People
Principal Investigator
Beth Pyatak, PhD, OTR/L, CDCES, LRC, FAOTA ⟩ (she/her/hers)
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Beth Pyatak, director of the Lifestyle Redesign for Chronic Conditions research lab, is an occupational scientist, occupational therapist and certified diabetes educator. Her research encompasses the psychosocial and behavioral aspects of living with diabetes and other chronic conditions. Several of her studies have focused on developing and evaluating Lifestyle Redesign® interventions to promote well-being and quality of life among individuals with diabetes, and the dissemination and implementation of these interventions in real-world settings.
Research Team
Jeanine Blanchard, PhD, OTR/L, DipACLM, LRC ⟩(she/her/hers)
Project Manager
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Jeanine Blanchard received both her MA in Occupational Therapy and her PhD in Occupational Science from the University of Southern California. Dr. Blanchard also earned Certificate in Research Administration from the University of Southern California (Contracts and Grants Curriculum). She has extensive project management experience on several research studies, including large-scale clinical trials, pilot feasibility studies, qualitative research studies, and her own mixed-methods dissertation study. Most of the work she has been involved in has related to Lifestyle Redesign® research and dissemination products.
Jaime Leite Jr., PhD, OT ⟩(he/him/his)
Post-Doctoral Scholar
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Jaime Leite Jr. received his PhD in Occupational Therapy from the Universidade Federal de São Carlos. Dr. Leite Jr. also earned a Residency in Mental Health from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas. His work involves the production of knowledge and practices about historically marginalized populations in society and the impacts of these marginalization processes on everyday life, ways of life, activities, and occupations of these people and groups. Currently, Dr. Leite Jr. works as a Post-Doctoral Scholar (Research Associate). His research interests include the analysis of the intersection between the lived experiences of individuals with chronic conditions and other social markers of difference (e.g. gender, sexuality, poverty, race, age…). In his free time, he enjoys spending his time outside, going for a long walk, trying new foods, cooking, and meeting friends at the bar.
Anya Khurana, BS(she/her/hers)
Research Project Interviewer
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Anya is a Research Assistant in the LRCC Laboratory working on the REAL-T and CoYoT1D projects. She graduated from USC with a Bachelor’s of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and minored in Spanish. Anya will be attending medical school in the fall. Her research interests include patient empowerment, adolescent and young adult health, and chronic conditions. Outside of the lab, Anya loves to swim, read, and try new restaurants with her friends and family!
Valerie Tapia, PhD Candidate ⟩(she/her/hers)
PhD Research Assistant
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Valerie Tapia, she/her/hers, is a PhD student in the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in Psychology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Her work focuses on assisting with the REAL-T study. She is interested in appropriate intervention design for underserved minorities in healthcare that promote equity and social justice. When she is not in the lab, she enjoys acrylic paint pouring, camping, and trying new food places in LA.
Ngozi “NG” Deborah Nnoli, PhD Candidate ⟩(she/her/hers)
PhD Research Assistant
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Ngozi “NG” Deborah Nnoli, is a PhD student in the USC Chan Division of OSOT. She graduated with her BS in Kinesiology from CSU Sacramento, and her MS in Kinesiology from CSU Northridge. Her work focuses on assisting with the REAL-T study. She is interested in learning about young adults with diabetes and seeking the challenges of managing a disability with their everyday living activities, and understanding how managing diabetes poorly could impact this group from a psycho, social, and functional fitness standpoint. In her free time, she enjoys reading, journaling, aerobic dance, watching musicals, karaoke or lip singing competitions, and hiking before the sun rises.
Yujia “Mona” Mo, PhD Candidate ⟩(she/her/hers)
PhD Research Assistant
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Yujia is a member in the China Initiative, admitted to USC Chan as the second Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) student, pursuing the PhD degree in Occupational Science. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Therapy and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. During her journey, she gradually realized the magic of minute parts of occupation that may have a wonderful impact on people’s health and well-being. With curiosity and determination to figure out the mystery of life, she choose the LRCC. Seeking for challenges and trying new things is her own lifestyle. She enjoys all kinds of activities in daily life: morning running, road cycling, writing calligraphy. Photography is her favorite.
