Meet the PRISM Team

Laura D’Anna, DrPH, MPA
Email: LauraDanna@cdrewu.edu

Director, PRISM
Associate Professor, College of Medicine, Drew CARES Research Faculty

Dr. D’Anna is an Associate Professor in the College of Medicine and Director of PRISM at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. She holds a Doctorate in Public Health with an emphasis in Community Health Sciences from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health, and a Master of Public Administration degree from CSULB.

She has published in the areas of health outcomes for historically underrepresented populations, the relationships between social factors and health outcomes, and sexual health and substance use among young adults. She currently serves as principal investigator for two multi-year projects funded by the NIH and the University of California’s Tobacco-Related Diseases Research Program. She is the recipient of the 2020 CSULB Early Academic Career Excellence Award and the 2018 College of Health and Human Services Community Service Award.

Before coming to CDU, Dr. D’Anna was Associate Professor in the Department of Health Science and Director of the Center for Health Equity Research at California State University, Long Beach, she served as Vice President of Community Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, Director of Programs and Planning for the Coalition of Orange County Community Clinics, Executive Director of the Laguna Beach Community Clinic, and Manager of Preventive Health Clinical Services for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, where she also served as project manager for Project RESPECT. Project RESPECT was a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded multi-site randomized trial comparing the effect of a theory-driven HIV counseling and testing intervention with the CDC standard intervention and a minimalist intervention.

Alex Washington, PhD, MSSW, MA
Email: Alex.Washington@csulb.edu

Professor, School of Social Work, CSULB
Co-Director, PRISM

Dr. Washington is a professor and the BASW Program Director in the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).  Prior to joining CSULB, he was a Faculty Fellow at the Morgan-Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions (Baltimore).  He has provided outpatient therapy to veterans diagnosed with schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder at the VA Medical Center (Memphis).  Dr. Washington was a visiting professor in the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at UCSF Department of Medicine.

He received his MA in Sociology from the University of Memphis; MSSW from the University of Tennessee (UT) Health Science Center (Memphis), and the PhD from UT, Knoxville.

He has co-developed and published the psychometric properties of a scale measuring obstacles and associated stigma to uptake of PrEP for HIV prevention.  He has led and served on projects focused on issues related to HIV testing, including HIV prevention intervention studies, among various subpopulations.  NIDA, NIMH, SAMHSA, and the Kellogg Foundation have funded his research.

He was the recipient of the Ellen Ward Leadership ICON Award from the LGBT Center of Long Beach. He has received the CSULB President’s Award for Outstanding Faculty Achievement, CSULB Distinguished Faculty Scholarly and Creative Achievement Award, NAESM Gerald A. Ludd Lifetime Achievement Award for HIV leadership in the Black community, CSULB Early Academic Career Excellence Award, and the Underrepresented Minority Research Award from the National Institute of Mental Health Research on AIDS Office. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and studied dance and vocal performance at Watkins Overton School of the Performing Arts (Memphis).

Staff

Annrae Drews, MPH
Email: AnnraeDrews@cdrewu.edu

Research and Administrative Assistant

Annrae Drews, MPH is a recent graduate of California State University, Long Beach, where she earned a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from California State University, Fullerton. Her graduate thesis examined the association between cannabis use and symptoms of depression and stress among young men, highlighting her dedication to addressing substance use and mental health issues through research and policy. Since 2021, Annrae has contributed to the public health field across nonprofit organizations and state agencies, including the California Department of Public Health. She is passionate about advancing public health policy, increasing access to care, and promoting health across populations.

Ashley Guerrero, BA

Research Assistant 

Ashley D. Guerrero is a broadly trained research assistant who received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA, where she double majored in History and Geography. Currently, through her work at CDU, she conducts public health research while also collaborating with community partner organizations to address mental health needs. Drawing from this interdisciplinary background, her research interests include spatial economics and exploring the interdependence of urban and environmental factors. Her academic excellence has been recognized as a three-time semi-finalist for the U.S. Fulbright Student Research Grant. Ashley aspires to pursue a PhD program to further advance her research in these critical areas. In her free time, she enjoys film photography, spending time with her family and friends, and lounging around with her dog, Pancake.

Jaelen Owens, BA

Study Coordinator

Jaelen Owens works as a study coordinator for research projects at CDU and has coordinated outreach and engagement efforts across seven research projects focused on sexual health promotion and substance use prevention among young adults. They began as a health educator and outreach specialist with our research team at the Center for Health Equity Research at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in 2016, working on the Peer Promotion of Wellness and Enhanced Linkage to Resources project. They are interested in finding ways to better engage community members throughout all stages of the research process. They have a Bachelor of Arts in Family Life Education from CSULB.

Kevin Pinkerton, MFA
Email: kpinkertoncdu@gmail.com

Media Production Specialist

Kevin Pinkerton designs graphics for print and web media and produces and edits video for PRISM. Mr. Pinkerton holds a BA in Film Production from the University of Alabama and an MFA in Screenwriting from the University of Texas. He is working on a second Master’s in Interactive Information Technology from UA. Mr. Pinkerton produced several short films for the NIH-funded TIM Project, had projects selected for the Sidewalk, Austin, and LA Film Festivals, and worked on screenplay development at Miramax Films, Wild West, Ghost House, Scott Free, Mandalay Entertainment, and other studios. He was a first-generation Ronald McNair Research Scholar and a James Michener Writing Fellow.

Jeff Wood, BA
Email: JeffersonWood@cdrewu.edu

IT and Data Manager

Jeff Wood provides technical and data management support to PRISM. Mr. Wood holds a BA degree in Sociology from Chapman University. He has managed data collection, storage, and security, technical resources, and service delivery for HIV and STD prevention research programs for groups and individuals experiencing elevated health risk since 1991.