Meet our Team

Trace Kershaw, PhD, focuses on the social and structural determinants of health (e.g., sexual health, substance use, mental health, reproductive health) among adolescents and emerging adults. His current focus is using innovative technologic methods to understand how social (e.g., how ones friends, partners, and family) and geographic context (e.g., how the places one goes and lives) influences their behaviors and health. Further, he is an expert in developing interventions aimed to improve the health and well being of adolescents and emerging adults.He is the Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the Director of two HIV Training Grants (Yale AIDS Prevention Training, Research Education Institute for Diverse Scholars), and Director of the  the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA). He has twice won Mentor of the Year. He also serves on expert panels for the NIH and CDC and on several journal editorial boards.

Why are you with ENRICH? I have a master’s in public health. Part of why I like being in public health is to understand the population’s overall health. What makes ENRICH unique is that we take a community approach to learning about the community in both a qualitative and quantitative way. We really do get to know the community on a more intimate level than just getting responses from people and publishing.Favorite Cartoon: The cartoon that stands out to me the most is Spongebob. There are a lot of great scenes that have stuck with me.

Why are you with ENRICH? What motivates my affiliation with ENRICH is the genuine care and compassion all team members have for their communities and for creating positive change in them. Also, the never-ending kindness and empathy that every single person on the team has for each other shocks me in the best of ways each and everyday.Favorite Cartoon: My favorite video games are Super Mario Bros and Cooking Mama

Why are you with ENRICH? I’m with ENRICH because I’m interested in learning about health disparities and I really enjoy working with the team.Favorite Cartoon: I don’t watch cartoons but I have a lot to say about 90 Day Fiancé.

Dr. Simon is an Associate Research Scientist in Public Health (Social & Behavioral Sciences) and the Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Science (CMIPS) at the Yale School of Public Health. She is a social epidemiologist whose research focuses on social and behavioral determinants of health, parenting, and community engagement. She applies both qualitative and quantitative methods to strengthen our understanding of the social and behavioral pathways that influence health and wellbeing of high-risk and vulnerable populations such as people diagnosed with HIV and injustice-impacted populations. Dr. Simon has co-authored peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter addressing Black Mental Health. She has presented her research domestically and internationally, including at the Danish and European Parliaments.

Why are you with ENRICH? I’m with ENRICH because I love working with community-oriented research. My background is with policy implementation at the intersection of HIV prevention programs and addiction programs. I love that I can bring my passion and expertise with understanding the policy framework to the team.Favorite Cartoon: My favorite cartoon character is Tin Tin. I used to read the comic books so often that I was nicknamed Tin Tin.

Why are you with ENRICH? Fourth Year PhD Student at Yale School of Public Health. My research interests are in the development and implementation of interventions to address substance abuse and related health outcomes. I’m working on the RENEW  study with hopes of using it to develop an intervention to help people who encounter potential triggers of return to use.Favorite Cartoon: I love all cartoons. I just started Steven Universe and really like it.