Faculty & Staff
To contact an IHPR faculty or staff member, e-mail them or call 210-562-6500.
Faculty
-
Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H.IHPR Director
Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: ramirezag@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Ramirez, who has been director of the IHPR since its inception, is a nationally recognized expert in the field of health promotion and education. She’s received many honors and awards, including election to the Institute of Medicine, and is involved in many professional groups regarding minority health and cancer prevention, including a presidential appointment to the National Cancer Advisory Board. Her work has been widely published in scientific journals, and she’s directed research projects at the state, federal and private levels that focus on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease and cancer health disparities.
For more about Dr. Ramirez, click here.
-
Kipling J. Gallion, M.A.IHPR Deputy Director
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: gallion@uthscsa.edu
Mr. Gallion, who has been with the IHPR since its inception, has a master’s degree in applied communication and has done much work in the health communications field. He was previously an assistant professor at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Patricia Chalela, Dr.P.HAssistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: chalela@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Chalela, who has been with the IHPR since its inception, has a background in health promotion and was previously a research associate at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Sandra San Miguel de Majors, M.S.Research Instructor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: sanmiguels@uthscsa.edu
Mrs. San Miguel de Majors, who has been with the IHPR since its inception, coordinates projects and assists with special projects. She has a master’s degree in psychology and previously was a research associate at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Luis F. Velez, M.D., Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: velezl2@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Velez, who has been with the IHPR since its inception, has a medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia and a doctorate in behavioral sciences. He was previously an assistant professor at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Kimberly Raiford Wildes, Dr.P.H., M.A.Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: wildes@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Wildes, who has been with the IHPR since its inception, has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a doctorate of public health with an emphasis in behavioral science. She was previously an assistant professor at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Deborah Parra-Medina, Ph.D., M.P.H
Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: parramedina@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Parra-Medina, who joined the IHPR in 2008, has a background in health promotion, public health epidemiology, health disparities in cancer and chronic disease, and community-based interventions among under-served and minority populations, including Latinos.
Staff
-
Sandra Veronica Covarrubias, B.S.
Patient Navigator, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: covarrubiasv@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Covarrubias is an IHPR patient navigator responsible for recruiting patients, obtaining informed consent and administering study questionnaires. She has a bachelor’s degree in health education and work experience in health information management, including electronic medical record systems and patient and physician assistance.
-
Cliff Despres, B.J.
Informational Writer, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Email: despres@uthscsa.edu
Mr. Despres handles a wide variety of writing, editing and communication work at the IHPR. He has several years of experience in journalism and public relations, including work at the Denton Record-Chronicle newspaper in Denton, Texas, and the news office of The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
-
Nancy Loriana Espinel, B.A.
Research Coordinator I, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: espinel@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Espinel works in community outreach, education and networking as a research coordinator for the IHPR. She has a bachelor’s degree in visual arts and additional education in bilingual HIV/AIDS education services. She has a background in research assistance and data collection.
-
Sandra J. Griffith, B.S.
Project Coordinator, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: griffiths3@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Griffith provides oversight for grant management, reporting and submissions, as well as fiscal-year budget planning at the IHPR. She has a bachelor’s degree in business education and work experience in project management, including stints at USAA Federal Savings Bank and Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Sharon Kay Haverlah, B.A.Project Coordinator, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: haverlah@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Haverlah is the project coordinator for the IHPR Redes En Acción project, which she first was involved with as part of Baylor College of Medicine. She has a bachelor’s degree in management/business administration and has earned project management certification from a Fortune 500 financial services corporation. She previously was a project manager for USAA Federal Savings Bank.
-
Emma B. Mancha, M.P.A.
Social Science Research Associate IV, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Email: mancha@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Mancha coordinates the IHPR’s Salud America! The National Latino Childhood Obesity Prevention Network and provides other research and analysis support. She has a master’s degree in public administration and is working on a PhD in applied demography. She has a background in community needs assessment and program implementation at the grassroots level.
-
Edgar Munoz, M.A.
Statistician, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: munoze@uthscsa.edu
Mr. Munoz is a statistician who provides support to the IHPR by helping develop research protocols, conduct analyses, identify and use available methodologies and databases, and prepare reports. He has prior work experience as a statistician in Colombia, and he also has a master’s degree in epidemiology.
-
Karen P. Stamm, B.A.Faculty Associate, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: stamm@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Stamm conducts strategic planning, development of grants and presentations and faculty recruitment at the IHPR. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication and work experience in radio and television newsrooms in multiple cities. In the past 20 years, she has held many different positions at the Health Science Center, including public relations and editorial support for research teams in health promotions.
-
Celia Thompson
Administrative Assistant II, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio
Email: Thompsonc2@uthscsa.edu
Mrs. Thompson provides support in a myriad of administrative functions, including management of the IHPR calendar. She has more than 25 years experience as an administrative assistant. Prior to working in various academic settings, she was administrative assistant to the chief operating officer of a NYSE-listed oil refining company. In the academic world, she has worked for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Trinity University, Baylor College of Medicine and UT Health Science Center.
-
Sylvie Whitehead
Administrative Assistant II, School Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Email: whiteheads@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Whitehead provides receptionist functions and administrative, grant and event/travel planning functions. She has training as a medical secretary with coursework in medical transcribing, medical terminology and records management. She previously was administrative support coordinator at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Courtney Denton, B.A., M.P.H. candidate
Social Science Research Associate III, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Email: dentonc2@uthscsa.edu
Mrs. Denton, who joined the IHPR in 2008, is seeking her master’s of public health at The University of Texas School of Public Health in San Antonio. She has experience working with healthcare agencies and nonprofit organizations.