Staff

Marilyn F. Anderson, A.S.B.

Administrative Assistant, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Ms. Anderson supports the Center staff members from the Manager of External Research and Business Services, Supervisor of Information Services, Associate Researchers, Research Specialists, Research Program Manager and many others where needed. Ms. Anderson assists with human resources and recruiting efforts for the Center by coordinating meetings, phone screenings, and in-person interviews. A life-long Milwaukee resident, Marilyn brings to the Center an array of interpersonal, organizational, technical and communication skills acquired from working in health care. Ms. Anderson is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Services Management at Cardinal Stritch University.

Lee T. Banfi, M.B.A., C.P.A., F.H.F.M.A.

Manager for External Research and Business Services for Aurora UW Medical Group and the Center for Urban Population Health, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Mr. Banfi is responsible for the overall business administration of the research and service programs. This includes the management of the tri-institutional and project relationships within the Center and with community organizations, governmental entities, and foundations. Mr. Banfi previously held fiscal and administrative positions at Loyola University Chicago, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

Dennis J. Baumgardner, M.D.

Associate Director for Health Services Research at the Center for Urban Population Health

Director of Campus Research for Aurora UW Medical Group

Professor of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Dr. Baumgardner completed his medical training at the University of Illinois and the Rockford Family Practice Residency Program. He originally joined the St. Luke's Family Medicine Residency faculty in 1986 as Assistant Director, later assuming additional duties as Obstetrics Coordinator and Research Director. He later served as Residency Director for seven years. He then served as Associate Chair and Campus Director for the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine, Milwaukee Clinical Campus. Dr. Baumgardner, who has received the Teacher of the Year Award from St. Luke's residents five times, focuses his instruction time on teaching research concepts and applications, staffing residents and teaching obstetrics. He received the Wisconsin Academy of Family Practice 1993 Educator of the Year Award; the Pickles Research Award from the Wisconsin Research Network in 2001; and the Faculty Excellence Award for Leadership and the William Scheckler Award for Best Faculty Research Project, both from the UW Department of Family Medicine in 2004. His research and publication focus is the fungal disease, blastomycosis, and geographic determinants of disease.

Jessica Bergstrom, M.P.H.

Associate Researcher, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Ms. Bergstrom collaborates with community groups, physicians and researchers to facilitate evaluation and research for community-based projects and consults on other Center-related projects. Having earned her Master of Public Health degree in Community Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago, she also has experience partnering with community groups throughout the City of Milwaukee. She has previously worked on public health projects in the areas of health education, pediatric asthma, tobacco control, and women's health.

Karen Blanchard

Senior Administrative Assistant for the Aurora UW Medical Group’s Research Core, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Ms. Blanchard supports Dr. Dennis Baumgardner in his roles as Associate Director for Health Services Research for the Center for Urban Population Health and Director of Campus Research for AUWMG. She assists with the appointment, promotion and mentoring functions for the AUWMG campus faculty. Ms. Blanchard has been part of Aurora for over 15 years, 14 of which were in the Family Medicine Department as Academic Administrative Coordinator where she served as liaison to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Family Medicine.

Robert L. Cherry, Jr., B.S.

Associate Outreach Specialist of Community Based Initiatives, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Mr. Cherry graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Mr. Cherry coordinates trainings for the Midwest Aids Training and Education Center (MATEC) and assists with center-related community based initiatives. He also has experience working in the criminal justice and urban communities conducting substance abuse and behavioral assessments.

Ron A. Cisler, Ph.D.

Director of the Center for Urban Population Health

Associate Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Dr. Cisler'’s primary research interests are in population disparities in behavioral health risk factors and translating clinical outcomes of health services research to urban community populations. He is nationally and internationally known for his particular expertise in examining innovative approaches in assessing recovery outcomes of alcoholism treatment clinical trials. His program of research has been or is currently funded by numerous grants and contracts from various organizations including federal (NIH-NIAAA, NIH-NIMH, CDC, DED, RWJ), pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Lipha, Oy-Contral), statewide academic-community partnership health foundations and local foundations. Dr. Cisler teaches graduate courses on clinical research methods and population health and epidemiology at the University of Wisconisn–Milwaukee. He is Associate Editor for the Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research and field reviewer for numerous other professional journals targeting both broad health issues and clinical and public health alcohol research. He is currently co-authoring a handbook series on brief assessment measures in health research and practice targeting behavioral disorders including substance use and eating disorders. Dr. Cisler recently received the 2005 Dean's Research Award at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee College of Health Sciences.

Jennifer Evertsen, M.S.

Assistant Researcher, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Ms. Evertsen provides research consultations for Aurora UW Medical Group investigators and coordinates the Wisconsin Network for Health Research (WiNHR), multi-site clinical studies. She is also the Quality Improvement coordinator for the Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles (WIPHIL) project. Jennifer has a B.S. in Behavioral Science/Psychology from Concordia University and a M.S. in Epidemiology from the Medical College of Wisconsin.

