Clinical & Scientific Investigators
Our multidisciplinary research team collaborates in the development of protocols, study designs, analyses, and policies. Investigators contribute collaboratively to the synthesis of results for reports, manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, and other mechanisms for disseminating research results.
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Abigail Smith, PhD
Abigail Smith, PhD
Dr. Smith is a biostatistician with research interests in survival and recurrent event analysis and joint modeling. She received her PhD from the University of Michigan in 2016. Her dissertation research focused on methods for assessing time-dependent treatment effects for recurrent event outcomes using the method of sequential stratification. She received a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2007, and an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2012. Dr. Smith joined Arbor Research in 2011 and provided statistical support for the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL). She currently serves as lead biostatistician in Arbor Research’s collaboration with the Pelvic Floor Research Group at the University of Michigan and contributes statistical expertise to several projects in the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) program area including the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Network (LURN) and Transplant Outcomes Using Generic and Brand Name Immunosuppressants (TOGBI) study. Dr. Smith has served as lead analyst on many manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts presented at national scientific meetings.
Research Scientist
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Alyssa Pozniak, PhD
Alyssa Pozniak, PhD
Dr. Pozniak is a health services researcher with over 14 years of healthcare and policy analysis research experience. She has worked on numerous federally-funded projects to address a variety of health policy issues, including identifying and defining vulnerabilities in CMS’ hospice program; econometric and impact analyses to support CMS’ efforts to add a case-mix adjustment to Medicare’s end stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system; and evaluating the impact of value-based purchasing on home health quality, Medicare expenditures, beneficiary experience, and utilization. Dr. Pozniak has also conducted qualitative research, including case studies and interviews with key informants, patients, and medical providers. Dr. Pozniak is currently the project director for the CMS-funded project that evaluates the home health value-based purchasing (HHVBP) model. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2015, Dr. Pozniak served as project director and analytic lead at Abt Associates for projects funded by CMS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She received her PhD in Health Services Organization and Policy, with a concentration in economics, from the University of Michigan in 2006.
Senior Research Scientist
Health Economics/Health Services Research
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Angelo Karaboyas, PhD
Angelo Karaboyas, PhD
Dr. Karaboyas provides epidemiologic and biostatistical support for the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). He received his BS in Mathematics from the University of Michigan (UM) – Dearborn in 2008, his MS in Biostatistics from UM School of Public Health (SPH) in 2010, and his PhD in Epidemiology from UM SPH in 2019 with a dissertation focused on identifying best practices in hemodialysis using innovative study designs and statistical methods. Since joining Arbor Research in 2010, he has made extensive contributions to all aspects of DOPPS research, including proposal development, methodology, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. Dr. Karaboyas has represented Arbor Research at many international conferences, contributed to dozens of abstracts, and worked as the lead analyst on over 30 manuscripts – including several as lead author – accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Research Scientist
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Eric Lammers, PhD
Eric Lammers, PhD
Dr. Lammers is a health services researcher studying health care delivery systems and innovations, with emphasis on health IT. He has worked on and led quantitative studies of the impact of health IT and other innovations on utilization, costs, and quality of care. His evaluation research spans a variety of innovations in care delivery, including studies of emergency department care management, telehealth to enable care access in rural areas, behavioral health care interventions for children, and health information exchange through electronic health records. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2019, Dr. Lammers served as a Researcher at Mathematica Policy Research. He helped to lead their impact evaluation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act programs, to stimulate adoption and Meaningful Use of health IT for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. He has presented these results at national conferences and in leading health services research journals. Dr. Lammers also served as an impact evaluation leader for three Health Care Innovation Awards from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. He has led environmental scans and organized Technical Expert Panels to identify new measures that fill gaps in quality measurement of hospitals and other health care organizations. Dr. Lammers specializes in rigorous quantitative research methods, integrates mixed-methods analyses, and has extensive experience with data from national surveys of health care providers and Medicare and Medicaid claims. He received his PhD in Health Services Organization and Policy, with a concentration in economics, from the University of Michigan in 2012.
Research Scientist
Health Economics/Health Services Research
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Eric Young, MD, MS
Eric Young, MD, MS
Dr. Young graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1981. He went on to clinical training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology followed by masters-level training in research design and statistics from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1993. After serving on the faculty of Oregon Health Sciences University for four years, he joined the Division of Nephrology at the University of Michigan in 1990, rising to the rank of Professor of Internal Medicine. He served as Chief of Staff at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and Assistant Dean for Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2018, when he joined Arbor Research. He has been involved with many studies in the areas of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease including the DOPPS (Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study). He has also been involved with multiple projects related to quality improvement, patient safety, clinical efficiency and clinical program evaluation in many areas, including home care, telehealth and medication management.
Senior Research Scientist
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Keith McCullough, PhD, MS
Keith McCullough, PhD, MS
Mr. McCullough joined Arbor Research in 1998. He uses statistical models and computer simulations to describe interrelationships between patient characteristics, policy, patterns of care, and outcomes. He also investigates methodology issues, including informative censoring, missing data imputation, and measures of model predictive power. Mr. McCullough supported the Kidney and Thoracic Committees of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network with statistical and simulation analyses that informed policy decisions. He has 29 peer-reviewed publications on dialysis patient and transplant recipient survival, hospitalization, and quality of life. At Arbor Research he contributes to the study design and/or analyses for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), and the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN) project with having previously worked with the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), the Managed Care Demonstration (MCDemo), and the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). Mr. McCullough received an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan.
Research Scientist
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Lisa Henn, PhD
Lisa Henn, PhD
Dr. Henn received her PhD in biostatistics in 2015 from the University of Minnesota. Her methodological research interests include clustering and the limitations of Bayesian statistical methods and hypothesis tests for complex, high-dimensional data objects. Additionally, she has delineated conditions governing the emergence of multiple maxima in restricted likelihood and posterior distributions as well as the performance of Gaussian copula regression models when applied to non-continuous data. She has broad experience in statistical analysis approaches ranging from causal inference to item response theory. Additionally, she has over 10 years’ experience in the medical device industry as a mechanical engineer in roles spanning research, production, project management, and functional management. Dr. Henn leads operational improvement initiatives and serves as a statistician for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN), supported by the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. For Medicare’s End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), she validates measure implementation and conducts methodological research into potential QIP improvements. She also provides analytic support for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and as well as methodological support for newly proposed projects. Dr. Henn joined Arbor Research in 2016.
Research Scientist
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Purna Mukhopadhyay, PhD
Purna Mukhopadhyay, PhD
Dr. Mukhopadhyay conducts health outcomes research, performs statistical analyses, and provides support and biostatistical expertise to the Health Policy and Practice Program area. She applies her in-depth statistical knowledge to evidence-based medical research that informs policy and improves patient care. Her areas of expertise include statistical models (logistic regression, generalized linear models, Cox regression, mixed effects models, etc.), biostatistical study design, statistical computing, and data analysis. She has worked on several National Institutes of Health- and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-funded projects.
With over 8 years of experience in management of health care research data and observational data analyses, Dr. Mukhopadhyay works with lead investigators to design analytical approaches for answering research questions. She manages and motivates teams of programmers and research analysts while also providing mentorship. Working with investigators, she identifies potential new projects and writes key sections of winning proposals. Dr. Mukhopadhyay has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, conference presentations, and reports for federal sponsors.
