Park Recreation Manager). They are a family big dog lovers.

Email:[email protected]

Wilson Pace, MD

CMO and CTO

Wilson Pace, MD

CMO and CTO

Wilson D. Pace, MD, FAAFP Chief Medical and Technology Officer, DARTNet Institute is a Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, the Green-Edelman Chair Emeritus for Practice-based Research, and the past Director of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network. Dr. Pace’s research has focused on patient centered health information technology, behavioral change (both patient and clinician behavior), practice reorganization and patient safety. He served on the Institute of Medicine’s committee studying the recognition and prevention of medication errors which resulted in the report entitled “Preventing Medication Errors.” His behavioral change work has involved multiple technology and clinical decision support related projects. Other projects have focused on improving care for depression in general, post-partum depression specifically, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic kidney disease. He is the primary architect of the DARTNet Institute, a not-for profit research and clinical support organization.

Phone:1-800-434-0278, ext. 12
Email: [email protected]

Vice Presidents

Jack Westfall, MPH, MD

Vice President of Medical Affairs

Jack Westfall, MPH, MD

Vice President of Medical Affairs

John M. (Jack) Westfall grew up in Yuma, Colorado. He completed his MD and Masters in Public Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, an internship in hospital medicine in Wichita, Kansas, and his Family Medicine Residency at the University of Colorado Rose Family Medicine Program. After joining the faculty at the University of Colorado Department of Family Medicine, Dr Westfall started the High Plains Research Network, a geographic community and practice-based research network in rural and frontier Colorado. He practiced family medicine in several rural communities including Limon, Ft Morgan, and his hometown of Yuma. He added Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder to his clinical care in 2016.The work of the HPRN and its participatory, Community Advisory Council has included funding from the CDC, NIH, AHRQ, and numerous state and local foundations. After retiring from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, he worked for several years as the Director for Whole Person Care at Santa Clara County Health and Hospitals in San Jose, California. He served for several years as the Director of the Robert Graham Center for policy research in primary care and family medicine in Washington DC. Returning to Colorado, he continues to consult and collaborate on primary care practice-based research, community-based participatory research, integrated primary care and behavioral health, and the interface between primary care, public, and community health. In addition to working with DARTNet Institute, Jack practices family medicine part-time in his hometown of Yuma, Colorado.

Email:[email protected]

Directors

Amanda Ratigan, PhD, MPH

Senior Director of Quantitative Research and Data Science

Amanda Ratigan, PhD, MPH

Senior Director of Quantitative Research and Data Science

Amanda Ratigan leads initiatives that advance data-driven approaches to patient safety, and the development and optimization of healthcare registries. She holds a PhD in epidemiology and has experience leveraging electronic health data to enhance clinical research and support evidence-based decision-making. Amanda is passionate about using data and technology to improve patient care and outcomes, advance public health, and strengthen healthcare systems.

Brian Manning, MPH

Senior Director of Research

Brian Manning, MPH

Senior Director of Research

Brian became involved in research in 1999 following a brief stint in the NFL. He began his research career at the University of Kansas Medial Center (KUMC) in community-based research that focused on smoking cessation and behavioral health interventions. While at KUMC he obtained his Master’s in Public Health. In June 2004, Brian joined the AAFP National Research Network (AAFP NRN). Brian has been involved in various roles on research teams in many primary care practice-based projects that span topics (e.g., prevention and treatment of chronic conditions, improving health behaviors, wellness promotion, etc.) and methods. In August 2023 Brian joined DARTNet. Brian has extensive experience in participating in all phases of research studies, research methods/designs, national and multi-site research projects, and collaborating effectively across organizations and disciplines. Brian is married to Roxanne and has 3 adult sons, Micah, Caleb, and Joshua.

