Rebecca A. Malouin, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S.
Associate Dean, Global Health Institute | malouinr@msu.edu
Dr. Rebecca Malouin is the Associate Dean of the MSU Global Health Institute in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Malouin is a health services researcher with a specific interest in the experience of care within primary care. Before joining Michigan State University, Dr. Malouin served as an epidemiologist in the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She also served as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in Niger. Dr. Malouin received her Ph.D. and M.P.H. in international health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also completed an M.S. in epidemiology from Michigan State University. Dr. Malouin oversees the Global Health Studies Program and is an instructor for OST 822 Introduction to Global Health Practice and OST 828 Global Health Capstone.
Andrea Freidus Turner, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.A.
Associate Director, Global Health Studies, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine | freidusa@msu.edu
Dr. Andrea Freidus is the Associate Director of Global Health Studies. She received her PhD in medical anthropology from Michigan State University and holds an MPH in Global Public Health. Dr. Freidus has over 15 years of experience researching the intersection of culture, health, and disease. As an applied scholar, her work is often collaborative, community-based, and participatory, exploring varying domestic and international topics, including transnational responses to orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi, volunteer tourism in Malawi, risky sexual behavior and tourism in Costa Rica, impact of forced evacuation on indigenous communities in highlands Ecuador, impact of COVID-19 on direct care workers in North Carolina, black women’s health equity in North Carolina, college student food and housing insecurity, and migrant farmworkers access to health resources in Immokalee, Florida. Dr. Freidus teaches OST 450 Introduction to Global Health, OST 828 Global Health Capstone, and OST 830 Global Health Independent Study.
Qing Xia, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Global Health Education and Research, Global Health Institute | xiaqing@msu.edu
Dr. Qing Xia (pronounced Ching Shia) is the Global Health Institute's Associate Director for Global Health Education and Research in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Before coming to the United States as an international student, she was a faculty member at Sichuan University in China. She specializes in interdisciplinary research, education, and professional development in the context of global health and international education. Before joining GHI, she held leadership roles in International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University. She has extensive managerial experience in capacity-building projects, international professional development, faculty development, and international student training programs. Dr. Xia employs qualitative methods in her research projects, and her research interests include adult learning, professional socialization and identity development, health education, higher education internationalization, One Health, global health, mobile health, and women’s health. Dr. Xia teaches OST 450 Introduction to Global Health.
Stephanie Six, M.S.A
Global Health Studies Program Administrator/Academic Advisor | six@msu.edu
Ms. Stephanie Six serves as the Global Health Studies Program Administrator and Academic Advisor. Ms. Six has over 25 years of experience working in a variety of higher education roles, with the majority focusing on trade apprenticeship and medical preceptorship program coordination, research administration, and human resource labor relations. She is currently working on her doctorate in education technology and earned both her B.S. in Administration and M.S. in Administration online from Central Michigan University. Ms. Six has been involved in several health education research projects related to primary care, including the administration of two US Department of Health & Human Services grants and participation as a federal grant reviewer.
Wendi Winston, M.L.I.S
Global Health Studies Academic Program Coordinator/Admissions Advisor | winst106@msu.edu
Mrs. Wendi Winston serves as both the Academic Program Coordinator and Admissions Advisor for the Global Health Studies Program. Mrs. Winston has more than 20 years of customer service experience and has worked with students in higher education for over 10 years. Before joining the Global Health Studies Program, Mrs. Winston worked for the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine Detroit campus since its inception in 2009. In addition to her job duties, Mrs. Winston has found ways to be an active voice at MSU. She had the honor of serving two terms as a member of the Women's Advisory Committee for Support Staff (WACSS), was a union representative for the Clerical Technical Union for 10 years, and was the 2017 recipient of the Thomas and Concettina Gliozzo Clerical-Technical Recognition Award. Mrs. Winston earned both her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and her Master of Library Information degree from Wayne State University.