She received her doctoral degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2008. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she worked as Research Assistant professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Associate Research Scientist
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Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN
Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN
Dr. Roberto Pecoits-Filho is a Senior Research Scientist at Arbor Research and a full professor of Medicine at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) in Brazil, where he is a practicing Nephrologist and Clinical Researcher. He received a Ph.D. from the University of São Paulo and was a visiting scholar at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and at the George Institute in Sydney. He is currently a country investigator for CKDOPPS in Brazil and a member of the CKDOPPS Steering Committee. He is a current Council Member of the International Society of Nephrology for the Americas and was from 2017-2019 a member of the Executive Committee of the Society. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of KDIGO from 2015-2017 and is a member of the Executive Committee of the SONG initiative. Dr. Pecoits has published his research in over 240 papers in international indexed journals and lectured in over 50 countries around the world.
Senior Research Scientist
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Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS
Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS
Dr. Pisoni is a Senior Research Scientist at Arbor Research, and Deputy Principal Investigator for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). He has held key roles in the DOPPS since its international expansion in 1997. He earned a PhD from Wayne State University in biochemistry in 1981, completed post-doctoral studies at the VA Outpatient Clinic, Boston/Harvard Medical School and the University of Michigan (UM), and received an MS in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the UM School of Public Health in 1997. Before joining Arbor Research, he served as an assistant research scientist faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Internal Medicine at UM from 1987-1997.
Distinguished Research Scientist
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Victor Andreev, PhD, DSc
Victor Andreev, PhD, DSc
Dr. Andreev is a mathematical modeler, computational biologist, bioinformatician, and physical chemist with a strong background in mathematics, physics, and analytical chemistry. He received his PhD in Physics from the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and his DSc degree in Physics and Mathematics from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Andreev is experienced in proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, pathway analysis, mass spectrometry, and separation science. He joined Arbor Research in October 2014. Prior to this he was an Associate Professor at the University of Miami, doing systems biology, bioinformatics, and mathematical modeling of complex systems in particular related to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and rejection in transplantation. At Arbor Research, Dr. Andreev is involved in multiple projects that require ‘omics,’ bioinformatics, and complex systems modeling expertise. Dr. Andreev is the author of 66 (51 first-authored) papers and 2 patents. His current scientific interests include development of clustering methods for deep phenotyping of complex diseases as well as multiscale computer simulation of chronic diseases progression and treatment.
Senior Research Scientist
Bioinformatics
Analytic Services
Quantitative and qualitative analytic services at Arbor Research are provided by research analysts and health analysts. Research analysts are proficient in a variety of statistical techniques, including regression, survival analysis, longitudinal methods, hierarchical methods, and power analysis. Health analysts specialize in qualitative and mixed methods research with training and experience in population health, social determinants of health, health care, patient experience, and multi-level interventions.
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Alissa Kapke, MS
Alissa Kapke, MS
Ms. Kapke provides support for the Health Policy and Practice Program area of Arbor Research. Presently she is the managing analyst on the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project, which provides validation of final performance scores and payment reductions for over 5,000 Medicare-certified dialysis facilities in the United States, help desk support during the score preview period, and analytic support for the ESRD QIP Final Rule, published yearly in the Federal Register. Ms. Kapke received an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 1996. She is also a managing analyst for the U.S. Renal Data Systems project. She previously served as a senior analyst on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ESRD Quality Measure Development and Maintenance contract.
Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2010, Ms. Kapke was a biostatistician at Henry Ford Hospital for ten years where she was funded on several National Institutes of Health grants in areas of cancer, stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Parkinson’s disease research. She also was a consulting statistician to physicians and residents at Henry Ford Hospital and served as a statistician on the hospital’s Institutional Review Board from 2007-2009. Ms. Kapke has co-authored several papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to many abstracts presented at major scientific meetings.
Managing Senior Analyst
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Brian Bieber, MPH, MS
Brian Bieber, MPH, MS
Mr. Bieber earned his MS in Physiology from Michigan State University in 2005 and Master’s in Public Health Epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2007. He has worked as a bench scientist studying diabetes, and as a public health epidemiologist conducting chronic and infectious disease surveillance. He joined Arbor Research in 2008 and has contributed to the management, study design, and analytics of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the Peritoneal Dialysis and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), and the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps). He has coordinated the DOPPS Practice Monitor to report trends in US dialysis care, worked extensively with Arbor Research clinicians to design and revise study questionnaires, while also collaborating with investigators on projects and publications involving a number of different statistical approaches including Cox proportional hazards models, parametric models, generalized linear models (e.g. logistic and Poisson regression), and linear mixed models.
Managing Senior Analyst
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Chad Cogan, MS
Chad Cogan, MS
Mr. Cogan conducts health outcomes research, and provides analytic support and statistical expertise for the Health Policy and Practices Program area. He has excellent experience performing quantitative analyses with Medicare claims, especially through contract work on Measure and Instrument Development and Support (MIDS) and Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design, and Analysis (RMADA) projects. His current contract work through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) includes a project to monitor and evaluate the effects of the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP). He also plays a key analytic role on a RMADA project focused on evaluating how Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) incentives have influenced Home Health Agency (HHA) behavior, quality of care, Medicare expenditures, beneficiary experience, and utilization in selected states. His research additionally includes National Institute of Health (NIH) grant work focused on the ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS) and health disparities in ESRD.
Mr. Cogan’s experience on MIDS contracts has also included validation work supporting the ESRD QIP implementation, and the development of quality measures in the areas of ESRD and population health. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2012, Mr. Cogan was a biostatistician at Henry Ford Health System where he was funded on NIH grants and served as a consulting statistician to physicians and residents within the hospital. He has co-authored papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to several abstracts presented at major scientific meetings. He received his BS in Applied Statistics from Western Michigan University in 2008 and an MS in Biostatistics from Grand Valley State University in 2010.
Senior Research Analyst I
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Charlotte Beil, MPH
Charlotte Beil, MPH
Ms. Beil oversees the efforts of the team of masters- and doctoral-level biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and economists conducting research in the Science and Data Coordinating Centers program. Ms. Beil received her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2005 and is skilled in study design and a wide variety of statistical techniques, including Cox proportional hazards models, generalized linear models (e.g. logistic and Poisson regression), linear mixed models, and simulation modeling. She has provided statistical analysis and research support for multiple projects, including numerous publications, abstracts, and oral presentations for national audiences.
Managing Senior Analyst
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Charlotte Tu, DrPH
Charlotte Tu, DrPH
Dr. Tu joined Arbor Research in 2014 and provides analytical support for the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) program, including the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps). She has experience applying various types of statistical models as a means of multivariable data exploration and of subgroups identification for electronic health records from large administrative/claims databases as well as for clinical data from longitudinal/multilevel health services research, comparative effectiveness research, and translational community-based clinical trials. She has been a co-author on several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and poster/oral presentations. She received her doctoral degree in Biostatistics and master’s degree in Health Information Systems from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she worked as a data manager and biostatistician in the Prevention Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh.
