Current Service-Learning Faculty and Community Fellows

Dr. Jessica Chambliss is a public health professional with extensive experience in public health practice. She currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Public Health Practice and Vice Chair of Education in the Health Policy and Organization concentration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health. Additionally, she holds a primary appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Organization.

Dr. Chambliss earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Health Education and Health Promotion from UAB in December 2019, following her Master of Public Health in Health Care Management from the University of Texas, Houston Health Science Center, and her Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management from the University of Alabama.

Her research interests include maternal and child health, public health systems, and health policy. Her work in public health encompasses three primary areas: community engagement/outreach, workforce development, and program evaluation. She’s spent her career interacting with community stakeholders, training future and current public health workforce, and serving as an evaluator of public health projects.

Prior to joining UAB, she worked in governmental public health at a local health department. As a strong advocate for public health, Dr. Chambliss values the support of populations to acquire the knowledge they need to maintain healthy lives physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Ashley Gresh is both a certified nurse-midwife and a public health nurse, whose research focuses on addressing inequities in maternal and child health outcomes. Her current work examines the effects of perinatal group-based care on maternal and child health in the postpartum period, and examines ways for adapting, implementing, and sustaining group care in Baltimore and globally. Dr. Gresh is committed to co-creating solutions to issues in health care with the communities she serves by using a human-centered design approach; one that shifts power dynamics and centers the rights and well-being of childbearing people, their families, and communities.

She has a range of global and international health experience including being in the inaugural cohort of the Global Women’s Health Fellowship, a joint venture between the Johns Hopkins Schools of Nursing and Medicine and Jhpiego. A foundational career goal for Dr. Gresh is to reimagine and redefine postpartum care to transform systems and delivery of care.

Erin Horkey is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. Her research focus involves reducing barriers in access to nursing education, especially for individuals with disabilities. In her role as an educator, Dr. Horkey works to integrate students into community care for the pediatric population. During her time at Siena Heights, Dr. Horkey has led multiple partnerships and initiatives to increase access to nursing resources for children within rural communities. Dr. Horkey hopes to apply her learning from the SOURCE academy to expand community programs for nursing students to serve rural pediatric health.

Tamaki Kobayashi, MSc, MPH’08, PhD, is an infectious disease epidemiologist and Director of Community Relations at the R³ Center for Innovation in Science Education (R³ISE) at W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Originally from Japan, she holds a BSc in Biology from Imperial College London and earned her MSc and PhD in Biomedical Science from the University of Tokyo.

Driven to make a broader impact, Tamaki pursued an MPH at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which launched a decade-long journey researching malaria across Africa. These experiences deepened her conviction in the transformative power of science, collaboration, and community engagement.

At R³ISE—where the 3Rs stand for Rigor, Reproducibility, and Responsibility—Tamaki is deeply aligned with the center’s mission. She is especially passionate about fostering meaningful connections and cultivating a supportive, inclusive environment through science education. The SOURCE Service-Learning Academy offers an exciting opportunity for Tamaki to bring her vision to life in Baltimore, the city she and her family are proud to call home.

Yvette Merritt has 18 years of experience in community-based Public Health. Specifically, she has expertise in community needs assessment and improvement planning, coalition building, curriculum design, workforce training, as well as grants management at the federal, state, and local levels of government and non-profits.  

Mrs. Merritt currently works as an instructor in the School of Public Health at LSU Health-New Orleans. She co-teaches the applied practice experience course for all MPH students, coordinates the Office of Public Health Practice, and teaches the service-learning course for all BSPH students.

Yvette received her BA in African American Studies from Georgia State University and an MPH from the University of Pittsburgh. She is also certified in secondary education.

Kristin Monza is a highly accomplished nurse and educator with over two decades of experience in the healthcare field. She began her nursing career in 2003 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from East Carolina University, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Education from Gardner-Webb University (2013), and a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2016).

Her clinical expertise spans various areas, including experience with palliative care, with a significant concentration in cardiology, particularly advanced heart failure, demonstrating a compassionate and holistic approach to patient care.

