Jaclynn Hawkins, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Dr. Jaclynn Hawkins is an associate professor at the School of Social Work and in the University of Michigan Medical School Department of Learning Health Science. She is a nationally recognized expert in health equity research, focusing on culturally tailored interventions for chronic disease management among underserved populations. As director of the Curtis Center for Health Equity Intervention Research, Training, and Innovation she leads transformative initiatives to address disparities in diabetes care, with a special emphasis on Black men with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). She has led multiple groundbreaking studies, including the Michigan Men’s Diabetes Project through it's many iterations, which is a peer-led diabetes self-management and support program, and a culturally adapted cognitive-behavioral therapy and exercise intervention for African American men with T2D and depression. 

Hannah Burgess, MPH, Project Manager

Hannah Burgess is the Project Manager for Dr. Hawkins' on-going clinical trials (MenDII and MenDIII). She graduated from Boston University in 2022 with her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation. With her professional and educational background, she leads the project management, data analyses, and regulatory compliance for the MenDII and MenDIII clinical trials. She collaborates closely with investigators, research coordinators, and stakeholders to ensure the studies adhere to protocol requirements and ethical guidelines. Additionally, Hannah oversees participant recruitment, data collection, and quality control measures to maintain the integrity of the trials. 

Caroline Landry, Program Manager

Kirstn Tatar, Executive Assistant

Alexis Buckley, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Alexis is a senior at the University of Michigan majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. After graduating she hopes to return to the University of Michigan to pursue her Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health. Her interests include racial disparities in mental healthcare and health equity research. 

Corrine Hays, Graduate Research Assistant

Corrine is currently a graduate student at the University of Michigan, currently earning her Master of Social Work. She earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Gender Studies from the University of Notre Dame in 2023. Corrine is on the Welfare of Children and Families pathway and completing her field work at The Peace Neighborhood Center. Her research interests include educational equity and healthcare disparities