Center Staff


Our disciplinary backgrounds include applied behavioral science, community psychology, anthropology, education, law, child development, urban planning, and public health. Team members have experience addressing a variety of issues facing communities including health promotion, social determinants of health, substance abuse, education, child and youth development, rural health, child well-being, systems change, and neighborhood development in urban communities.

Our multi-generational team includes Ph.D-level researchers, professional staff, graduate students, and undergraduate interns. We learn through relationships with collaborative partners locally, nationally, and globally.


Leadership Team

Photo of Stephen Fawcett
  • Senior Advisor, Center for Community Health and Development
  • Co-Director, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre
  • Kansas Health Foundation Emeritus Distinguished Professor, Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas

Photo of Leila Asghari.
Leila Asghari M.A.
Assistant Researcher Senior
Pearl Avari
Pearl Avari Ph.D.
Research Project Manager
Lauratu Bah
Lauratu Bah M.A.
Graduate Research Assistant
Photo of Natalia Cepeda.
Natalia Cepeda
Student Hourly
Photo of Ebony Dancy.
Ebony Dancy
Research Project Manager
Qinyan Dickerson
Qinyan Dickerson Ph.D.
Assistant Researcher Senior
Photo of Cynthia Esiaka
Cynthia Esiaka
Graduate Research Assistant
Photo of Audrey Foster.
Audrey Foster
Administrative Associate Sr
Photo of Jeanne Hayes.
Jeanne Hayes Ph.D.
Associate Senior Researcher
Photo of Steven James
Steven James
Violence Prevention Community Health Worker
Adrian McConnell
Adrian McConnell
Research Project Coordinator
Photo of June Mo.
June Mo M.S.F.
Grant Coordinator
Peter Richard
Peter Henry Owen Richard M.I.
Research Informatics Analyst
Sanna Schneeberger
Sanna Schneeberger M.A.
AmeriCorps Youth Violence Prevention Specialist
Photo of Paul Schneider
Paul Schneider
Research Informatics Analyst
Photo of Valerie Thompson
Valerie Thompson M.H.S.
Graduate Research Assistant
Photo of Krystal Towne.
Krystal Towne
AmeriCorps Youth Violence Prevention Specialist
Jireh Udechukwu
Jireh Udechukwu
Graduate Research Assistant
Photo of Shelby Wiesner
Shelby Wiesner M.A.
Assistant Researcher
Photo of Dola Williams
Dola Williams
Senior Research Assistant