Chanita Hughes Halbert, PhD
Professor of Population & Public Health Sciences
Dr. Arthur and Priscilla Ulene Chair in Women’s Cancer
Vice Chair for Research, Preventive Medicine
Associate Director for Cancer Equity
hughesha@usc.edu
About Chanita Hughes Halbert, PhD
Dr. Chanita Hughes Halbert is a nationally recognized leader in cancer prevention and minority health research. She has dedicated her career to reducing the disparities in cancer outcomes that affect patients from underrepresented communities, with a primary focus on African American communities. Among her many achievements, she has identified sociocultural, psychological, genetic, and environmental determinants of cancer health disparities and translates this information into interventions to improve health across racial and ethnic populations, as well as other medically underserved groups. For her many contributions, Hughes-Halbert was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017. Currently, Dr. Hughes Halbert is PI on projects investigating stress reactivity and smoking, pathways to cancer clinical trials for diverse populations, and awareness of social needs assessment tools among oncology health care providers.
Trista Beard, EdD
Project Administrator
tbeard@usc.edu
About Trista Beard, EdD
Trista Beard serves the CHOICES Lab as a research program administrator. Dr. Beard manages the operations of a variety of grant-funded projects including the study of oncology healthcare providers’ decision-making processes, pathways to cancer clinical trials for underserved populations, and associations between stress and smoking among different racial groups. Prior to joining the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Dr. Beard was the Director of the USC Norman Topping Student Aid Fund, where she won national recognition for student support programs and published research on student success initiatives, best practices, and models of belonging in higher education. She earned her B.A. at University of Rochester, M.A. at Simmons College in Boston, and Doctor of Education from USC. Her research interests focus on social class, social capital exchange, persistence, and the development of social networks.
Diana Morales
Research Coordinator II
dlm_191@usc.edu
About Diana Morales
Diana Morales serves the CHOICES Lab as a Research Coordinator. Diana began working with the Keck School of Medicine of USC in 2018 upon completing her internship with Southern California Environmental Health Science Center (SCEHSC). Diana earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Health at the California State University, Los Angeles and her MPH at Keck School of Medicine of USC, in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. Diana is interested in geographical systems and how they can be used to better understand health outcomes, trends, and disparities.
Angelica Guzman
Administrative Assistant I
aguzman8@usc.edu
About Angelica Guzman
Angie Guzman provides administrative support to Dr. Chanita Hughes Halbert. Angie is an experienced administrative assistant who serves the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at large.
Kelsie Campbell, MPH
Research Assistant
kelsieca@usc.edu
About Kelsie Campbell, MPH
Kelsie Campbell is a dedicated researcher with a strong academic background. She began her university education at Florida International University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and was an active member of the university’s Swim and Dive team for six years. Her commitment to public health led her to pursue a Master’s in Public Health with a specialization in Epidemiology. Kelsie’s research experience includes work at the University of Miami, where she focused on STI and HIV awareness and prevention in underserved communities, with a particular emphasis on outreach to Black and African Americans. Currently, Kelsie is a third-year PhD student in Health Behavior Research in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and was previously a JEP STEM Fellow with the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Her research interests center around health disparities across populations, particularly the impact of structural and systemic racism on health outcomes within the Black community.
Natasha Wasim, MPH
Research Assistant
wasim@usc.edu
About Natasha Wasim
Natasha Wasim is an accomplished researcher with a robust background spanning both the public and private sectors. She served as program manager for the LA County Food Equity Roundtable, and has experience in public health reporting, health analysis, sustainability, public health communication, grant development and project management. Natasha earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) specializing in Public Health Sciences and Public Health Policy, at UC Irvine, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in Environmental Health Sciences from Yale University, and is currently pursuing her PhD at Keck School of Medicine of USC, in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences.
Alexa Lindgren
Clinical Research Trainee
Alexandra.lindgren@usc.edu
About Alexa Lindgren
Alexa Lindgren is a current fourth-year medical student at the California University of Science and Medicine in Colton, CA. She graduated from Azusa Pacific University with her BS in Biology and Psychology in 2020. Currently, she is taking a research year to serve as a Clinical Research Trainee at USC through the Caruso ENT Department, under the guidance of Dr. Hughes Halbert in the CHOICES Lab. She is passionate about the social determinants of health: educating, amplifying patient voices, and turning evidence into action. At the CHOICES Lab, her projects focus on cancer equity, improving access to quality healthcare, and care for underserved populations.
Student Research Assistants
Huda Alnajjar
Huda Alnajjar is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health in Health Services and Policy at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies from USC in May 2025 and has been part of the CHOICES Lab since 2024. She is particularly interested in learning how health disparities influence the delivery of care and hopes to work towards increasing healthcare access for underserved populations.
Suchi (Charmi) Desai
Suchi is a fourth-year pre-medical student at USC, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, as well as a Master’s in Global Medicine. She has been a member of the CHOICES Lab since 2023, contributing to a range of projects focused on cancer equity. Suchi serves as a Keck Student Ambassador, President of the American Cancer Society chapter on campus, and a Supplemental Instruction Leader. Her research experience includes a palliative care study on liver disease patients, and she recently presented on implementing a biopsychosocial model to address chronic pain and mental health at the NCCHC Conference. Suchi is passionate about advancing health equity and improving care for underserved and vulnerable communities.
Aniya Harris
Aniya is a senior majoring in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Lab Alumni
Fatimata Sanogo, PhD
Research Associate, Senior
About Fatimata Sanogo, PhD
Fatimata Sanogo, PhD, obtained her doctorate in Epidemiology in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding the benefits of mind and body practices for patients living with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cancer. Fatimata has a particular interest in interventions that promote access to integrative medicine and clinical trials for underserved populations. She is a certified yoga and meditation teacher, as well as the founder and CEO of Sahel Sage, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Sahel Sage’s mission is to increase the retention of adolescent girls in school in Burkina Faso, promote the practice of alternative income generating activities by women, and address malnutrition in the Sahel.
About Michael Kemp
Michael Kemp
Clinical Research Trainee
Michael Kemp is a medical student at the California University of Science and Medicine in Colton, CA. He comes from a varied educational background: earning his BA in Music from Cal Poly Pomona, followed by his MA in Philosophy from Claremont Graduate University prior to beginning medical school. He took a gap year to serve as Clinical Research Trainee at USC through the Caruso ENT Department, under the guidance of Dr. Hughes Halbert in the CHOICES Lab. He has a passion for the education and addressing of SDOH and healthcare disparities, and his projects in the CHOICES Lab are rooted in the cancer disparities sphere.