CESF- Founder/Director
Kent Key, PhD
Dr. Kent Key, MPH, PhD- is a Health Disparities Researcher specializing in Community Engaged Research approaches in the Division of Public Health in the College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University. Dr. Key is the former Director of MSU’s Office of Community Scholars and Partnerships and Past Academic Principal Investigator for the Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions’ Community Consortium Core.
Dr. Key has an extensive background in community engaged research that spans over the past eighteen years in the city of Flint. His research interests include: 1) racial and ethnic health disparities, 2) community engaged research, and 3) careers to public health, medicine, and research for urban minority youth, 4) family health histories (inherited health) and 5) health equity. He has an interest in urban minority populations including economically disadvantaged and other marginalized groups. He is a skilled qualitative researcher who utilizes participatory and other ethnographic methods to evaluate the perceptions and lived experiences of populations of focus towards the development of community-driven solutions for health and equity.
In his community role, Dr. Key serves as Executive Deputy Director of the Community Based Organization Partners (CBOP), where he advocates for community based participatory approaches, health equity, and equitable community-academic partnerships for research. Dr. Key is a founding Co-Director of the Healthy Flint Research Coordinating Center (HFRCC) and the founder of CBOP’s Community Ethics Review Board (CERB) in Flint, MI.
On the national landscape, Dr. Key is the National Administrator of the Community Based Public Health Caucus (CBPHC) of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Dr. Key is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fellow for the Culture of Health Leaders Program. Dr. Key believes that community is the foundation of community based public health. He often says, as agents of change, it is our duty to operate in a realm of truth, transparency and equity! His mantra is “You have not lived until you have done something good for someone who cannot repay you!”
Dr. Key’s Social Media Footprint:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Culture of Health Leaders Fellow
Healthy Flint Coordinating Research Center – Core Founding Leadership
Dr. Key’s Water Crisis Work:
The Emotional Toll of the Flint Water Crisis -WNYC Studios Radio Interview
Public Policy and the Ongoing Flint Water Crisis- Video
Wakandacon 2018 Addressing Environmental and Environmental Racism, Lessons from the Flint Water Crisis Experience
The Flint Water Crisis: Environmental Justice and Environmental Racism
Dr. Key’s Community Engaged Research:
In Learning Health Systems
Dr. Key’s Flint Public Health Youth Academy:
The Nation’s Health a Publication of the American Public Health Association
Can Behavioral Science Help in Flint? The New Yorker
Partners and Consultants:
Vicki Johnson-Lawrence, PhD
MSU, CHM, ReCast
Dr. Johnson-Lawrence is a social epidemiologist that uses community-based approaches to address determinants and prevention practices to promote health equity. Her work has expanded from the role of a traditional secondary data-driven epidemiologist to use community-engaged research strategies that inform components of her research, but to also provide a direct context in which the work is applied, modified, and used to promote health improvements through existing health and community systems, with local and community based organizations, and within the academic context.
Her work considers the dynamic nature of psychosocial factors over the life course in relation to chronic disease risk, with a particular focus on co-morbid mental and physical health outcomes (particularly mood/anxiety disorders and cardiovascular disease risk factors) exacerbated by chronic stress, and strategies to address these conditions in vulnerable communities. Her current projects include the SAMHSA funded Flint ReCAST (Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma), The Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions Church Challenge, and recently, has incorporated chronic pain research into her ongoing work.
Woody Neighbors, PhD
C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health
Has over 30 years of experience in public health research. Dr. Neighbors has dedicated his career to the investigation of racial disparities in mental health with an emphasis on stress and coping among Black Americans. He has a long-standing interest in studying how racial differences in health and illness behavior affect major depression, diabetes, and oral health in difficult-to reach population groups. His work promotes a personal empowerment perspective on coping with stress that emphasizes the ability to draw upon psychological strengths and social assets to overcome personal and community barriers to seeking mental health care. He co-developed the Program for Research on Black Americans at the University of Michigan and co-founded the Center for Research on Ethnicity Culture and Health. In January 2016, I became one of the C.S. Mott Endowed Professors of Public Health at Michigan State University in the College of Human Medicine, based at the Flint campus.
