FRESH Team
Katie Brooks Biello
PhD, MPH
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Katie (she/her) is Chair of the Department of Epidemiology, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, and Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown University.
Her research interests are in identifying and understanding the underlying risk factors for social inequities in HIV/STIs and developing behavioral interventions to reduce risk among racial, sexual and gender minorities and those in resource limited settings, both domestically and globally.
Jaclyn White Hughto
PhD, MPH
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Jackie (she/her), Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Assistant Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown University, is a social epidemiologist with expertise in epidemiology, behavioral science, and mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) research.
Her research examines the individual, interpersonal, and structural drivers of health inequities, with a focus on the impact of stigma on the health of sexual and gender minority populations, people who use drugs, and those living with HIV.
Jennifer Olson
MBA
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Jennifer "Jenny" (she/her) is Project Director for FRESH Research. She has been committed to public health research for over 25 years, with a primary focus on drug user health, harm reduction, and HIV prevention and care.
Her expertise is in protocol implementation in clinical and community settings, and grant administration.
Vanessa Silva
BA
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Vanessa (she/her) has a background in social sciences, cardiovascular health and social and behavioral health and her research interests lie in socioeconomic and racial impacts on health outcomes and one's mental health.
She hopes to one day take the skills she has learned in medical and social science research and apply them to research in social sciences. In addition to research, she enjoys gardening, running and organizing local community efforts.
Lance Nelson
BA
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Lance (he/him) is a sex worker rights advocate and project coordinator on the PrEPare for Work and Project IMPACT studies with advocacy experience at the Sex Workers Project of the Urban Justice Center and Black and Pink.
He is currently pursuing his MPH, with a concentration in public health law and policy, at Brown University School of Public Health as a Health Equity Scholar.
Siena Napoleon
MPH​
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Siena (she/her) earned her BA in Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences and Psychology from Wellesley College and her MPH in Health Policy and Management from Boston University. Siena has diverse practical experience in multiple sectors of public health. Currently a PhD student in Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown, she is advised by Drs. Katie Biello and Rosemarie Martin.
Her main research interests include implementation science and the neurocognitive impact of stimulant use in young adulthood. Outside of school, Siena loves cooking, outdoor sports, and spending time with her daughters.
Patrick Kelly
MPH
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Patrick "Pat" (he/him) is a doctoral student focused on the psychosocial and structural factors that influence medical decision making among LGBTQ populations and people with substance use disorder(s). He created the makeshift medicine framework that aims to understand how people meet their healthcare needs when excluded from formalized healthcare systems.
Pat primarily contributes to data collection and qualitative analysis for the POINTS Study. He holds an MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Temple University, and is advised by Drs. Hughto and Biello.
Pallavi Goel
BA
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.Pallavi (she/her) is a research assistant at FRESH, supporting the PrEPare for Work and Project IMPACT studies. She has a background in public health research and evaluation, with experience working on projects related to HIV treatment quality improvement, behavioral health, and social determinants of health.
Her research interests include reproductive health, gender and racial disparities in health/healthcare delivery, and various epidemiological methods. She completed her undergraduate studies at Brandeis University, receiving a BA in Biology and BS in Public Health. She is currently pursuing her MPH, concentrating in Applied Epidemiology, at Brown University School of Public Health.