Some of Our Current CNNC Fellows
Diya Abdo, Ph.D.
d_abdo@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Direct services, training, research, evaluation, grant writing, programming, curricular development.
Personal Profile: https://www.ted.com/talks/diya_abdo_revisioning_the_university_campus
Gina Arnone, Ph.D.
gina.arnone@unc.edu
Research Interests: Research on students/families experiences in school communities, language in education, identity, mental health.
Sarah Ascienzo, PhD, LCSW
saascien@ncsu.edu
Research Interests: NC State University, School of Social Work Development, implementation and cultural adaptation of clinical and psychosocial interventions for trauma, particularly complex trauma; resiliency-building; child maltreatment and sexual violence; trauma-informed care with organizations; vicarious trauma/secondary trauma.
Personal Profile: http://linkedin.com/in/sarah-ascienzo-43006598
Raleigh Bailey, Ph.D.
raleighbailey@gmail.com
Christelle Barakat
c_barakat@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Research on transitional justice for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and broader research on refugees in the Middle East and in the EU as it relates to refugee status, asylym, education, needs and basic services, healthcare, and resilience.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/christelle-barakat-1619bb16b
Kelsie M. Bernot, Ph.D.
kmbernot@ncat.edu
Research Interests: Service Learning and Community-Engaged Research around health disparities in under served communities.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsiebernot/
Sarah C. Bishop, Ph.D.
sarahcbishop@gmail.com
Research Interests: Asylum policy and practice, immigration advocacy, political communication, international education, nonprofit management, enculturation, country conditions in Central America
Andrea Clark
aclark@preventchildabusenc.org
Research Interests: Resilience/PACES, prevention science, implementation science, and collective impact.
Krista Craven Ph.D.
cravenkl@guilford.edu
Research Interests: Participatory action research with undocumented youth & immigrant-led groups/orgs.
Personal Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-craven-33586139
Karen Cruz-Ruiz
Kcruzruiz@elon.edu
Research Interests: Immigrant health, Undocumented youth, Community-engaged research surrounding health disparities and inequities, Latinx/Hispanic maternal health and reproductive experiences
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-cruz-ruiz/
Kunga Denzongpa, Ph.D., MPH
kungadenzongpa@gmail.com
Research Interests: Health Equity, community engaged research (CeR), Refugee health disparities, Equitable evaluation, and authentic institutional-community partnerships.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunga-denzongpa-835074a9
Dominique L-Divers Ph.D.
ldiversd08@gmail.com
Research Interests: Literacy Teaching, ESOL Health Literacy and Research.
Personal Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lddom
Nneze Eluka Ph.D.
nneluka@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Global public health, women’s health, refugee access to health care.
Betsy Jenson, MA
b_jenson@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Provide Immigration services and stay abreast of changes in immigration policy.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjenson
Mohammed Jibriel, M.Sc.
M_jibriel@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Global health and emerging infectious diseases, religion and spirituality as determinants of public health among immigrants and refugees as well as sexual and gender minorities, HIV prevention & care engagement, and mixed methods research.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-jibriel-6b8ba7144
Alison Johnson, Ph.D.
alijtmc0183@yahoo.com
Research Interests: Research on how trauma affects disenfranchised communities differently, the expressions of trauma, and non-Western based coping mechanisms.
Mark Justad, Ph.D.
justadmj@guilford.edu
Research Interests: Curriculum and Project-Based teaching and learning.
Lisa Kiang, Ph.D.
kiangl@wfu.edu
Research Interests: Research on adolescents and families from immigrant and refugee backgrounds.
Personal Profile: http://psychology.wfu.edu/about-the-department/faculty-and-staff/lisa-kiang/
Cindy Knul
cknul@chsnc.org
Research Interests: Community engagement-finding support in faith based communities for refugees and immigrants.
Duabhav BJ Lee
duabhavlee88@gmail.com
Research Interests: Hmong-American, refugee, displacement, resettlement, bilingualism, healing through storytelling.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duabhavlee/
Christian Matheis, Ph.D.
matheiscg@guilford.edu
Carmen Monico Ph.D., MSW, MS, BS, GCIER, SEP
ccmonico@ncat.edu
Research Interests: Intercountry adoption, global migration, and human trafficking, and
civic engagement and social accountability.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-monico-15822615/
Maura Nsonwu, Ph.D.
mbnsonwu@ncsu.edu
Research Interests: Social work with immigrants and refugees; human trafficking; child welfare; women’s issues; health education; and violence against women and children.
Personal Profile: https://socialwork.chass.ncsu.edu/about/faculty_staff/mbnsonwu
Natacha Nikokeza, LLM
n_nikoke@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Mental health of refugees, particularly congolese refugee women.
Personal Profile: https://cnnc.uncg.edu/natacha-nikokeza/
Love Odetola, MPH
loodetol@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Pregnancy/Perinatal health and environmental exposures among immigrant populations.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loveodetola
Nida Qamar
nzqamar@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Refugee health, violence prevention, health disparities reduction, access to health services and community-based participatory research.
Personal Profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nida-qamar-84428714b/
Naglaa Rashwan
ntrashwa@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Immigrants and Refugees.
Deb Reisinger, Ph.D.
debsreis@duke.edu
Research Interests: Curriculum development and research related to service-learning courses that connect university language students with Durham resettlement agencies.
Personal Profile: https://romancestudies.duke.edu/people/profile/deborah-reisinger
Jeremy Rinker, Ph.D.
jarinker@uncg.edu
Research Interests: South Asian Diaspora; intersections of narrative, conflict, and trauma; and restorative and transformative justice for marginalized communities.
Personal Profiles: http://hhs.uncg.edu/wordpress/cps/about-us/faculty/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-rinker-6516446
Recent Panel discussion on restorative Justice: https://ecornell.cornell.edu/keynotes/overview/K111422/
Recent article about upcoming Fulbright to India: https://hhs.uncg.edu/featured_stories/peace-and-conflict-studies-associate-professor-awarded-second-fulbright/
Leilani Roughton
lroughton@newarrivalsinstitute.com
Research Interests: Direct Services, training, grantwriting, program development.
Sonalini Sapra, Ph.D.
saprask@guilford.edu
Research Interests: Gender and Environmental Justice, Civic Engagement, Transnational Feminisms, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonalini-sapra-3949359a/
Nupur Sharma
n_sharma2@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Global Health, Health Equity, Refugee Health and Resilience, Disease Prevention, and Management.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupursharma15/
Zulfiya Tursunova, Ph.D.
tursunovaz@guilford.edu
Research Interests: Assessment of FaithAction ID Drive with undocumented and refugee populations; Assessment of health disparaties among Filipino immigrant caregivers in Canada.
Personal Profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zulfiya-tursunova-66b92b25/
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zulfiya_Tursunova
Kelsey White, MSW, MPH
kawhite7@uncg.edu
Research Interests: Public health social work, health equity and health access, mental health and substance use (culturally appropriate interventions), roles of CHWs, mutual aid, community organizing.
Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseyannwhite/