Email:[email protected]

Cathy Bryan

Director of Clinical Strategy & Innovation

Cathy Bryan

Director of Clinical Strategy & Innovation

As a registered nurse with over 40 years of experience in health care and a career that spans clinic operations, practice-based research, software development, and value-based care, Cathy has a broad and expansive set of skills and knowledge in multiple facets of the health care industry. Having co-founded a software company that created clinical decision support and data analytics tools for provider practices, Cathy is now working with DARTNet Institute to build and refine its’ In4MedCare product offering. Additionally, she teaches courses in health policy and health care system structure at the University of Texas-Dallas. Working in senior leadership for much of her career, Cathy also has experience in start-up organizations, consulting, leading teams experiencing rapid growth and change, and has been published in several peer-reviewed journals as an author and co-author. Her interest in furthering the effective use of data to support care delivery has allowed Cathy to be on the forefront as an industry leader and supporter of innovative approaches to drive quality-focused, evidence-based, equity-centric care to serve patients and communities. Cathy holds a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Baylor University, and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from University of Missouri-Columbia. She is an active member of ACHE North Texas and Board member for Visiting Nurse Association of Texas and The Agape Clinic, two nonprofit organizations serving North Texas.

Email:[email protected]

Daphne York

Director of Programs

Daphne York

Director of Programs

Daphne York has a 25-year career in research following 20 years in business management and accounting. She has a diverse background in research that includes 10 years as a clinical research coordinator at Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, where she worked in public health and multidisciplinary research. After moving to Michigan, she worked as a research project manager at the University of Notre Dame and then spent the next 3 plus years at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine (WMed) as Research Navigator where she guided physicians, faculty, medical students, and residents through the research life cycle.

Phone:1-866-290-0618 ext. 5
Email:[email protected]

Elias C Brandt

Senior Director of Data Strategy & Informatics

Elias C Brandt

Senior Director of Data Strategy & Informatics

Elias is the Senior Director of Data Strategy & Informatics at DARTNet Institute, where he has worked since 2015. With a background in economics, finance, and health informatics, he specializes in managing large health data sets, designing data systems for research and quality improvement, and developing performance and safety metrics. Previously, he held research and analytical roles at the AAFP National Research Network. His work has contributed to advancing electronic health data management, practice-based research, and patient safety in primary care. He holds an M.S. in Health Informatics from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Phone:1-800-434-0278 ext. 9
Email:[email protected]

Gerald Pulver, PhD, MPH

Sr. Scientist

Gerald Pulver, PhD, MPH

Sr. Scientist

Gerald Pulver, PhD, MPH, Senior Scientist, has been an informaticist at DARTNet since its beginning. After working with data in such fields as benthic ecology,seismology, experimental psychology, substance abuse, and telecommunications, he has focussed on health data since 1989 when he entered Columbia University’s School of Public Health. His focus sharpened to Electronic Health Records when he began work on his dissertation in Health Information Technology, under Dr. Pace, at the University of Colorado (CU) . Since retirement from the CU Medical School’s research faculty in 2019, his office has been at DARTNet.

Email:[email protected]

Joseph LeMaster, MD, MPH

Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health

Joseph LeMaster, MD, MPH

Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health

Joseph LeMaster joined the DARTNet Institute in August 2023 as the outgoing Director of the AAFP National Research Network. Dr. LeMaster now serves on the leadership team as the Director of Practice Engagement. His research areas of interest include primary care practice improvement, implementation science, especially to improve the healthcare experience and health outcomes for Americans who have limited English language proficiency.

Email:[email protected]

Karinne Colon

Director of REDCap

Karinne Colon

Director of REDCap

Karinne Colón, MPH, is a Director of REDCap at DARTNet. With more than a decade of diverse clinical and research experience, including over 5 years as a REDCap developer and administrator, she specializes in operationalizing and designing data collection and project management systems to support clinical practices and research teams throughout the project life cycle. Before joining the DARTNet team, Karinne’s research experience was primarily in neurocognitive studies, including sports-related concussions, traumatic brain injuries, MRI analysis, and the designing and administration of neurocognitive measures. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Public Health(MPH).

