Tag: Bios

Robert Gerstein

Robert Gerstein

Associate Director

Robert Gerstein is an accomplished program designer and director with more than 15 years of global experience. Mr. Gerstein’s expertise in leading programs for good governance, public health, and community development. He has led portfolios of programs in Cambodia, Rwanda, and South Sudan where he worked on post-conflict reconciliation, public health, and social cohesion projects as well as co-creating community development projects in more than 20 countries. Most recently, he directed a US Government program that worked in 9 countries to promote democratic resilience, civic participation, and improved public service delivery. His expertise includes program design, turning evidence into action, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, and coalition building in complex contexts.
Mr. Gerstein holds a Master of Science degree in Poverty Reduction and International Development Management from the University of Birmingham (UK) and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Social Studies Education and Creative Studies from SUNY College at Buffalo. Although he’s lived in more than 7 countries, he’s now a happy resident of San Diego. Robert is originally from Buffalo, NY, and as a native Buffalonian he holds strong opinions on where to find the best chicken wings in San Diego County. Outside of work, Robert enjoys exploring local trails with his Rwandan rescue pup, Rowling (and his wife Lisa).

Shyan Polman

Shyan Polman, BS

Biomedical Methods Group Coordinator

Shyan currently works as the Biomedical Management Group (BMG) Coordinator, where she oversees the management of biomedical laboratory spaces and conducts biological and biochemical assays. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from San Diego State University (SDSU) in 2021 and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Bioinformatics at SDSU. Her research focuses on the impact of fruit consumption on the gut microbiome. Shyan has a strong background in the biotechnology industry, having worked as a research associate on the development of point-of-care molecular diagnostic devices. Her technical expertise includes PCR, qPCR, DNA/RNA isolation, RNA-seq analysis, and NGS sequencing.

Marcy McCrackin

Marcy McCrackin

Admin Support Assistant II

Marcy, a Texas native, has years of experience in human resources working at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She is known for her organizational skills and has a passion for process improvement. Her role also consists of helping the overall Center, with the primary focus on personnel support.

Gehad “Gigi” Heneish

Gehad “Gigi” Heneish

MBBCH, Master degree in pediatrics, PMI-PMP, ACRP-PM, ACRP-CCRC Clinical Research Specialist

Gehad A. Heneish is a Clinical Research Specialist at the SDSU HealthLINK Center, where she ensures regulatory and ethical compliance in clinical and behavioral research involving human subjects. She provides regulatory consultations, implements quality control measures, and works closely with multidisciplinary teams to maintain high standards in compliance and data integrity. With over a decade of experience in clinical research, Gehad has managed complex trials in diabetes, metabolic diseases, and medical devices. As a Senior Certified Clinical Research Coordinator at Headlands Research AMCR Institute, she led studies on drug development trials, continuous glucose monitoring devices, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and fostering collaboration across cross-functional teams. Gehad also has international experience from Egypt, where she managed clinical trials in oncology and autoimmune diseases. She holds a Master’s degree in Pediatrics from Alexandria University and has a strong background in microbiology, pharmacology, and epidemiology. She is certified in Project Management (PMI-PMP) and Clinical Research Project Management (ACRP-PM) and is an ACRP-Certified Clinical Research Coordinator. Fluent in English and Arabic, Gehad excels in cross-cultural communication, enhancing regulatory and ethical compliance.

Fatima Munoz

Fatima Munoz, MD, MPH

Associate Vice President of Health Support Services, San Ysidro Health

County: San Diego

Dr. Fatima Muñoz is the Associate Vice President of Health Support Services at San Ysidro Health, a high performing Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) providing care in San Diego County. She completed her medical and Master’s in Public Health training in Mexico and a postdoctoral training in the Division of Global Public Health, University of California San Diego. She possesses over 20 years of public health and clinical research experience working in health promotion programs and epidemiological research studies, specifically among underserved populations. Fatima has extensive experience engaging a variety of public health issues and building strong bridges between public health, government, and academic leaders on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Her research over the last years has focused on chronic and infectious disease epidemiology, specifically, HIV prevention and tuberculosis care, and the impact of bi-national access to care on health policy. Her research experience involves the use of community-based participatory research with an emphasis in the elimination of health disparities. Fatima has also experience in examining the potential of Health technology integration into existing health services in order to improve treatment adherence and reduce the burden of high priority diseases, such as diabetes, T,B and HIV. Fatima and her team have been contributing to the development and implementation of several programs to engage populations that have been underrepresented in biomedical research – specifically Spanish-speaking communities. She has also been a site PI and Co-I in multiple clinical studies aimed at understanding and eliminating health disparities in underserved populations. Most recently, Dr. Muñoz has been a member of the Advisory Council for the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM), by recommendation from the California State Senate. She is committed to expanding the mission of SYH to further address health disparities and access to care issues among our most vulnerable communities.