Dr. Neighbors has redirected his focus to community-based interventions with an emphasis on improving the health of adult Black men. To this end, he established the Man Up Man Down Research Program. Man Up Man Down has three areas of emphasis: (1) research on chronic disease management; (2) community health outreach and engagement; and (3) transdisciplinary (public health and medicine) research training for students from underrepresented populations.
Kenyetta Dotson, MSW
Consultant
Kenyetta is the founder of, WOW Outreach, a local 501c3 non-profit organization, which strives to eliminate the tolerance for violence. Kenyatta's goal is to serve as an agent of change by engaging the community in social action, collective collaboration, community development and empowerment. Her career focus centers around issues of fairness, equality, social justice and violence prevention. Her contribution of time, talents, and treasures helped to develop and grow a number of community based organizations and programs throughout the City of Flint including: WOW outreach, Community Action Network and the Mt. Carmel Kennedy Center.
Kahlil Calvin, BS
Program Assistant
Kahlil Calvin is a research assistant and an aspiring medical student who currently works at Michigan State University, in programs that mainly serve the Flint area. He works primarily with the African American community of Flint in finding ways to improve the health outcomes and reduce disparities in the community. Kahlil believes that becoming a medical doctor will not be enough to truly improve the conditions of his community and seeks to combine a Medical Degree with a Master’s in Public Health to truly address the health conditions of families and communities in underserved and underrepresented populations. He wants to be a part of the generation that cleanses systemic racism and prejudices from American society and establishes health equity for all peoples living in the United States of America. Kahlil has worked with several programs geared toward addressing disparities in the African American community such as Church Challenge, Man Up Man Down, Project ReCAST, and the Flint Public Health Youth Academy. Kahlil holds degrees in both Biology and Chemistry with an emphasis on Biochemistry from Georgia Southern University.
Bianca Alexander, MSHE
Program Coordinator
Bianca is an enthusiastic, Flint, MI native who has a successful track record in connecting youth residents to health services, health initiatives and health and educational resources. She is responsible for health communication and community outreach efforts at FPHYA. She currently holds a Master of Science Health Education (MSHE) from UM-Flint. Bianca is heavily involved with the Flint community and has been awarded 1st place for a health promotion video that she scripted and created for the Genesys Heart Institute distributed across the Genesys Health System. Her research interests are in community-based participatory research in relation to youth health education and promotion through use of theater.
Rev. Sarah Bailey, PhD
Executive Director, Bridges into the Future
Elder Sarah Bailey is a co-founders of Bridges Into The Future, Inc. and the current CEO. Through Bridges Into the Future, Inc. a community based non-profit organization in Flint, MI, she has partnered with the University of Michigan Hospital, Neurology Department, Stroke Program in a community research effort to determine the effectiveness of stroke prevention methods in the African American Community. She has served on and was the Vice Chair of the Community Based Organizations Partners (CBOP), presiding officer until 8/2017. Dr, Bailey is a Past Co-Chair for the Genesee County Speak to Your Health Survey. She has served on the Flint Housing Commission Advisory Board, as well as the Community Values Advisory Board for the State of Michigan Department of Public Health.
Dr. Bailey has been a certified Drug and Alcoholism Treatment, Prevention and Intervention Specialist for over 40 years, completing her undergraduate course work at U of M-Flint in 1974. She was employed for over 15 years with the Genesee County Commission of Substance Abuse Services and served as a consultant to various School Districts, hospitals, labor unions and other employers in the State of Michigan, law enforcement agencies and courts (district, state and federal). She was the Drug Diversion Authority for Genesee County and the 68th District Court. In addition, she served as an consultant for Hurley Medical Center, Mclaren Hospital, Flint Schools, GISD as well as the UAW in the area of Substance Abuse. Dr. Bailey is also the CEO of her own consulting business, Sarah Bailey Business Solutions.
