Lisa Goldman Rosas, PhD MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and the Department of Medicine (Division of Primary Care and Population Health) in the Stanford School of Medicine. An epidemiologist by training, Dr. Goldman Rosas leverages her expertise in patient and community engagement as well as behavioral science to address inequities in chronic diseases such as diabetes, depression, and cancer. Her work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine among other funders. She is passionate about integrating patients, caregivers, community organizations, and other key stakeholders in the research process in order to affect the greatest improvements in health equity. As a reflection of this passion, Dr. Goldman Rosas serves as the Director for the School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement and Associate Director of Cancer Health Equity and Community Engagement in the Stanford Cancer Institute.

Her favorite foods are chocolate chip cookies and kale (not together).

Stanford Profile

Wei-ting Chen, PhD is the Director of the Food for Health Equity Lab and Associate Director of Community Partnerships at the Office of Community Engagement at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Chen received her doctorate in sociology from the Johns Hopkins University. Previously, she worked as a Nutrition, Family & Consumer Sciences Advisor with UC Cooperative Extension in the San Francisco Bay Area and oversaw successful implementation of federal nutrition education programs reaching thousands of low-income residents. She has also lent her expertise to the creation of health communication products and websites as a contractor for the CDC. Her research interests focus on the impact of social inequality on health behaviors and health outcomes, particularly around people’s relationship to food and the food environment. Her favorite food is salsa.

Alethea Marti, PhD, is a linguistic and medical anthropologist with experience in the US and Mexico. Her research background includes topics such as women's home entrepreneurship, adolescent gender and ethnic identity,  parent/doctor communication around children's psychiatric care, and community-level impacts of state mental health care legislation, as well as managing a mobile app pilot study. Her research interests focus on community wellness, especially how individuals build expertise and make decisions about family health issues, and on addressing the cultural and linguistic communicative barriers that affect immigrant and minority families' access to care.

Her favorite foods are gambas al ajillo and okonomiyaki.

Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, PhD MPH is a native of Habana, Cuba, and clinical psychologist by training. She is an Instructor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and also serves as the Associate Director of Research for the Office of Community Engagement at Stanford Medicine. The ultimate goal of her research is to decrease health inequities among racial/ethnic minority populations, particularly Latinxs and immigrant communities, through transdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship. Her research aims to understand factors that create and maintain health inequities and use these insights to develop novel multi-level interventions and health promotion programs to address the inequity gap and that include multi-sectoral collaborations. 

Her favorite foods are tamales and cheese.

Stanford Profile

Lan Xiao, PhD is a Biostatistician in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health in the Stanford School of Medicine. A statistician by training, Lan has been involved in collaborative behavior clinical research for more than a decade, and played a key role in the design, data management, and reporting of the research for NIH/PCORI funded clinical trials led by Dr. Goldman Rosas. 

Her favorite foods are chocolate and mochi.

Jessica Hernandez is a post-graduate research assistant at the Office of Community Engagement at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also a research coordinator for the All of Us Research Program at Keck School of Medicine, USC. Jessica received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from the University of California, Merced. During her undergraduate experience Jessica also conducted qualitative research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center program, under Dr. Denise Payán at UC Merced where she compared nutrition environments across three South Los Angeles neighborhoods. In the future, Jessica aspires to attend graduate school and obtain a Masters or PhD degree in Community Health Sciences or Health Promotion. Her ultimate goal is to be able to give back to her community by promoting health education to under resourced communities.  During her free time, Jessica enjoys exploring new cities, reading, and baking.

Michelle Ordonez Arango is a bilingual Research Coordinator in the Epidemiology and Population Health Department at the Stanford School of Medicine. Her academic background is in Psychology and Sociology. Michelle is a native of Cali, Colombia, and has experience working with underrepresented communities in the Bay Area. Her objective is to make a social impact through research and contribute to the transformation of social realities in communities that have experienced food insecurity and have limited access to health care and basic resources. 

Her favorite foods are Colombian Arepas and Sushi.

Marcela Orizaga is a bilingual Research Coordinator for the Food for Health Equity Lab. She is a native of the Bay Area and recently returned to the region after earning her bachelor’s degree in Public Health Policy from UC Irvine. She is passionate about learning preventive medicine and how it can improve community health and well-being.

She absolutely loves green enchiladas, and it is the only food she can eat without ever getting tired of!

Jaime Morales Gallardo is originally from a rural and farmworker community in the Central Valley. He graduated with a B.S. in Global Disease Biology, a B.A. in Chicana/o Studies with a Social/Policy Studies emphasis and a minor in Sexuality Studies from the University of California, Davis. At UC Davis, Jaime was able to do research in reproductive neuroendocrinology, environmental toxicology and on the side effects of commonly used drugs on the cardiovascular system. At Stanford, Jaime was a part of the first cohort for the REACH Postbaccalaureate Program where he was able to gain research experience in structural biology. Now with the FFHE Lab, Jaime is excited to contribute to the lab's work in addressing food insecurity in a way that improves patient outcomes.

