Center for Research on Health Disparities

CBSHS, DHEC expand food pantry and resource map to better help families facing food insecurity

• Mission | Vision | Guiding Principles

  Mission

  Our mission is to advocate for the development, advancement and dissemination of research on population health and health disparities.

  Vision

  Our vision is to be transformational health research leaders improving quality of life and well-being.

  Guiding Principles

  • Our research goal is improved quality of life, including positive health outcomes and a sense of well-being for people in South Carolina and beyond. We have a particular emphasis on underserved populations.
  • Our research encompasses many model types of research including bench, translational, clinical practice, and others.
  • Our research supports the principles of the Community-Based Participatory Research model.
  • Our research encompasses a lifespan and developmental approach.
  • Our research teams are comprised of people in practice from culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse backgrounds and disciplines.
  • Our research outcomes aim to be translatable back to the community for improved health.
• Faculty Associates

  Through research and scholarship activities focused on vulnerable and underserved populations, CRHD Faculty Associates are committed to reducing and eliminating health disparities to improve quality of life and well-being for South Carolina citizens and beyond. These content experts work collaboratively with colleagues across the university and partners in the community. Sub-groups meet as appropriate to discuss current projects, explore research and grant opportunities, and network with internal and external health disparities experts. For more information about the Faculty Associates, please contact Dr. Veronica Parker at veronic@clemson.edu.

  Nicole Davis

  Dr. Davis is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing. Her research interests include initiatives related to nursing workforce diversity; use of social media and internet-based recruitment to reach informal caregivers of older adults with urinary incontinence; and telehealth self-management of bladder, bowel, and associated skin care problems in home-bound adults.

  Stephanie Davis

  Dr. Davis is a Professor in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include expanding Nurse Practitioner primary care expertise for underserved and rural populations; exploring transdisciplinary collaboratives to integrate behavioral health into primary care; expanding primary care access in Greenville County through Nurse Practitioner education support; and preparing practice ready Baccalaureate Nurses for primary care.

  Tracy Fasolino

  Dr. Fasolino is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include palliative care initiatives and outcomes for end-stage pulmonary and cardiovascular patients; advancing direct patient care involvement in evidence-based practice and research; and utilizing simulation for training students and practicing medical providers.

  Casey Hopkins

  Dr. Hopkins is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Clemson University in Clemson, SC. She has been a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner since 2010 and keeps an active clinical practice in the Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology at Prisma Health in Greenville, SC. Dr. Hopkins’ research interests include women’s and female adolescent health, including aspects of reproductive and sexual health and physical activity, health disparities among women with disabilities, and improving health outcomes with community-driven research initiatives.

  Janice Lanham

  Ms. Lanham is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include digital and social media for pedagogical innovation; mobile and telehealth in classroom and clinical practice settings; mobile health for chronic disease management; augmented/virtual reality/ artificial intelligence; and reduction/elimination of health disparities.

  Lisa Miller

  Dr. Miller is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include expanding Nurse Practitioner primary care expertise for underserved and rural populations in SC; promoting health in Latin America; interprofessional service-learning; assessment of anemia levels for infants and children in high altitude Peru; postpartum depression; low income and first-time mothers health outcomes; and prenatal education.

  Kim Pickett

  Dr. Pickett is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include health promotion in patients with Type 1 and 2 diabetes; tobacco cessation in patients with cancer; psychosocial determinants of health; health promotion in marginalized populations; and hypertension.

  Zahra Rahemi

  Dr. Rahemi is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include older adults; aging; planning for end of life care; culture and health outcomes in culturally diverse populations; and quality of life.

  Lu Shi

  Dr. Shi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. His primary research interests include simulation modeling; health economics; behavioral economics; complementary and alternative medicine; and population health.

  Ann Wetsel

  Dr. Wetsel is a Professor in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include expanding Nurse Practitioner primary care expertise for underserved and rural populations; expanding primary care access in Greenville County through Nurse Practitioner education support; preparing practice ready Baccalaureate nurses for primary care; and preparing and expanding the sexual assault nursing education workforce.

  Janice Withycombe

  Dr. Withycombe is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing. Her primary research interests include pediatric oncology; and physical activity and fatigue in adolescent oncology patients.

• Core Team

  Nicole Davis, PhD, RN, AGPCNP-BC, GNP-BC
  Aging and Health Disparities Specialist

  Dr. Davis is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing. Her research interests include initiatives related to nursing workforce diversity; use of social media and internet-based recruitment to reach informal caregivers of older adults with urinary incontinence; and telehealth self-management of bladder, bowel, and associated skin care problems in home-bound adults.

