W. Marcus Lambert is dedicated to health equity and mentorship in the scientific workforce. Dr. Lambert currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Research Strategy and Operations and Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. Dr. Lambert co-leads multiple research training programs at Downstate, including TRANSPORT, a $20 million endowment grant with a focus on recruiting and training scientists in health disparities research.
Prior to SUNY Downstate, Dr. Lambert was Assistant Dean of Diversity and Student Life at Weill Cornell Graduate School, where he led a $2.4 million NIH-funded Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) Program to increase the number and enhance the success of Ph.D. students from underrepresented backgrounds. Dr. Lambert helped to establish a new office devoted to building community across the training continuum, leading to an increase in the percentage of Ph.D. students from underrepresented backgrounds. He developed mentor training programs for both faculty and students, including a near-peer mentoring program to help first-year students transition into their Ph.D. programs.
Dr. Lambert was selected as one of New York’s Life Sciences Power 50 and one of Cell Press’ 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America. He was also a member of national boards such as HHMI's Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership and Culture Advisory Board and a member of the NIH Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD) Study Section. Dr. Lambert received his Ph.D. in biomedical science from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and his B.S. from Howard University. He holds an M.S. in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Services Research from Weill Cornell Graduate School. Dr. Lambert currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and four children.
W. Marcus Lambert, PhD, MS
Principal Investigator
Felicia Setiono, PhD
Health Equity Research Analyst
Chellandra Samuels
MD/MPH student
Brittney Moncrieffe
Medical student
Eamen Ho
MPH student
Shaheed Abdelfattah
Medical Student
Hamed Bamba
Undergraduate student
Juanita Morris STEM Education Research Analyst
Avelino Amado, PhD
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at U.S. Department of Defense; Project Manager at the U.S. Department of State
Suwaiba Afonja
Medical student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Damonie Salmon
Medical student at Eastern Virginia Medical School
Ahsan Saeed
Researcher and administrator at Boston Children's Hospital
Nanda Nana
Medical student at Howard University College of Medicine
Patricia Ansah, MPH
Downstate SPH Graduate
Aaliyah Schultz
Medical student at SUNY Downstate
Hassan Attar, MPH
Confidentiality and Data Governance Coordinator at the NYC DOHMH's World Trade Center Health Registry
Natalia Monsalve
MD/MPH student at SUNY Downstate
Navika Gangrade, PhD, RD
Visiting Assistant Professor, New York University
Christina Bhawanidin, MPH
Downstate SPH Graduate
Kim Wu is a doctoral candidate at Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine's Department of Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences. She is a dedicated community health professional originally from Queens, New York. She received her master's in public health from the University of California Berkeley in 2018. Kim has over 10 years of experience in education, community-centered health program management, and capacity building that promoted cross-sector collaborations in projects related to school-based health promotion policy, sexual health education, and mental health outcomes with multiple local and national serving agencies across the country.
Her research interest includes exploring innovative methodologies that value community participation and centering the voices of those historically marginalized. She is involved with research around adolescent mental health, the impact of the built environment on health, the relationship of social cohesion on health, and the costs of gender-based violence within national contexts. With her degree, Kim hopes to pursue teaching and research that promotes equitable systems-level change within public health education and workforce development.
Kimberly Wu
Doctoral student
at Tulane University
Lateefah Shabazz
Undergraduate student
Lateefah Shabazz was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and she is a passionate public health advocate currently pursuing a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Biology at CUNY York College. Inspired by her parents’ commitment to equal rights, Lateefah is deeply involved in her community at Masjid Khalifah and volunteers whenever possible. She holds certifications as a Nursing Assistant and Health Coach and has hands-on experience as a Teacher Assistant and Home Health Aide, supporting diverse and vulnerable populations.
Lateefah is always seeking ways to grow as a servant leader. She was honored with awards from Senator Cordell Cleare and the New York Coalition of 100 Black Women, receiving recognition at the Coalition’s annual conference. Through her work with organizations focused on food insecurity, vaccine access, and census participation, she consistently centers her efforts on advocacy, education, and compassionate care. Lateefah’s goal is to become an Occupational Therapist, using her skills to motivate, advocate for, and inspire underrepresented communities.
Amanda Carbajal, MS, PhD
Amanda, born and raised in California, earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She began her doctoral work at NASA, studying ancient microbes to understand how life originated on Earth—and potentially elsewhere. When the pandemic interrupted her lab access, she shifted her focus to clinical microbiology, investigating antibiotic resistance in pathogenic E. coli from urinary and kidney infections, which can lead to sepsis if untreated. While completing her Ph.D., Amanda was one of the students that helped legitimize a graduate student unionization to offer more protections for trainees in precarious and vulnerable environments, which has now taken off at many other universities.
While a PhD student, she taught undergraduate biology as an instructor of record at the University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, and San Francisco State University. Teaching helped her support herself despite the stipend not matching the cost of living in Silicon Valley, sharpen her communication skills, and mentor students—especially those facing barriers like she once did. After graduating, Amanda began a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University, where she studied the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Her research explored how microbial signatures stimulate specialized gut cells that innervate the vagus nerve to reach the brain and thus influence feeding behavior.
