Our Team
Britteny M. Howell, Ph.D.
Dr. Howell is an anthropologist by training, a Credentialed Professional Gerontologist (CPG), and Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) . She is Assistant Professor in the Division of Population Health Sciences at UAA. Dr. Howell is the founder, lead researcher, and faculty mentor for students working in the UAA Healthy Aging Lab. When not researching, she teaches classes on health promotion program planning and implementation, health behavior change theory & practice, and public health for an aging society.
Amber Worthington
Amber Worthington earned her PhD in Communication Arts and Sciences from Penn State University and her BS in Health and Exercise Science from Wake Forest University. Amber's primary teaching and research areas include oral, interpersonal, small group, health, and lifespan communication. She is collaborator and primary data analyst on the NIH-project.
Leslie Redmond
Leslie Redmond earned her PhD in Nutrition from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Health and currently teaches at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Her research interests are in theory-based, culturally appropriate, and community-centered nutrition interventions and the prevention of diet-related chronic diseases in minoritized populations. She is a collaborator on the NIH-project.
Vanessa Hiratsuka
Vanessa Hiratsuka earned her PhD in Public Health from Walden University. She is Assistant Professor of Clinical and Translational Research and Co-Director of Research and Evaluation at the Center for Human Development. Her research interests are in Indigenous health and the well-being of people with disabilities. She serves as a consultant on the NIH-project.
Gabriel Garcia
Gabriel Garcia earned his PhD in Public Health at University of California Los Angeles. His research interests include health promotion and disease prevention, media and communication, chronic diseases, health risk behaviors, and health disparities. He serves as a consultant on the NIH-project.
Allexis Mahanna
Allexis Mahanna is a candidate in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at UAA and graduate research assistant.
Dale Golden
Dale Golden is PhD candidate in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at UAA and graduate research assistant.
Ainsley Benson
Ainsley Benson is a student in the Nursing program at UAA and research assistant.
Marin Livingston
Marin Livingston is completing prerequisite coursework with hopes of attending the Nursing program at UAA. She is a research assistant in the Healthy Aging Lab.
Cara Chapman
Cara Chapman is a student in Doctor of Medicine Program in the WWAMI School of Medical Education at UAA. She is a research assistant in the Healthy Aging Lab.
Niko Mahannes
Niko Mahannes is a Master's student in the Anthropology program at UAA and a research assistant.