Email:[email protected]

Liz Regan

Senior Scientist

Liz Regan

Senior Scientist

Senior Scientist at DARTNet

Michael Holmes

Director of Network & Data Security

Michael Holmes

Director of Network & Data Security

Working for DARTNet since 2016, Michael has enjoyed learning and growing within the company. A USMC veteran, Michael holds a MS in Cybersecurity and is pursuing his professional AWS certifications and an MBA which he hopes to complete this academic year.

Phone:1-800-434-0278, ext. 10
Email:[email protected]

Natabhona Mabachi, PhD

Senior Director of Strategic Communication & Evaluation

Natabhona Mabachi, PhD

Senior Director of Strategic Communication & Evaluation

Dr. Mabachi serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Communication & Evaluation at DARTnet Institute. She is responsible for leading high quality research projects, including practice-based research, public health intervention and evaluation activities. She employs Equity/Social Justice frameworks to her work and uses her expertise in Health Communication, Evaluation and Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), to address a variety of topics including Prevention of mother to child HIV transmission (PMTCT), improving Cervical and Breast Cancer screening and treatment, Community level Sexual Assault/Violence Prevention and Policy change, Health literacy, and other gender-based health issues. She also conducts medical education research and evaluation designed to address health inequities arising from structural and systemic -isims in education, care provision and decision making. This includes topics on physician, resident and medical student wellness and burnout. Her work spans both the US and East Africa and she has had the privilege to live and learn on three continents.

Email:[email protected]

Rodger Kessler, PhD

Senior Director of Innovation

Rodger Kessler, PhD

Senior Director of Innovation

Rodger Kessler is a health psychologist and informaticist, and Vice President for Innovation at DARTNet. He has spent 30 years in family medicine practice and clinical research. Currently his primary focus is developing and implementing a risk algorithm for primary care practice and leading the IRIS projects a suite of activities assisting on the ground primary care practices developing informatics and AI applications. He lives on an island off the coast of Washington State with his wife Danit and golden retriever Lizzie and raises bonsai trees between gigs as a singer songwriter.

Email:[email protected]

Shandi Watts, PhD

Adrenal Insufficiency Program Director

Shandi Watts, PhD

Adrenal Insufficiency Program Director

Adrenal Insufficiency Program Director at DARTNet

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Staff Members

Analytics

Ariadna Juarez

Statistical Research Analyst

Ariadna Juarez

Statistical Research Analyst

Ariadna Juarez Colunga, BS, Statistical Research Analyst, holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics and is pursuing her Master's degree in Applied Statistics at Colorado State University. With more than two years of experience as a REDCap project developer, she seeks to leverage her skills and knowledge to contribute to the analytics team and make a meaningful impact in public health.

Email:[email protected]

Gabriela G Villarreal

Sr. Statistical Research Analyst

Gabriela G Villarreal

Sr. Statistical Research Analyst

Gabriela Gaona, born and raised in Mexico, holds a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and a Master's in Public Health. She has lived in New York, Dallas, Fort Worth, and now resides in Colorado with her husband and two daughters. Since July 2018, Gabriela has worked for DArtnet, where she is passionate about analyzing health data to enhance population health outcomes. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, savoring good food, and traveling.

Phone:1-800-434-0278, ext. 21
Email:[email protected]

Tarin Clay

Data Specialist

Tarin Clay

Data Specialist

Tarin is a Statistical Research Analyst at DARTNet Institute where she supports the Director of Analytics with data management and analysis in a variety of research contexts. As part of the analytics team, she has experience analyzing, cleaning, compiling, and interpreting data from a range of sources, including smaller-scale patient-centered outcomes research and big data projects involving one or many Electronic Health Record systems.

Email:[email protected]

Finance

Eljana Kaziaj

Controller

Eljana Kaziaj

Controller

Eljana Kaziaj serves as the Controller at DARTNet Institute, bringing over 15 years of specialized experience in finance and accounting. With an MBA in Finance & Accounting and currently pursuing the CPA, she has a strong background in the finance and accounting industry. Eljana is dedicated to streamlining operations by developing and implementing effective policies and procedures that ensure the accounting department functions efficiently and smoothly. She currently resides in Chicago and enjoys spending time with her family.