Jaime's favorite foods are pambazos and tacos dorados.

Josselyn Perez is a Chicana alum from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her Bachelor's of Science in Biology with a minor in Spanish. After graduating, she joined a local non-profit organization working to promote healthy, safe, and nonviolent communities. As a community organizer, she coordinated a team of community mobilizers to support COVID vaccination efforts in high-need areas. She is currently part of the inaugural cohort for Stanford’s REACH Post-Bacc Program.

Her favorite food is pozole, a traditional Mexican stew.

Ernesto Ceja is a native of Guadalajara, Jalisco México. He is a bilingual interventionist in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford School of Medicine. Ernesto has been involved with clinical trials for over two decades and has played an influential role in intervention delivery. He is passionate about improving the quality of life in the community.

His favorite foods are tortas ahogadas y carnes en su jugo.

Alejandra Gonzalez is in Sociology and Nutrition. I often travel back home to El Salvador to enjoy my time in the incredible tropical climate and native fruits. Before Stanford, I delivered federal nutrition education programs throughout the Bay Area and most recently helped improve food insecurity during the pandemic through the Family Meal Project. My goal is to bridge the gaps in immigrant families where food insecurity is a major factor but also give them the safety network to ask for help when needed without the feeling of future repercussions. My favorite food is PUPUSAS!

Annabel Billaud, Health Coach, is a dedicated Latina professional with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance. After over a decade in the corporate sector, she redirected her career toward community impact in the East Bay. Annabel has actively contributed to initiatives across various organizations that educate adults on anxiety, mental health, and mindfulness. Currently, she is working with Stanford’s ADELANTE Study, collaborating closely with intervention groups. She enjoys outdoor activities with her family and watching her son’s soccer games on the weekends.

Arianna Rodriguez is a first-generation Latina graduate of San Francisco State University, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology with a Minor in Latina/o Studies. In addition to her work as a bilingual research coordinator, Arianna is currently a commissioner on the Richmond-Shimada Friendship Commission, a city-sanctioned program that fosters cultural and personal connections between Richmond, California, and Shimada, Japan. Outside of her professional pursuits, Arianna enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, particularly with traditional Mexican desserts. One of her specialties is chocoflan, a unique fusion of chocolate cake and creamy flan.

Eric Meléndez is a senior at Stanford University studying computer science. He is a US Army veteran and a recent Community College transfer student. He works as a bilingual research coordinator for the Food for Health Equity Lab and assists with data collection in the Recipe4Health evaluation. Eric’s favorite foods are sopes and Mexican-style nachos.

Aneeqa Abid is a Master's student studying Epidemiology and Clinical Research at Stanford University, where she also completed her undergraduate studies in Human Biology. With the Food for Health Equity Lab, she is analyzing EHR data to assess the effect of food insecurity interventions on changes in prescribed medication. Her favorite food is Chipotle-style veggie bowls.

Sunny Cui is a student at Dartmouth College studying cognitive science and computer science. He is interested in epidemiology, educational disparities, health equity, and social entrepreneurship. He hopes to use technology to improve education and mental health access in socioeconomically disadvantaged youth. With the Food for Health Equity Lab, he is working on extracting and analyzing Fitbit data as part of the Vida Sana y Completa project. Sunny enjoys playing basketball, weightlifting, and his favorite food is chocolate chip ice cream. 

Laisha Martinez-Reyes is a first-generation Mexican-​American student studying Human Biology at Stanford University. She is interested in community health, health psychology, and health equity, and aspires to become a physician. Her favorite food is pozole verde

Kenia Zepeda is a senior at Stanford majoring in Human Biology with a concentration in the “Public and Social Health of Marginalized Communities”. She is passionate about making education more equitable and addressing health disparities in rural communities. During her free time, she likes to run, and her favorite food is cheese!

Gisselle Gonzalez-Perez is a first-generation Mexican American student born and raised in the East Los Angeles area. At Stanford, Gisselle explores her public health and medicine interests through her undergraduate studies in Human Biology. Gisselle is a bilingual research assistant for the Food for Health Equity Lab. She enjoys watching true crime documentaries and going to the beach during her free time. Gisselle’s favorite foods are pozole blanco and tamales.

Kimberly Cervantes is a first-generation college student and a Latina in STEM. She is currently studying Public Health and hopes to make healthcare more accessible to underserved communities. She is also a proud giraffe lover and enjoys seafood boils.

Erica Martinez is a bilingual Research Coordinator with the Office of Community Engagement at the Stanford School of Medicine. She graduated from Santa Clara University with majors in Biology, Public Health and Spanish. There she was able to work with underserved communities both locally and globally. Now at Stanford she is continuing her passion for health equity by impacting health outcomes through several research projects whether that be through food deliveries or behavioral interventions. 

Her favorite foods are pozole and cucumbers with lime and salt.