Ann M. Nguyen, PhD, MPH

Associate Research Professor at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy

Ann M. Nguyen, PhD, MPH, is an Associate Research Professor at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy. Dr. Nguyen also serves as affiliate faculty in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She is experienced in qualitative and mixed methods research and focuses much of her work on integrated behavioral health, primary care practice improvement, and healthcare workforce development. Ongoing project work includes “An Evidence-Based Leadership Training Intervention to Accelerate Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care,” a major project supported by a K01 award from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Before joining the Center in 2020, Dr. Nguyen was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the NYU Langone Health Grossman School of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Health Services from the University of Washington and MPH in Epidemiology from the University of California Irvine.

Janet Lee, MD

Assistant Dean for Clinical Research at the (LKSOM) at Temple University Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Janet Lee is the Assistant Dean for Clinical Research at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) at Temple University and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics. At LKSOM, Dr. Lee is a practicing Adolescent Medicine specialist, board-certified informaticist, and dissemination and implementation science researcher, who is passionate about collaborating across multidisciplinary stakeholder groups to build sustainable change in medical systems. Her research interests include the integration of mental health into primary care, adolescent suicide, and developing and evaluating clinical decision support tools in the electronic health record to support effective implementation. Dr. Lee currently serves as the principal investigator of a PCORI-funded implementation study around pediatric antimicrobial stewardship.

Rachel Shelton, ScD, MPH

Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University, Co-Director of Irving Institute CTSA

Rachel Shelton, ScD, MPH is a social and behavioral scientist with expertise in implementation science, sustainability, and community engagement. She is a Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health where she serves as Deputy Chair for Faculty Development and Research Strategy and is Co-Director of the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research where she leads an Implementation Science Initiative across the university. Dr. Shelton has taught a course in implementation science for over 10 years at Columbia and has been core faculty for 12 implementation science mentoring and training programs globally. Dr. Shelton has over 15 years of experience leading mixed-methods, community-engaged research on advancing the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based interventions in community and clinical settings to address health disparities in cancer and other chronic diseases, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications. Her work has been supported by numerous institutions, including NIA, NCI, NIMHD, NCATs, and the American Cancer Society.

Mary Lauren Salvatore, MPH, CHES

Executive Director of Education Plus Health in Philadelphia

Mary Lauren Salvatore is currently the Executive Director of Education Plus Health in Philadelphia, after spending 7 years with the Georgia Department of Education, where she helped to build and sustain the Office of Whole Child Supports. Her work there was dedicated to identifying and addressing non-academic barriers to learning for students in public schools, particularly through physical and mental health programs and services. Prior to working for GaDOE, Mary Lauren worked in the School of Medicine at Emory University, where she developed the Medical Nutrition Therapy for Prevention program, which provides support to patients with rare diseases for obtaining adequate healthcare access. Originally from northern Virginia, Mary Lauren has a BS in Human Nutrition from West Virginia University and a Masters of Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory in Atlanta.

Rinad Beidas, PhD

Chair and Ralph Seal Paffenbarger Professor of Medical Social Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine

Rinad S. Beidas, PhD, is Chair and Ralph Seal Paffenbarger Professor of Medical Social Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Previously, Dr. Beidas served as founding Director of the University of Pennsylvania Implementation Science Center at the Leonard Davis Institute (PISCE@LDI) from 2017-2022 and Director of the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit (2021-2022). Dr. Beidas’s research leverages insights from implementation science and behavioral economics to make it easier for clinicians, leaders, and organizations to use best practices to improve the quality and equity of care and enhance health outcomes. She works across areas including mental health, firearm safety promotion, cancer, HIV, and cardiovascular disease and collaborates closely with key constituents, including patients, clinicians, health system leaders, payers, and policymakers. As an international leader in implementation science, Dr. Beidas has published more than 300 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as JAMA, NEJM Catalyst, and Implementation Science. She has led two NIH centers on behavioral economics and implementation science (P50 MH 113840, P50 CA 244690) and has a strong record of NIH-funded implementation research serving as MPI or PI of 14 NIH grants totaling ~45 million dollars. She has been identified as one of the top ten implementation scientists nationally and is Deputy-Editor-In-Chief for Implementation Science, the flagship journal for the field. She is currently an appointed member of the National Advisory Mental Health Council and the NASEM study,“ Blueprint for a national prevention infrastructure for behavioral health disorders,” and serves on the scientific advisory board for AIM Youth Mental Health Foundation and the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation. Dr. Beidas holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Colgate University and a doctorate of philosophy in psychology from Temple University. She is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies President’s New Researcher Award; the American Psychological Foundation Diane J. Willis Early Career Award; the Perelman School of Medicine Marjorie Bowman New Investigator Research Award; the Acenda Institute Research Pioneer Award; the Maret School Distinguished Alumni Award; and the Susan Essock Award for Outstanding Contributions to Mental Health Services Research and Policy.

Professor Allison Metz

Professor of the Practice and Director of Implementation Practice at the School of Social Work and Faculty Fellow

Allison Metz is Professor of the Practice and Director of Implementation Practice at the School of Social Work and Faculty Fellow at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Metz is co-chair of the Institute on Implementation Practice and founding director of the Collaborative for Implementation Practice at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work. She previously served as Director of the National Implementation Research Network and Lead of the Implementation Science Division at the FPG Child Development Institute where she also served as a Senior Research Scientist for 13 years. Metz is a developmental psychologist with expertise in child development and family systems and a commitment to improving child and family outcomes and advancing equity. Metz specializes in the implementation of evidence to achieve social impact for children and families in a range of human service areas, with an emphasis on child welfare and early childhood service contexts. Her research interests include the role of trust, power and relationships in evidence use, competencies for supporting implementation, and co-creation strategies to support sustainable change. She is particularly interested in the development of a workforce for supporting implementation in public systems.

Andrea Pappalardo Wlochowicz, MD, LAB

Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy

Dr. Pappalardo Wlochowicz is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics with indefinite tenure at the University of Illinois Chicago. She is board certified in three specialties: internal medicine, pediatrics and allergy/immunology and serves as the Allergy Service Director for the UIC’s Department of Medicine. Dr. Wlochowicz’ research focuses on school and community-engaged implementation science-driven interventions to reduce health disparities in asthma and food allergy. Her work in stock inhaler legislation and programming is appreciated throughout Chicago, across Illinois, and nationally. She works on allergist-immunologist and epinephrine access in community settings such as Chicago, and nationally with the Food Allergy Research and Education to improve food allergy prevention and outcomes within historically marginalized communities. Dr. Pappalardo Wlochowicz melds system-level thinking with her analytic skills gained in research and clinical expertise to create innovative solutions to healthcare system problems using community-engaged implementation science methodologies.

Nicholas Torres, M.Ed.

President of The Network Towards Unity for Health (TUFH)

Nicholas Torres is a seasoned and successful Business, Healthcare and Human Services Executive with over 25 years of experience in C-suite executive leadership, serving in CEO and C-Suite Consulting roles throughout his career in start-up, small, and large social sector organizations. Nicholas works at the cross section between the private sector, government, and not-for-profits aligning them toward action on mutually agreed upon strategies and goals. He has designed, founded, and led and managed multiple for-profit, not-for-profit, and cross organization/system social ventures that are driven by social impact, financial sustainability, and systems change. Nicholas serves as President of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO); Board President of Education for Health: School Based Health Centers, and CEO of Social Innovations Partners that publishes the Social Innovations Journal and oversees regional Social Innovations Awards process to drive financial capital to community changemakers. Nicholas also teaches at The Fels Institute of Government, Social Policy, and Nursing Schools at the University of Pennsylvania.