Paige Rissman
Education Abroad Coordinator, Global Health Institute | rissmanp@msu.edu
Paige Rissman serves as the Education Abroad Coordinator for the Global Health Institute. In this capacity, she helps manage the Institute’s portfolio of Education Abroad programs, oversees recruitment and outreach, advises students on opportunities and requirements, and assists the Office for Education Abroad in setting program budgets. Additionally, Paige is responsible for devising policies and procedures for Global Health’s education abroad programs, in partnership with faculty and staff.
Prior to joining the Global Health Institute, Paige oversaw screening, enrollment, and advising for the federal Matching Grant employment program in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving hundreds of refugees across Washtenaw County while building partnerships at the local, state, and national levels. An advocate for cross-cultural communication within communities, she also worked as an ESOL teaching assistant for area refugees and international graduate students at Michigan State University.
Paige earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations, with an additional major in Spanish, from Michigan State University. During her time at Michigan State, Paige had the opportunity to complete an education abroad experience in Madrid, Spain, and a virtual internship with a UN-affiliated NGO in Melbourne, Australia, through MSU’s College of Arts and Letters. She was also nominated as a Fulbright semifinalist for Argentina.
Gage Dansby
Communications Manager, Global Health Institute | dansbyga@msu.edu
Gage Dansby is the Communications Manager for the Global Health Institute, helping lead internal and external communications and marketing for Global Health Studies programs, Education Abroad experiences, and other GHI programs. Gage oversees the social media and marketing efforts for GHI, along with managing GHI websites, newsletters, and event promotions. Before joining GHI, Gage was a User Experience Content Specialist for MSU's University Procurement and Logistics. His career background focuses on digital marketing, web user experience, social media management, and video/audio production. Gage earned his Master of Arts in Communication from Central Michigan University and his Bachelor's degree in Communications Arts & Sciences from Adrian College in Adrian, MI.
Carole Woodward
Office Assistant, Global Health Institute | woodw110@msu.edu
Ms. Carole Woodward serves as the Office Assistant for the Global Health Institute. Since joining Michigan State University, Ms. Woodward has provided dedicated administrative support for GHI. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Western Michigan University.
Ramjee Ghimire, Ph.D.
Global Outreach and Network Specialist, CANR/COM | ghimirer@msu.edu
Dr. Ramjee Ghimire is a multidisciplinary researcher and practitioner with over 20 years of experience in global health, animal health, and sustainable development. He currently serves as the Global Outreach and Network Specialist with a joint appointment at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and the Global Health Institute (GHI) at Michigan State University (MSU). Dr. Ghimire is Director of the U.S. Department of State-funded Mekong One Health Innovation Program (MOHIP), implemented by GHI. MOHIP aims to enhance health security in the Lower Mekong region—spanning Thailand, Laos PDR, and Vietnam by promoting the One Health approach. Dr. Ghimire holds a PhD from Michigan State University, a master’s degree from Western Sydney University, Australia, and a bachelor’s degree from Mumbai Veterinary College, India. He is a reviewer for over a dozen scientific journals and has a wide range of publications across these fields. Dr. Ghimire teaches OST 450 Introduction to Global Health.
Travis Gordon, D.O., MSc, FAAO
Director, Merida Medical Education, Yucatan
Associate Professor, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine | gordont7@msu.edu
Dr. Travis Gordon is the Director of Medical Education for International Studies in Yucatan, Mexico, and an Associate Professor of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He oversees all international projects and collaborations between MSU GHI and Mexico.
Rene Hinojosa, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, College of Social Sciences | hinojosa@msu.edu
Dr. Rene Hinojosa is Professor Emeritus in the Urban and Regional Planning Program, School of Planning, Design and Construction, and adjunct professor of the Department of Geography and Global Health Institute. He was the former Acting Director of the Julian Samora Research Institute, former Chair of the Department of Geography, visiting professor at the Science University in Tokyo, Japan, Fulbright Scholar at the National University, Colombia, and the Private University of Bolivia. He worked as a civil engineer and consultant to international development agencies in regional development and authored many articles and technical reports dealing with methods and techniques for urban and regional analysis. He taught quantitative research methods and techniques, transportation planning, regional economic analysis, housing, and urbanization in developing countries, and has organized several study abroad courses. He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering and a PhD degree in planning from the University of Washington.