Senior Research Analyst I
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Daniel Muenz, PhD
Daniel Muenz, PhD
Dr. Muenz earned his PhD in biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2017, where he developed novel designs for phase I clinical trials for cancer therapies. He joined Arbor Research in 2017, mere weeks after defending his PhD dissertation. At Arbor Research he is an analyst on the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). Before graduate school, he worked at Harvard’s Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, as a SAS programmer and apprentice statistician. He has extensive experience collaborating with physicians and other statisticians on a range of medical and public health topics, from the potential of antiretroviral drugs to cause birth defects, to whether a new form of cancer therapy justifies its extra expense compared to an older technology. He loves the diversity of scientific topics his expertise in biostatistics allows him to explore.
Senior Research Analyst I
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Dongyu Wang, MS
Dongyu Wang, MS
Ms. Wang joined Arbor Research as a Research Analyst in 2016. With a wide variety of statistical techniques and skills in SAS programming, as well as multi-disciplinary knowledge, she provides analytical support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project and the ESRD Monitoring and Evaluation Program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She also contributes to the production of the Annual Data Report (ADR) of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institutes of Health. Ms. Wang received her MS in Analytical Chemistry from Duke University in 2013 and MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2015. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she was a statistician for the University of Michigan Health System.
Research Analyst II
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Jane Liu, MPH
Jane Liu, MPH
Ms. Liu joined Arbor Research in 2014. She received her Bachelor of Medicine from Central South University in China in 2012, and Master of Public Health (MPH) from Washington University in St. Louis in 2014. At Arbor Research, Ms. Liu provides statistical support for the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL), Transplant Outcomes Using Generic and Brand Name Immunosuppressants (TOGBI) and Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) projects. Ms. Liu has contributed as an analyst on several manuscripts accepted in peer-reviewed journals as well as abstracts presented at national science meetings.
Senior Research Analyst I
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Jillian Schrager, MPH
Jillian Schrager, MPH
Ms. Schrager graduated from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2015 with a Master’s of Public Health degree, specializing in Epidemiology Methods and Applications. Her graduate thesis research examined the relationship between genetic variation and expression and cognitive function among adults enrolled in two national cohort studies. Ms. Schrager brings her analytical skill set to Arbor Research and provides statistical support to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Program funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Additionally, Ms. Schrager applies her knowledge of statistical analysis and her strong interest in chronic disease health outcomes to the production of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Annual Data Report (ADR). Prior to joining Arbor Research’s Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) area in March 2017, Ms. Schrager worked as the Cancer Genomics Epidemiologist at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, where she focused on state-wide surveillance of hereditary cancer syndromes.
Research Analyst II
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Jonathan Wiseman, MS
Jonathan Wiseman, MS
Mr. Wiseman joined Arbor Research in 2014 and provides statistical support for the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) as well as the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP). He received his BS in Financial Mathematics and Economics from the University of Michigan in 2008, and his MS in Biostatistics from Grand Valley State University in 2014. Mr. Wiseman has served as lead analyst on several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts submitted to national scientific meetings.
Research Analyst II
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Junhui Zhao, PhD
Junhui Zhao, PhD
Dr. Zhao joined Arbor Research in 2014. She provides analytical support for the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), and the Empowering Patients on Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT) Study. Dr. Zhao earned her PhD degree from Beijing Forestry University in China in 2010. She has been an author on several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and poster/oral presentations, and she serves as a reviewer and editor board member for many international journals. Before joining Arbor Research, she worked as a research biometrician at Oregon State University.
Senior Research Analyst I
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Kaitlyn Repeck, MS
Kaitlyn Repeck, MS
Ms. Repeck joined Arbor Research in 2015 as part of the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) research team. She earned her BS in Statistics from Grand Valley State University in 2010, and proceeded to earn her MS in Biostatistics in 2012 from the same institution. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Ms. Repeck worked as a research assistant for a retina specialist in Grand Rapids, followed by working as a clinical research assistant for Detroit Medical Center Sports Medicine and its Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship program.
Research Analyst II
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Katherine Hanslits, MPH
Katherine Hanslits, MPH
Mrs. Hanslits joined Arbor Research’s Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) in 2017. At Arbor Research she uses her statistical knowledge and skill with SAS programming to provide analytic support to the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), the ESRD QIP Monitoring and Evaluation Program, and the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Program. Mrs. Hanslits earned a BA in biology from Barnard College of Columbia University in 2013 and a MPH in epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2017. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mrs. Hanslits was a laboratory research assistant at Oregon Health & Science University where she studied the heritability of cardiovascular disease traits and epigenetic effects of alcoholism.
Research Analyst II
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Kieran Hawthorne, MS
Kieran Hawthorne, MS
Ms. Hawthorne joined Arbor Research in 2015 in support of the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) study. She holds a BA in Biology and Quantitative Studies from Bard College at Simon’s Rock and an MSc in Epidemiology from McGill University. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she spent three years at Mayo Clinic as a Statistical Programmer Analyst providing statistical and database support for pancreatic and ovarian cancer research. She has particular experience with survival analysis, logistic regression, genetics, and immunology. Ms. Hawthorne is a co-author on several peer-reviewed publications.
Research Analyst II
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Marcelo Lopes, MD, PhD, MPH
Marcelo Lopes, MD, PhD, MPH
Dr. Lopes joined the analyst team for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) at Arbor Research in January of 2018. While earning his master’s degree at the University of Michigan, he worked on a project using mediation analysis to investigate health disparities in albuminuria as part of the Kidney Surveillance Program at the Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center. Dr. Lopes is a trained nephrologist and has published papers on the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in the very elderly and as an investigator in the Prospective Study of the Prognosis of Patients Treated Chronically by Hemodialysis (PROHEMO) developed in Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Research Analyst II
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Margaret Helmuth, MA
Margaret Helmuth, MA
Ms. Helmuth provides managerial and statistical support in the Science and Data Coordinating Centers program area at Arbor Research. Her current work is primarily in support of two large Data Coordinating Centers funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) and the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN). She previously served as the managing analyst for the Transplant Outcomes Using Generic and Brand Name Immunosuppressants (TOGBI) project and as a lead analyst in the Health Policy and Practice program area working with the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP), and the U.S. Renal Data Systems Project (USRDS). Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2013, she worked a statistician in the Epidemiology and Family Medicine Departments of the University of Michigan, with a primary research focus in women’s health. She holds a BS in Statistics from the University of Michigan and an MA in Applied Statistics from Eastern Michigan University. Ms. Helmuth has served as the lead analyst on several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts presented at national scientific meetings.
Managing Senior Analyst
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Nan Ji, MS
Nan Ji, MS
Mrs. Ji joined Arbor Research in 2015 as part of the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) research team. She holds an MS degree in Statistics from the University of Toledo (UT). At Arbor Research she is applying her knowledge in data analysis and skills in SAS programming in order to extract data information for statistical analysis. Mrs. Ji has previous experience in data analysis and SAS programming as a member of the statistical consulting services group at UT. Complementing her experience in statistical analysis, Mrs. Ji achieved certification as a SAS Advanced Programmer in 2014. She is currently providing analytical support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project and the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Program funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She also contributes to the production of the Annual Data Report (ADR) of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Senior Research Analyst I
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Nathan Goodrich, MS
Nathan Goodrich, MS
Mr. Goodrich has over nine years of experience performing data analysis for health outcomes research as part of the Arbor Research team with extensive focus on pre- and post-liver transplantation outcomes. He earned an MS in biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2003 gaining a solid foundation in methods of analyzing healthcare data including: linear regression, logistic regression and survival analysis. While providing analytic support to multiple projects at Arbor Research, he has also gained experience in the areas of data collection, data management, missing data imputation and simulation modeling. He has been the primary analyst on many publications using a variety of data sources. Mr. Goodrich is part of a team carrying out analyses to study renal function in liver transplant recipients based on registry data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). He is also the primary analyst on multiple manuscript projects analyzing data for two multi-center cohort studies, the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort study (A2ALL) and The Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN).
