People Group Archives: Aging & Vulnerable Populations

Danielle Sterner is a postdoctoral scholar at UCF’s College of Nursing, working with Jean Davis on a behavioral clinical research program focused on improving physical activity and health outcomes during pregnancy. In her role, Sterner supports clinical trial operations, wearable device data management, participant engagement, data analysis, manuscript preparation and grant development. Sterner is passionate about bridging science, healthcare and executing […]

Ania Lipat is a postdoctoral scholar in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. Throughout her educational training, she has gained extensive experience in gait analysis with a specific focus on aging and chronic pain populations. During her studies, she has helped develop and assess novel quantitative gait technologies for preclinical models of […]

Olajumoke (Jummy) Ojeleye is a nurse‑midwife, maternal and child health nurse scientist, and perinatal mental health professional, whose work spans clinical practice, academic scholarship, and community‑engaged research. Her research focuses on advancing maternal and perinatal mental health, with a particular emphasis on improving the experiences and outcomes of pregnant and parenting adolescents. Her scholarship reflects […]

Linda Foley is a certified nurse educator and associate lecturer at UCF’s College of Nursing. Her clinical experience has spanned various healthcare settings, including critical care, medical-surgical acute care, community health and home healthcare. She began her role as a nurse educator during her doctoral studies and discovered a passion for teaching undergraduate pre-licensure BSN […]

Sergi Garcia-Retortillo is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing with expertise in exercise physiology, electrophysiology, exercise testing, and physiological network analysis. His research centers on the emerging field of network physiology, which seeks to understand how physiological systems interact as an integrated network to sustain function. He investigates the fundamental principles regulating interactions […]

Marissa “Mari” Mackiewicz is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and a nurse scientist whose work focuses on ensuring all older adults have access to healthcare. Her research interests include substance use disorders and unmet oral health needs in older adult populations. Prior to joining UCF, Mackiewicz held post-doctoral positions at the University […]

Chitra “Chippy” Banarjee serves as a graduate research assistant in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing while pursuing a joint MD/PhD degree at the College of Medicine. She has a broad background in biochemical and biobehavioral research, with specific training and interest in using computational techniques to process and analyze big data, […]

Kworweinski Lafontant is a certified strength coach and certified exercise physiologist and personal trainer who works as a graduate research assistant in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. Previously, as a master’s student, he served as research coordinator for the Physique & Performance Enhancement Lab at the University of South Florida. Lafontant […]

Jethro Raphael Suarez is a biomedical engineering researcher in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. His research focuses on the static balance performance and physical activity levels of older adults. Additionally, he applies his engineering expertise to develop cost-effective rehabilitative assistive devices designed to enhance mobility and improve quality of life for […]

David Asakitogum was originally educated as a nurse at the Bolgatanga Nursing Training College in his native Ghana and is the first in his community to earn a Ph.D. Over the next 15 years, he served as a nurse clinician and nurse educator in five rural districts in Ghana, advocating for prevention of malaria in […]