Mrs. E. Hill De Loney, MA
Executive Director- Community Based Organization Partners, Director-Flint Odyssey House Health Awareness Center
Mrs. De Loney serves as the Director of the Flint Odyssey House, Inc., Health Awareness Center and Executive Director for the Community Based Organization Partners (CBOP). Mrs. De Loney also serves as the Executive Director for the, Community Based Organization Partners (CBOP), which was founded in 1994 which served as the core of the CBPHI, the Broome Team. She holds Masters Degrees in Guidance Counseling and Psychology respectively, and uses that training to tailor her interest and activities using CBPR principles in; adolescent health, father & sons’ relationships, infant mortality, and youth violence prevention. She is committed to growing and strengthening the communities' ability to work effectively at creating and preserving a healthier environment.
Mrs De Loney is committed to understanding the historical effects of the Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder and its contributions to health disparities, health behaviors, and the social conditions of the African American community. She has been involved in public health since the inception of the Community Based Public Health Initiative (CBPHI). Prior to that she has served in many capacities in the area of social justice for the underserved, under-privileged, under-sourced and under-represented, specifically for the African American community.
Mrs. De Loney has served in many national capacities; President Emeritus of the Flint Chapter of the NAACP where she served for over 15 years, as well as former Executive Director of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW). She has also served as Past Chair and Past President of the Community Based Public Health Caucus (CBPHC) and the National Community Based Organization Network (NCBON) of the American Public Health Association (APHA). In honor of her work towards the positive development of youth, an annual award, The E. Hill De Loney Award, is given each year by the CBPHC Caucus during the APHA meeting to youth serving organizations who empower youth for social change, and engage them into research. She has devoted her life to the betterment of the children and their families. Her philosophy is "there is no distinction between my destiny and that of another African American."
Marseille Allen, MA
Program Consultant
Marseille Allen is a community activist and political consultant who serves as the president of The Warriors Trust Fund, a nonprofit she established to assist combat veterans under active felony supervision in the criminal justice system. Marseille received a BA in Sociology and Africana Studies from Wellesley College, and an MA in Sociology from Wayne State University.
In 2013, while supervising U.S. military veterans on felony probation, Marseille co-founded the Oakland County Combat Veterans Treatment Court, one of two combat-only courts in the country. Marseille simultaneously established The Warriors Trust Fund and has collaborated with community stakeholders such as the International United Auto Workers, UPS, Uber and local businesses to better support military veterans in the criminal justice system. Marseille previously served as the assistant to the Majority General Counsel for the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (H.E.L.P.) Committee under the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, then followed her immediate supervisor and mentor to the Center for Community Change. Later, Marseille relocated to Korea to teach English. Upon returning to the States, she assisted troubled youth as a truancy officer until joining the Michigan Department of Corrections in November of 2006, where she is now a Master Trainer.
From January 2017 through January 2019 while on union leave from state employment, Marseille was a registered lobbyist for UAW Local 6000, the International UAW’s largest local at more than 14,000 State of Michigan employees. In this role, Marseille worked closely with legislators and policy staff on behalf of the local and represented the union as a consultant to the Democratic nominees during the 2018 election cycle. After a sweep at the top of the ticket, Marseille was appointed to the Attorney General-elect’s transition team.
Monicia Summers, DPM
Program Administrator
Dr. Monicia Summers is a Flint native with a background in podiatry with a research focus on diabetes, infectious disease and adolescent behaviors. She currently holds a Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She is responsible for curriculum development and administration for the FYPHA. Monicia has had prior experience with adolescents with the Chicago Public Schools developing health education materials. She also has conducted clinical rotations in Philadelphia at Temple University Hospital in Infectious Disease and Diabetes in which she worked hands on with patients. Dr. Summers diagnosed and treated patients as well as engaged patients with health communication materials. She is currently serving on research teams on various research projects at Michigan State University, that includes: Church Challenge, Project ReCast and The Flint Registry. Her long terms goals are to use her podiatric background to educate in an academic hospital setting on the following topics: diabetes, infectious diseases and adolescents’ health.