Senior Research Analyst II
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Rebecca Mandell, PhD, MS
Rebecca Mandell, PhD, MS
Dr. Mandell joined Arbor Research in 2017. She has extensive training and expertise in qualitative and mixed methods research, policy analysis, addressing health inequities through multi-level interventions, and community-based research approaches. Dr. Mandell conducts qualitative interviews, analyses, and environmental scans for an evaluation of value-based purchasing for home health care for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. She is also currently part of an evaluation team that is assessing a living organ donor wage reimbursement program for the Health Resources and Services Administration. Prior to joining Arbor Research, she received her PhD from the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. For her dissertation, she used grounded theory to understand how advocates are mobilizing to protect vulnerable communities from toxic exposures harmful to reproductive health. She previously conducted research for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York AIDS Coalition, and the Harvard School of Public Health, including qualitative interviewing, focus groups, survey development and implementation, and training and oversight of research staff. She also served as a health volunteer in the Peace Corps in Niger. She received her master’s degree from the Department of Society, Human Development and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health and her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Harvard University.
Senior Health Analyst II
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Sarah Mansfield, MS
Sarah Mansfield, MS
Ms. Mansfield provides analytic support for the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN) and Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) projects. She received her BS in Mathematics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and her MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Ms. Mansfield previously worked at Arbor Research from 2011-2015, before rejoining the company in 2017. Ms. Mansfield has served as lead analyst on several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to abstracts presented at national scientific meetings.
Senior Research Analyst I
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Yan Jin, PhD
Yan Jin, PhD
Dr. Jin provides statistical support for the Health Policy and Practice Projects at Arbor Research, a group of projects primarily funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Before joining Arbor Research in 2012, she led research projects and provided statistical support to the Physician Group Incentive Programs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for over a year. Her research findings were employed to develop an assessment measure to rank primary care physicians and specialists based on their cost profiles for incentive designations. She also was a research statistician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Cincinnati, OH for three years. Dr. Jin was the lead author and co-author of several statistical methodology and epidemiology research papers published in peer reviewed journals. She earned a PhD in Mathematical Sciences focused in Statistics from the University of Cincinnati and a BS from Tsinghua University in China.
Senior Research Analyst II
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Zhechen Ding, MS
Zhechen Ding, MS
Mr. Ding joined Arbor Research in May 2018. He previously worked as a research assistant during summer 2017. Mr. Ding provides analytical support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) and the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Annual Data Report (ADR) project. He received his Bachelor of Medicine from Central South University in China in 2012, and MS in Biostatistics from Tulane University in 2018. Before getting the MS degree, he worked as a resident physician in China for three years. He is also a SAS Certified Base/Advance Programmer.
Research Analyst I
Project Management Office
The Arbor Research project management office (PMO) is made up of project managers, coordinators, associates, and clinical monitors. Project managers provide high-level oversight and direction to functional teams working on the project to ensure work priorities and approaches align with the overall research goals and budget of the project. Project coordinators and associates assist in carrying out day-to-day implementation and administration of the various studies under way at Arbor Research through facilitation of communication with participating research centers, external collaborators, and sponsoring agencies. Clinical monitors work closely with the research centers and investigators to ensure appropriate clinical implementation of study protocols, and with data and analytic services to ensure data quality.
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Amanda Szymanski, BA
Amanda Szymanski, BA
Ms. Szymanski coordinates projects in the Health Policy and Practice Program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), including the Evaluation of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, and the End Stage Renal Disease Services Monitoring and Evaluation (ESRD M&E). She holds a BA in sociology and political science from the University of Michigan and previously worked at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center and the Institute for Social Research.
Project Manager
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Anna Hogan, BS
Anna Hogan, BS
Ms. Hogan joined Arbor Research in 2010. She currently provides project management and operational support for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) Program. Additionally, Ms. Hogan helps to manage the planning and execution of external meetings and conferences at both the national and international level. Prior to beginning her role as a Project Manager, Ms. Hogan also served as a Project Coordinator and Project Associate for the DOPPS Program.
Project Manager
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Ashya Smith, BA
Ashya Smith, BA
Ms. Smith joined Arbor Research in 2019. She received her BA in International Studies: Global Health and Environment from the University of Michigan. Ms. Smith currently provides support as a Project Associate for the Cure Glomerular Disease Research Network (CureGN) and Quality Incentive Program (QIP) projects.
Project Associate II
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Aya Inoue, BA, PMP
Aya Inoue, BA, PMP
Ms. Inoue joined Arbor Research in 2008. She holds a BA in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Michigan, and was certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) in 2015. She has worked in the Health Policy and Practice Program area for several years and oversees a number of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded contracts and grants. She currently serves as the Project Manager on the CMS Measure and Instrument Development and Support (MIDS) contract to support the implementation of the following projects: End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program and Alignment of Quality and Public Reporting Programs and Websites.
PMO Manager
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Brian Ronski, BA, BBA
Brian Ronski, BA, BBA
Mr. Ronski joined Arbor Research in 2010 supporting projects in the Health Policy and Practice Program (HP3) area and continues to coordinate the activities and completion of deliverables for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project. He also provides coordination and support for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) project in the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) program area. Mr. Ronski received a BBA in Management and a BA in French from Eastern Michigan University in 2001 and has prior experience with quality assurance, project coordination, and the pharmaceutical industry
Senior Project Coordinator
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Christopher Kippola, BS
Christopher Kippola, BS
Mr. Kippola joined Arbor Research in 2015 after completing his undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan University where he earned degrees in Political Science (BS) and History (BA). He is currently a Project Coordinator for the DOPPS Program and oversees the Project Support Team for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps). In this role, Mr. Kippola coordinates the operational study support for both projects, which includes oversight of project team assignments, as well as assisting with project development, study monitoring and the planning/execution of project timelines and other deliverables. In addition to the coordination of DOPPS and CKDopps, Mr. Kippola also assists with the planning and carrying out of the international and domestic meetings/conferences for the DOPPS Program. Prior to his role as a Project Coordinator, Mr. Kippola served as a Project Associate at Arbor Research.
Project Coordinator
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Ellen LaChance, BS
Ellen LaChance, BS
Ms. LaChance joined Arbor Research in 2016 as part of the Scientific and Data Coordinating Center team. She provides management support of the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) studies. Before joining Arbor Research, Ms. LaChance worked as Project Manager and Director of Operations at Trialynx providing management and operational support of multiple clinical research studies. She previously worked at the University of Michigan Medical School Institutional Review Board (IRBMED) as Assistant Regulatory Analyst, and at Clinical Lynx, Inc. as Pharmacovigilance Administrator.
