Researcher PhD Student, Health Services

• Jul 2020 - Present

Owner

• Nov 2015 - Dec 2020

Pioneer Health Solutions helps innovative healthcare companies that are just starting out, but can show dramatically different results in patient care, improve their operations and expand their programs. Implements cloud-based technologies to increase efficiency, builds operational standards that are flexible as you grow, tracks metrics that matter, and encourages creative ways you can support patients or clients of different income levels. Pioneer Health Solutions helps innovative healthcare companies that are just starting out, but can show dramatically different results in patient care, improve their operations and expand their programs. Implements cloud-based technologies to increase efficiency, builds operational standards that are flexible as you grow, tracks metrics that matter, and encourages creative ways you can support patients or clients of different income levels.

Clinical Research Coordinator

• Jul 2018 - Jun 2020

Support medical students at two local universities to conduct clinical research on emerging communication technology to advance medical care and public health initiatives.Responsibilities and Skills: improve compliance of student-initiated research to federal and academic standards of human subject research; work closely with Washington University and St Louis University IRB to review new human subject research protocols using Epharmix technology; train in research coordinator responsibilities and help educate medical students who take on these roles; develop new relationships with residents and faculty members to provide better support for students in developing research questions and research compliance at both universities; explore new technologies and opportunities for students to conduct student-initiated research with.

Head Of Operations

• Sep 2016 - Mar 2018

Develop and implement advocacy program; work closely with customers until their care issues have been fully resolved; create standards and procedures on client communication; research technology to make services accessible and secure; foster strategic partnerships with nationwide organizations working on similar issues; reach out to providers, administrators, insurance representatives, state health departments, non-profits and other health professionals to mediate communication and support customer resolutions; interview and hire new team members; give healthcare educational talks to businesses and communities; find and contact sales leads; review and edit over 200 articles for accuracy and maximized SEO; write new content on healthcare issues users are searching for online and help develop infographics and short videos; operate directory of health professionals and services; provide technological support for business listings in directory.

Health & Wellness Content Coordinator

• Dec 2014 - Dec 2015

Coordinate on-site process of The Trust Brain & Body Assessment with partnering medical groups to establish Western location for retired NFL players; co-develop comprehensive reports for patients coming through partnership programs with Hoag Memorial Hospital and Cleveland Clinic to improve health literacy and effectiveness of patient education; collect and manage patient data to finalize patient report, ensure data continuity, and encourage patient-led lifestyle practices; consolidate and refine Hoag program processes and procedures to better integrate into primary care practice; train new employees on program mission and delivery; co-develop, write and edit articles, executive summaries and other online information to engage patients and the public in relevant wellness information through newsletters and social media; support physicians through content development to publicize areas of expertise; manage project to efficiently trend patient data; propose company wellness program and best means of employee engagement; support marketing team for copyrighting of internet content, marketing collateral, and patient outreach; participate in educational opportunities and appropriate professional organizations.

Exercise Physiologist

• Aug 2013 - Dec 2014

Assess baseline nutrition and fitness levels of Hoag Executive Health patients and provide resources to achieve healthy lifestyle: submaximal cardiovascular fitness, functional movement screen, fall risk assessment, strength tests, body composition, food log, average daily fitness and nutrition habits, hunger scale, awareness of disordered eating habits; educate patients on current nutrition standards to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes for at-risk patients (e.g. fiber levels, fruit and vegetable consumption, alcohol moderation, etc.); follow risk standards to safely test cardiovascular fitness; collaborate with patient to set realistic fitness and nutrition goals that will achieve sustainable health each year; research alternative protocols for patients with high-risk conditions or disability; coordinate patient care and health advice with physicians; write monthly articles for Hoag Executive Health Blog.

Personal Fitness Trainer, Master Instructor

• Apr 2011 - Aug 2013

Design and implement fitness and nutrition programs to help clients reach goals in body composition, strength, performance, and injury recovery; review client medical history through questionnaires; conduct biometric testing and movement screens on men and women aged 18 to 75; cater to clients with heart disease, diabetes, and immune disorders; create cardiovascular programs to develop specific energy systems; teach proper movement patterns for injury prevention; coordinate post-rehabilitation exercise programs with medical practitioners; submit program designs to managers for review; keep up-to-date progress notes on clients; instruct new employees on fitness principles and their applications in Equinox Fitness Training Institute.

Personal Fitness Trainer

• Jun 2010 - Apr 2011

Design and schedule unique cycling and senior fitness programs; write informational articles for newsletter and develop fitness blog; instruct fitness classes of up to 20 persons; promote programs to nearby businesses, community clubs, sport teams, and neighborhood papers through personal visits and e-mail; assess physical condition of client through standard medical questionnaires and physical tests for body measurements, strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance; build professional relationships with personal training clients; advise weight-loss clients on general nutrition and motivation through daily e-mail; quickly and accurately assist clients with inquiries and concerns; report on client recruitment, activity, and retention; organize office files and convert to Microsoft Office electronic databases; create online surveys for client feedback; follow constant contact company policy; maintain accredited certification; participate in charitable company activities; give recommendation for using Meetup as social media; design informational flyers for fitness programs on Microsoft Publisher.

