Meet Our Team

Karlene Cunningham, PhD

Lead Investigator

Dr. Cunningham is a Black, Jamaican-born descendant of enslaved persons in the Caribbean, who immigrated to the US at an early age settling in the Southern US. When she told her family that she was going to be a clinical psychologist, the common refrain was, “Why? Black people don’t go to therapy.” She set out to change this narrative and create a space where everyone benefits from inclusive psychological support. Much of her work focuses on centering the unique needs of her patients in Eastern North Carolina to create a space where any birthing person, but especially those of color can be vulnerable and feel supported to thrive. She also strives to create pathways for the next generation of healthcare professionals to serve the community.

Ifeanyi Walson, DO

Fellow

Dr. Walson recently completed her psychiatry residency at ECU Health Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Brody School of Medicine. She recently started her Perinatal and Women's Mental Health Fellowship.

Krupa Trivedi

Medical Student

Krupa Trivedi is a Brody School of Medicine medical student. She has a deep passion and interest in perinatal and reproductive health. She desires to use her medical degree in the future to provide equitable, comprehensive care to birthing individuals and reduce the disparities in obstetrical and perinatal health outcomes. As a member of Dr. Cunningham’s lab, she is grateful for the ability to pursue her interest in perinatal mental health. She is specifically committed to supporting the work of indigenous leaders and increasing the presence of indigenous birthing individuals in perinatal mental health equity research.

Jessica Mack-Gill, MS

Medical Student

Jessica is a native of Winston Salem, NC. She received her BS in Biology from Howard University and a Masters in Biomedical Science from Barry University. Prior to the start of her professional career at the Brody School of Medicine, Jessica worked in Clinical Research. Jessica's research interests include postpartum care in Black women and health outcomes in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Jessica is involved with the Brody Chapter SNMA and the Medical Student Council. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys relaxing outdoors with her husband and one-year-old son.

Morgan Maner, MSc

Medical Student

Morgan is a first-year medical student at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Broadly, her research interests include health equity, perinatal health outcomes, and how criminal-legal involvement manifests as a structural determinant of health. Her prior research has focused on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on incarcerated populations.

Uma Gaddamanugu, BSPH

Medical Student

ECU Brody Scholar | NC Schweitzer Fellow

Co-founder, ECU Birth Companions

Uma is passionate about reproductive justice, interpersonal violence prevention, maternal health equity

Current projects: Birth Companions and community expansion, Addressing food insecurity at ECU's high-risk pregnancy clinic, IPV scoping review

Madison Kendrick MS, CD(DONA), LCCE

Medical Student

Madison Kendrick is from Charlotte, NC and currently a Brody School of Medicine medical student with a strong passion for equitable birth practices.

Madison is a DONA certified birth doula and is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) with a focus on individualized birth plans and interactive learning. Her efforts are guided towards advocacy of socially conscious care for pregnant persons and addressing health disparities.

Valentina Mărginean BSN-RN

Medical Student

Valentina Mărginean (she/her) is a registered nurse, aspiring physician, and farm owner. Her research interests include promoting community engagement, evaluating study methodologies, and investigating substance use.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmarginean/

Alexis C. Moore, MS

Medical Student

Co-director, Birth Companions at ECU

Passionate about sexual and reproductive health equity, maternal and fetal outcomes | addressing disparities, patient education and advocacy

Marriam Azam RN BSN

Medical Student

Co-Director & Lead educator, Birth Companions at ECU

Previously a maternity care nurse (immediate postpartum, high-risk antepartum, newborn nursery) at UNC Health and volunteer roles within UNC Birth Partners

Marriam is passionate about

addressing maternal mortality crisis and disparities through taking actionable steps towards change. She specifically works to advocate for pregnant persons and promote holistic, patient centered-care

Leeza Mason

Medical Student

Leeza Mason is a first-year medical student at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. She is from Henderson, NC and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with a B.S. degree in Biology and minors in Chemistry and History. She attended Meredith College in Raleigh, NC for a post-bac program. She enjoys watching movies, laughing with friends and family, and helping others.

Cara Girardi

Medical Student

Cara Girardi is an Asheville, NC native and a medical student at the Brody School of Medicine. Cara is passionate about equity in perinatal care, interpersonal violence prevention, and perinatal substance use disorder care. She is excited to work with the SHaRE2 Lab to study perinatal substance use and serve this patient population in Eastern N.C. She enjoys spending time with her German Shepherd and getting outside in her free time!

Sydney Taylor

Medical Student

Sydney is from Charlotte, NC and studied psychology at UNC Charlotte. As a now medical student at Brody, she believes that one cannot have physical health without mental health. Her previous research has focused on mindfulness and sleep, and she is passionate about advocating for survivors of intimate partner violence. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her Pomeranian named Lavender.

Google Scholar link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&authuser=1&user=aJq5ikIAAAAJ

Joya Libbus

Medical Student

Joya is a medical student at the Brody School of Medicine. She studied Biology and Public Health at Catholic Univ. in Washington, DC and later worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator with the cardiogenetics clinic at Walter Reed Hospital. Her academic interests include perinatal substance use disorders, reducing the stigma surrounding substance use disorders, pharmacogenetics, and medical sociology.

Karlene Cunningham, PHD

Professor

Dr. Cunningham is a Black, Jamaican born descendant of enslaved persons in the Caribbean, who immigrated to the US at age 4 and settled in the Southern US. She is the only doctor in her family. When she told her family that she was going to be a clinical psychologist, the common refrain was, “Why? Black people don’t go to therapy.” She set out to change this narrative and create a space where everyone benefits from inclusive psychological support. Much of her work focuses on centering the unique needs of her patients in Eastern North Carolina, making a space were birthing people of color can be vulnerable and be supported to thrive, and where she can create pathways for the next generation of healthcare professionals, who look to serve the community.