Medical Director, Innovation Network : Dawn Fishbein, MD
Dr. Fishbein is an Infectious Diseases Specialist with a particular interest in viral hepatitis and chronic hepatitis C in minority, underserved populations. Dr. Fishbein joined the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Infectious Diseases faculty in July 2012, creating a new program in hepatitis C clinical care and health services research.
Prior to this position, she served as the Medical Director of a newly created partnership between NIH and the District of Columbia, and was responsible for developing on-site integrated viral hepatitis clinics in DC. The primary goal was to provide hepatitis C clinical care and establish research protocols. Prior to moving to Washington, DC she was faculty at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she implemented an HIV-hepatitis clinic and had a NIH K23 award for assessing engagement in care for hepatitis C patients. Her current funding is for Health Services research from CDC and industry grants for hepatitis C testing, linkage and navigation into care. She has served as a stakeholder for PCORI and for the HHS Viral Hepatitis Action Plan.
Operations Director : Emily Paku
Emily Paku manages overall programmatic and operational responsibilities of the Hub Liaison Team. She oversee site staff setting deadlines, assigning responsibilities and coordinating with departments within the MedStar Health system to ensure synergy. She ensures that advice and directions provided by the GHUCCTS Participant Advisory Board are integrated based on feasibility and alignment with the GHUCCTS and MHRI’s overall business strategy.
Project Leads
Alice Ukaegbu DNP, MSN, FNP-BC: Alice Ukaegbu has over 25 years of nursing experience and eight years of this in managing and conducting clinical research. She assists both experienced and new investigators at HU navigate clinical trials start-up from contracts, budgets and sponsor communications. She has successfully assisted in recruiting for multi-center sickle cell and Alzheimer’s studies and works with the GHUCCTS investigators to assist them in their recruitment efforts.
Alice completed her baccalaureate degree in nursing and master’s education with a Family Nurse Practitioner at Howard University. She received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Chatham University. Alice's interest is in clinical practice and clinical research.
Kathryn Turner, RN: Kathryn Turner serves as the Nurse Manager for the GU Clinical Research Unit and oversees approximately 120 active clinical trials. Kathryn has a BS in Community Health from the University of Maryland, College Park, a BSN in Nursing from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and is currently pursuing an MS in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Georgetown's School of Nursing and Health Studies. Kathryn began her nursing career specializing in pediatrics at Children’s National Medical Center and became a Certified Pediatric Nurse in January 2017. Kathryn started working as a part-time Clinical Research Nurse on the CRU in March of 2017 and began her role as Nurse Manager in November of 2018. Kathryn is passionate about serving and advocating for underserved populations and became the GU Director of Including Diverse Populations in 2019.
Informatics Lead
Stephen Fernandez, MPH: As the Informatics Lead for the Trial Innovation Network, Stephen Fernandez, MPH provides services for PI’s and MHRI investigators by providing data through various EMR Systems within MedStar.
As the manager of MedStar Health Research Institute’s Biomedical Informatics team, he develops and oversees the implementation of site management and monitoring functions, including developing data management plans, creating databases, assigning project tasks, ensuring the sites are monitored and contacted as outlined in the site monitoring plan, reviewing and approving visit reports, and providing feedback to the Clinical Research Associates at each site regarding site performance and/or additional training needs.
Additional Team Members
- Brittany Wilkerson, MPH (MHRI)
- Finie Richardson, PhD, MPH (HU)
- Chad League, JD (MHRI)
- Yejide Obisesan (HU)
- Justin Hughes (MHRI)
- Tolu Ijayekunle (DCVAMC)
- Angie Wilkwins (GU)
- Elan Donnellan (GU)
- Tonya Bishop (MHRI)
- Hillary Dolinsky, MSW (GU)
- Tom Mellman, MD (HU)
- Neil Weissman, MD (MHRI)
- Marc Blackman, MD (DCVAMC)
- Joe Verbalis, MD (GU)