Kristin transitioned to academia in 2022 and played an integral role in forming the new nursing program at Belmont Abbey College. As an Associate Professor, her contributions have been pivotal to the program's achievement, including the first cohort's 100% NCLEX pass rate in May 2024 and the successful CCNE accreditation in the same year. She actively engages in course development, and her teaching portfolio includes Medical Surgical II and Community/ Population Health, and she provides dedicated mentorship to practicum students. Further demonstrating her commitment to academic excellence, she holds the Chair of the Curriculum Subcommittee position and assisted in developing the mentorship and onboarding program. In her teaching, Kristin strives to cultivate student confidence and communication skills while instilling a passion for service learning.

Kristin is deeply engaged in her community, volunteering on various committees, serving as a board member for Kintegra Health, and actively participating in her church community, including involvement with children and youth ministry. Outside work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, embracing outdoor activities, and her passion for running.

Danvy Truong serves as the Community Partnerships Manager at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, School of Public Health. She provides guidance to MPH and DrPH students for their applied practice experience. In addition, Danvy supports the Office of Community Engagement by fostering existing partnerships and establishing new collaborations with diverse community organizations. An alumnus of Downstate, Danvy is committed to training students to become successful public health practitioners and leaders through meaningful experiences. Her past experience includes working at the NYC Department of Health in the Office of Strategic Operations & Performance Management. She is passionate about community engagement, health equity, and food justice.

Odette Belcher-Carter is the Executive Director of Dayspring Programs Inc., located in East Baltimore. A dynamic and compassionate leader, Odette brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, driven by a deep commitment to uplifting marginalized communities—particularly families with young children.

Throughout her career, Odette has dedicated herself to transforming lives and neighborhoods in Baltimore, one community at a time. Her work centers on early childhood development, supporting individuals and families facing substance use challenges, and addressing housing insecurity. She leads with a collaborative spirit, forging strong partnerships and delivering supportive services grounded in empathy and perseverance.

Odette firmly believes in the power of individuals to make a difference: "Be the change you wish to see in the world"—especially by lifting up those in need.

When she’s not leading change, Odette enjoys spending time with her loved ones, going on “sniffcapades” with the family dog, and exploring new places around the world.

Janine-Marie Boulad is the Volunteer Coordinator for Gallagher Services. She has a B.A. in French and English Literature from Beloit College. Janine has only been with Gallagher for a year and a half but has worked in volunteer management at a number of nonprofits for over 25 years. She has completed graduate programs in Arabic and Middle Eastern Culture from the American University in Cairo and Non-Profit Management from Goucher College. She is currently enrolled in the MFA program at the University of Baltimore.

Janine is looking forward to working with community partners to create meaningful educational programming that not only gives access to, but includes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Ms. KeShawn Golson, a Bronx, New York native, brings over 20 years of experience in education, federal programs, and community development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Lincoln University, PA, and a Master of Arts in Instructional System Development from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Ms. Golson began her career as a teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools, which set the foundation for her subsequent work in federal programs, including Title I, Title II, Title III, and School Improvement grants. Over the years, she has served in various leadership roles at local and state levels, such as Program Officer for Grants Management and Compliance with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington, D.C., Executive Director of Federal Programs at the School District of Philadelphia, Coordinator of School Improvement at the Maryland State Department of Education, and Director of State and Federal Programs at Prince George’s County Public Schools.

Driven by a desire to elevate equity work beyond compliance mandates, Ms. Golson embraced the opportunity to serve as a Community School Coordinator in Baltimore’s Lauraville Community, joining the city's expansion of the Community School Strategy. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the creation of partnerships with local supermarkets to distribute learning packets, expanding access for families unable to reach District distribution sites. She also partnered with Morgan State University to create a virtual practicum for student teachers when in-person placements were suspended, which led to her full-time role supporting the university’s Professional Development Schools team.

Throughout her career, Ms. Golson has worked to close opportunity gaps, including securing over $1 million in federal funding to enhance academic and technical programs for adjudicated youth and University funding to pilot community literacy initiatives in barbershops.

In 2023, Ms. Golson joined Elev8 Baltimore as the Senior Director of Children and Youth Services, where she leads a team that leverages a full-service community school framework to support interventions and services for 17 of Elev8's 21 schools. Her commitment to transformative education and community engagement continues to make a significant impact on Baltimore's youth and families.