Email:[email protected]

Michael Mandefro

Financial Accountant

Michael Mandefro

Financial Accountant

Michael Mandefro is a detail-oriented Financial Accountant with expertise in financial planning, reporting, and analysis across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He excels at budget forecasting, variance analysis, and cost-benefit evaluation while ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Known for his strong organizational skills and collaborative approach, Michael brings both technical expertise and strategic insight to every financial challenge.

Email:[email protected]

Ro White

Research Grants Manager

Ro White

Research Grants Manager

Ro White possesses over 15 years of experience in grants management across various sectors, including higher education, municipal, state, and federal government, with expertise in the full lifecycle of grant and contract administration, from proposal development to post-award compliance and reporting. She excels at securing funding, managing budgets, and ensuring adherence to grant and contract requirements.

Email:[email protected]

Health Informatics

Ernest Lennox

Senior Software Developer

Ernest Lennox

Senior Software Developer

Ernest Lennox has been working as a software developer for 15 years, and has been with DARTNet for over 5 years. In that time he’s been involved in moving most DARTNet operations into AWS, extensive automation processes, and helping to create our In4med Care product.

Phone:1-800-434-0278, ext. 15
Email:[email protected]

Evan Hurley

DevOps Specialist

Evan Hurley

DevOps Specialist

Evan brings a uniquely blended background to DARTNet, with six years in finance and six years in technology, giving him a strong foundation in both operational discipline and technical problem-solving. He has a knack for transforming chaos into cleaner, smarter, and more efficient systems, something we’re excited to add to the data team.

Phone:1-800-434-0278 ext. 20
Email:[email protected]

Mariana Ceballos

Bi Developer

Mariana Ceballos

Bi Developer

Bi Developer at DARTNet

Email:[email protected]

Melissa Sherfield

Senior ETL Developer

Melissa Sherfield

Senior ETL Developer

Happily working for Dartnet since 2022. I have worked with over 30 datasets in my short time here as the ETL specialist. I have had the opportunity to learn to use new to me products like Snowflake, graphing databases like Neptune, and production software like AWS Glue.

Phone:1-800-434-0278 ext. 20
Email:[email protected]

Programs

Chelsea Lucchesi

Clinical DQ Specialist

Chelsea Lucchesi

Clinical DQ Specialist

Chelsea Lucchesi is the Quality Data Analyst for DARTNet. Since joining the team in 2022, her key focus is assisting in maintaining metric and quality standards both internally and externally. She also maintains the Practice Performance Registry, and works with clients to navigate their data to achieve better outcomes. Prior to joining, Chelsea worked at a FQHC for over 9 years and holds both BS and MHA degrees from the University of Scranton.

Phone:1-866-297-8521 ext. 72
Email:[email protected] or [email protected]

Osa Ikhile

REDCap Builder/Data Analyst

Osa Ikhile

REDCap Builder/Data Analyst

Research Data Analyst/REDCap Builder at DARTNet

Email:[email protected]

Jesse Rozmarynowski "Roz"

Sr. REDCap Developer

Jesse Rozmarynowski "Roz"

Sr. REDCap Developer

Sr. REDCap Developer at DARTNet

Research

Alex Blair

Research Project Manager

Alex Blair

Research Project Manager

Alex brings a strong background in project management within the healthcare and research sectors, with experience guiding complex initiatives from start to finish. She has supported organizations across both public and private sectors, contributing to high-impact work in clinical and operational environments. Alex holds advanced degrees in clinical research and business administration, and is currently based in the southeastern U.S.

