Current Ph.D. students

Michaela Davis
Contact: mchdavis@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Military family, currently live in Vacaville, California
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: Pacific Union College
Undergraduate major: Nursing
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Science in Nursing, UC San Francisco
Research area of interest: Care of families during and after critical care stay, transitions of care for the traumatic brain injured
Languages: English
Current clinical work: Work with patients, families, multidisciplinary teams and the hospital system to provide optimal care for critically ill and acutely injured patients

Amelia Lawless
Contact: alstults@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Sacramento, California
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: California State University, Sacramento
Undergraduate major: Health Science with a concentration in community health education
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Social Work, California State University, Sacramento; Master of Public Health, San Jose State University
Research area of interest: Improving the mental health services delivery system within correctional environments
Languages: English
Current clinical work: Program director of social work services in a medical facility’s prison psychiatric inpatient program

Maura Reilly
Contact: mrreilly@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: None, U.S. Army dependent
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Education: UC Davis
Undergraduate major: Psychology and Sociology
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Public Health, San Diego State University
Research area of interest: Social determinants of health, adverse childhood experiences, health care quality improvement, inter-professional learning, collaboration and primary care workforce development
Languages: English
Current clinical work: Community health and advocacy program manager in pediatrics

Anna Satake
Contact: asatake@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: American Canyon, California
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Education: Simpson College
Undergraduate major: Biology
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Science in Nursing, UC San Francisco
Research area of interest: Improving care for geriatric patients
Languages: English
Current clinical work: Geriatric clinical nurse specialist at a hospital

Kao Kang Kue Vang
Contact: kkmvang@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Angwin, California
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: Vanguard University 
Undergraduate major: Nursing
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Science in Nursing, Vanguard University 
Research area of interest: Social determinants of health, nursing diversity, nursing education and leadership
Languages: English, Hmong
Current clinical work: Critical care registered nurse

Aldreen Venzon
Contact: avenzon@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Vallejo, California
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: New Jersey City University
Undergraduate major: Nursing
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Science in Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership, UC Davis
Research area of interest: Predictive modeling in electronic health records data to promote personalized medicine and care
Languages: English, Tagalog, Kapampangan
Current clinical work: Senior data analyst, preparing and processing data sets for direct insights, statistical modeling or other analytical exploration for health system clients

Monica Delson
Contact: mmdelson@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Folsom, California
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: University of Phoenix
Undergraduate major: Nursing
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Science in Nursing Education
Research area of interest: Chronic care management in disparate, disadvantaged populations utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach and self-management strategies
Languages: English, Spanish

Tequila Porter
Contact: tporter@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: Winston-Salem State University
Undergraduate major: Biology
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Science in Integrative Biology, Kennesaw State University
Research area of interest: Public health, health disparities, rural and community health, underserved community health and women’s health
Languages: English
Current clinical work: Opioid use among women living in rural areas

Anna Rivera
Contact: amrrivera@ucdavis.edu

Hometown: Lodi, California
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Education: California State University, Sacramento
Undergraduate major: Nutrition
Graduate degree and institution: Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management, Western Governors University
Research area of interest: How psychotropic medications contribute to weight gain and obesity, correlation between mental health and nutrition, gut-brain axis and prison nutrition
Languages: English, Spanish
Current clinical work: Director of dietetics at a prison medical facility, supervising registered dietitian nutritionist for psychiatric inpatients, clinical dietitians and food service workers

Cherrie Anne Demayo
Contact: crdemayo@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: health disparities, health policy research, women's health
Previous clinical experience: Cardiovascular research nurse at an academic health system

Nicole Hiebert
Contact: nchiebert@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injuries and Alzheimer’s disease, early implementation of primary palliative care models in gerontological patients with neurological conditions. Secondary interests include family dynamics and caregiver burnout among patients with these conditions. Tertiary interests include rural health care.
Previous clinical experience:  Neurology registered nurse at a large academic medical center, adjunct nursing clinical instructor for undergraduate nursing students

Tia Joseph
Contact: tkadiu@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Effective and innovative ways to assist family caregivers of dementia patients, thereby improving their health and quality of life.
Previous clinical experience: Bedside nurse and assistant nurse manager, nursing education

Jane Lee
Contact: jnlee@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Health disparities, maternal and infant health, informatics, cultural inclusion and diversity, public health
Previous clinical experience: Labor and delivery nurse

Kerri Maya
Contact: klmaya@ucdavis.edu 

Areas of special interest in health care: Role of unmitigated psychological distress in the development of delirium, mitigation of psychological distress of patients and families during health care encounters, psychosocial interventions for individuals with persistent symptoms after acute cognitive impairment (delirium) during illness, psychosocial interventions to reduce caregiver distress for family caregivers of individuals with post-intensive care syndrome
Previous clinical experience: Program manager of continuing interprofessional development, Sutter Health, clinical nurse educator, co-chair of the education committee for the American Delirium Society

Claire Nguyen
Contact: clanguyen@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Addiction medicine, complex care management, underserved populations, social determinants of health and structural competency, health equity
Previous clinical experience: Physician assistant for community health clinic

Marissa Romero
Contact: madporter@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Postpartum depression
Previous clinical experience: Supervising registered nurse

Calene Roseman
Contact: croseman@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Exploring the use of telehealth in chronic disease management and adherence in medication and behavior changes.
Previous clinical experience: Nurse manager  at an academic medical center with more than 20 years of nursing experience in adult oncology and bone marrow transplant, ambulatory clinic oncology case manager, emergency nursing, quality and safety

Marla Shauer
Contact: mjshauer@ucdavis.edu

Areas of special interest in health care: Women's health, vulnerable populations, HIV, trauma, obstetrics
Previous clinical experience: Nursing education, teaching theory and clinical skills in maternal and newborn nursing; midwife, providing women's health care to vulnerable populations of women in the greater Sacramento area