PUBLIC HEALTH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Research Program Administration Officer I
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Community Engagement, Practice and Service ( CEPAS ) Committee / Promote and Track Community Outreach, Service and Practice Activities. Monthly
- Professor Emeritus
Cecilia Rosales, MD, MS, is associate dean and professor at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health -- Phoenix and a native Tucsonan. Dr. Rosales is currently collaborating with El Colegio de Sonora and the Secretaria de Salud de Sonora on a National Institutes of Health RO1 grant titled, Tools and practices to decrease cardiovascular disease and complications in the diabetic population of Mexico. The research project aims to test the effectiveness of certain tools and practices to decrease cardiovascular disease and complications from diabetes. The aim is to scale up the intervention to the national level.
In addition, Dr. Rosales was awarded a grant by the Mexico Section of the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission. The project seeks to develop and implement a primary prevention mobile unit to provide access to health services and promote healthy lifestyles to the Latino population in Maricopa County. Dr. Rosales convened and works with a team of interprofessional students and faculty from the UA Health Sciences in Phoenix to provide outreach services to residents who lack access to health services or are underinsured. Only four other cities received similar grants (Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and New York). She also recently was named a member of the Academic Technical Council of the Binational Border Health Network. The network is comprised of experts from 10 border states to improve response to the challenges posed by public health conditions on the U.S.-México border.
Dr. Rosales has demonstrated outstanding expertise and scholarship in the areas of program development and implementation, public health administration and policy and health disparities research related to the Southwest and border region. Her comprehensive understanding of the region has resulted in a unique contribution to the body of knowledge associated with border and Binational Health in general, and strengthening community-based participatory research and collaboration in the Southwest. The U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Border Governors and the state health departments in Arizona and Sonora have benefited from her innovative and creative strategies for strengthening the public-health infrastructure in this region.
Dr. Rosales serves as the private sector co-chair of the Health Services Committee of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. Her deep understanding of the context in which the public health infrastructure can be strengthened at the local, state, national and binational level to address the issues of health disparities in this region is combined with her years of experience, along with her passionate commitment to the elimination of health disparities, mentoring of students and encouraging the pursuit of health sciences majors and interprofessional opportunities for students. She has developed a strong academic and community network created through her years of research, practice and service. Dr. Rosales strives to bring and work together with a multidisciplinary and binational cadre of interested parties, including academics, non-profit and governmental officials.
Education:
2000, MS, Epidemiology, University of Arizona
1987, MD, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez
1976, BS, Public Administration, University of Arizona
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Student Alliance
Job Titles:
- Department Chair & Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Kacey C. Ernst, PhD MPH joined the faculty in 2008 as an infectious disease epidemiologist. Her primary projects examine the environmental determinants of vector-borne disease transmission and control; primarily dengue and malaria. Current research projects include an examination of insecticide treated bednet use in western Kenya. Comparisons between determinants of use and effectiveness in highland and lowland areas are underway. She is also working with investigators in entomology to examine the role of Ae. aegypti population dynamics in the potential expansion of dengue from northern Mexico to southern Arizona under climate change scenarios.
Job Titles:
- Research Program Administration Officer I
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Researcher
- Environmental Health
- Professor, Department Chair of Community, Environment and Policy, Director of ESRAC
Kelly Reynolds MSPH, PhD is Professor and Chair of the Department of Community, Environment and Policy; Director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center (ESRAC) at the University of Arizona.
Since 1990, Dr. Reynolds has worked as a researcher and public health educator in environmental science, specializing in water quality, food safety, and disease transmission. Her extensive experience in those research areas includes her role as a Principal Investigator of numerous projects and the publication of hundreds of journal articles, book chapters, and professional reports.
Dr. Reynolds is working on several projects, including one in which she joins UA engineers to apply lasers to detect human viruses in drinking water. This type of technology would not only expedite the process of discovering water-borne viruses, but it could detect viruses that were previously undetectable. Between 1971 and 2000 in the United States, water-borne pathogens resulted in nearly 600,000 cases of illness. Dr. Reynolds suspects that millions of cases were undocumented because people who were affected suffered relatively minor symptoms.
She is also the Principal Investigator of two other projects, which look for contaminants in the water supply and in the home. In the water study, Dr. Reynolds aims to assess the risk of tap water by analyzing the types of disease-causing organisms captured in the filters of water vending machines. In the home hygiene study, Dr. Reynolds is monitoring the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the home by identifying the bacteria's survival in soft surfaces, including carpets and towels. The MRSA bacteria could cause severe skin infections and result in hospitalizations, or rarely death.