Senior Project Manager
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Haley Jackson, BA
Haley Jackson, BA
Ms. Jackson graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus with a degree in Psychology before joining Arbor Research Collaborative for Health in 2019. Throughout her undergraduate career, Ms. Jackson worked as a Student Building Manger for Trotter Multicultural Center and Palmer Commons. She currently works in the Scientific and Data Coordinating Center (SDCC) area of Arbor Research focusing on the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) project.
Senior Project Associate
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Joanne Lord, BA, LPN, CCRC
Joanne Lord, BA, LPN, CCRC
Ms. Lord joined Arbor Research in 2015. She holds an LPN Diploma from Marion S. Whelan School of Practical Nursing and a BA degree in Psychology/Education with a Religion minor from Mount Holyoke College. Before joining Arbor Research, she worked at the University of Michigan in the Department of Neurology as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator where she coordinated numerous multi-center clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. At Arbor Research, Ms. Lord serves as a Clinical Monitor for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN).
Clinical Monitor
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Kaden Milkovich, MPA
Kaden Milkovich, MPA
Mr. Milkovich joined the Health Policy and Practice Program in 2015. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Milkovich managed the administrative, research, and philanthropic activities for the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, a nonprofit health care policy organization focused on innovative benefit design research and policy recommendations to improve health care quality and reduce costs. Previously, Mr. Milkovich served as a nonprofit manager for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center in New York City—a community health center focused on health service provision and licensed outpatient chemical dependency programs. He has substantial experience engaging diverse communities in culturally appropriate health behavior interventions; qualitative research; organizational strategy and significant project administration experience. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts in English Literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Health Care Policy from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
Project Manager
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Lauren Kane, MPH, CCRP
Lauren Kane, MPH, CCRP
Lauren Kane completed her undergraduate education at the University of Michigan in 2013 where she earned a degree in Anthropology. She subsequently earned her Masters of Public Health from Northwestern University in June 2020 with a concentration in Global Health. She originally joined Arbor Research in April 2015 as a Project Associate for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study and is returning as a Project Coordinator. She is passionate about understanding the influence of social factors on health outcomes and hopes to address global health disparities through the promotion of health equity and social justice. Her current responsibilities include providing direct supervision to members of the PDOPPS/OPPUS project support team, managing project support team assignments, and assisting with the development, monitoring, and tracking of project timelines.
Project Coordinator
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Levi Hurley, BS
Levi Hurley, BS
Mr. Hurley joined Arbor Research in August 2020 as a project associate for the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) and Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Research Consortium (PRECEDE) projects. He received his BS in Molecular Biology and Research Psychology from University of Michigan-Flint. Prior to joining Arbor Research he worked as a Laboratory assistant for the McLaren and Beaumont Health systems.
Project Associate II
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Melissa Fava, MPA, PMP, CRA
Melissa Fava, MPA, PMP, CRA
Ms. Fava joined Arbor Research in 2015 as part of the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers team. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan, an MPA in nonprofit management from Eastern Michigan University, Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, a certificate in Clinical Trials Administration from the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI), and is a Certified Research Administrator (CRA). She has significant experience in managing contracts and grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and industry. Ms. Fava lends her expertise by managing the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN), IMPACT PDA International High-Risk Consortium, HRSA Lost Wages Support for Living Organ Donors Demonstration, and National Living Donor Assistance Center projects.
Senior Project Manager
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Melissa Sexton, BBA, CCRP
Melissa Sexton, BBA, CCRP
Ms. Sexton joined Arbor Research in 2009 as part of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) team. She transitioned to the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps) in 2012 and the Empowering Patients On Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT) project in 2014. Ms. Sexton received her BBA from Eastern Michigan University in 2010. She earned her Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) certification from the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) in 2016. Ms. Sexton is currently the project associate and clinical monitor for the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN). She is also a clinical monitor for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN).
Clinical Monitor
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Michelle Goebel
Michelle Goebel
Ms. Goebel joined Arbor Research in May 2013 and works on many projects, including data entry for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), PDOPPS and CKDOPPS. She also serves as interim Receptionist and provides some admin/facility support.
Senior Data Entry Specialist
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Rachel Cervenak, BA
Rachel Cervenak, BA
Ms. Cervenak received her BA in International Relations and Comparative Cultures & Politics from Michigan State University along with a minor in Spanish. Throughout her undergraduate career, Ms. Cervenak volunteered with the Center for Survivors, helping to connect sexual assault survivors with community resources and process trauma. Prior to joining Arbor Research in August of 2020, she worked at the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.
Project Associate I
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Rachel Willis, MA
Rachel Willis, MA
Ms. Willis graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and French and Francophone Studies in 2019, subsequently earning a Master of Arts in Transcultural Studies there before joining Arbor Research in 2020. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate careers, Ms. Willis served as a research assistant in the Department of Geological Sciences, the Department of Romance Languages, and the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at UM. She currently provides administrative support for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) project.
Project Associate II
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Sayori Suda-Wilson, BS
Sayori Suda-Wilson, BS
Ms. Suda-Wilson joined Arbor Research in 2013. She received her BS in Human Nutrition at University of Maine and is a Registered Dietitian. Ms. Suda-Wilson currently provides support for the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) project.
Senior Project Associate
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Yuko Schoenberg, BS
Yuko Schoenberg, BS
Ms. Schoenberg joined Arbor Research in 2014. She received her BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Eastern Michigan University and was a restaurant manager/bartender. She currently provides support for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) project.
Senior Project Associate
Data Services
Programmers and database developers on the data services team contribute expertise in health care informatics, data architecture, analytic programming, and reporting. They also contribute to the design of data capture systems and instruments, as well as the processes necessary to acquire and link existing administrative or externally collected data into analytic data systems.
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Bryan Simmons
Bryan Simmons
Mr. Simmons joined Abor Research and the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) project in 2020. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Simmons was a Principal Technical Architect with SAS Institute. He is experienced in Business Analysis, Data Warehousing, Data Integration and Application Development. He has served in multiple roles including Technical Lead and Pre-Sales Support. Mr. Simmons has designed and developed applications for several industries including Automotive, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Finance, Marketing and Telecommunications.
Programmer II
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Debra Halbleib, AS
Debra Halbleib, AS
Ms. Halbleib is responsible for database design and development for the ArborLink electronic data capture and study management system. Since joining Arbor Research in March 2015, she has been the primary database developer for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) observational studies and the Living Kidney Donor Lost Wages Reimbursement Study. She has also provided database support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Surveillance project. She has extensive experience in software development, implementation and project management, as well as experience in product management, technical sales support, data warehousing and reporting. She has been an advocate and author of software development and implementation methodologies. She has experience implementing and customizing Microsoft business management and accounting software. She has an AS degree in Computer Technology, and has completed course work in Operations Management and Project Management.