Jodi Flanders, D.O., FACOFP
Associate Medical Director, Global Health Institute, College of Osteopathic Medicine | flande23@msu.edu
Dr. Flanders is a graduate of Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine and is the Medical Director and Associate Professor in the Global Health Institute. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, working in international Global Health and Education, as well as with those experiencing homelessness in Michigan. Passionate about human trafficking and addiction, she serves as Medical Director in a Michigan-based residential facility, as well as a political advocate for victims and survivors. Both locally and internationally, she mentors COM students in research, ethics, cultural sensitivity, scientific abstracts, and poster preparation.
Ruben Kenny Briceno, M.D., MSc
Associate Professor and Peru Medical Director, Global Health Institute | briceode@msu.edu
Dr. Ruben Kenny Briceno, M.D., MSc, is an Associate Professor with the Global Health Institute at Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM). His academic background includes a medical doctorate (M.D.) and residency in Infectious Diseases & Tropical Medicine from universities in Peru, complemented by a Master's in Health Services Management and specialized training in biosensors at MSU.
Dr. Briceno's career bridges clinical practice, research, and global health leadership. He serves as an attending physician in Infectious and Tropical Diseases at two major hospitals in Peru, holds the position of Peru Medical director at GHI, and is Research Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Global Alliance for Rapid Diagnostics. His work at the Global Health Institute involves researching affordable diagnostic technologies, emerging pathogens, and climate-sensitive diseases such as dengue, as evidenced by his role as Principal Investigator on internationally awarded and funded grants. This position directly leverages his clinical expertise and international collaborations to advance the Institute's mission of addressing health disparities and improving medical outcomes in underserved communities worldwide.
Arpon Shahed, D.O., M.S.T
Assistant Professor, Global Health Institute Department of Family Medicine | shaheda1@msu.edu
Dr. Arpon Shahed, D.O., M.B.T., is an alumnus of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his Family Medicine residency at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield, where he served as Chief Medical Resident. He also holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Calgary. Dr. Shahed currently serves as an Assistant Professor with the Michigan State University Global Health Institute and the Department of Family Medicine. In addition, he is the Chief Medical Officer at Get Well Urgent Care LLC in metro Detroit, where he continues to provide patient care and oversee clinical operations across multiple locations.
Beyond his academic and clinical responsibilities, Dr. Shahed is deeply committed to advancing global health. He serves on the Board of Directors for DOCARE International and as a medical consultant for Soaring Unlimited Haiti. Over the past decade, he has led and participated in numerous international medical outreach initiatives across Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, and Guatemala, focusing on building sustainable clinical programs for high-risk and underserved communities.
Through his leadership, teaching, and service, Dr. Shahed remains dedicated to promoting healthcare equity and capacity-building both locally and globally.
Amelia Odo, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Faculty and Researcher, University of Nigeria
Adjunct Assistant Professor, MSU Global Health Studies, College of Osteopathic Medicine | odoameli@msu.edu
Dr. Amelia Odo is a Faculty member at the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She is also an African Futures Scholar at Michigan State University. Dr. Odo is a Public Health Educator and Researcher with specific interests in sexual and reproductive health, infectious diseases, and drug abuse control. Before joining academia, Dr. Odo worked with the primary health care as a public health nurse and midwife for several years. She has her Ph.D. and Master's in Public Health Education, B.Sc. in Health Education, and Diplomas in Public Health Nursing (HND), Midwifery (RM), and General Nursing (RN). She developed part of the OST 824 Emerging Topics in Global Health.
Richard Parks, J.D., Ph.D.
