Francesca Gany, M.D., M.S.

As the Founder and Director of the Center for Immigrant Health and a member of the faculty of the New York University School of Medicine, Francesca has an extensive background in research, curriculum development, education, and program and policy development as it relates to immigrant health. She has served as PI on a number of projects that have increased access to healthcare for New York's large immigrant population. Francesca teaches primary care, immigrant health, and health policy and medical economics at the School. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Yale University, and M.D. from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and an M.S. in Health Policy from the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Jyotsna Changrani, M.D., M.P.H.

As the Assistant Director for the diverse projects at the Center, Jyotsna fulfills various roles, including conducting research, education, and training. Additionally, Jyotsna has served as faculty for the Master of Public Health program at New York University. She has developed comprehensive training programs and curricula on cultural competence in healthcare and refugee health needs. With a strong personal interest and motivation in technology, she has developed a focus that emphasizes the use of information technology for creative public health applications, and to increase project effectiveness and efficiency. She is the Principal Investigator on an NIH/NCI-funded project to develop culturally appropriate cancer information websites for immigrants. Jyotsna completed her medical training in India, where she worked extensively in community outreach and education projects, and received her M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Karen Rochford

As the Director of Operations for the Center for Immigrant Health, Karen has multifaceted responsibilities which combine systems administration with coordination and program development. She is accountable for budget and personnel management, research and internship coordination, materials development and public affairs. Karen holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University and has over 10 years of experience in administrative and financial management.

Javier González

Javier González is Director of Language Initiatives for the Center for Immigrant Health. As such, he has worked to develop curricula in the areas of interpreting and translating in healthcare, including screening, testing and evaluation, training, and standards. He worked to implement the Remote Simultaneous Medical Interpretation (RSMI) project, developed a simultaneous medical interpretation training curriculum and quality control program, and created the Center's translation service. He is also an active participant in groundbreaking research in the nascent field of medical interpreting. Javier is ardently leading programs at the Center for Immigrant Health to facilitate the delivery of linguistically appropriate health services for immigrants and refugees in New York and elsewhere. Javier has a B.A. in Anthropology from George Washington University.

Ephraim Shapiro, M.B.A., M.P.A.

Ephraim Shapiro is Project Director for the Remote Simultaneous Medical Interpreting (RSMI) Medical Outcomes project at the Center for Immigrant Health. He is also involved in related policy initiatives. Prior to his current position, Ephraim focused on research and policy analysis relating to healthcare access. Ephraim received an M.P.A in Health Policy from New York University's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He also holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University School of Business and an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Chau Trihn-Shevrin, DrPH

Chau is the Research Internship Director at CANIMP. In this capacity, Chau develops and expands the breadth and scope of the Junior Minority Internship Program. She is also the Director of Community Health Research at the NYU School of Medicine Institute for Urban and Global Health, where she assists in the methodological design and implementation of the Institute's initiatives, grant development, and identification of research priorities. Prior to her current position, Chau was a research associate at Columbia University for community-based programs. Her research interests include women and minority health issues and social epidemiology. She has a doctorate in public health from Columbia University and an M.S. in social and behavioral health from the State University of New York at Albany.

Susan M. Shah, J.D., M.P.H.

Ms. Shah is the Director of the Cancer Awareness Network for Immigrant Minority Populations (CANIMP). In this capacity, she oversees its vast network of community-based organizations, community providers, health care institutions, ethnic media, and minority researchers. Her responsibilities include managing the program’s annual budget and overseeing an active community health outreach program. She also develops programs and educational materials with CANIMP's community-based organizational partners. In addition to her public health experience with refugee and immigrant populations, Ms. Shah has served as an immigration attorney. She earned her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, her M.P.H. from Tufts University School of Medicine, and her B.A. in Journalism from Drake University.

Katie Grandstaff

As the CIH Office Administrator, Katie handles a variety of tasks. She is responsible for day-to-day duties connected with operating the office; finance- and grant-related work; scheduling meetings and conferences; and assisting in the development and distribution of newsletters and publications. Prior to joining CIH, Katie worked as a fundraising coordinator at Ipas, a women’s public health non-profit organization. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and Women’s Studies from SUNY-Binghamton.

Thelma McNish

Thelma McNish is one of the longest serving members of the Center. She joined the Center initially as a CTPP Outreach Worker based at Church Avenue Merchants Block Association (CAMBA). With her bilingual-bicultural skills, and her enthusiasm, Thelma has helped to create TB screening and testing activities within the many New York City Latino communities. Among the partnerships Thelma has developed are those with: 1) Ladies' Committee for Puerto Rican Culture, 2) Community Impact Program, an ESL adult program at Columbia University, 3) Puerto Rican Youth Center, and 4) Brooklyn Adult Learning Center. Thelma also developed and implemented the School Intervention Program (SIP) at Newcomers High School.