Senior Programmer I
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Dori Bilik, MBA
Dori Bilik, MBA
Dori Bilik is the senior programming analyst on the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program and the NephCure Kidney Network project. Before joining Arbor Research in 2009, she was a senior programmer analyst at the University of Michigan (UM) Medical School, where she served as the central administrative data coordinator for Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes, a national multi-center study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has extensive experience in manipulating federal and commercial healthcare data, including extracting, processing, reformatting, linking, standardizing and cleaning data from the CDC, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, Truven Health’s MarketScan® and managed care health plans. Ms. Bilik received an MBA with concentrations in computer and information systems and management and a BA in economics with concentrations in statistics and econometrics from UM.
Senior Programmer II
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Gregory Wirth, BS
Gregory Wirth, BS
Mr. Wirth joined Arbor Research in 2012. He earned a BS degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Maryland. Presently he supports the electronic data collection software (ArborLink) and manages the database programmers that support and develop the instances for the Scientific and Data Coordinating Centers (SDCC) program and Dialysis Outcome and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) programs. He previously worked as a programmer on the implementations of the three different DOPPS instances of ArborLink. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Wirth spent six years at General Dynamics providing custom solutions for private insurance companies.
Managing Senior Programmer
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Heather Dudek, MS
Heather Dudek, MS
Heather Dudek has over twenty years’ worth of experience working with Business Analytics in a few different industries. She has worked with pharmaceutical, sales, and insurance data, and programmed with a variety of tools and languages including SAS and SQL. She received her MS degree in Mathematical Statistics from Purdue University in Indianapolis. From joining Arbor Research in 2014 up until 2019 she was the lead SAS programmer for the implementation of the Childhood Liver Disease Research and Education Network (ChiLDReN). Currently she is the lead programmer on the Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease Network (CFLD), as well as providing programming support for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Monitoring and Evaluation project.
Senior Programmer I
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Jiawei Xing, MS
Jiawei Xing, MS
Mr. Xing joined Arbor Research in 2015, with an MS degree in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan. He holds excellent experience in SAS, SQL and Python programming with big data, statistical modeling, and analysis. Mr. Xing also has an interest and solid skills in data mining, machine learning and deep learning (Neural Networks). At Arbor Research, Mr. Xing is working as the primary programmer for the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) evaluation project funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the National Living Donor Assistant Center (NLDAC) project, and the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) project. He also worked on the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) project.
Senior Programmer I
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Karen Downing, B.S.
Karen Downing, B.S.
Ms. Downing joined Arbor Research in 2015. She has extensive experience as a Database Administrator and Architect working with both SQL Server and Oracle. She has specialized in tuning databases and code to allow for better scalability. She has experience supporting and tuning very large databases (VLDBs) and planning for growth for both hardware and software needs. Additionally, she has extensive development experience in health care, manufacturing, and retail. She has worked on medical research including data mining and is one of the authors on several research papers studying anti-depression medications and suicide. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Senior Programmer I/Database Administrator
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Mike Arbit, MA, MS
Mike Arbit, MA, MS
Mr. Arbit holds a master’s in Applied Statistics from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Michigan. He joined Arbor Research in 2020 after stints as a high school math teacher, actuarial data analyst, and education policy researcher. He currently applies his data and programming skills to support the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) project and the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN) project.
Programmer I
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Shannon Li, MS
Shannon Li, MS
Ms. Li earned her MS in Health Informatics with a minor in Health Services Research and Policy from the University of Minnesota. Ms. Li oversees all the database support activity within Arbor Research. She has extensive experience in managing health care data to support large-scale (national and international) research projects and directs the effort of promoting the usage of health care data exchange for outcome research. Since joining Arbor Research in 2002, she has led several National Institutes of Health-funded research projects that used ArborLink software for customized study protocols for the primary data collection, as well as the deployment of a multi-language data collection application for a fifteen-year longitudinal study. She has also led the team to organize the process of using claims data and other analytical data warehouses that are sized in terabytes to support policy-making analysis. Her IT skills and background in Health Informatics and Medicine bring a unique perspective of information technology in the healthcare field.
Director of Data Services
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Shengqian Li, MA
Shengqian Li, MA
Ms. Li joined Arbor Research in 2016 where she applies her data analysis and programming skills to support the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) project as well as the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) project. She received her master’s degree in Statistics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Ms. Li is a SAS Certified Advanced Programmer and has previously worked with a variety of different kinds of data using tools and languages including SAS and SQL.
Senior Programmer I
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Wenbin Ji, PhD
Wenbin Ji, PhD
Dr. Ji graduated from the University of Toledo with a doctorate in Cell and Molecular Biology in 2016. He worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan for one year before joining Arbor Research in 2018. He has experience in analyzing and interpreting data in the life sciences and has published three peer-reviewed papers. Complementing his experience in statistical analysis, he achieved certification as a SAS Base Programmer in 2017. As a programmer at Arbor Research, Dr. Ji provides programming support for the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) and the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).
Programmer II
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Xue Dietrich, MS
Xue Dietrich, MS
Mrs. Dietrich joined Arbor Research in 2014 and holds two MS degrees in Statistics and Civil Engineering from the University of Toledo. Mrs. Dietrich is a certified SAS Advanced Programmer. She applies her knowledge in data analysis and skills in SAS programming to extract and present relevant information from intricate data sets. Mrs. Dietrich provides programming support for Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDOPPS), and the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) project funded by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She also contributed to the production of the Annual Data Report (ADR) and manuscript development of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) during 2014 to 2018.
Senior Programmer I
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Zach Dietrich, MS
Zach Dietrich, MS
Mr. Dietrich joined Arbor Research in October 2014, after graduating from the University of Toledo with an MS degree in Statistics. He currently provides programming support to several projects, including the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model Evaluation, and also the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) data querying web tool, RenDER. Previously, Mr. Dietrich also provided data processing and analysis support for the End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (ESRD QIP) Validation and Population Health Measures projects. Prior to joining Arbor Research, he achieved certification as a SAS Advanced Programmer.
Senior Programmer I
Applications Development & Services
These staff design custom software, including tools to communicate research findings and implement protocols for data capture and study management. They develop Windows and web-based applications, as well as tools to help staff leverage off-the-shelf products.
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Ben Guidinger, BS
Ben Guidinger, BS
Since joining Arbor Research in 2006, Mr. Guidinger has overseen the development and operations of all in-house software engineering projects, as well as the various websites hosted by Arbor Research. Those websites include: the Arbor Research website (ArborResearch.org); the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study website (DOPPS.org); a dialysis facility reporting website for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (DialysisReports.org); various research-related websites sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCCD.CDC.gov/CKD), Health Resources and Services Administration (LivingDonorAssistance.org), and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (USRDS.org); and all current implementations of the ArborLink suite of data-collection websites. Prior to joining Arbor Research, Mr. Guidinger worked as a lead software engineer at several companies, including United Health Group, Ford Motor Company, and Motorola. Mr. Guidinger received a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Applications Development Manager
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Benjamin Sutton, BBA
Benjamin Sutton, BBA
Mr. Sutton joined Arbor Research in 2015. He received his BBA in Computer Information Systems from Eastern Michigan University. Prior to joining Arbor Research, he worked within the University of Michigan Health System and at the Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Quality Institute where he was responsible for creating and maintaining over 30 unique web applications. He has over 16 years of experience with web application development and database design. At Arbor Research, his responsibilities include web application design and development for the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC), DOPPS Practice Monitor (DPM), and NephCure Kidney Network (NKN) Registry websites. Additionally, he provides support for the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Surveillance website.
