Data Modernization and Equity: Integrated Solutions to Enhance the Research Data Lifecycle

Janelle Armstrong-Brown is an expert in health equity and a member of RTI’s Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE), with more than 15 years of experience evaluating and implementing health intervention programs through applying a community-based participatory research approach. Her research examines the mechanisms by which social environmental factors, such as neighborhood resources, can impact health behaviors and subsequently health outcomes among communities of color and vulnerable populations.

Rebecca Boyles is the director of RTI’s Center for Data Modernization Solutions, where she leads a team developing fit-for-purpose solutions to enable clients to use data for the public good. The Center for Data Modernization Solutions bridges the research- information technology gap, applying a data ecosystem perspective that enables clients to maximize the value of their data assets.

Lissette M. Saavedra is a Senior Research Psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in mental health and lifespan developmental psychology research. Currently she serves as the Principal Investigator of a National Institute of Justice grant focused on delivery of telemental health services for trauma-exposed victims of crime. As part of this work, she uses community based participatory approaches to enhance reporting and data capture efforts for community-based approaches to increase access to mental health services for underserved communities. She has extensive experience working with heterogenous youth and families of Hispanic/Latino/a/x including Mexican, Cuban, and of South and Central American heritage. She has consulted and developed protocols and materials for working with Spanish speaking families for a wide variety of studies. As a language methodologist and with an eye towards equity and inclusivity, she has extensive expertise not only translating research materials to Spanish but also ensuring comprehension, literacy levels and cultural responsivity.

Dr. Benda is an Assistant Professor of Health Informatics at the Columbia University School of Nursing. She is an expert in human factors engineering and human centered design, which are scientific approaches that investigate how people acquire, use, and interpret information. Her work focuses on using human-centered design to implement clinical and consumer health informatics tools, such as AI, that advance health equity. She has nearly 40 publications in journals such as JAMIA, JAMA, and the American Journal of Public Health. Her work has been funded as a PI or Co-I by NIMHD, AHRQ, NSF, NIMH, NICHD, NLM,  and PCORI.

Lirec Williams, Founder of LuminU Business Solutions, is a seasoned Business Intelligence professional with expertise in various industries including economics finance, oil and gas, steel manufacturing, energy, and non-profits. His versatile experience has enabled him to tackle complex issues and streamline business processes through automation. He is most passionate about empowering fatherhood through his “15 Minutes with Dad” platform with his daughter and educating organizations on creative approaches to solving bottlenecks in marketing, sales, and customer experiences using tech automations.