
Moderator: Rebecca Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Social Work and College of Public Health, University of Georgia
Dr. Rebecca Wells is a Clinical Associate Professor, jointly appointed to the Department of Health Promotion & Behavior in the College of Public Health and the School of Social Work. She directs UGA’s Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Catalyst training program, UGA MCH LEEDS, and is the coordinator of the Master of Social Work-Master of Public Health program.
Keisha R. Callins, MD, PHD, Obstetrician/Gynecologist & Chief Wellness Officer, Community Health Care Systems, Inc.
Dr. Keisha R. Callins is an obstetrician/gynecologist with Community Health Care Systems, Inc., a federally qualified health center network serving rural and underserved communities across Georgia. She also serves as a Professor in the Department of Community Medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine. Dr. Callins has been appointed to several state commissions, including the Georgia Maternal and Infant Health Commission. A respected speaker and published author, she has presented at congressional briefings, national conferences, and community events. Guided by her personal mission, “You may not be able to change the world, but you can change the world of everyone with whom you interact,” Dr. Callins is dedicated to advancing equitable maternal and child health.
Sycarah Fisher, PhD, Associate Professor of School Psychology, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Georgia
Dr. Sycarah Fisher is an Associate Professor of School Psychology at the University of Georgia and Director of the PRISMS Lab. Her research focuses on adolescent substance use prevention, with an emphasis on adapting and implementing evidence-based practices in schools and communities. Dr. Fisher’s work bridges implementation science and public health to advance equitable mental health and prevention services for youth, particularly in high-need schools.
Lucy Annang Ingram, PhD, MPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Promotion & Behavior, University of Georgia
Dr. Lucy Annang Ingram is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Promotion & Behavior in the College of Public Health at UGA. She is public health scholar whose research focuses on eliminating health inequities among racial and ethnic minoritized populations through community-engaged approaches and sustainable academic-community partnerships. Her work has positioned her as a trusted mentor, teacher, and researcher in the areas of diversity, aging, and maternal health, with a strong emphasis on translating research into programs that have the multiplicative effect of promoting optimal health and training the next generation of public health leaders.
Erin Vinoski Thomas PhD, MPH, Research Associate Professor and Interim Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, Georgia State University
Dr. Erin Vinoski Thomas is a Research Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and Interim Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), at Georgia State University. Her research and program implementation focus broadly on addressing health equity for individuals with disabilities and their families across the life course, including children and youth with special healthcare needs. She is currently conducting research to explore the perspectives of caregivers of children diagnosed with both intellectual/developmental disabilities and food allergies to better understand individual, family, and policy level implications.
Kaprice Welsh, CNM, MSN, MPH, Doctoral Student, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
Kaprice S. Welsh is a certified nurse-midwife, public health leader, nurse educator, and doctoral student at Emory University with over 30 years of experience in maternal health. She has taught at Emory, Chamberlain University, and Georgia State University, dedicating her career to advancing respectful, equitable maternity care and reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. She has held leadership roles with the Georgia Affiliate of Nurse Midwives, National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, and March of Dimes. A Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and recipient of multiple awards for health equity, Kaprice is passionate about inspiring the next generation of midwives and public health professionals.