Shawna Hudson, PhD, FSBM

Vice Chancellor for D&I Science, Rutgers Health; Sr. Assoc. Dean for Population Health Research, RWJMS

Shawna V. Hudson, PhD, FSBM is a medical sociologist and Professor, Vice Chair of Research and Henry Rutgers Chair of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where she serves as Senior Associate Dean for Population Health Research. She is also Vice Chancellor for Dissemination and Implementation Science at Rutgers Health. Dr. Hudson directs the Agency for Health Care Quality and Research funded New Jersey–based Learning Health System Embedded Scientist Training and Research (LHS E-STaR) Center, which trains scholars to evaluate and improve patient-centered care. A member of the National Academy of Medicine, her research aims to increase the capacity of patients, community stakeholders and health care organizations to understand and use evidence-based guidelines for preventive health care and chronic disease management.

Aditi Vasan, MD, MSHP

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania and Pediatric Hospitalist at CHOP

Aditi Vasan (she/her), MD, MSHP is a pediatric hospitalist and health services researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She is the faculty lead for the Health Equity Portfolio at CHOP’s PolicyLab, a research center of emphasis focused on using research to inform policy change. Dr. Vasan’s research aims to promote health equity by improving the health and social service systems serving children and families living in poverty. Her current work is focused on implementing and evaluating health system-based social interventions, increasing access to government benefit programs, and improving the integration of health and social services for low-income children with chronic conditions. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including JAMA, Health Affairs, and JAMA Pediatrics, and featured in media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Philadelphia Inquirer.

Abdul Hafeedh bin Abdullah

Founder of Community-Based Public Health response to Violence (CPRV Strategy) & Chief Community Health Architect

Abdul Hafeedh bin Abdullah is a seasoned public health strategist, curriculum developer, and master trainer with a career rooted in advancing equity, violence prevention, and workforce development. With over two decade of experience, Abdullah specializes in designing and delivering culturally responsive training programs for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and public health professionals. Abdullah brings a unique cross-disciplinary skill set that bridges health, education, and community empowerment. He is the principal architect behind the CommUnity-Based Public Health Response to Violence program and the Community Health Worker Violence Prevention Professional training, both launched to address systemic barriers through practical, community-driven solutions. Recognized for his strategic thinking, cultural fluency, and commitment to justice, Abdullah continues to lead efforts that equip frontline health workers and communities they serve with the knowledge and skills needed to respond to real-world challenges, making lasting impact at both grassroots and institutional levels. Abdul Hafeedh bin Abdullah is a seasoned public health strategist, curriculum developer, and master trainer with a career rooted in advancing equity, violence prevention, and workforce development. With over two decade of experience, Abdullah specializes in designing and delivering culturally responsive training programs for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and public health professionals. Abdullah brings a unique cross-disciplinary skill set that bridges health, education, and community empowerment. He is the principal architect behind the CommUnity-Based Public Health Response to Violence program and the Community Health Worker Violence Prevention Professional training, both launched to address systemic barriers through practical, community-driven solutions. Recognized for his strategic thinking, cultural fluency, and commitment to justice, Abdullah continues to lead efforts that equip frontline health workers and communities they serve with the knowledge and skills needed to respond to real-world challenges, making lasting impact at both grassroots and institutional levels.

Brian S. Mittman, PhD

Senior Scientist, Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research and Evaluation

Brian Mittman is a healthcare delivery and implementation scientist conducting stakeholder-engaged, research-based projects to accelerate adoption and delivery of evidence-informed innovations in routine health care settings while simultaneous generating rigorous scientific evidence and insights. He has contributed to the development and growth of implementation science through activities such as launching the journal Implementation Science, co-founding the IoM Forum on the Science of Quality Improvement and Implementation, chairing the NIH implementation science grant review committee and directing VA’s Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). His current and recent advisory roles include membership on the NIH/NHLBI Board of External Experts, Family Heart Foundation Board of Directors, AAMC Advisory Panel on Research, Methodology Committee of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and several additional US and international advisory committees.