"A shared vision": Welcome to SPH-B

Dr. Abdulrazak (Abdul) Balogun joins SPH-B with a strong background in both academic instruction and applied research. He earned his Ph.D. in environmental health and M.S. in safety management from Indiana University, and a B.Sc. in microbiology from Lagos State University, Nigeria. Prior to his return to Bloomington, he served as an assistant professor at Keene State College, where he also led research on indoor air quality and musculoskeletal disorders in high-risk occupations. A certified Associate Safety Professional and OSHA-authorized trainer, Dr. Balogun is deeply committed to advancing worker health and safety through education, research, and community engagement.

Dr. Ivaldo da Silva is a neuroscientist and clinician (OB-GYN) who previously served as an associate professor at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil. Dr. da Silva’s work investigates how hormonal regulation—especially involving estrogen—shapes brain health across the female lifespan, including during critical periods such as the menopausal transition and aging. With a strong commitment to translational science, Dr. da Silva adopts a multidisciplinary approach that connects molecular research with broader public health challenges. His goal is to inform policies and interventions that address the unique neurobiological and psychosocial needs of women. 

Dr. Emma Willis-Grossmann earned her doctorate degree in human development and family sciences from Texas Tech University. Her research interests include the transition to parenthood, romantic and coparenting relationships between parents, and non-/premarital pregnancies. After two years of providing academic instruction while pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Willis-Grossmann is thrilled to join SPH-B and get to know some Indiana state parks. 

Stacey Wiseman moved to Bloomington in 2003 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in dietetics while also competing for the IU Track and Field team. After earning her master’s degree in exercise physiology in 2009, she completed a 9-month dietetic internship at The Ohio State University. For seven years, she served as both the director of dietary services at Meadowood Retirement Community, and as a clinical inpatient dietitian at IU Health Bloomington Regional Academic Health Center. She currently resides in Bloomington with her family. They run a small hobby farm where they harvest vegetables and raise chickens for both meat and eggs.

Dr. Anamaria Bukvic is a leading scholar in coastal adaptation, climate resilience, and population mobility. With more than a decade of interdisciplinary research and teaching experience from Virginia Tech, her work explores the socio-environmental dimensions of climate-induced displacement and community vulnerability. She earned a Ph.D. in planning, governance, and globalization from Virginia Tech and a masters degree in community planning from the University of Cincinnati. She is widely published and recognized for her contributions to advancing equitable and sustainable adaptation strategies in coastal and flood-prone communities, and has received funding from both the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense.

Dr. Kai Wang specializes in environmental health research, leveraging computational biology and machine learning to investigate how environmental exposures influence human disease. He earned his Ph.D. in cell, molecular, and structural biology from Miami University and completed postdoctoral training in bioinformatics at the University of Michigan. His research integrates multi-omics data analysis He brings interdisciplinary expertise in biology, computer science, and environmental health to his work; his current focus is on optimizing predictive models for exposure-related data sets and developing web-based tools to support precision environmental health.

Dr. Lin Ge joined SPH-B in July 2025. He earned his Ph.D. in biostatistics from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in 2023 and completed
postdoctoral training at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Ge’s research centers on addressing misclassification and measurement error in the context of disease surveillance, cancer epidemiology, and environmental health. By leveraging electronic health records (EHRs) and implementing innovative sampling strategies, his work bridges biostatistical methodology and epidemiological application to improve public health outcomes.

Dr. Eric Klopack earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Georgia and completed postdoctoral training at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and the University of Southern California. His research focuses on the processes by which social circumstances and relationships interact with biological and developmental systems to produce inequalities in illness, aging, and mortality. His current research investigates how life experiences (especially early-life adversity and social stressors) influence immunological aging and biological hallmarks of aging that may lead to impaired cognitive functioning, risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), chronic disease morbidity, and mortality.

Dr. Wenxue Lin earned his Ph.D. in epidemiology from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (2022). Prior to joining SPH-B, he served for three years as an assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Temple University. Dr. Lin’s research focuses on tobacco control, with an emphasis on nicotine-reduced cigarettes. In addition to clinical trial research, Dr. Lin has conducted secondary analyses using several epidemiologic datasets, including the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH), Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Dr. Daniela Berry earned her Ph.D. in recreation, park and tourism sciences from Texas A&M University. Drawing from her background in overnight youth camp settings, she prioritizes creating experiential education opportunities for students and believes that quality leisure education can positively impact society. As a researcher, she studies camper and staff outcomes in summer camp environments, bridging research and practice to offer camp professionals actionable strategies for program improvements. Dr. Berry is looking forward to joining the Bloomington community, discovering her new favorite coffee shop, visiting the farmers’ market, and exploring Bloomington’s local parks with her partner Brady and their dog, Reese!

