CHARM
Child Health Advances from Research with Mothers
Alexa serves as the Program Director for the CHARM project and oversees all of the day-to-day work within the studies. She received a B.S. in Biopsychology from the University of Michigan and a M.S. in Management from Michigan State University. She enjoys brainstorming ways to make participation fun and easy for participants. Her favorite place to be is on a beach under the sun!
Breanna serves as the Postnatal Coordinator for the CHARM project. She received a B.S. in Human Biology with a minor in Bioethics, Humanities, and Society from Michigan State University. Her favorite part about working on the CHARM project is developing efficient protocols. She enjoys spending time at the barre studio and exploring new restaurants in Detroit.
Kylee serves as the Biospecimen Coordinator for the CHARM project and oversees all the samples collected from participants. She received a B.S. in Human Physiology and a B.S. in Neuroscience from Michigan State University. She enjoys educating participants on the significance of their samples and the valuable scientific insights each one provides. In her free time, she loves skiing, hiking with her dogs, and baking all kinds of vegan treats.
Tori serves as Preconception Coordinator for the CHARM project, she develops and implements new protocols for including partners into the study. She received a B.S. in Neuroscience and Human Biology from Michigan State University Lyman Briggs College. Her favorite part of being involved in CHARM is contributing to research that will help improve Michigan youth overall wellbeing for generations to come! In her free time, she enjoys skiing, doing crafts and running!
Julie serves as the Detroit Site Coordinator. Julie is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She received a B.S. in Dietetics and a Master’s in Public Health from the Michigan State University. Prior to joining the team, she worked with WIC and Henry Ford Health, providing nutrition education to individuals and groups. Food, nutrition, and cooking are both her professional and personal interest. She loves research because it combines the special nature of working with individuals with the science and statistics of numbers.
Janel serves as the Traverse City Site Coordinator for the CHARM project. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan-Flint and a Master’s in Public Health from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She was previously certified as a senior child passenger safety technician through Safe Kids Worldwide, and as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant through IBLCE. She enjoys working on improving health outcomes for moms and babies. Her favorite place to be is with her children! She likes to spend her free time going on family vacations, hiking, camping, cooking, doing crafts, and photography.
Cheree serves as the Flint Site Coordinator. She received her BS in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She previously served the Flint community as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. She enjoys working with mothers and children in her community and getting them involved in such a meaningful study. She loves to travel and do fun activities with her family.
Drew Davis, MPH: Andrew works on the Postnatal Follow-Up Team for the Detroit site on the CHARM project. He received both his B.S. in Biomedical Laboratory Science and his Master's in Public Health from Michigan State University. He enjoys the project's combination of his passion for science with personal interaction with the community. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, participating in local sports leagues and outdoor activities, and following Detroit's professional sports teams.
Jody is apart of the Postnatal Follow-Up Team for the CHARM Study. She previously served as a CHARM recruiter in the Port Huron area. She received her Associates of Applied Science from Macomb Community College and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Public Health. Her favorite part of the study is interacting with participants and the working with the amazing team we have. During her free time, she enjoys reading, boating, and traveling with family.
Nicole works on the Postnatal Follow-Up Team for the CHARM study. She received a B.S. in Microbiology with a minor in Global Public Health and Epidemiology from Michigan State University. She enjoys being able to get the community involved in and excited about research that has a meaningful impact. In her free time, she has fun trying new recipes, knitting, and spending time outside – especially at the beach.
Jo serves as part of the postnatal follow-up team for the CHARM project and her main responsibilities are surveys and assessment administration. She is currently working on a degree in Human Services with a focus on Community Health. She has had an extensive career in healthcare for over 20 years working in various areas and has worked on two previous studies funded by the NIH at MSU. She loves working with participants and building individual relationships with them. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, grandchildren, and family, reading historical books and being up in the U.P.
Cassie works on In-Person and Remote Assessments for the CHARM project. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. Her favorite part about her role is getting to spend time with participants to collect data. She enjoys running, playing with her dog, and doing crossword puzzles in her free time.
Shetoye works on the Postnatal Follow-Up Team for the CHARM Study. She previously served as a CHARM recruiter in the Detroit area. Shetoye earned a B.A. in Psychology from Wayne State University and hopes to enroll in graduate program soon. Her main focus is ensuring that participants feel valued and heard while participating in the study. Her favorite hobbies are taking road trips with her family while listening to the oldies, and learning more about the lives of her favorite poets and what motivates them.
Amy works on the Postnatal Follow-Up Team and distributes incentives for the CHARM project. She received a B.S. in Biochemistry from Michigan State University. Her favorite part about working on the CHARM project is interacting with participants who are eager to participate in this study. She enjoys spending time with her family and animals on her hobby farm, and trail riding her horses with friends.
Kowlini Wickramasinghe, MD: Kowlini serves as a Research Assistant for the CHARM project and conducts in-person assessments with study participants. She received her M.D. from Bay University School of Medicine and is passionate about bridging medicine and research to improve community health. She enjoys building connections with participants and contributing to research that can make a lasting impact. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying new recipes, and baking treats for family and friends.
Avery Armstrong serves as the graduate data assistant for the CHARM study. Originally from the Lansing area, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Grand Valley State University and his master’s degree in Biology from Bemidji State University in Minnesota.
Outside of school, he enjoys watching sports—especially football and basketball—and is an avid fan of Detroit’s professional teams.
Anna VanTubergen
Anna works on the Biospecimen and Data teams with the CHARM Study. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Cornerstone University and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Data Analytics. She enjoys interacting with participants, ensuring they know they are appreciated and welcomed in the study. In her free time, she loves slalom skiing and wakeboarding, making charcuterie boards, and going to the beach with her dog, Rosie.
Tina serves as the Research Administrator for the CHARM project. She has been involved with research administration for 38 years at Michigan State University. She enjoys working with numbers and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that she enjoys playing number games on her phone. She also enjoys reading and cooking/baking when she has the time.
Isabella serves as an Undergraduate Research Assistant for the CHARM project. She is majoring in Human Biology, with a minor in Epidemiology and Global Public Health at Michigan State University. Isabella enjoys assisting the team in any way she can. In her free time, she loves playing tennis, painting, and spending time with her family.
Anna Nickerson serves as an Undergraduate Research Assistant on the CHARM project. She is currently studying Communicative Sciences and Disorders at MSU. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and family, reading, and being involved in multiple clubs on Michigan State’s campus.