Staff
David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Director
Dr. Meltzer is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and an associated faculty member in the Harris School and the Department of Economics. Meltzer’s research explores problems in health economics and public policy with a focus on the theoretical foundations of medical cost-effectiveness analysis and the effects of managed care and medical specialization on the cost and quality of care, especially in teaching hospitals. Meltzer is currently completing a randomized trial comparing the use of doctors who specialize in inpatient care (“hospitalists”) with traditional physicians in six academic medical centers. Meltzer received his M.D. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
dmeltzer@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
Kathryn Neckerman, PhD, Executive Director
Dr. Neckerman is a sociologist whose work examines urban inequality and health. Prior to coming to CHeSS, she taught at Columbia University and also served as associate director of Columbia’s Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP). Her experience with interdisciplinary research and training initiatives includes work with the RWJF-funded Health & Society Scholars program and the Built Environment and Health group at Columbia. She is the author of Schools Betrayed (Chicago, 2007) and editor of Social Inequality (Russell Sage, 2004), as well as research papers on urban inequality, health disparities, and the built environment. She received her Ph.D. from The University of Chicago.
Coleman B. Evans, Director of Training Programs
Mr. Evans joins us from the Section of Cardiology. His responsibilities encompass administration of training programs and grants for the Center. He is currently completing a Master’s of Education in the department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His primary research interests involve disparities in educational attainment as well as diversity challenges in institutions of higher education.
Geraldine Harges, Project Assistant
Ms. Harges joins us from the University of Chicago Health Professions Advising Office. In her current role, she provides administrative support to the Director and Executive Director of the Center and coordinates a variety of projects including the Health Economics Workshop and Regis J. Fallon Lecture Series. Ms. Harges also plans events, coordinates travel, processes space and conference room requests, and is the office manager for the Center.
Angelique Johnson, Pre-Award Grant and Contracts Administrator
Prior to joining CHeSS, Ms. Johnson worked with Hektoen Institute for Medical Research, LLC where she was responsible for overseeing the strategies, development, and implementation of Cook County Bureau of Health Services SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment) Project media campaign and training program. Ms. Johnson brings several years of grant and contract management experience to the pre-award and contract development work of the Center. Ms. Johnson received her bachelor’s degree in Biology/Pre-Med from Bethune-Cookman University, a Historically Black College and University.
Medha Kapil, Post Award Administrator
Ms. Kapil brings several years of experience in operations management and business consulting to her new role within the Center. As the Post Award Administrator, she will manage the accounting, financial spending, and reporting requirements for several grant awards. Ms. Kapil received her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Elmhurst College.
Nicole Keesecker, MA, Communication Specialist
Ms. Keesecker joins us after completing a Health Communication Fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. In that capacity, she communicated high-risk, high-impact research findings to a variety of professional and lay audiences and managed public, media, and congressional relations for the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. She has also worked with health campaigns including the Alzheimer’s Associations’ Quality Care Campaign and the Michigan Department of Community Health’s Michigan Steps Up. She received her master’s degree in Health Communication from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s in Communication from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Mona McCormick, Director of Grants Administration and Operations
In her position, Ms. McCormick administers processes for grant application and contract development as well as the general operations for the Center. Ms. McCormick manages the Center’s administrative and grant accounts, monitoring the effort of all Center staff and related faculty. Ms. McCormick received her bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Information Systems at Depaul University.
Rebecca Thal, Committee on Clinical and Translational Science Administrator
Ms. Thal joins our staff to coordinate activities for the CCTS as part of the University’s Institute for Translational Medicine. Rebecca has experience working with interdisciplinary research teams from her time as lead research assistant for the Teaching Early Achievers for Career in Health (TEACH) program and campus coordinator for Project HEALTH. She recently graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Anthropology with Honors.
Student Support
Ellie An
Ms. An is a candidate for a master of arts degree in the School of Social Service Administration with a social administration concentration and plans to graduate in 2010. Ms. An received a BS in Psychology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006.
Maggie S. Quinn
Mrs. Quinn is a candidate for a master of arts degree in the School of Social Service Administration with a clinical concentration and plans to graduate in 2010. She is a part of the Community Schools Program of study. Mrs. Quinn received a BS in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University in 2006.
Daniel Rowell
Mr. Rowell is an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago. He is currently pursuing his bachelor's degree in Biology and Creative Writing and plans to graduate in 2011.
Dawn Schmidt
Mrs. Schmidt is a candidate for a master of arts degree in the School of Social Service Administration with a clinical concentration focusing on school social work and plans to graduate in 2011. Mrs. Schmidt received a BS in Group Science and Elementary Education from Grand Valley State University in 2003.
Lauren Winer
Ms. Winer is the Communications Intern at CHeSS and an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in History and English, with a concentration on modern Middle Eastern history. Ms. Winer plans to graduate in 2010.