Academic Specialist, Lyman Briggs College | rparks@msu.edu
Dr. Richard Parks is an Academic Specialist in Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University (MSU). Before joining MSU, Dr. Parks was the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Global History of Medicine at Brown University. He earned a B.A. from New York University, a J.D. from Tulane University School of Law, and a Ph.D. in the History of Medicine at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Dr. Parks’ research interests are colonial health regimes in North Africa and bioethical issues, and he has published his research in Medical Imperialism in French North Africa (Nebraska Univ. Press, 2017). He regularly leads study abroad summer semesters in Paris and Berlin. Dr. Parks teaches OST 825 Ethical Issues in Global Health.
Kurt Richter, Ph.D.
Academic Outreach Specialist, Department of Community
Sustainability, International Studies and Programs
Deputy Director and Principal Investigator of the Innovation Scholars Program and Great Research | kurtr@msu.edu
Dr. Kurt Richter is the Deputy Director of the Global Center for Food Systems Innovation (GCFSI) and has over 20 years of involvement in higher education and international development. Dr. Richter has worked in numerous countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and has held long-term leadership roles in Guatemala, Colombia, Afghanistan, and the Republic of Georgia. Dr. Richter has led Human and Institutional Capacity Development projects focused on higher education, research, and innovation in numerous countries, including Malawi, Tanzania, Senegal, South Sudan, Uganda, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Kurt holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Richter teaches OST 824 Emerging Topics in Global Health.
Jacob Rowan, D.O.
Program Leader, International Programs in Merida, Mexico
Associate Professor, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine | rowanjac@msu.edu
Dr. Jacob Rowan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Program Leader for International Programs in Merida, Mexico. He received a US Army scholarship for medical school, and upon graduation, he became an Army captain, completing his internship year at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. He then served as a general medical officer with the 1st Armored Division in Germany. During that time, Dr. Rowan was deployed with the 1st Infantry Division to Camp Able Sentry in Macedonia. After leaving the military, he completed residency training in physical medicine and rehabilitation at MSU. Dr. Rowan is actively involved in patient care, teaching, research, and administrative duties at MSUCOM. He helped establish the MSUCOM clinic in Merida, Mexico, and has done presentations and workshops in Japan, Mexico, Korea, and India. His teaching and research interests include osteopathic manual medicine, international medicine/global health, telemedicine/tele-education, sports medicine, and detection dog research.
Mohamed Satti, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Assistant Professor, College of Human Medicine | msatti@msu.edu
Dr. Mohamed Satti earned his PhD from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and has taught and researched internationally in the areas of public health, parasitology, immunology, and infectious diseases. He teaches in both the Public Health and Global Studies programs and in the College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a visiting professor of immunology and parasitology at St. Matthew’s University, Grand Cayman, School of Veterinary Medicine, conducting research on heartworms in dogs and cats to help identify new pathological markers for human & animal filarial infection. His research interests include host-parasite relationships, the role of basophils during parasitic infection, and the pathological mechanisms of filarial worms in humans and animals. He has made significant research contributions in the immunology of infectious diseases, and his research has resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications and international presentations on topics of global public health significance. Dr. Satti teaches OST 823 Global Burden of Disease.
Mieka Smart, Dr.P.H., M.H.S.
Associate Professor, College of Human Medicine | smartmie@msu.edu
Dr. Mieka Smart holds appointments in the College of Human Medicine’s Department of Public Health and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She is additionally the director of the College of Human Medicine Leadership for the Medically Underserved (LMU), the principal investigator of an alcohol policy evaluation and monitoring project in Uganda, and a co-investigator in the Methodology Core of the Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions. Dr. Smart serves the African Studies Center, the Global Health Institute, the Master of Public Health Program, and undergraduate medical studies at MSU. Dr. Smart earned her BA in public health, MHS, and DrPH in mental health from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Smart teaches OST 831 Evidence-Based Practice in Global Health.
Mary Kay Smith, Ph.D., M.S.N, R.N., C.H.S.E.
