ABOUT US
HmongHPV Team:
Our team has many years of experience in the community, with health care, community-based programs, and research in cancer, technology, and public health. Meet our team below:
Dr. Hee Yun Lee is a professor at the University of Alabama and has 15 years of experience in cancer screening and prevention research using mobile applications in the Hmong and Korean American community.
Dr. Kathie Culhane-Pera has worked with the Hmong community in the US and in Thailand for more than 30 years. She is a doctor and medical director of quality at West Side Community Health Services. Dr. Culhane-Pera is a founding member of the SoLaHmo Partnership for Health and Wellness, a community-based research group working with Hmong, Somali, and Latino communities.
Dr. April Wilhelm is a physician and clinician-researcher at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Wilhelm’s research centers on promoting healthy behaviors among adolescents in refugee and immigrant communities.
Dr. Joe Koopmeiners is a professor in biostatistics at the University of Minnesota and leads the HmongHPV analysis.
Dr. Jay Desai is an epidemiologist with the Minnesota Department of Health with 26 years of experience in public health, health care system, and health equity research.
Ms. Shannon Pergament is co-director of community based research and founding member of SoLaHmo at West Side Community Health Services. She has over 23 years of experience in health disparities research and 13 years of working with the Hmong American community to improve health equity.
Mr. Bai Vue is a community researcher with SoLaHmo. He is bilingual in Hmong and English. He has worked on several research projects in the Hmong community.
Ms. Serena Xiong is a community researcher with SoLaHmo. She is bilingual in Hmong and English. She has worked on several research projects in the Hmong community and is currently completing her doctorate at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Beatriz Torres is a professor at Mercyhurst University and has over 20 years of health communications expertise.
Mr. Tounhia Khang is the study project coordinator and is fluent in Hmong and English. He is currently an evaluation and data management specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension Services.
Mr. John Behr is Director of ETI, Educational Technology Innovations, at the University of Minnesota. He led the ETI team in the creation of the Hmong HPV web application.
Contact Information: HmongHPV@gmail.com