Jose Tinoco

Jose Tinoco, MA.Ed

Director of Youth and Family Services, The San Diego LGBT Community Center

County: San Diego

 

With over 15 years of experience in community health, advocacy, and program management, Jose Alfonso Tinoco is a dedicated and compassionate leader committed to supporting underserved and underrepresented communities while promoting inclusive, trauma-informed care. Currently serving as the Director of Youth and Family Services at The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Jose specializes in creating holistic, affirming services for youth and their families. They bring extensive expertise in HIV prevention, youth engagement, and sexual health education, with a focus on reducing stigma and improving access to care.

Throughout their career, Jose has held pivotal roles at organizations such as Family Health Centers of San Diego and San Ysidro Health, where they successfully led HIV programs, mentored staff, and collaborated with community partners to enhance healthcare access and achieve positive health outcomes for participants. Jose is deeply committed to empowering individuals through education, mentorship, and advocacy. In recognition of their impactful work with youth and individuals living with HIV, they received a Certificate of Recognition from the United States House of Representatives in 2024.

Christopher O’Malley, MPH, CPH

Christopher O’Malley, MPH, CPH

Christopher O’Malley, MPH, CPH, is the Chief of the Community Health Statistics Unit (CHSU) for the County of San Diego, Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA), Public Health Services (PHS) Department. Chris was previously an Epidemiologist with the County of San Diego for 6 years. Prior to joining the County, Chris worked as a researcher at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), first at the Millennium Cohort Family Study, and later at the Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), US Military HIV Research Program. Chris is also a United States Navy veteran, serving honorably for over 8 years.

Petros (Peter) Azatyan

Petros (Peter) Azatyan

Peter Azatyan is a Management Fellow and CAHD Resident working with the Live Well Center for Innovation & Leadership (LWCIL) and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency’s (HHSA) Public Health Services. In his role, he fosters collaboration and alignment between SDSU and HHSA by providing lead support to LWCIL’s Research & Data Excellence Subcommittee. His experience includes various internships with local governments, non-profits, and hospital systems. He also served as a Graduate Student Researcher, studying the intricacy of Medicaid vision and dental policy on population health outcomes. Peter graduated with his B.S in Public Health from the University of California, San Diego and went on to receive his MPH in Epidemiology at the University of California, Irvine. Peter has a strong interest in public health-related research and policy and collaborates closely with the HealthLINK Center to align the research goals of SDSU and HHSA in order to co-produce impactful research and publications.

Nicole Magnuson

Nicole Magnuson

Nicole Magnuson is the director of the Live Well Center for Innovation & Leadership (LWCIL), an innovative partnership between San Diego State University and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). Nicole is responsible for leading the strategic direction of LWCIL in pursuit of its mission of strengthening the partnership between academia and health and human services practice through the integration of education, research, workforce development, and service that advances equity in San Diego. Nicole’s professional path has involved working as an executive and consultant to a variety of nonprofits, foundations, school districts, and community collaborations to improve lives, change social conditions, and elevate issues related to educational, economic, and racial equity. She has several decades of executive leadership experience in social change strategy, strategic/business planning, coalition building, and communications. Nicole holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Marking from Arizona State University.

Job Godino

Job Godino

Dr. Godino is the scientific director of the Laura Rodriguez Research Institute and the director of quality improvement and innovation at Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD). His research, largely funded by the National Institutes of Health, focuses on developing and evaluating interventions using mobile and wearable technology to promote healthy changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet and sleep. In addition, Dr. Godino leads pragmatic quality improvement research efforts within the primary care setting. These efforts are designed to enhance patient care and population health outcomes by integrating evidence-based practices and innovative technologies into everyday clinical workflows. His projects often involve close collaboration with operational leaders, health care providers and patients to ensure that the interventions are effective and sustainable in real-world settings. By focusing on pragmatic research, Dr. Godino aims to bridge the gap between research findings and actual clinical practice, ultimately improving the quality of care delivered to patients.

Dr. Godino holds a B.A. in anthropology and an M.S. in epidemiology from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Cambridge. He completed his postdoctoral training in the epidemiology and biostatistics of aging at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Godino is also an associate research scientist at UC San Diego’s Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. He directs the Exercise and Physical Activity Resource Center (EPARC), a university recharge unit specializing in deep phenotyping. Dr. Godino will serve as the Principal Investigator in this collaboration with the SDSU HealthLINK Center. 

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