Our People
The Global Obesity Prevention Center at Johns Hopkins consists of leading experts from a wide range of fields—from nutrition and psychology to disciplines that have not traditionally addressed obesity, such as engineering and computer science. The GOPC spans multiple departments and schools across Johns Hopkins University and includes various external collaborators.
Johns Hopkins University
Name | Center Role | Department/School | Interests |
Bleich, Sara PhD, MS | Faculty | Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Public Policy, Obesity Prevention/Control |
Caballero, Benjamin MD, PhD | Faculty | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Pediatrics Obesity, Policy |
Carnell, Susan PhD | Faculty | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, School of Medicine | Behavioral and Biological Influences in Childhood Obesity |
Cheskin, Larry MD | GOPC Co-Associate Director and Pilot Grant Program Lead | Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Obesity Treatment and Prevention |
Crainceanu, Ciprian PhD, MS | Faculty | Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Neuroscience, Epidemiology, Biomarkers, Wearable Computing |
Dennis, Donna MS, RD, LDN | Baltimore Project Data Collector | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Methods to Improve Dietary Choice/Physical Activity |
Ellis, Joseph PhD, MASc | Faculty | Environmental Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering | Systems Science |
Frutchey, Robin MA, LCPC | Pilot Grant Program Coordinator | Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Weight Management, Behavior Medicine |
Gittelsohn, Joel PhD, MS | Baltimore Project Lead | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Nutrition, Intervention, Obesity |
Glass, Tom PhD, MA | Pennsylvania Project Lead and Education & Training Program Co-Lead | Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Social Epidemiology, Systems Science |
Gudzune, Kimberly MD | Faculty | General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine | Weight Management, Obesity |
Hobbs, Benjamin PhD, MS | Faculty | Environmental Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering | Systems Science |
Hopkins, Laura MSPH, RD, LD | Baltimore Project Coordinator | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Sustainable Food Systems, Childhood Obesity |
Igusa, Tak PhD | Education & Training Program Lead | Civil Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering | Systems Science |
Jones- Smith, Jessica PhD, MS | Faculty | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Nutrition, Epidemiology, Health Policy, Obesity |
Lee, Bruce Y. MD, MBA | GOPC Director and Systems Science Core Lead | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Systems Science, Modeling |
McDermott, Ann Yelmokas PhD, MS, LDN | GOPC Assistant Director | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Translational Research, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Health Outcomes |
Meisner, Cecilia MLA | Senior Associate Director | Office of External Affairs-Development, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Corporate and Foundation Relations |
Moran, Tim PhD | GOPC Co- Associate Director | Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine | Neural and Physiological Controls of Food Intake and Body Weight |
Pollak, Jonathan | Pennsylvania Project Program Analyst | Occupational and Environmental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Data Analysis |
Rastatter, Sarah BS | Baltimore Project Coordinator | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Public Health, Community-based Interventions |
Robinson, Nicole MA | Systems Science Core Coordinator | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Research and Administration |
Rudinger, Maggie BS | GOPC Administrative Coordinator | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Administrative Support |
Shipley, Cara RD, LDN | Baltimore Project Coordinator | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Childhood Obesity, Childhood Feeding and Growth |
Schwartz, Brian MD, MS | Pennsylvania Project Co-Lead | Occupational and Environmental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Environmental Epidemiology, Biomarkers, Obesity |
Siegmund, Sheryl MS | GOPC Manager | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Administration, Finance, Management |
Tamashiro, Kellie PhD | Pennsylvania Project Co-Lead | Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine | Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, Obesity, Diabetes |
Verrier, Barbara MED | Senior Associate Director | Office of External Affairs-Development, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Developmental Support |
Welsh, Claire MS | Senior Baltimore Project Coordinator | International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health | Public Health Issues in Disparate Populations |
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Name | Center Role | Affiliation | Interests |
Esposito, Layla PhD | NIH Project Scientist | National Institute of Child Health and Human Development | Child Psychology, Social and Behavioral Aspects of Childhood Obesity |
Furie, Gregg MD | AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow | Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research | Health Policy and Economics |
Grave, Gilman MD | NIH Program Officer | National Institute of Child Health and Human Development | Fetal Origins of Adult Disease, Childhood Obesity, Diabetes |
External Collaborators
Name | Center Role | Affiliation | Interests |
Bailey- Davis, Lisa MA, RD | Pennsylvania Project Investigator | Geisinger Medical Center | Obesity, Pediatrics, Environmental Health |
Bian, Ling PhD | China Project Investigator | University at Buffalo, The State University of New York | Modeling and Geographic Image Revival |
Brandau, Sy AAS | Pennsylvania Project Research Assistant | Geisinger Medical Center | Interviewer/Community Assessment |
Chen, Hsin-jen PhD | China Project Collaborator | National Yang-Ming University | Nutritional Epidemiology, Childhood Obesity, NCD's |
Du, Shufa MD, PhD, MS | China Project Consultant | University of North Carolina | Dietary Behaviors and Physical Activity in China |
Hirsch, Annemaire PhD, MPH | Pennsylvania Project Investigator | Geisinger Medical Center | Epidemiology, Health Information |
Kumanyika, Shiriki PhD, MPH | Pilot Grant �Program Co-Lead | University of Pennsylvania | Epidemiology, Intervention, Policy Obesity |
Liu, Shiyong PhD | China Project Visiting Scholar | Southwest University of Finance and Economics, China | Policy Evaluation, Modeling, Systems Engineering Dynamics |
Ma, Jun MD, PhD, MS | China Project Collaborator | Peking University | Pediatric Obesity, Diabetes Prevention, Cardiovascular Disease |
Mercer, Dione BS, BA | Pennsylvania Project Manager | Geisinger Medical Center | Management and Administration |
Mi, Jie MD, PhD | China Project Consultant | Capital Institute of Pediatrics, China | Child Health, Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, NCD’s |
Mowery, Jake BA | Pennsylvania Project Research Assistant | Geisinger Medical Center | Research Assistance |
Su, Chang MD | China Project Research Scientist | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Nutrition, Economics, Policy |
Wang, Huijun MD, MS | China Project Co-Lead | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Nutrition, Obesity-Related Chronic Disease |
Wang, Peiyu MD, PhD | China Project Consultant | Peking University | Social Medicine, Nutrition |
Wang, Youfa MD, PhD, MS | China Project Lead | University at Buffalo, The State University of New York | Nutritional Epidemiology, Childhood Obesity, NCD's |
Wang, Zhihong MD | China Project Research Scientist | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Nutritional Epidemiology, Food, Dietary Quality, NCD’s |
Xu, Fei MD, PhD | China Project Collaborator | Nanjing University, Nanjing CDC, China | Obesity Prevention and Chronic Disorders |
Xue, Hong PhD, MS | China Project Investigator | University at Buffalo, The State University of New York | Economics, Systems Modeling, Epidemiology, Obesity, NCD's |
Zhai, Fengying MD, PhD | China Project Investigator | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Nutrition, Food Policy |
Zhang, Bing MD, PhD | China� Project Consultant | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Policy, Legislation, Education, Nutrition Survey and Analysis |
Zhang, Ji MD | China Project� Research Scientist | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Nutrition, Epidemiology, Obesity |
Zhang, Jiguo MD, PhD | China Project Research Scientist | China CDC, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety | Nutrition, Epidemiology, Health Policy |
Zhang, Qi (Harry) PhD | China Project Consultant | Old Dominion University | Obesity, Health Disparities, Modeling |