AI.Health4All Community Advisory Board

  • Sarah S. Rittner, MA (she/her), directs the community engagement initiatives for the AI.Health4All Center. Sarah is the Founder & CEO of SASU Project Management, a women-owned business incorporating over 20 years of community-engaged health equity experience in its multidisciplinary approach to advancing the health and well-being of all individuals. Sarah’s expertise examines strategies to disrupt and reduce disparities in healthcare settings and outcomes, Community-Based Participatory Research in marginalized communities, and safety net-focused health improvement programming and policy.
  • Allen Shi – Medical Student, UIC – Allen was a member of the PATH team at UI Health Pediatrics, where he contributed to internet-based depression prevention research for four years. He is now a first-year medical student at the Peoria campus.
  • Anniek van Aarem – Clinical Research Coordinator, Rush University – Anniek is a recent UIC graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. She is currently working at Rush as a clinical research coordinator for the pediatric neurology department and in the process of applying to physician assistant school.
  • Barbara Freeman, MPH – Retired Public Health Professional – Barbara’s professional career focused on Community Health Education, addressing health disparities in communities of color. In her retirement, Barbara continues to sit on many Community Advisory Boards and participates in research, where possible. Barbara resides in Gary, Indiana.
  • Brianna D. Griggs, MPH– Senior Program Coordinator, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago – Brianna has been in the field of public health for almost a decade and appreciates the opportunity to continue safeguarding the well-being of diverse communities everywhere. She has a growing interest in the advancement of health equity and justice and is dedicated to addressing these inequities through policies and interventions such as AI/ML to increase access and quality of healthcare for everyone.
  • Caesar Thompson – Student + Research Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) – Caesar is a public health professional whose interest in translational science and health equity necessitates understanding AI’s growing impact on our lives.
  • Charles Peterson – Director, Business Development & Community Engagement, Neelyx Labs – Charlie navigates the intersectionality of public health, community engagement, policy and advocacy, and clinical research, specializing in HIV, STIs, and Viral Hepatitis. He feels that the possibilities for the application of AI in improving health equity, healthcare affordability, and accessibility are of the utmost importance!
  • Dakari Finister – Evaluation Research Analyst, Stanford University – School of Medicine – As a researcher living with Sickle Cell disease with a background in medical sociology, Dakari brings a unique perspective to her work, enriching her insights into patient experiences and healthcare disparities. Her expertise combines qualitative research methodologies with an empathetic understanding of chronic health conditions.
  • Diane M. Potts, MA, MSEd, President, Illinois Rural Health Association (IRHA) and Director of Health Initiatives, Illinois Lyme Association (ILA) – Diane has an extensive background in collaborating and engaging with rural healthcare partners throughout Illinois. She is dedicated to health equity for ALL, including underserved rural areas. Diane believes that AI/ML will help lead to breakthroughs in narrowing the gaps to equitable healthcare access.
  • Eva Alonso, MPH – Manager, Health Care Council of Chicago (HC3) – Working at the forefront of economic development, health care transformation, and addressing health disparities, HC3 operates at the epicenter of these critical domains. Given the rising prevalence of AI in health care, Eva feels that it is imperative for professionals within the health care ecosystem to actively engage in these discussions to advance health equity.
  • Irma Ramirez – Senior Coordinator, Stanford University – Irma is a research professional and an experienced social broker between decision-makers, researchers, and community members. She is invested in health equity and artificial intelligence research to increase its capacity to rapidly improve patient outcomes for all community members.
  • Kelly Ducheny – Psychologist and Senior Advisor, Education and Clinical Practice at Howard Brown Health in Chicago – Kelly specializes in providing community-based health care for LGBTQ+ communities with a focus in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) health. She is a passionate advocate for health equity and sees AI as a powerful tool for health outcome improvement and enhanced wellbeing of underserved communities.
  • Madeleine Lee – Student, New York University – As an undergraduate student, Maddie has continuously witnessed how, in many ways, AI has acted as a paradigm shift in modern society–an instrument that can often streamline almost anything. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also an instrument that retains and reflects inherent biases from the data it collects, and as its usage inevitably continues to increase, she recognizes that we must develop applications of AI that ensure equal and ethical practices across all healthcare segments.
  • Stacy Agosto, LCSW, CADC – CEO, SLA Health LLC Stacy serves as the BH/SUD consultant for the Illinois Primary Care Association, works with the non-profit Zero Overdose as the director of statewide programs and provides TA to health centers through the Collaborative Family Health Care Association. Her career has demonstrated a profound commitment to serving diverse and vulnerable populations and improving access to healthcare in both FQHC and start-up environments. She is a published author with work featured in AIDS Care, Relias, and Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Health and Aging by Springer Publishing. Stacy is excited to be part of a team working to ensure equity in AI/ML technology built for healthcare.
  • Meredith Soyster, DNP, Psychiatry and Mental Health, MSN/MPH, CCM, RN. Meredith is a nurse with 25 years of experience and has worked with individuals and families in Indian Health Service, rural New York, and community-based clinics in Chicago. Her work is patient-centered and focused on system improvement. She enjoys working collaboratively and across disciplines to creatively address health inequity. She believes in the power of listening without judgment, showing up, breathing deeply (early and often!), and getting a good night’s rest. She adores exploring Chicago’s amazing food scene, training in Seido Karate, and spending time with beloved friends and family. She is excited and honored to serve on AIHealth4All’s Community Board.
  • Muskaan Chhibber – 4th year Medical Student at University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine – Muskaan has been working with the underserved community in Chicago and India with her non-profit, Nurture Nature. Her mission trips and community engagement camps have made her realize the need for the health sector to adopt and adapt with AI- not only to improve patient care but also to be able to quantify and evaluate health care metrics globally on a united platform. Muskaan believes that her past experience with community engagement and as a medical student will help her bring a fresh perspective to this team to further the utilization of AI and understand the limitations and successes of using this platform wisely.
  • Subhamitra Pakrashi, BDS, MPH, CLSSBB – Doctoral Student in Healthcare Administration, Oklahoma State University. Executive Director of Quality, DEI, & Informatics at West Suburban Medical Center and Weiss Memorial Hospital (Resilience Healthcare)- Pakrashi’s work has allowed her to understand the potential of AI/ ML to improve health outcomes for everyone, as well as the challenges and biases in healthcare. AI/ML can improve health equity by 1) analyzing large datasets, AI can identify patterns that might be missed by humans. This can lead to earlier diagnoses, better treatment recommendations, and more efficient use of healthcare resources. 2) potentially creating health disparities: AI algorithms are effective and efficient when the data is unbiased. So, it is important to understand the source of the data and that the data is representative of the population and includes information on social determinants of health, such as income and education level, and 3) increasing transparency: It is imperative to make sure that the public understands how AI is being used in healthcare and what outcomes are expected.
  • William Liem, MSW – PhD Student, Northwestern University – Will is a human-centered AI researcher specializing in design justice and participatory methods for co-creating AI health tools that reflect the values and needs of queer youth. Collaborating with industry AI leaders, Will is dedicated to thoughtfully devising strategies that engage queer communities in regaining control over their data and the algorithms influencing their lives.

 

The AI in Medicine (AI-Med) Program is an innovative, 4-year longitudinal experience designed to develop physician leaders skilled in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to transform healthcare while ensuring that the models are fair, equitable and advance the health of all patients. You can learn more about the AIMED Program here.