  Lucia Gonzales, PhD, MSN, FNP-C, AGPCNP-BC
  Assoc. Director of Research
  431 Edwards
  864-656-2169
  luciag@clemson.edu

  Dr. Gonzales assumes the role of Associate Director of Research at Clemson School of Nursing. Dr. Gonzales has greater than ten years' experience as Director of Education and greater than ten years as chief nursing administrator in acute care health systems. Her career accomplishments include awards of $420,000 grants for care coordination and nurses' computer education. She developed an onsite RN to BSN program in collaboration with UMDNJ/Rowan School of Nursing for 93 nurses. She is an invited international speaker on transition and adult development, palliative and cardiovascular care, and cultural competence. At the baccalaureate level, she taught leadership, professional nursing, contemporary issues, organizational transitions, and logic and critical thinking at Clayton State College and University. At the graduate level, Dr. Gonzales has taught leadership/professional issues and health theory at Emory and Kennesaw State Universities and research at Thomas Jefferson University. Most recently, she was Associate Professor of Nursing, leading geriatrics and health care finance in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of San Diego. Her publications encourage faculty and clinical nurses to interject research into both the academic and clinical settings. Dr. Gonzales maintains a nursing practice as a transition planner for the midlife woman and nurse practitioner.

  Veronica G. Parker, Ph.D.
  Director

  Veronica G. Parker, Ph.D., Director - As the director of the center, Dr. Parker oversees all center activities, conducts research, and works closely with the associate director to secure funds for the center from a variety of sources. She was co-principal investigator on the ACUMEN Project and serves as principle investigator and Administrative Core director for the EXPORT Center. Her research with the center involves asset-mapping and geospatial analysis (GIS mapping) of health-related resources in lower- and upper-state EXPORT counties; GIS mapping of poverty levels and selected diseased states by race/ethnicity in selected EXPORT counties; and testing of a faith-based weight-loss intervention in EXPORT counties. Dr. Parker also holds a faculty position in the School of Nursing at Clemson and has publications in many journals, including RINAH, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, Journal of Family and Community Health, Diabetes Spectrum, and Ethnicity and Disease. Her other research areas have included pediatric and geriatric healthcare practices and pain management in a variety of settings. She has served as principle investigator, co-investigator and project director on grants from the NIH, American Cancer Society and the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Parker received a B.S. in physics-engineering from the College of Charleston, a B.S. in engineering analysis focusing on bioengineering from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in biostatistics from the Medical University of South Carolina.

  Sara Sarasua, Ph.D., MSPH
  Genomics Specialist

  Dr. Sarasua’s research interests include: Genetic Epidemiology & Statistical Genetics, etiology of adhesive capsulitis, Phelan-McDermid syndrome (22q13 deletion syndrome), copy number variant associated diseases, lysosomal storage disorders, alpha mannosidosis, mucolipidosis, Rett Syndrome, atypical Rett syndrome, multiomic approaches to migraine etiology, metabolomics, and genomic analysis of speech and language delay, seizures, birth defects, developmental delay.

  Michelle Taylor Smith, MSN, BSN, RN, FACHE
  Operations Officer and Community Liaison/External Advisory Board Leader

  Mrs. Michelle Taylor-Smith is an Ohio native and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Toledo and Masters degree from the Medical College of Ohio. She is a Masters-prepared Nurse Administrator with greater than 30 years Administrative and Executive experience, holds a Certificate in Finance from the National Healthcare Financial Management Association, and is Fellow in the American College of Health Executives. Her Operations experience spans multiple healthcare settings and Health Systems that include acute and outpatient-care, physician-practices, and academics. Michelle’s most recent role was Vice President of Patient Services and System Chief Nursing Officer of Greenville Health System (PRISMA HEALTH). In addition to co-leading the foundation for physician-nurse Inter-professionalism, during her tenure Greenville Health System transitioned to a BSN-preferred organization and she partnered with Dr Valentine and Clemson University for the development of the now Clemson-Greenville College of Nursing. Magnet status designation was obtained at the Greenville and Greer Memorial hospitals, and Pathways to Excellence at Patewood Memorial, which is the designation for smaller specialty organizations; and The Office of Patient Experience was launched. Currently serves as President of the Greenville Free Clinic Board of Trustees and member of the Program Review Committee for the American College of Health Care Executives. (ACHE).

  John J. Whitcomb, Ph.D.
  Director and Chief Academic Nursing Officer Professor
  412 Edwards Hall
  (864) 656-9569
  jwhitco@clemson.edu

  I have been working in the area of critical care for the last 38 years. For 26 years I served in the United States Navy, 1983-1991 as a Hospital Corpsman then 1991-2009 as a Navy Nurse retiring as a Commander (O-5). I served as the Specialty Advisor to the Surgeon General, Critical Care Nursing and this opportunity gave me great insight into critical care stateside, overseas and in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). I also served as the Trauma Training Officer for the White House Medical Staff. My research focuses on issues within the critical care setting, such as end of life issues, family visitation and more specifically functional status post cardiac arrest and cardiac arrest outcomes. I have added the study of delirium in the critical care setting. That is examining and identifying the aspects of delirium in the critical care setting using a sleep device to assess sleep cycles in patients who are sedated and ventilated.