Director, Learning and Assessment Center, College of Osteopathic Medicine | mksmith@msu.edu
Dr. Mary Kay Smith is the Director of the Learning and Assessment Center (LAC) and Assistant Professor serving the Michigan State University Colleges of Human Medicine, Nursing, Osteopathic Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Smith is a Fellow in the International Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy and holds a doctorate in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education Administration. Dr. Smith is a Master TeamSTEPP Trainer and facilitates courses in academia and many hospital institutions. Current research is focused on simulation Program administration, simulation methodologies, and interprofessional education. Dr. Smith teaches OST 824 Emerging Topics in Global Health.
Chelsea Wentworth, Ph.D., M.P.H
Assistant Professor, Office of Medical Education Research and Development | wentwo21@msu.edu
Dr. Wentworth is an assistant professor in the Office of Medical Education Research and Development (OMERAD). Her research focuses on the development of research products that impact public policy change, examining factors that impact health equity among families, and an emphasis on feminist community-engaged research praxis and understanding food access through a systems-based approach, through her international and US-based research. These projects have broader applications in gender, health, and public policy as governments and healthcare practitioners work to improve health outcomes for communities. Dr. Wentworth has contributed to research that mapped the Flint food system, identifying leverage points to improve food security and partnering with community members to identify actionable pathways toward food system change. She collaborates with the Intertribal Council of Michigan and researchers at MSU studying Indigenous foodways and developing early childhood curriculum that promotes Native language and food traditions. Dr. Wentworth teaches OST 829 Global Health Community Assessment.
Lauri Winter, M.S.N., M.P.P.M
Instructor, Global Health Studies Program, College of Osteopathic Medicine | winterl1@msu.edu
Lauri Winter brings twenty-five years plus experience directing, both managerially and technically, maternal and child health programs using quality improvement and health systems strengthening approaches to her course in Global Health Management. She has led projects and provided consultancy services to NGOs and Ministry of Health programs in Africa and Southeast Asia. Ms. Winter is a practitioner/instructor with a Master of Science in Nursing (community health) and a Master of Public and Private Management from Yale University, as well as a graduate certificate in Adult Education from the University of the District of Columbia. Ms. Winter teaches OST 827 Global Health Management and OST 402 Introduction to Global Health.
Mark Hodgins
Instructional System Designer | hodgins@msu.edu
Mark Hodgins serves as an Instructional Technology Advisor for the Global Health Institute (GHI). He is currently part of the team working on curriculum revisions for the Armed Forces College of Medicine in Egypt. Before acting as an advisor for GHI, Mr. Hodgins had spent 38 years providing instructional technology services to the four medical schools at Michigan State University. These services have included instructional television production, computer laboratory configuration and operation, instructional and administrative computer program development, and faculty development in the area of instructional design. He obtained his B.A. in Telecommunication and M.A. in Educational Psychology – Computer-Aided Instruction at MSU. He has traveled extensively around the world to attend Instructional Technology conferences as well as for pleasure. Destinations include British Columbia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Egypt, France, Germany, England, and Ireland.
Abe Wheeler, M.L.I.S., M.T.S.
Librarian | awheeler@msu.edu
Mr. Abe Wheeler is an MSU Librarian and is designated as the Global Health Studies Program's primary librarian. Mr. Wheeler obtained his Master's in Library Science (MLIS) from the University of Pittsburgh and his Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Vanderbilt University. He has been a librarian for 15 years, with 12 of those years working for MSU Libraries. Mr. Wheeler’s expertise lies in evidence-based practice, creating tractable research questions, data literacy, and advanced searching techniques.
Jay Loftus, ED.d.
Academic Specialist, Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation | loftusj5@msu.edu
Dr. Jay Loftus is an Academic Specialist in the MSU Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Before joining MSU, Jay worked as the Senior Instructional Designer and Coordinator of Digital Learning at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry – The University of Western Ontario. Jay has also taught courses in Educational Technology and Instructional Design with the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario, the Werklund School of Education – University of Calgary, and Red Deer College in Canada. Jay’s academic background is in the field of Educational Technology. Jay earned his Doctor of Education from the University of Calgary. His research interests are in the neurophysiological changes that occur during learning with technology, as well as the uses of technology to improve student and instructor engagement. Dr. Loftus co-instructs OST 828.