Now, Amanda investigates the science of mentorship—particularly how to better support underrepresented trainees—and studies how physician diversity impacts health outcomes. Her interest in these areas grew from her own difficult training journey: she started at community college, worked full time, and battled imposter syndrome for years. It took her a decade to finish her B.S. at San Francisco State University, having almost quit entirely many times. A first-generation college graduate, Amanda is a woman of color and the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She grew up in poverty, barely graduated high school, and had challenges finding mentors at different times of her training. Despite this, she persevered. She believes there’s no such thing as a “stupid” question and hopes her work with the Lambert Lab helps make science more accessible for anyone who wants to pursue it. She enjoys travel, riding motorcycles, science fiction (The Expanse and Star Trek) and the arts (dance and music).
During her doctoral studies at the University of Maryland, Dr. Kuvaeva provided key methodological and analytical support to the ADVANCE Program for Inclusive Excellence–an NSF-funded campus-wide initiative promoting institutional transformation in the retention and advancement of women faculty in STEM, that later expanded to improve work environments for all faculty and to contribute to the development of faculty leaders across identities and ranks. As a postdoctoral associate at the University of Maryland, she coordinated research activities for an NSF-funded project in the psychology department. Alexandra is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Lambert Lab at SUNY Downstate, coordinating activities for the SPNSOR Program, advancing the science on mentorship in STEMM, and developing resources to help trainees in these fields thrive. Originally from a small town in Russia, Alexandra is the first in her family to study, work, and live abroad. While navigating the academic and career path in a foreign country and a non-native language, she experienced many of the challenges faced by individuals encountering structural barriers in academia. Learning to build her own mentorship network of support and social capital in a new country has been crucial to her professional journey. In her free time, Alexandra enjoys reading, hiking, biking, and jogging.
Alexandra Kuvaeva, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Nydia Dixon, DAc, L.Ac.
Nazani Davis is a rising senior at Wellesley College majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, she is passionate about supporting her local community. Her interests lie in maternal health, public health, and making healthcare more equitable and accessible especially for marginalized communities. Throughout her undergraduate journey, Nazani has served in multiple leadership roles as she strives to uplift others and create inclusive spaces. She currently serves as the president of Wellesley’s Minority Association for Pre-Medical Students, where she advocates and stresses the importance of mentorship, representation, and building a strong sense of community among future healthcare professionals. Nazani is deeply committed to community outreach and has volunteered at food banks and nonprofit organizations. She also volunteers at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and works as a research assistant on projects focused on addressing postpartum depression in vulnerable populations. Outside of academics and advocacy, Nazani enjoys knitting and painting as ways to relax and recharge. As she prepares to graduate, she hopes to carry her passion for community and creativity into her future career in medicine.
Dr. Nydia Dixon earned her Doctorate of Acupuncture Pacific College of Health and Sciences in 2014. During her clinical training, she completed internships at the Margaret Cochran Corbin VA Hospital and NYU Lutheran, with rotations in pain management, neurology, and labor & delivery. Her clinical interests include neurological disorders, pain management, orthopedics, women’s health, and mental health. Currently, Dr. Dixon is a post-baccalaureate premedical student, returning to academia to pursue a career in medicine. Her goal is to bridge Eastern and Western medical paradigms, integrating both into a comprehensive and patient-centered model of care.
Nazani Davis
Undergraduate student
Joyla Gordon, B.Sc.
Joyla Gordon recently graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, she developed a strong sense of community and a passion for working with children. Joyla’s academic interests center on pediatrics, public health, and addressing the barriers that limit access to quality care for underserved populations. Her experiences range from volunteering at children’s hospitals and working with kids with disabilities in Mexico, to providing after-school care and babysitting through early childhood. She has also conducted research on health disparities in low-income communities, focusing on children’s well-being. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Joyla enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and spending time with her four younger siblings. She is eager to bring her dedication to children’s health and advocacy into her future career as a pediatrician.
Sofia Garnier is a rising sophomore at Spelman College. Majoring in Health Science, she has wanted to become a doctor since childhood. Her interests include health disparity research, epidemiology, and anesthesiology. Currently, she is a member of the Spelman Health Careers Program, and a current member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. In the future, she plans to help serve underserved populations, increasing representation in medicine, and providing them with the treatment that they deserve.
Sofia Garnier
Undergraduate student
Jer’nee Mapp is a graduating senior at Morgan State University, majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Jer’nee has always been dedicated to community service, growing up as a Girl Scout and participating in programs such as Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization that works to end the social, physical, and economic isolation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also currently serves as the Vice President of the Planned Parenthood Generation Action organization on campus. While new to research, Jer’nee previously served as a near-peer mentor with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, educating high school freshmen in Baltimore in college-level biology. As a Bronx, New York native, Jer’nee is driven to become a physician in order to be on the front lines of working toward the elimination of health disparities in urban communities. Her top medical field interests include pediatrics, cardiology, and anesthesiology.
Jer'nee Mapp
Undergraduate student