David Frazer, M.P.H.

Coordinator of Community-Based Initiatives, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Mr. Frazer is leading the expansion and sustainment of community partnerships and coordinating community-based research and initiatives. He facilitates collaborative, equitable involvement of the community in local research and is the link between the community at large and the Center. David received his Master of Public Health from Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, his focus of study included program management and evaluation. He has worked in public health for 13 years and his experience ranges from forging grassroots community based organization collaborations to providing technical assistance to World Health Organization. His work experience and interests are in population health including: environmental health; behavioral health including substance abuse, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and hepatitis. He has served on the Wisconsin HIV Prevention Planning Council and the Milwaukee-based Syphilis Elimination committee. David has worked extensively in Latin America and is proficient in Spanish.

Floyd Frost, Ph.D.

Research Scientist, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Center Scientist, Center for Urban Population Health

Dr. Frost is an epidemiologist whose current objectives are to: 1) Enhance the research capabilities of Aurora Health Care, 2) Continue his research on unanticipated benefits and risks of statin therapy, 3) Identify unanticipated benefits and risks of other approved medications and therapies, and 4) Make better use of existing health care data to inform health care providers and the public of temporal changes in the occurrence of a wide range of illnesses. Dr. Frost has previously conducted both infectious and chronic disease epidemiological studies. For 12 years he worked for the Washington State Department of Health and for 13 years for the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. With funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency, he conducted numerous U.S. and international studies on infectious waterborne diseases, primarily cryptosporidiosis. He also established the Lovelace Patient Database for a New Mexico health maintenance organization (HMO) and has worked with other HMOs to conduct a wide range of studies.

Loren Galvão, M.D., M.P.H.

Associate Director for Community Partnerships at the Center for Urban Population Health

Associate Research Scientist, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee College of Nursing, Center for Cultural Diversity and Global Health

Honorary Fellow of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH)

Dr. Galvão received her M.D. degree from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil and her M.P.H. from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Her primary research interests and publications are in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections among women and other vulnerable populations in the U.S. and globally, evaluation of the effectiveness of multilevel ecological/structural interventions on HIV in resource limited settings, population health and public health assessments, community-based participatory research methods and translating research findings into policies and programs. Her program of research is currently funded by NIH-NICHD, statewide academic-community partnership health foundations and UWM research grants. She has also been funded in the past decades by USAID, the MacArthur Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Before joining CUPH, Dr. Galvão worked extensively in international health over sixteen years, with experience in eighteen countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. From 1995-2001 she was National Advisor for the Reproductive Health/HIV/AIDS Program at the Population Council–Brazil. She has also worked for four years at Save The Children–USA. During the past decade she has served as a consultant for several international and academic institutions, including the World Health Organization, Population Council, Engender Health, The University of Michigan–Ann Arbor and Family Health International.

Gina Green-Harris, M.B.A.

Senior Outreach Specialist for the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute (WAI), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Through a partnership between the Center and WAI, Ms. Green-Harris collaborates with multiple entities to increase awareness and provide education about the impact of Alzheimer's disease in the African American community, and to share information about the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP). She has worked in minority health for over 15 years in the areas of HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, SLE Lupus, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Her experiences include community outreach, training and leadership development, grant administration and management, coalition building, and creating and sustaining statewide advisory teams and councils. She has been a grant reviewer for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and has served on statewide health steering committees and boards.

Rebecca M. Hamilton, B.S.

Associate Research Specialist, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Ms. Hamilton helps coordinate studies for the Wisconsin Network for Health Research (WiNHR). Rebecca works with 3 sites across the state to standardize protocols and study applications for WiNHR. She works with the institutional review board for study submissions, enrolls subjects in research projects, and assists in implementing clinical research studies. She also assists in writing lab protocols and processing lab samples. Rebecca graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a BS in Psychology and a BS in Sociology.

Meredith Keller, B.A.

Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Ms. Keller's role with the Center includes local program coordination of the Wisconsin Registry of Alzheimer's Prevention, which engages the Milwaukee regional research efforts for the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute. Ms. Keller has her B.A. in Psychology from Alverno College and is working on her Master's in Public Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Melissa Lemke, B.A.

Associate Research Specialist, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Ms. Lemke is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse with a degree in Sociology. Her role includes working with the institutional review board, enrolling subjects in research projects, and implementing clinical research studies. She also has experience creating surveys and conducting data analysis. Melissa is in the process of finishing her Masters degree in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Andrew Marek, B.B.A.