Senior Applications Programmer I
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Beth Kirschner, BS
Beth Kirschner, BS
Ms. Kirschner joined Arbor Research in 2017. She has over twenty-five years of software experience as a technical manager, project manager, and application developer of enterprise web applications, embedded systems, and industrial automation. In her current role, she is focused on project management of new and existing software across the full software development life cycle, as well as product development of current and future core capabilities. Ms. Kirschner holds a BS in Computer Science from Michigan Technological University.
Applications Services Manager
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Charlie Sirich, MS, MBA
Charlie Sirich, MS, MBA
Mr. Sirich works to build and support customized web-based applications and content management systems. Over the past years, Mr. Sirich has successfully designed and implemented numerous software solutions for many healthcare related projects such as SRTR, USRDS, and NLDAC. He holds various IT certifications and MS/MBA degrees from the University of Toledo. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2009, he worked for Dana Corporation and Shell Oil Company.
Senior Applications Programmer I
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Christine Pellar-Kosbar, MS
Christine Pellar-Kosbar, MS
Ms. Pellar-Kosbar joined Arbor Research in 2015. She holds an MS from Michigan Technological University in Rhetoric and Technical Communication. At Arbor Research, she applies her skills in quality assurance, business analysis, and technical communication to enhance and update the ChiLDReNLink user interface. Ms. Pellar-Kosbar’s previous experience includes business analysis, testing, and procedural documentation in education and health care settings.
Information Services Analyst
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Jack Liao, MS
Jack Liao, MS
Mr. Liao joined Arbor Research in 2007 where he designs customized software used to communicate research findings and coordinate study protocols. He is responsible for engineering, developing, and maintaining Windows and web-based customized applications. Mr. Liao also works to implement the ArborLink data collection application for a variety of projects. He earned an MS in Computer Sciences from Eastern Michigan University in 2001.
Senior Applications Programmer I
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Kent Fitzgerald
Kent Fitzgerald
Mr. Fitzgerald joined Arbor Research in 2020. He has over twenty years of software industry experience in quality assurance, business analysis, and agile development process improvement. In recent roles he has worked in pharmacovigilance, ensuring applications are CFR Title 21 Part 11 compliant. In his current role, he works with studies utilizing the ArborLink data collection application.
Information Services Analyst
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Michael Lipham, DMA
Michael Lipham, DMA
Mr. Lipham has spent his career developing software for a number of disparate fields ranging from marketing to manufacturing and finance. With an eye toward efficiency, he has developed and maintained several real-time financial market trading software applications and numerous internal and external corporate websites. Additionally, Mr. Lipham has spent time teaching classes in development of .NET and database technologies. At Arbor Research, he is working on projects to portray the results of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) research on the web and applications to improve the internal software development process flow. Mr. Lipham holds various IT certifications and holds a Doctorate in Music from the University of Michigan.
Senior Applications Programmer I
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Rachel Forringer, BA
Rachel Forringer, BA
Ms. Forringer joined Arbor Research in early 2017 as part of the Data Services team. She provides management support for the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) and Lost Wages studies. Ms. Forringer has over 20 years of project management experience in health care, higher education, non-profits, agency, and corporate settings. Prior to Arbor Research, she worked as Project Manager at the Center for Health Communications Research (CHCR) within the Cancer Center at Michigan Medicine. During her time there she project managed the development of six clinical intervention projects, including a pediatric clinical electronic medical record linked in-patient iPad app, a breast cancer post-surgery support app, and a urinary incontinence education tool for women. Her recent publications include “User-Centered Design Groups to Engage Patients and Caregivers with a Personalized Health Information Technology Tool.” Ms. Forringer also previously worked at the University of Michigan Medical School Information Services (MSIS) as a project manager. Ms Forringer is a University of Michigan graduate, earning her BA degree in 1987.
Information Services Project Manager
Publications & Communications
The publications & communications team works closely with investigators and analysts to coordinate and finalize manuscripts for journal submission, ensuring that all requirements are met throughout the peer-review and publication process. The team also edits proposals, reports, abstracts, and other research-based publications and public facing organizational communications.
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Heather Van Doren, MFA
Heather Van Doren, MFA
Ms. Van Doren joined Arbor Research in 2009 as a Medical Editor and currently serves as Senior Medical Editor. She holds a BS in Journalism from Bowling Green State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University, San Diego. Ms. Van Doren edits peer-reviewed manuscripts and other publications across project areas. She is also point editor on grant proposals. Her background as a consultant includes scientific editing for The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, Cognitive Pharmaceuticals/Mithridion, and Morehouse School of Medicine. She previously managed communications for Lourdes College and the American Red Cross.
Senior Medical Editor
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Jennifer McCready-Maynes, BA
Jennifer McCready-Maynes, BA
Ms. McCready-Maynes joined Arbor Research in 2003 as a Project Assistant for the SRTR contract. She has a BA in English from the University of Michigan. Ms. McCready-Maynes has worked as a Medical Editor since 2004, successfully editing peer-reviewed manuscripts for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), Renal and Lung Living Donor Evaluation Study (RELIVE), and the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL) projects, along with annual reports, contract deliverables, and proposals. Prior to Arbor Research, she was the Senior Editor and Staff Writer for The Engravers Journal, a small trade publication. She also served as an Editing Specialist for OMI, Inc., and a Development Research Associate for the Colorado School of Mines.
Medical Editor II
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Shauna Leighton, BA
Shauna Leighton, BA
Ms. Leighton joined Arbor Research in 2007 and holds a BA in Journalism from Michigan State University. Ms. Leighton collaborates with international investigators and analysts, as well as with Arbor Research’s own statisticians, investigators, editors, and administrative teams. She is responsible for the scientific editing of deliverables and manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications across multiple projects, including the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the DOPPS Practice Monitor, the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps), Empowering Patients on Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT), the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL), the Renal and Lung Living Donors Evaluation Study (RELIVE), the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network (CureGN), the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN), the NephCure Kidney Network, the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN), and the Health Policy and Practices Project. Ms. Leighton is committed to clear communication and fluid cooperation with a wide and international range of medical researchers.
Medical Editor II
IT Services
The information technology [IT] team manages the Arbor Research computing environment and provides technology support to all end users, including employees and collaborators. The team is also responsible for implementing security services and maintaining compliance with security standards and regulations.
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Abul Foej, MIT
Abul Foej, MIT
Mr. Foej received his BIT degree in Informatics and MIT degree in Enterprise Architecture from Griffith University, Australia. He joined the Arbor Research IT Support Team in 2015. His current role is IT Support Specialist and his responsibilities include providing primary-level technical support, maintaining workstations and laptops, and providing other computer-related support on a daily basis. He also provides operational support for the virtual private network (VPN) system and the electronic signage system for Arbor Research employees.
IT Support Specialist
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Daniel Vandermade, BBA
Daniel Vandermade, BBA
Mr. Vandermade received a BBA in Entrepreneurship and Finance from Eastern Michigan University in 2009. He joined Arbor Research in 2007 and currently provides IT and computer related support and assistance for IT department staff and Arbor Research employees.
