Directors
Laura D’Anna, DrPH, MPA
Email: LauraDanna@cdrewu.edu
Professor, College of Medicine
Director, RWJF Health Equity Research for Action (HERA) Coordinating Center
Director, NIGMS Population Research Institute for Science and Medicine
Drew CARES HIV Research Pillar Faculty
Dr. D鈥橝nna is a professor in the College of Medicine at 最新糖心Vlog. She holds a Doctorate in Public Health with an emphasis in Community Health Sciences from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health, and a Master of Public Administration degree from CSULB.
For three decades, she has had the privilege of working with historically underrepresented and minoritized populations on community-engaged health equity research projects in the areas of HIV prevention, cannabis and tobacco co-use, and the effects of social and racial discrimination on health outcomes. She also currently serves as co-director for the CDU Coordinating Center of the new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Research for Action program. She is the recipient of the 2020 CSULB Early Academic Career Excellence Award and the 2018 College of Health and Human Services Community Service Award.
Before coming to CDU, Dr. D鈥橝nna was Associate Professor in the Department of Health Science and Director of the Center for Health Equity Research at California State University, Long Beach, she served as Vice President of Community Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, Director of Programs and Planning for the Coalition of Orange County Community Clinics, Executive Director of the Laguna Beach Community Clinic, and Manager of Preventive Health Clinical Services for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, where she also served as project manager for Project RESPECT. Project RESPECT was a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded, multisite randomized trial comparing the effects of a theory-driven HIV counseling and testing intervention with the CDC standard intervention and a minimalist intervention.
Alex Washington, PhD, MSSW, MA
Email: Alex.Washington@csulb.edu
Professor, School of Social Work, CSULB
Co-Director, PRISM
Dr. Washington is a professor and the BASW Program Director in the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). Prior to joining CSULB, he was a Faculty Fellow at the Morgan-Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions (Baltimore). He has provided outpatient therapy to veterans diagnosed with schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder at the VA Medical Center (Memphis). Dr. Washington was a visiting professor in the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the UCSF Department of Medicine.
He received his MA in Sociology from the University of Memphis; MSSW from the University of Tennessee (UT) Health Science Center (Memphis), and the PhD from UT, Knoxville.
He has co-developed and published the psychometric properties of a scale measuring obstacles and associated stigma to uptake of PrEP for HIV prevention. He has led and served on projects focused on issues related to HIV testing, including HIV prevention intervention studies, among various subpopulations. NIDA, NIMH, SAMHSA, and the Kellogg Foundation have funded his research.
He received the Ellen Ward Leadership ICON Award from the LGBT Center of Long Beach. He has received the CSULB President鈥檚 Award for Outstanding Faculty Achievement, CSULB Distinguished Faculty Scholarly and Creative Achievement Award, NAESM Gerald A. Ludd Lifetime Achievement Award for HIV leadership in the Black community, CSULB Early Academic Career Excellence Award, and the Underrepresented Minority Research Award from the National Institute of Mental Health Research on AIDS Office. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and studied dance and vocal performance at Watkins Overton School of the Performing Arts (Memphis).
Staff
Carol Canjura, BA
Email: CarolCanjura@cdrewu.edu
Grants Manager
Carol Canjura is a Long Beach State alumnus, and it is also where she began her career in health equity research. In addition to her involvement in community-based health promotion and intervention research, Carol has extensive experience in administrative functions, including budget preparation, grant proposal development, and grant management. At CDU, Carol serves as the grant manager for the PRISM and HERA projects, providing support and expertise to participants and collaborators. She is passionate about environmental issues and, in her free time, enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her granddaughter.
Annrae Drews, MPH
Email: AnnraeDrews@cdrewu.edu
Administrative Research Coordinator
Annrae Drews, MPH, is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach, where she earned a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from California State University, Fullerton. Her graduate thesis examined the association between cannabis use and symptoms of depression and stress among young men, highlighting her dedication to addressing substance use and mental health issues through research and policy. Since 2021, Annrae has contributed to the public health field across nonprofit organizations and state agencies, including the California Department of Public Health. She is passionate about advancing public health policy, increasing access to care, and promoting health across populations.
Ashley Guerrero, BA
Evaluation and Data Analyst
Ashley D. Guerrero is a broadly trained evaluation and data analyst who received her bachelor鈥檚 degree from UCLA, where she double majored in History and Geography. Currently, through her work at CDU, she conducts public health evaluation research with community partner organizations to address mental health needs. Drawing from this interdisciplinary background, her research interests include spatial economics and exploring the interdependence of urban and environmental factors.
Jaelen Owens, BA
Study Coordinator
Jaelen Owens works as a research coordinator at CDU and has coordinated outreach and engagement efforts across seven research projects focused on sexual health promotion and substance use prevention among young adults. They began as a health educator and outreach specialist with our research team in 2016, working on the Peer Promotion of Wellness and Enhanced Linkage to Resources project. They are interested in finding ways to better engage community members throughout all stages of the research process. They hold a BA in Family Life Education and a MS in Applied Family Science.
Kevin Pinkerton, MFA
Email: kpinkertoncdu@gmail.com
Media Production Specialist
Kevin Pinkerton designs graphics for print and web media and produces and edits video for PRISM. Mr. Pinkerton holds a BA in Film Production from the University of Alabama and an MFA in Screenwriting from the University of Texas. He is working on a second Master鈥檚 in Interactive Information Technology from UA. Mr. Pinkerton produced several short films for the NIH-funded TIM Project, had projects selected for the Sidewalk, Austin, and LA Film Festivals, and worked on screenplay development at Miramax Films, Wild West, Ghost House, Scott Free, Mandalay Entertainment, and other studios. He was a first-generation Ronald McNair Research Scholar and a James Michener Writing Fellow.
Jeff Wood, BA
Email: JeffersonWood@cdrewu.edu
IT and Data Manager
Jeff Wood provides technical and data management support to PRISM. Mr. Wood holds a BA degree in Sociology from Chapman University. He has managed data collection, storage, and security, technical resources, and service delivery for HIV and STD prevention research programs for groups and individuals experiencing elevated health risk since 1991.
