About Us
SAGE Staff
Hector Valdez
Hector is originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and has been a Program Manager with Arizona State University since 2016, and is currently the Program Manager for Sustainability via Active Garden Education (SAGE). He has a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from ASU, with emphasis areas in cultural studies, Latin American studies, and ethnography, and has spent his entire career in the field of health promotion and disease prevention in underrepresented populations.
Hector is originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and has been a Program Manager with Arizona State University since 2016, and is currently the Program Manager for Sustainability via Active Garden Education (SAGE). He has a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from ASU, with emphasis areas in cultural studies, Latin American studies, and ethnography, and has spent his entire career in the field of health promotion and disease prevention in underrepresented populations.
Sasha Jarrett
Sasha is a recent college graduate from the University of Arizona. She received a Bachelors of Science in Public Health with a focus on Health Promotion Sciences. She loves working with children and has experience working with K-8 children at the University of Arizona and experience working with special needs children for Absolute HCBS. She currently serves as the Program Coordinator for SAGE and loves that SAGE gives her the opportunity to impact children's overall health in a positive way.
Sasha is a recent college graduate from the University of Arizona. She received a Bachelors of Science in Public Health with a focus on Health Promotion Sciences. She loves working with children and has experience working with K-8 children at the University of Arizona and experience working with special needs children for Absolute HCBS. She currently serves as the Program Coordinator for SAGE and loves that SAGE gives her the opportunity to impact children's overall health in a positive way.
Lisbeth Cantu Garcia
Lisbeth is a recent graduate from the College of Health Solutions at ASU. She received a B.S. in public health. She enjoys working with children and has experience as a K-12 tutor for the TRiO Friendly House for nearly two years. Although she began work for SAGE as an intern, she now has a part time position on the team as a Research Technician. She enjoys implementing SAGE curriculum at school sites as it offers the opportunity to improve children’s nutrition and physical activity.
Lisbeth is a recent graduate from the College of Health Solutions at ASU. She received a B.S. in public health. She enjoys working with children and has experience as a K-12 tutor for the TRiO Friendly House for nearly two years. Although she began work for SAGE as an intern, she now has a part time position on the team as a Research Technician. She enjoys implementing SAGE curriculum at school sites as it offers the opportunity to improve children’s nutrition and physical activity.
Community Partners
Who are our Community Partners?
Our Community Partners work in early childhood, healthy eating, physical activity, and community garden sectors. Arizona Policy mandates that all public education be conducted only in English and this is why reaching families requires more strategies available in their language of origin that go beyond classroom curriculum. Involving community partners can help to bridge these disconnects in policy, increasing knowledge, improving health, and bringing the voice of the HL (Hispanic Latino) community to the research table.
List Of Community Partners And Their Affiliate Organization
Our Community Partners work in early childhood, healthy eating, physical activity, and community garden sectors. Arizona Policy mandates that all public education be conducted only in English and this is why reaching families requires more strategies available in their language of origin that go beyond classroom curriculum. Involving community partners can help to bridge these disconnects in policy, increasing knowledge, improving health, and bringing the voice of the HL (Hispanic Latino) community to the research table.
List Of Community Partners And Their Affiliate Organization
- Tina Wegner - Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Office of Nutrition and Physical Activity
- Bonnie Williams - Early Care Education Prevention Manager- Arizona Department of Health Services
- Ashley Schimke - Farm to School Specialist, Health & Nutrition Services, Arizona Department of Education
- Christina McKenney - Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator, EAGLE College Prep Elementary
- Maria Silva - Manager, Family Wellness Program , St. Vincent de Paul, Virginia G. Piper Medical and Dental Clinic
- David Hill - Desert Botanical Garden community garden
- Katherine Londen - Public Health Sanitarian, Food Safety & Environmental Service
Investigative Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Rebecca Lee
Dr. Rebecca E. Lee is a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. She is a community health psychologist, specializing in participatory research to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Her work focuses on environmental and policy strategies, capitalizes on innovations in technology and improves the quality of neighborhood environments.
Dr. Rebecca E. Lee is a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. She is a community health psychologist, specializing in participatory research to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Her work focuses on environmental and policy strategies, capitalizes on innovations in technology and improves the quality of neighborhood environments.
Co-Investigators
Dr. Gabriel Shaibi
Dr. Gabriel Shaibi is a Professor, Southwest Borderlands Scholar, and Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Arizona State University's College of Nursing and Health Innovation. His research focuses on understanding and preventing cardiometabolic disease in high risk and vulnerable populations.
Dr. Gabriel Shaibi is a Professor, Southwest Borderlands Scholar, and Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Arizona State University's College of Nursing and Health Innovation. His research focuses on understanding and preventing cardiometabolic disease in high risk and vulnerable populations.
Dr. Meg Bruening
Dr. Meg Bruening, PhD, MPH, RD is an Associate Professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. Her research is focused on the environmental and social determinants of eating behaviors among under-served, vulnerable youth and families, with a focus on food insecurity.
Dr. Meg Bruening, PhD, MPH, RD is an Associate Professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. Her research is focused on the environmental and social determinants of eating behaviors among under-served, vulnerable youth and families, with a focus on food insecurity.