Dr. Brandon Howell returns to SPH-B where he has served as assistant dean for operations, a dean’s administrative fellow, and as chair of Academic Council. He has extensive executive experience in the hospitality industry, having The Overlook restaurant in Leavenworth, Indiana. Over the course of more than 25 years, Dr. Howell has also held leadership positions within the Walt Disney Company, Indiana University Athletics, Huse Culinary, and Six Flags. In his new assignment, Dr. Howell is charged with bridging healthcare and hospitality.

Dr. Andrea Jackowski’s interdisciplinary research spans developmental neuroscience, psychiatry, and public health. She previously served as a professor of psychiatry at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil, where she directed the Integrative Neuroscience Lab. Her work investigates how early-life adversities—such as trauma, poverty, and violence—impact brain development, mental health, and intergenerational outcomes. She is a principal investigator on major international projects studying neurodevelopment in children exposed to social adversity and leads the Maternal and Child Health by Design Collaboratory at the Center for Health by Design (CHxD). She actively contributes to global efforts such as the ENIGMA Consortium and ANDES Network, and collaborates with institutions across the U.S., Europe, and Brazil.

Dr. Megan Janke earned her Ph.D. in human development and family studies with an emphasis in gerontology from the University of Georgia. A recreational therapist with more than 25 years’ experience working in a variety of healthcare and community settings, her research and teaching interests focus on the relationship between leisure engagement and health promotion in later life. Specifically, she examines the reciprocal relationship between leisure and health outcomes for older adults, particularly during later life transitions. She is a senior associate editor for the Journal of Leisure Research, and a Fellow in the National Academy of Recreational Therapists (NART).

Dr. Blair McKissock is a nationally recognized expert in equine-assisted services and therapeutic recreation, with more than two decades of experience in wellness coaching, experiential learning, and nature-based interventions. She holds a Ph.D. in applied ecopsychology from Akamai University, with a focus on equine-assisted learning for individuals with PTSD. She has taught extensively at Indiana University and other institutions, developing innovative curricula in recreation therapy, outdoor programming, and animal-assisted interventions. Her research and publications explore the neurobiopsychosocial benefits of nature connection and equine interaction. She is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist, yoga instructor, and champion of inclusive, evidence-based practices that promote holistic well-being.

Dr. Ivanka Simić Stanojević earned her Ph.D. in leisure behavior with a minor in sexual and reproductive health at SPH-B, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship. She is a sexual health researcher whose work focuses on populations experiencing sexual health disparities, particularly people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women. Her research aims to reduce these disparities by identifying effective strategies to improve sexual health outcomes and by developing tailored sex-positive interventions, as well as educational and training programs for both underserved populations and the professionals who serve them, particularly allied health professionals and recreational therapists.

Dr. Čedomir Stanojević is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist whose expertise has been shaped by ten years of clinical experience working with individuals with disabilities—and is grounded within person-centered and strengths-based philosophies. He earned a Ph.D. in leisure behavior from SPH-B in 2022 before serving as an assistant professor in the Clemson University College of Behavior, Social and Health Sciences. His ongoing research centers on interventions aimed at elevating the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, specifically exploring the impact of emerging technologies on health outcomes for this population. Dr. Stanojević’s research expertise includes advancing artificial intelligence (AI)–driven digital health (DH) systems, with a specific emphasis on their potential in healthcare delivery and care management.

Dr. Kevin Renshler’s distinguished career spans leadership roles in sport management, entrepreneurship, and higher education. He brings a dynamic blend of academic and practical expertise, most recently serving as director of sport leadership and strategy at Berry College, where he led curriculum innovation, community-based learning, and student-centered initiatives. He holds a Ph.D. in sport and exercise management from The Ohio State University and completed post-doctoral training in entrepreneurship and international business at the University of Florida. Dr. Renshler’s teaching and research focus on strategic leadership, organizational behavior, and integrating entrepreneurship into non-business disciplines. He is committed to fostering experiential learning and community engagement to prepare students for impactful careers.