Biological Science Technician

• Apr 2007 - Nov 2010

Investigate arid land restoration techniques and determine habitat requirements of federally listed threatened and endangered species while following permit regulations. Responsibilities and Skills: Manage research crews of 3 to 15 members; coordinate monthly scheduling with principal investigator and communicate technical or logistical problems that might influence research objectives or deadlines; prepare equipment, plant identification field guides, sampling points, and data sheets to execute field research by deadline; train crews to follow strict research methods, identify over 75 native plants, use taxonomic keys, and apply appropriate tools to locate and set up sampling quadrats; supervise data collection to mitigate and correct faulty techniques; guide field activities of up to 20 Nevada Conservation Corps members and volunteers to implement restoration treatments; expand learning resources and training materials on health and professional development for interns to fulfill program requirements of Student Conservation Association; work up to 20 days per month at remote field sites under extreme desert temperatures and primitive camping conditions; use maps, compass and GPS to locate long-term monitoring plots; identify native and invasive Mojave Desert annual and perennial plants to species using taxonomic plant keys; compose briefing on recently published scientific paper for land management journal; determine annual plant production within standard sampling quadrats and count perennial seedlings within belt transects to characterize productivity of desert tortoise habitat; conduct soil testing to obtain soil composition and physical properties; repair HOBO weather stations and run software analysis to rectify mechanical errors; operate four-wheel drive vehicle over rough terrain and perform routine vehicle maintenance; enter data into Microsoft Excel files; compose project briefings for land management journals. (Also worked 4/2007 - 2/2008).

Special Projects Manager

• May 2008 - Oct 2008

Review, research, and implement sustainable business practices that further develop the company's mission and marketing value to improve urban health at the landscape level, specifically green roofs.Responsibilities and Skills: Manage and expand a green roof maintenance program that addresses green roof survival and meets clients' budgets; schedule site visits and coordinate activities with crew members; update business contractors and clients on green roof conditions with professional reports; record plant species, plant life stages, media composition, media depth, and issues with physical components on green roofs; inspect failing or damaged green roofs and use appropriate tools, such as photographs, to effectively communicate issues to company owner, contractors, and clients; recommend suitable plants and media according to site conditions; hold regular status meetings with core staff; build relationships with businesses and research institutions to identify and develop opportunities for environmental landscape procedures; research scientific literature to advance company's services; institute recycling program to cut down on plastic waste stream; collect information on company and vendor business practices regarding material sourcing and labor; devise report on business practices to successfully apply for Green Business Network certification; organize company information into a web-friendly format to educate clients about company mission and services on new website.

Research Assistant

• Jun 2006 - Oct 2006

Conduct and modify pilot experiments to address the national decline in agricultural honey bee (Aphis mellifera) populations. Responsibilities and Skills: Lift research beehives weighing up to 50 pounds to examine colony health; operate four-wheel drive vehicle to transport beehives safely within city limits and rural areas; diagnose and monitor colony diseases caused by American foulbrood, chalkbrood, or Verroa mites; ensure the safety of the field research team by responding calmly and quickly to control aggressive bee colonies; develop methods for preliminary experiments with teammate according to research goals and notify supervisor about procedural difficulties and successes; travel over several days in rural areas with research team to visit surrounding beekeepers and study disease distribution within their beehives; notify supervisor about technical problems with equipment; write training manual with detailed guidelines for routine laboratory experiments.

Student Researcher

• Jun 2005 - Aug 2005

Collaborate with an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Minnesota to improve comparisons of net energy and pollution levels from the vehicular use of alternative and conventional energy sources.Responsibilities and Skills: Review literature concerning how the production of biodiesel affects the American economy, environment, and agriculture; organize literature references into a user-friendly database that expedites team research efforts; understand the chemical and mechanical processes integral to manufacturing biodiesel; summarize in a formal presentation the alternative ways to develop biodiesel fuel and their corresponding environmental impacts; assemble and standardize data posted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to calculate the net energy balance (NEB) of growing major crops used in biodiesel production; contact biodiesel companies for records on energy use and emission levels in their factories that they can contribute to the research group; meet regularly with research team at the University of Minnesota for updates and revisions of project progress; arrange informational meetings with regional businessmen and farmers involved in grassroots and industrial biodiesel production; chart the life cycle accounting of biodiesel and diesel fuels to compare their overall greenhouse gas emissions and NEB; present chart and explain research methods to the University of Minnesota team to assist the development of their larger project on the impacts of alternative fuel use (Supervisor: Dr. Jason Hill)

Field Technician

• Jun 2004 - Aug 2004

Collect data to evaluate the ecological impact of insects on plant diversity, distribution, and persistence in sandhill prairie for future application in natural resource management. Responsibilities and skills: Conduct field work in remote field sites during adverse weather conditions to finish data collection by deadline; gather annual and perennial vegetation data to characterize sandhill prairie plant communities; prioritize tasks each week with teammate; carry over 25 pounds of water and herbicides to spray as treatments on research plots; use taxonomic classification keys to determine plant and insect species; share duties with research team to establish appropriate research plots and follow research methods (Supervisor: Dr. Svata Louda)