Dr. Michael Todd
Dr. Michael Todd, PhD is a Research Professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. His research interests are daily process (diary) research methods, ecological momentary assessment, multilevel modeling, health behavior, substance use, stress, and coping.
Dr. Michael Todd, PhD is a Research Professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. His research interests are daily process (diary) research methods, ecological momentary assessment, multilevel modeling, health behavior, substance use, stress, and coping.
Dr. Flavio Marsiglia
Dr. Flavio F. Marsiglia is a Regent's Professor and the Distinguished Foundation Professor of Cultural Diversity and Health at the Arizona State University School of Social Work. He is also the Director of the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC). His research interests are minority health and health disparities, youth drug abuse, HIV/AIDS prevention, cultural diversity and social work with a Latino/global health emphasis.
Dr. Flavio F. Marsiglia is a Regent's Professor and the Distinguished Foundation Professor of Cultural Diversity and Health at the Arizona State University School of Social Work. He is also the Director of the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC). His research interests are minority health and health disparities, youth drug abuse, HIV/AIDS prevention, cultural diversity and social work with a Latino/global health emphasis.
Kim Pollins
Kim Sellers Pollins, Community Partner and Executive Director, Booker T. Washington Child Development Center, Inc.
Kim Sellers Pollins serves as the Executive Director of Booker T. Washington Child Development Center, Inc. Ms. Sellers Pollins has over 15 years of experience in the early education and child development industry. As executive director of 192 Head Start programs, she has a mastery of center accreditation standards, policies, and operations, and extensive experience and knowledge in the development and implementation of early childhood curriculum.
Kim Sellers Pollins, Community Partner and Executive Director, Booker T. Washington Child Development Center, Inc.
Kim Sellers Pollins serves as the Executive Director of Booker T. Washington Child Development Center, Inc. Ms. Sellers Pollins has over 15 years of experience in the early education and child development industry. As executive director of 192 Head Start programs, she has a mastery of center accreditation standards, policies, and operations, and extensive experience and knowledge in the development and implementation of early childhood curriculum.
Dr. Paul Estabrooks
Dr. Paul Estabrooks is a practical, behavioral scientist who's vision is to do research that integrates with health systems in a way that will result in a large public health impact. Most of his work, which has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1999, focuses on testing innovative health promotion programs, policies, and practice interventions that can be adopted in schools, workplaces, and healthcare clinics. Dr. Estabrooks also studies health promotion initiatives that can be sustained in typical community and clinical settings at a reasonable cost, and benefit groups that experience health disparities.
Dr. Paul Estabrooks is a practical, behavioral scientist who's vision is to do research that integrates with health systems in a way that will result in a large public health impact. Most of his work, which has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1999, focuses on testing innovative health promotion programs, policies, and practice interventions that can be adopted in schools, workplaces, and healthcare clinics. Dr. Estabrooks also studies health promotion initiatives that can be sustained in typical community and clinical settings at a reasonable cost, and benefit groups that experience health disparities.
Dr. Jennie Hill
Dr. Hill has nearly 8 years of experience working in health disparate populations and on community-based participatory research projects that have actively engaged community partners to develop community driven solutions to childhood obesity. Her research interests are community-based participatory research (CBPR) and mixed-methods approaches, built environment assessment and the influence on behavior, physical activity behavior, interventions and physical activity measurement, health equity, and social determinants of health.
Dr. Hill has nearly 8 years of experience working in health disparate populations and on community-based participatory research projects that have actively engaged community partners to develop community driven solutions to childhood obesity. Her research interests are community-based participatory research (CBPR) and mixed-methods approaches, built environment assessment and the influence on behavior, physical activity behavior, interventions and physical activity measurement, health equity, and social determinants of health.
Dr. Teresia O'Connor
Dr. O'Connor is a board certified, practicing general pediatrician and fellowship trained clinician researcher. Her research focuses on identifying strategies to best prevent and treat childhood obesity and better understand how parents influence their children’s obesity-related behaviors through the framework of parenting styles and parenting practices. She has helped identify how food related parenting practices used in combination effect low-income preschool children’s fruit and vegetable intake in order to develop a more comprehensive measure of fruit and vegetable parenting. She has also developed an instrument for physical activity parenting practices for Hispanic parents of preschool children for how the encourage or discourage their children’s physical activity. Dr. O’Connor’s has been involved with both longitudinal studies and family based interventions to promote healthy eating, activity and screen media use among their children.
Dr. O'Connor is a board certified, practicing general pediatrician and fellowship trained clinician researcher. Her research focuses on identifying strategies to best prevent and treat childhood obesity and better understand how parents influence their children’s obesity-related behaviors through the framework of parenting styles and parenting practices. She has helped identify how food related parenting practices used in combination effect low-income preschool children’s fruit and vegetable intake in order to develop a more comprehensive measure of fruit and vegetable parenting. She has also developed an instrument for physical activity parenting practices for Hispanic parents of preschool children for how the encourage or discourage their children’s physical activity. Dr. O’Connor’s has been involved with both longitudinal studies and family based interventions to promote healthy eating, activity and screen media use among their children.
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (CHPDP)
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Arizona State University is a team of faculty, students, and staff who conduct research, training, and outreach activities. Our main goal is to partner with communities to improve health and prevent disease in vulnerable populations across the lifespan. For more information about the center please visit us at chpdp.asu.edu.