Senior Web Applications Developer, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Mr. Marek primarily designs and develops web applications that are generally used for research. He has worked extensively on the PeriData.Net and e-Sight projects. Before joining the Center, he had significant experience developing database-driven online applications, working for both Metavante of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, and Strong Financial formerly of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Andrew graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee as a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Management Information Systems and a minor in Computer Science.

Naoyo Mori, Ph.D.

Epidemiologist, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Dr. Mori graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan and received an M.S. in Environmental and Occupational Health from California State University, Northridge. Ms. Mori earned a Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan, with emphasis in epidemiology and biostatistics. Dr. Mori has more than ten years experience in performing statistical analysis, surveillance, assessment, and planning and conducting epidemiological studies in various fields, especially in Public Health, Occupational Medicine, Environmental Health and Biometeorology. Dr. Mori joins us from Hanford Site, Richland in Washington State where she served as lead epidemiologist using a population health framework.

Katherine B. Pronschinske, B.S., M.T. (ASCP)

Practice Enhancement and Education Assistant, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Ms. Pronschinske coordinates ongoing Quality Improvement (QI) and research initiatives at participating Wisconsin Research and Education Network (WREN) clinics throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. She serves as a consultant, meeting with practice staff and clinicians to facilitate the research and QI process, identify problems, share best practices, and improve communication between member clinics and the central WREN office. Ms. Pronschinske has a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is a board certified Medical Technologist through the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Trina C. Salm Ward, M.S.W., C.C.R.C.

Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Ms. Salm Ward works closely with the Center's Directors and Associate Directors in advancing areas of research; coordinating and overseeing the conduct of applied urban population research; contributing to the research agenda. She collaborates with academic institutions and community organizations; coordinates project budget utilization/monitoring, strategic planning, and program staffing and management. Ms. Salm Ward graduated from St. Norbert College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with a Master's of Social Work degree and a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. Ms. Salm Ward worked as a Family Therapist at St. Luke Hospital in Racine, and most recently as a Site Coordinator for the Center for Addiction and Behavioral Health Research's Clinical Trials Unit. Ms. Salm Ward has seven years experience managing clinical research, and is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator.

Dale Steber, M.S.

Supervisor of Information Technology, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Mr. Steber manages the Center's information systems which include a data warehouse effort, PeriData.Net (a perinatal database used in 70+ hospitals in Wisconsin), e-Sight (school-based vision screening system), and many other projects. His professional and academic interests include business intelligence, data warehousing, data modeling, and project management. He also teaches a course in Healthcare Database Design and Management for UW-Milwaukee. Mr. Steber graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology and Supply Chain Management and a Master of Science Degree in Computing.

Geoffrey R. Swain, M.D., M.P.H.

Center Scientist, Center for Urban Population Health

Medical Director & Chief Medical Officer, City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD)

Associate Professor of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Dr. Swain is a board-certified Family Physician. He has extensive clinical, teaching,research, health policy, and leadership experience, including as academic medical faculty since September 1990, and public health administration at MHD since December 1993. Dr. Swain serves on a number of statewide and regional groups, including the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Public Health Association. Before entering public health, Dr. Swain was a faculty member at the St. Mary's Family Practice Residency in Milwaukee, and prior to that he provided full-time direct patient care at a Milwaukee-area staff-model HMO.

Anne Marie Talsky, B.A.

Senior Administrative Assistant, Aurora Health Care, Inc.

She directly assists the Center Director, the Research Program Manager, and the Associate Director for Community Outreach. In this position, Ms. Talsky interacts with all the Center members and the community at large. She also coordinates the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health's Clinical Clerkship in Rural and Community Health, which is designed for fourth-year UWSMPH students who want to learn more about practicing in underserved and urban areas. As a former high school teacher, certified Paralegal and business owner, she brings extensive planning, editing, and organizational experience to the Center.

Simeona Todorova, B.A.

Information Technology Intern, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Ms. Todorova designs, codes, and tests software applications for the Center. She is a graduate of the University of National and World Economy–Sofia, Bulgaria with a degree in Business Administration and a major in Management Information Systems. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's degree in Health Care Informatics at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Virginia Zerpa-Uriona, M.P.H.

Outreach Specialist of Community-based Research, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Mrs. Zerpa-Uriona is responsible for coordinating and implementing community-based research projects, community-based interventions, evaluations and dissemination of findings with primary focus on Latino health in Milwaukee. Virginia received her Master of Public Health from Indiana University School of Public Health, her focus of study and work includes the prevention of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections as well as childhood lead poisoning and childhood obesity. She is a native of Venezuela and has resided in the United States since 1981.

Our Address

Center for Urban Population Health 1020 North 12th Street, Suite 4180, Milwaukee, WI 53233 414-219-5100 (Phone) 414-219-6563 (Fax)

Our Partners

  • University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
  • University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
  • Aurora Health Care