Affiliated Division Faculty
Jesús Díaz, OTD, OTR/L, LRC(he/him/his)
Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy
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Gabby Granados, OTD, OTR/L, LRC ⟩(she/her/hers)
Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy
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Stacey Schepens Niemiec, PhD, OTR/L, DipACLM, LRC(she/her/hers)
Associate Professor of Research
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John Sideris, PhD(he/him/his)
Professor of Research
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External Collaborators
Jill Crandall, MD
Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Director of Diabetes Clinical Trials Unit
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Steven Fox, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor, Clinical Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC
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Jeffrey S. Gonzalez, PhD(he/him/his)
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology), Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health
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Michael A. Harris, PhD(he/him/his)
Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of Pediatric Psychology, Oregon Health & Science University
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Cynthia Muñoz, PhD, MPH, MA(she/her/hers)
Assistant Professor, Clinical Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC
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Anne Peters, MD(she/her/hers)
Director, USC Clinical Diabetes Programs
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Jennifer Raymond, MD, MCR(she/her/hers)
Clinical Diabetes Director, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC
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Valerie Ruelas, MSW, LCSW
Director, Community Diabetes Initiative (CDI), Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and USC Keck School of Medicine
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Stefan Schneider, PhD(he/him/his)
Social/Health Psychologist, Dornsife Center for Self-Report Science
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Paola Sequeira, MD, MPH(she/her/hers)
LAC+USC Young Adult Transition Endocrine Clinic Director, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Faculty
Donna Spruijt-Metz(she/her/hers)
Director, USC-CESR Mobile and Connected Health Program
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Past Team Members
Loree Pham (2020-2025, PhD Student)
Marlena Backlar (2023-2025, Research Student Worker)
Aina Ali (2019-2025, Research Assistant)
Kristiana Aguilar (2024-2026, Research Student Worker)
Robyn Martinez (2024-2025, OTD Fieldwork Student and Resident)
Valia Oliva (2023-2026, Resource Employee)
Zhixin Liu (2023-2024, OTD Student)
Riley McGuire (2022-2024, Project Administrator)
Sierra Morin (2022-2024, MA Research Assistant)
Wen Guo (2022-2023, OTD Student)
Kara Kushwaha (2022-2023, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Kyana Huang (2022-2023, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Korrie Han (2022-2023, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Dhivya Vadapalli (2022-2023, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Esequiel Jimenez (2021-2023, MA Research Assistant)
Leah Willover (2021-2023, MA Research Assistant)
Rachael Gallagher (2019-2023, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Tam Hoang (2022-2023, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Stefanie Kuizon (2018-2022, Undergraduate and MA Research Assistant)
Seth Mitchell (2022, Fieldwork 2 Student)
Jaxon Abercrombie (2020-2022, Undergraduate and Graduate Research Assistant)
Elaina Rodriguez Garza (2019-2022, MA, OTD)
Ellie Taylor (2020-2022, PhD Student)
Alexandra Lee (2020-2022, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
John J. Lee, OTD (2020-2022, MA Research Assistant)
Jiyun Kim, OTR (2018-2022, MA Research Assistant)
Elia Salazar, Ed.D, MPH (2018-2022, Project Specialist)
Natasha Hashemi (2020-2022, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Raymond Hernandez, MS, OTD, OTR/L (2016-2021, PhD candidate)
Anuva Mittal (2020-2021, Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Monica Martinez (2021, Fieldwork 1 Student)
Daniel Padilla Vega, OTD, OTR/L (2019-2020, OTD Resident)
Mary Harris (2021, OTD Capstone Student)
Ben Feiten (2021, OTD Capstone Student)
Angela Pogossian, OTS (2020-2021, MA Research Assistant)
Nicole Manalo, OTS (2020-2021, MA Research Assistant)
Kyra McClain (2020, Research Assistant)
Khatira Mehdiyeva, MD, MPH (2017-2020, Project Assistant)
Elissa Lee, OTD, OTR/L (2019-2020, OTD Resident)
Elissa Taylor, OTD, OTR/L (2019-2020, OTD Resident)
Megan Linderman, OTD, OTR/L (2019, OTD Resident)
Minhee Choi, MA (2018-2019, MA Research Assistant)
Shona Maher, OTS (2018-2019, MA Research Assistant)
Daniella Florindez MPH (2011-2018, Project Assistant)
Kristine Carandang PhD, OTR/L (2013-2018, Doctoral Research Assistant)
Maggie King OTD, OTR/L (2017-2018, OTD Resident)
Grace Cho OTD, OTR/L (2016-2018, MA Research Assistant)
Erin Bussell MA, OTR (2017-2018, MA Research Assistant)
Laura Cox OTD, OTR/L (2015-2016, MA Research Assistant)
Alexandra Gonzalez OTD, OTR/L (2014-2016, MA Research Assistant)
Emily Friedberg MA, OTR/L (2014-2016, MA Research Assistant)
Veronica Gomez MPH/MSW (2015-2016, MA Research Assistant)
Laura Guzman (2015-2016, Project Assistant)
Alyssa Concha OTD, OTR/L (2015, OTD Resident)
Nancy Dominguez MPH (2014-2015, MA Research Assistant)
Brian Wylie OTD, OTR/L (2013-2014, MA Research Assistant)
Maria Gonzalez MPH (2014, BS Research Assistant)
Sergio Sandoval OTD, OTR/L (2011-2013, MA Research Assistant)
Shain Davis OTD, OTR/L (2012-2013, OTD Resident)