Dr. Reynolds hopes that her research yields information that people will use in order to reduce their risk of illness. "From a scientist's point of view, we can continue to develop and improve methods to identify hazards," she said. But that information only goes so far if the public doesn't actively participate in reducing their exposure.
Dr. Reynolds received her doctorate degree from the University of Arizona in agriculture and life sciences in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, and a master's degree from the University of South Florida in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health. She has previously worked as a research technician, research fellow and an assistant research scientist at the UA since 1987.
Education:
1995, PhD, Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona
1992, MS, Public Health, University of South Florida
1989, BS, Microbiology, University of Arizona
Job Titles:
- Director of Corporate Engagement & Business Development
Kurt is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in corporate leadership and publishing. With a remarkable 33-year tenure as the Owner and Publisher of EIJ Company, he spearheaded the production of leading trade magazines catering to the global drinking water treatment industry. Under his guidance, EIJ Company flourished, earning the prestigious status of being the foremost authority in its niche, with its publications ranking as the #1 choice among industry professionals.
With offices strategically located in Arizona and Mexico City, Kurt adeptly managed operations across borders, fostering international collaborations and expanding the company's reach. His astute leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence were pivotal in establishing EIJ Company as a trailblazer in the field.
In addition to his corporate endeavors, Kurt has been actively involved in various industry associations, notably serving on the board of directors of the Pacific Water Quality Association. His contributions and dedication to advancing water quality standards have been recognized through numerous accolades, including the esteemed Special Award of Merit from the Water Quality Association.
Beyond his professional achievements, Kurt's philanthropic spirit shines through his role as a director of the Wishing Well International Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing clean drinking water solutions to underserved communities in developing nations. His involvement underscores a deep-seated commitment to leveraging his expertise for the betterment of society.
Now, in his new role as Director of Corporate and Business Engagement, Kurt brings his wealth of experience and visionary leadership to drive strategic partnerships and foster meaningful connections within the corporate landscape. With his proven track record of success and unwavering dedication to excellence, Kurt is poised to make significant contributions in his new capacity, further solidifying his legacy as a respected leader in both the corporate and philanthropic realms.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor and Interim Department Chair
- Associate Professor at Mel
Leila Barraza is Associate Professor at Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona. She is the Director of the Arizona Area Health Education Centers program (AzAHEC). Her research interests include studying the impact of laws and regulations on population health. Barraza received a Master in Public Health from the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona in 2004. She worked for the Center for Rural Health (formerly Rural Health Office) at the Zuckerman College of Public Health following the completion of her master's degree. Barraza provided assistance to rural and tribal hospitals and clinics regarding new medical designation opportunities, health practitioner recruitment, emergency medical services, and funding opportunities. She received her J.D. with a Certificate in Law, Science, and Technology from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, in 2008. Following her graduation from law school, Barraza served as a law clerk for the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One from 2009-2012. Prior to joining the Zuckerman College of Public Health as an Assistant Professor in 2014, Barraza served as Deputy Director of the Network for Public Health Law - Western Region Office, and a Fellow and Adjunct Professor in the Public Health Law and Policy Program at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Barraza has been published in several scholarly journals, including JAMA, AJPH, Public Health Reports, Jurimetrics Journal, Annals of Health Law, and Journal for Law, Medicine, and Ethics. Barraza has also provided numerous presentations at national and local conferences on a variety of critical public health law issues. She instructs a public health law course for public health and law students and has given special lectures in health law and public health law courses.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Research Program Administration Officer I
Job Titles:
- Research Program Administration Officer II
Priscila Ruedas is originally from Mexicali, Mexico, she is the oldest daughter in a first generation immigrant household. Priscila began her higher education the nontraditional academic route - starting off at a community college in Yuma, AZ and later transferring to UArizona. She received her Bachelors of Science in Public Health from the University of Arizona in 2019, and is currently a graduate student of Public Health Policy and Management. She focuses her work in health equity for minority populations to better understand and increase their access to healthcare and resources to reduce racial health disparities by addressing the social determinants of health. For fun, Priscila enjoys spending time with her family, exploring different coffee shops, true crime, hiking Tumamoc or going dancing with friends.
Job Titles:
- Research Program Admin Officer III
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Committee on Inclusion and Equity
- Member of Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Research Advisory Committee