Heidi Lee

Heidi Lee is a Community Tuberculosis Prevention Program (CTPP) Project Associate at the Center. With her fluency in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, she conducts TB outreach, education, and case management within the Chinese community, at English as Second Language Centers, and in the School Intervention Program. Prior to joining CIH, Heidi worked as an outreach coordinator on the World Trade Center Residents' Respiratory Study. Heidi holds a B.A. in Marketing Research.

Ana I. Grigera

Ana is a Program Associate of the Cancer Awareness Network for Immigrant Minority Populations (CANIMP). In this capacity, she conducts breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancer education workshops in Spanish and French. She oversees the outreach intake, follow-up, and data analysis to assess the efficacy of outreach efforts. Ana also serves as the Project Manager of the Virtual Community for Immigrants with Cancer (VCIC) pilot project, which is an online support group for Latinas diagnosed with breast cancer. As part of both of her primary responsibilities, she forges new partnerships with diverse immigrant community organizations, particularly those serving Latino immigrants. Ana is fluent in Spanish and French and has a B.A. in both Anthropology and Sociology from New York University.

Greta Elysée

Greta joins the cancer project as a Haitian Outreach Coordinator and CANIMP Internship Coordinator. She coordinates culturally competent educational workshops on breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancer through churches and community centers. Greta has volunteered extensively within the Haitian community. She created and published the Flatbush Voice, a newsletter for and by the after school program students at the Flatbush Haitian Center. She is a member of the New York Urban League and sits on the board of the Community Healthcare Network. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Brooklyn College, is fluent in French and Creole, and was most recently the Assistant Director of Development & Alumni/ae Coordinator for the Grace Church School.

Alexis Rourk

Alexis is a Research Assistant with the RSMI Medical Outcomes Study, Emergency Room sub-study. Alexis recruits and interviews English- and Spanish-speaking LEP patients. Alexis’ prior positions involve community and economic development and outreach in low-income Latino immigrant and African-American communities. Alexis grew up and attended college in Maryland, at the University of Maryland at College Park. She has a B.S. in Urban Poverty Studies.

Nicole Hewitt

Nicole is a Research Assistant with Remote Simultaneous Medical Interpreting (RSMI) Medical Outcomes Study. Nicole recruits and follows English and Spanish-speaking patients in the Adult Primary Care Clinic. Prior to this position, Nicole served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia. Nicole has a BA degree in Environmental Science and Policy, with a minor in Sociology and International Economics from Hood College.

Gaurab Basu

Gaurab serves as Program Assistant in the Community TB Prevention Program. He conducts outreach projects to mainly at-risk Bengali immigrants, teaching them about TB and urging them to get tested. If treatment is needed, he works with the patient to make sure they receive free and confidential services. Gaurab is also involved in the Bengali brach of the RSMI study, which investigates various modes of medical interpretation. Gaurab holds a BA in International Relations from Brown University.

Brenda Chan

Brenda is a Research Assistant focusing on Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking patients in the RSMI Medical Outcomes Study. She is a native of Hong Kong and majored in accounting and psychology in college. Prior to joining CIH, Brenda conducted Project Liberty outreach activities for Chinese WTC victims and served as Project Coordinator of the study “Mental Health Impact of the WTC Attacks on Chinese Displaced Workers.” In addition to outreach initiatives and social research experience, Brenda has also been a senior language teacher at the New York Chinese School.

Yu-hui Ferng, M.P.A.

Yu-hui is a Research Assistant for the RSMI Medical Outcomes Study. She recruits, surveys, and conducts follow-ups primarily with Spanish speaking patients to better understand patient-doctor encounters. Yu-hui also assists with Mandarin speaking patients in the study. Prior to her joining the CIH team, she served as a Liaison Specialist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital where she provided interpretations and translations for the Department of Internal Medicine. Yu-hui holds an M.P.A. in Nonprofit Management from NYU's Wagner School of Public Service. She received her B.A. from the University of Rochester in both Psychology and Political Science.

Abraham Aragones, M.D.

Abraham is a Research Assistant with the Remote Simultaneous Medical Interpreting (RSMI) Medical Outcomes Study focusing on the Emergency Room sub-study. Prior to joining CIH, Abraham worked as a Research Associate at a private Opthalmology practice where he conducted medical research related to glaucoma. Abraham, a native of Peru, earned his medical degree from the University of San Martin de Porres in Lima, Peru, where he served as an Intern at the Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza. Abraham also completed electives at several hospitals in the U.S.

	Back to top

Help The Center for Immigrant Health in its efforts to eliminate ethnic and racial disparities in healthcare through research, outreach and education, information dissemination, and program and policy development.