Research Staff
Division of Public Health
Esther is an Adjunct Assistant Professor and a research scientist for the Division of Public Health, undertaking self-directed research to address critical public health issues. With an expertise in epidemiology, Esther writes research grants and manuscripts. She mentors undergraduate and graduate students, providing guidance and support to them as part of the Hashibe research team. In her leisure time, Esther indulges in her love for outdoor activities. An avid skier, she relishes the thrill of gliding down snow-covered slopes and also finds tranquility in stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), exploring serene waterways and enjoying the beauty of nature. Esther’s commitment to advancing public health makes a positive impact on the field and the well-being of communities.
Division of Public Health
Skyler is a health equity epidemiologist for the Division of Public Health, providing data and evaluation technical assistance to Utah’s local health departments and the Department of Health and Human Services as well as supporting health equity research at the Division of Public Health. He has a B.S. in Nutritional Science from Brigham Young University and an MPH and graduate certificate in Emergency Health from the University of Utah. Skyler has served on the board of the Utah Public Health Association since 2020 and is an LGBTQ+ subject matter expert for the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center. He is an avid gardener and amateur botanist and advocates for xeriscaping and incorporating native Utah plants into landscapes.
Rachael is an epidemiologist for the Advancing Research on Cardiovascular Health and Endometriosis Study (ARCHES) team. She has an undergraduate degree in geography and a M.S in Public Health from the University of Utah. She performs spatial and statistical analysis for the study as well as manuscript and grant preparation. Rachael is a Salt Lake City native and enjoys spending her free time skiing, and mountain biking in Utah’s beautiful mountains.
Division of Public Health
Chris Sparks is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Division of Public Health. He manages and coordinates activities for Dr. Baron’s Behavioral Sleep Medicine lab including data collection, analysis, and participant recruitment. He also works PRN in the Utah University Medical Centers Emergency Room as an EMT. He has a great interest in the intersection of behavioral and mental health and their impact on personal and community health at large. Chris earned his MPH with a Certificate in Global health and BS in Sociology from the University of Utah.
Division of Public Health
Marissa Taddie, MPH, MS, is a GIS Analyst for the Division of Public Health. She uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to create, summarize, and manage geospatial data. Additionally, she uses spatial and geostatistical methods to analyze, visualize, and present findings from various health outcome studies. Her hobbies include competing with her Australian Shepherd, Rye, and adventuring in the mountains and desert with her husband and other dogs.
I grew up outside of Dayton, Ohio for most of my life and continue to visit each year to see my family back in the Midwest. I graduated from The Ohio State University in 2014 with an undergraduate degree in Health Information Management and Systems (HIMS). Through a company acquisition, I relocated to Utah where I have enjoyed getting to experience Utah's adventurous outdoor culture. I graduated with my master's degree in biomedical informatics with a focus on data science a couple of years back. It was through that program that I got involved with trying to predict Alzheimer's and related dementia using administrative medical record data and what I do at the U today.
Division of Public Health
Kamaile Tripp-Harris is Health Equity Consultant for the Division of Public Health, aiding Health Equity Teams statewide in addressing health disparities in underrepresented and underserved communities. Kamaile is a certified Community Health Worker, facilitating Community Health Talks and Cultural Presentations for medical students. Kamaile earned an Associates degree in Accounting. She is a former Hawaiian Heritage Teacher at Pacific Heritage Academy in Rose Park, UT., has worked in Mental & Behavioral Healthcare for 18 years, and is producer and co-host of the Island Wave Podcast, whose mission is to collect Pacific Island Experiences of Utah and build a bridge to the broader community.
Bin is an hourly research assistant in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine where she serves as a data analyst, providing statistical analysis support for many projects in the Life Course Epidemiology Laboratory studying female endocrine and reproductive health. She is responsible for analyzing complex health-related data from population-based databases such as the Utah Population Database (UPDB), focusing on survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis in SAS and R programming. Bin graduated from the University of Utah's Master of Statistics (MSTAT) in Summer 2022 with an emphasis on Biostatistics. She loved spending time with her young daughters.
Graduate Student Staff
Eman is a pre-medical undergraduate student studying Psychology and Pediatric Clinical Research. She works in Dr. Baron's Behavorial Sleep Medicine Lab, helping with data collection, analysis, and participant recruitment. She is also a Medical Assistant for Intermountain Clinics and InstaCares. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, watching mystery movies, and working out.
I am currently a student working to complete my final semester of the Master of Public Health degree on the global track. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of Utah in 2019 and grew up locally in Park City, Utah. I also currently work as a Research Assistant in the Behavioral Sleep Medicine lab on the STITCH study which focuses on the relationship between cardiometabolic health and sleep. In the future, I am most interested in improving health outcomes in pediatric populations and look forward to gaining a larger perspective on health through my studies and research experience.