  Kathleen Valentine, Ph.D.
  Professor
  271 Clemson Nursing Building
  (864) 656-9569
  klvalen@clemson.edu

  Before coming to Clemson, Kathleen Valentine served as dean of nursing at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; associate dean for clinical affairs and community engagement at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions; associate dean for outreach at Florida State University’s College of Nursing; and department chair and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. She has also led regional and national initiatives to advance professional nursing practice and consulted with national and international health care organizations that range from Mayo Clinic to the Moscow Psychologic Institute. Her research focuses on the economic value of human caring, nurse-managed primary care clinics, and interprofessional collaboration. She holds a Ph.D. in human service program evaluation and a Master of Science in health administration from Cornell University, a Master of Science in psychiatric and mental health nursing from Syracuse University, and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

• Collaborators

  Asa Briggs, DNP, PMHNP-BC, MA, BA
  Rural Mental Health Specialist

  Asa T. Briggs, PMHNP began his career in psychiatric mental health with a role as a nurse practitioner at Unity Health Care, Inc., the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in the District of Columbia. For the past three years, Asa served as the Discipline Director of Psychiatry at Unity providing leadership in the areas of quality improvement and best practice guidelines. In May 2020, Asa will complete his Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Yale School of Nursing at Yale University.

  Charlton Coles, Ph.D.

  Dr. Coles serves as a consultant for CRHD. He is currently engaged in research to address community issues related to health disparities and environmental justice in minority populations. Recent research projects have included asset mapping to identify the strengths of communities in addressing public health concerns, strategies aimed at improving resiliency for ethnic minorities, and developing a working framework for clinicians and responders to manage community and family stress more effectively from a technological disaster. Dr. Coles has published in journals, such as the Journal of Clinical Psychology, The American Journal of Public Health, and Family & Community Health. He has presented at the International Qualitative Health Research Conference, EPA’s Strengthening Environmental Research and Decision Making symposium, and the Safety Officer’s symposium. He is especially interested in the Center’s capacity to reach ethnic minorities in underserved areas of the state. Dr. Coles received his B.S. in Psychology from Georgia State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Florida.

  Janet H. Evatt, M.T.S.

  As a collaborator with the center, Ms. Evatt synchronizes CRHD and CUSHR related activities, and assists with student workers. She is particularly interested in the center’s work with faith communities to eliminate health disparities in rural South Carolina. Ms. Evatt is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and her primary research interest is brain functioning and its impact on perception and behavior. Ms. Evatt received her B.S. in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master of Theological Studies from Duke University.

  Kenneth Robinson

  Dr. Robinson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. His primary research interests include community development and health disparities; local food banks to improve sustainability of small and limited resource farms; and economic development.

• External Advisory Board

  The role of the center’s External Advisory Board and its members is to serve as advisors, ambassadors, and advocates, provide recommendation and input to execute the mission and vision of CRHD, and facilitate partnerships to reduce population health disparities.

  Stoney Abercrombie, MD, FAAFP
  Director of Medical Education AnMed Health

  Frank Clark, MD
  Medical Director & Division Chief for Adult Inpatient & CL Services Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Prisma Health Upstate

  Gary Clary
  Former SC House Representative Retired Circuit Judge and Certified Mediator and Arbitrator

  Nancy Kate Durham, FNP
  Medical Science Liaison, Abbott Diabetes Care

  John Lowe, RN, PhD, FAAN
  Professor and Joseph Blade Centennial Memorial Professorship Chair The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing

  Virginia Ann Mullikin
  Executive Director South Carolina Free Clinic Association

  Elizabeth Steadman, ACNP, MSN, MSS, Colonel, USA (ret)
  MUSC Vascular Surgery, College of Medicine Instructor, retired Good Neighbor Free Medical Clinic (Beaufort, SC), volunteer

• Contact

  Center Research and Projects

  Veronica G. Parker, Director
  404 Edwards Hall
  864-656-0984
  E-mail: veronic@clemson.edu

  Partnerships and External Advisory Board

  Michelle Taylor Smith, Operations Officer
  264 CU Nursing building
  864-720-2087
  Email: msmit33@clemson.edu

  Other Inquiries

  Rob Atkinson, Administrative Assistant
  110A CU Nursing building
  864-720-2080
  Email: raatkin@clemson.edu