Email:[email protected]

Alicia Brooks-Greisen

Bilingual Research Coordinator

Alicia Brooks-Greisen

Bilingual Research Coordinator

Alicia is a bilingual research coordinator at DARNet and has worked in the field of bilingual (English/Spanish) research support for 17+ years. She enjoying supporting research participants and working with practices as well, to create a great experience for everyone involved in research projects. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband & daughter, traveling and practicing yoga.

Email:[email protected]

Beth Calhoun

Research Project Manager

Beth Calhoun

Research Project Manager

Research Project Managert at DARTNet

Carolyn Valdez

Research Nurse Manager

Carolyn Valdez

Research Nurse Manager

Research Nurse Manager at DARTNet

Elizabeth Staton

Technical Writer

Elizabeth Staton

Technical Writer

Elizabeth Staton, MSTC, is a technical writer who has been part of the DARTNet team from the beginning. She has a master's degree in technical communication and works in Colorado.

Email:[email protected]

Eric (Lingyi) Wang

Data Scientist

Eric (Lingyi) Wang

Data Scientist

Eric was born and raised in China and moved alone to Ashland, Oregon at the age of fifteen in pursuit of a new and adventurous life. Outside of his knowledge pursuits, he continues to refine his classical singing and piano performance, sustaining his lifelong passion for music, though you’re far more likely to find him skiing through glades or launching off a cliff somewhere in the mountains.

Joel Shields

Research Project Manager

Joel Shields

Research Project Manager

Joel is involved with project management, research design, data collection, supporting research sites, human subjects protection, IRBs, and practice and subject recruitment. Prior to his work with the NRN, Mr. Shields worked as a quantitative and qualitative researcher at the American Academy of Family Physicians from 2006-2016. Mr. Shields completed his Master of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2007 and his Bachelor of Science in sociology from Missouri State University in 2000.

Email:[email protected]

Kaari Van Auken

Senior Program Specialist and Assistant Corporate Secretary to the Board

Kaari Van Auken

Senior Program Specialist and Assistant Corporate Secretary to the Board

Kaari performs and coordinates administrative activities across for the DARTNet Institute. Tasks include managing multiple calendars across the organization and scheduling for various projects. She helps create marketing and communication materials, has a hand in updating the website, assists with tracking SPARK Network membership, and provides support for various other needs that arise.

Email:[email protected]

Lauren Mansanares

Research Assistant

Lauren Mansanares

Research Assistant

Research Assistant at DARTNet

Mariana Villarreal

Bilingual Nurse

Mariana Villarreal

Bilingual Nurse

Bilingual Nurse at DARTNet

Lisa Kauffman

Research Project Manager

Lisa Kauffman

Research Project Manager

Lisa joined DARTNet Institute in 2024 building on her extensive experience as a Clinical Research Coordinator, where she spent over 13 years honing her research skills. Her expertise includes a strong background in multi and rare disease studies, with a particular emphasis on Lyme disease research. She has a proven ability to lead studies from start-up to closeout showcasing her exceptional patient care, communication, problem-solving, and adaptability skills. Lisa looks forward to continuing her growth and development with DARTNet as a Research Project Manager.

Email:[email protected]

Rachal Hittson-Smith

Research Coordinator

Rachal Hittson-Smith

Research Coordinator

Rachal worked in clinical and public health research, contributing to large-scale clinical trials and conducting mixed method research on community and behavioral health studies. She completed her Master of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center and her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition from Texas A&M University.

Suzy K Paris

Research Assistant

Suzy K Paris

Research Assistant

Suzy assists with data entry, research, and mailing for specific projects.

Email:[email protected]

Research Evaluation

Elise Robertson

Research Project Manager II

Elise Robertson

Research Project Manager II

Elise Robertson has served as a Research Project Manager in practice-based primary care research since 2020. She has been involved in studies and programs on a variety of topics including cancer screening, behavioral health integration, implementation science, as well as training and education. She works closely with research teams and participants through all stages of the research cycle and specializes in qualitative methods. Ms. Robertson joined DARTNet in August 2023 following the acquisition of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN). She earned both her BA and MA in Sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Email:[email protected]