Desktop Administrator
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Josh Brucksch, BBA
Josh Brucksch, BBA
Mr. Brucksch received his BBA in Computer Information Systems from Western Michigan University in the summer of 2011. He joined the Arbor Research IT team in June 2015 to work on various network and server projects. He brings experience with and exposure to a wide range of enterprise technologies from his previous job as an IT field engineer.
Systems Administrator
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Kashish Jaiswal, MS
Kashish Jaiswal, MS
Mr. Jaiswal has four years of experience designing and managing Enterprise Networks. He currently holds an MS degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Oklahoma with a major in Quantum Cryptography. He also holds CCNA and CCNP Routing certifications. He has been working at Arbor Research since May 2017 as a Network Administrator. His responsibilities include providing support to the Arbor Research IT Network, Network planning, and working on current and future IT projects.
Senior Network Administrator
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Saurabh Patel, BS
Saurabh Patel, BS
Mr. Patel graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a BS in Computer Science. He has over ten years of experience in the IT field and joined Arbor Research in 2006. His responsibilities include managing day to day operations of the Arbor Research Network, implementing security policies and providing technical support to end users. He currently holds SANS Security Essentials certification.
Network Services Manager
Administration
The administrative functions at Arbor Research include finance, grants and contracts administration, compliance, business operations, facilities, and human resources. The members of these departments work together to support the diverse needs of employees and external parties.
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Alyssa Romig, BS, SHRM-CP
Alyssa Romig, BS, SHRM-CP
Prior to joining Arbor Research in May of 2020, Ms. Romig served as the Human Resource & Operations Director for a small fitness company. The primary focus of her role at Arbor Research is to design and implement learning and development programs within the organization. Ms. Romig graduated with a BS in Movement Science from the University of Michigan and currently holds the Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) credential.
Human Resource Specialist
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Colette Cloyd
Colette Cloyd
Ms. Cloyd joined Arbor Research in 2014. She has responsibility for assisting the President with a wide range of organizational, administrative, and strategic projects including calendar management and supporting the Board of Directors. She has 30 years of executive administrative experience, including more than 20 years as the Senior Executive Secretary to the Treasurer of the University of Michigan.
Executive Coordinator to the President
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Courtney Kupres, BA, PHR
Courtney Kupres, BA, PHR
Ms. Kupres joined Arbor Research in 2010 as the Human Resource Assistant, bringing with her human resource experience in small and large size companies. During her first two years, she provided the day-to-day support for the Human Resource Manager and introduced ideas to improve processes and the workplace.
In 2012, Ms. Kupres was promoted to the management role and is now responsible for leading all aspects of the Human Resource department, including but not limited to, recruitment, employee relations, talent management, compensation & benefits, and policy interpretation. Ms. Kupres holds a BA from the University of Michigan and received her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in 2013.
Human Resource Director
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Curt Esper
Curt Esper
Mr. Esper joined Arbor Research in June 2017. He has worked within healthcare, primarily in facilities and office management, since 1994. At Arbor Research, Mr. Esper manages building facilities maintenance; development of site landscaping; organizes the operations contracts with vendors; Disaster Management Team administrator; physical security administrator/trainer.
Facilities Manager
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Glenda Ward, MS
Glenda Ward, MS
Ms. Ward joined Arbor Research in 2016. She works with internal customers on invoicing and provides additional support through financial analysis and reporting. Ms. Ward holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Kalamazoo College and a master’s degree in Accounting from Eastern Michigan University.
Senior Financial Analyst
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Izzy Cooper, BA
Izzy Cooper, BA
Ms. Cooper graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Arts and Humanities in 2015. Prior to joining Arbor Research in April of 2020, she worked as the Director of Operations at Camp Lookout. As a Human Resource Assistant, she coordinates and executes staff morale events and meetings. She also supports the Human Resource team by assisting with tasks such as; recruiting, payroll processing, benefit administration and other general administrative tasks.
Human Resource Assistant
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Joanna Luan, MS
Joanna Luan, MS
Ms. Luan joined Arbor Research in January 2018. She works with the finance team to optimize accounting software and financial processes. She also prepares, examines, and analyzes accounting records, financial statements, and other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards. In addition, she supports financial analysts with completion of the monthly financial package by preparing specific monthly financial work papers. Ms. Luan holds a master’s degree in Accounting from Eastern Michigan University.
Financial Analyst
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Katie Postmus, LMSW
Katie Postmus, LMSW
Ms. Postmus graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in 2010. In 2012, she earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, with a focus on Management of Human Services and Community Organization, and is a Macro Licensed Master Social Worker through the State of Michigan. She has experience in behavioral healthcare administration, with a specific focus on community outreach and compliance. Prior to joining Arbor Research in 2020, she filled the role of Substance Use Disorder Prevention Coordinator for the Community Mental Health Partnership of Southeast Michigan and was responsible for procuring and managing publicly-funded substance use disorder prevention programming. Among her current duties as Research and Compliance Administrator, she assists and coordinates the compliance program and the pre-award grant prep and submission process.
Research and Compliance Administrator
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Renee Seils, BS
Renee Seils, BS
Ms. Seils joined Arbor Research in 2017. She is a graduate of Oakland University with a BS in Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention. Ms. Seils provides direct administrative support to the mid-level management team and investigators at Arbor Research.
Administrative Assistant II
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Robert Parker, BBA
Robert Parker, BBA
Mr. Parker graduated from the University of Michigan, Dearborn with his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting before joining Arbor Research in August of 2020. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree and CPA. His current role at Arbor Research supports day-to-day accounting functions. He is also responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable procedures, supporting financial analysts with completion of the monthly financial package, and has been assigned implementation of our fixed asset accounting within our planning and forecasting tool in collaboration with other Finance team members.
Accountant
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Sandra Moran
Sandra Moran
Mrs. Moran joined Arbor Research in 2007. She provides dedicated support to the vice presidents, including calendar management, travel arrangements, expense and credit card reconciliation, point of contact, correspondence, and conference registrations. Mrs. Moran manages the company travel system providing assistance to all staff regarding travel, and related expense and pre-request reporting. She manages subscriptions and professional memberships. Mrs. Moran oversees the day to day duties of the administrative assistant, providing direction and training as required. She has worked in the administration field for 30 years.
Executive Assistant
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Sarah Mason, JD
Sarah Mason, JD
Ms. Mason joined Arbor Research in September of 2017. Her main responsibilities include negotiation and monitoring of all major contracts including public and private funders; ensuring compliance with all company policies and procedures, government regulations and industry protocols; and supporting IT and Operations with data security and privacy. She received her BA in International Relations from Michigan State University in 1996 and a JD from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2004. Ms. Mason has been an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with Muskegon County, a Judicial Staff Attorney with the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County, Michigan, and has managed her own private solo practice. She also co-founded a niche recreational outfitter business in the Paddle Board Industry and toured all across the state of Michigan plus multiple countries. Ms. Mason has served as President over one of the largest adult female hockey leagues in the country and as an Advisor on the State Bar of Michigan Domestic Violence Committee. She received Oakland County’s Domestic Violence Prevention award in 2005 and Outstanding Woman Law student in 2002. She is licensed in the State of Michigan and the U.S. District Court-Eastern District of Michigan.
Grants & Contracts Counsel