GFRP Team

The Global Food Research Program team is composed of faculty, staff, trainees, and students from many different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities, each contributing their own expertise, skills, and perspectives to our collective mission.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) are core values at the Global Food Research Program. We expect all members of our team to actively contribute to fostering a workplace climate that is welcoming and supportive for all.

We are currently hiring a research communications specialists! Learn more.

GFRP group photo at 2022 spring party outdoors
Members of the GFRP team gathered in June 2022 for our first get-together since 2020

Faculty

Barry M. Popkin

W. R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at UNC Chapel Hill

Shu Wen Ng

Professor, Department of Nutrition at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Lindsey Smith Taillie

Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Francesca Dillman Carpentier

W. Horace Carter Distinguished Professor, UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Marissa G. Hall

Assistant Professor, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Staff & Students

Alexandra Adair

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Maxime Bercholz

Research Associate

Neepa Boode

Research Programmer

Dhara Buebel

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Emily Busey

Research Communications Manager

Emile Charles

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Aline D’Angelo Campos

Doctoral Student

Grace Chamberlin

Graduate Research Assistant

Sofia Macedo Costa de Oliveira

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Emily Duffy

Doctoral Student

Amy Feng

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Sarah Frank

Doctoral Student

Gabriela García

Visiting scholar

David Gonzalez

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Cindy Granados Evans

Research Associate

Isabella Higgins

Doctoral Student

Bridget Hollingsworth

Project Manager

Rhea Jayaswal

Undergraduate Student

Melissa Lam-McCarthy

Project Coordinator

Amy Lo

Graduate Research Assistant

Caitlin Lowery

Doctoral Student

Kayla Mardin

Graduate Research Assistant

M. Fernanda Mediano

Postdoctoral Fellow

Mable Miao

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Donna R. Miles

Programming Manager

Sierra Mullen

Research Programmer

Claudia Nieto

Visiting scholar

Fernanda Olivato

Research Associate

Jessica Ostrowski

Research Associate

Michelle Perry

Research Associate

Carmen Prestemon

Research Assistant

Alexandria (Allie) Reimold

Graduate Research Assistant

Alexandra Ross

Doctoral Student

Gabriela Vatavuk-Serrati

Doctoral Student

Amelia Willits-Smith

Postdoctoral fellow

Alumni

Emerald Izuakor

FERN Fellow, 2022

Tiffany Mo. Williams

FERN Fellow, 2022

Sydni Wright

FERN Fellow, 2022

Natalia Rebolledo

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2021

Pourya Valizadeh

Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2018–2021

Christina Chauvenet

Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2019–2020

Melissa Lorena Jensen

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2020

Michael Essman

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2020

Allison Maria Lacko

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2019

Juan Carlos Salgado Hernández

PhD in Health Policy and Management, 2019

Tania Aburto

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2019

Lilia S. Pedraza

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2019

Anna H. Grummon

PhD in Health Behavior, 2019

Nancy López-Olmedo

PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology, 2018

Elizabeth Dunford

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2015–2018

Lauren Butler

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology, 2016

Christopher Ford

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology, 2015

Dalia Stern Solodkin

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology 2015

Jennifer Poti

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology, 2014

Kevin C. Mathias

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology, 2014

Carolina Batis

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology, 2013

Carmen Piernas

PhD in Nutrition, Epidemiology, 2013