MCW Institute for Health & Humanity Directors
The Institute for Health & Humanity is comprised of four divisions: Dr. Laura Cassidy is the director of the Institute for Health & Humanity as well as the director of the Community Health Division. Dr. Liliana Pezzin is the director of the Epidemiology & Social Sciences Division. Dr. Art Derse is the director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities. Dr. Christa Wagner is the director of the Center for Sustainability, Health, and the Environment.
Laura Cassidy, MS, PhD
Professor and Director, Institute for Health & Humanity; Director of Community Health; Associate Dean Global Health
GHE Course: Epidemiologic Research Methods
Arthur R. Derse, MD, JD, FACEP
Director, Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities; Julia and David Uihlein Chair in Medical Humanities, and Professor of Bioethics and Emergency Medicine
Liliana E. Pezzin, PhD, JD
Professor and Interim Director, Division of Epidemiology & Social Sciences, Institute for Health & Humanity
Christa L. Wagner, PhD
Director, Center for Sustainability, Health, and the Environment; Assistant Professor, Division of Community Health
IHH Staff Leadership
IHH Faculty Members
Kirsten Beyer, PhD, MPH, MS
Professor, Division of Epidemiology; Director, PhD Program in Public & Community Health; Co-Director, Global Health Pathway; Co-Director, GEO Shared Resource; Adjunct Associate Professor, Geography, UW-Milwaukee
Kelli Brown, MPH, DrPH
Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of Education
Jennifer Geurts, MS, CGC
Assistant Professor; Program Director, Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program
C. Greer Jordan, PhD
Vice President Anchor Partnerships; Assistant Professor, Community Health Division, Institute for Health & Humanity
Fabrice Jotterand, PhD, MA
Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities; Director, Graduate Program in Bioethics
Sara Kohlbeck, PhD, MPH
Dr. and Mrs. Michael C. Kubly Community-Based Suicide Prevention Research Professorship; Assistant Professor; Director, Division of Suicide Research and Healing
Constance Kostelac, PhD, MS
Assistant Professor; Director, Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics, Comprehensive Injury Center
Mara Lord, PhD, MBA
Chief Strategy and Growth Officer and Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Social Sciences and Global Engagement
John Meurer, MD, MBA
Professor Emeritus of Community Health and General Pediatrics; Institute for Health & Humanity
David Nelson, PhD
Professor, Family & Community Medicine; Director, Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
Lisa Sanchez-Johnson, PhD, MS
Professor, Institute for Health & Humanity and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine; MCW Cancer Center Associate Director, Workforce Engagement and Well-Being
Theresa Shuck, MS, MA, CGC, LPC
Associate Director, Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program
Constance Shumba, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Social Sciences, Institute for Health & Humanity, Director, Master of Science Global Health Equity
Christopher Simenz, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, Associate Director- Master’s and Doctor of Public Health Programs
Ryan Spellecy, PhD
Assistant Provost and Director, MCW Human Research Protection Program, Ursula von der Ruhr Chair in Bioethics; Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Ben Weston, MD, MPH, FAEMS
Associate Professor, Division of EMS Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine; Chief Health Policy Advisor, Milwaukee County; Chief Medical Director, Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management
Staci A. Young, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Community Engagement, School of Medicine; Director, Office of Community Engagement; Professor of Family and Community Medicine; Director, Center for Healthy Communities and Research; Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, Cancer Center
IHH Staff Members
Angie Jimenez
Research Program Assistant
Kellie LeGrave, MS
Education Program Coordinator III for the Precision Medicine MS degree and certificate & Public & Community Health PhD programs
