PARCKA Team
PARCKA Team
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Adam Gordon, MD, MPH, FACP, DFASAM's professional mission is to improve the access and quality of care of patients who have vulnerabilities. He is the Elbert F. and Marie Christensen Endowed Research Professor, tenured Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, at the University of Utah School of Medicine and the Section Chief of Addiction Medicine at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. He is a physician, board-certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine. He founded and is the Director of the Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA); he is a PI of the Greater Intermountain Node (GIN), a node of the NIH NIDA Clinical Trials Network; and he founded and is the Emeritus Director the Vulnerable Veteran Innovative Patient-Aligned-Care-Team (VIP) Initiative. He has a 20+ year track record of conducting research on the quality, equity, and efficiency of health care for vulnerable populations. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Substance Abuse and authored over 290 peer reviewed manuscripts (15.3% first authored, 27.2% senior authored, 40.8% authored with mentee) in high impact journals (H-index=53). He has received national recognition for his mentoring activities for post-doctoral trainees through senior faculty.
Gerald (Jerry) Cochran, PhD, MSW, is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology at the University of Utah and serves as the Director of Research for the Program on Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy. He also has an adjunct Associate Professor appointment with the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry and is core faculty with the Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center of Innovation within the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System.
Dr. Cochran’s area of expertise involves identifying and studying appropriate care for underserved populations in health care settings, with particular emphasis on individuals who use drugs and alcohol. He has extensive expertise in clinical- and system-level behavioral health services research. Dr. Cochran’s work has focused on development and testing of evidence-based practices for addressing opioid and other substance use in health care settings. Dr. Cochran’s work aims to improve substance use prevention and treatment services.
Elizabeth Howell, MD, MS, Professor of Psychiatry (Clinical) at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, Utah, seeing patients at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and University of Utah Hospital. She is the Training Director for the Addiction Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine fellowship programs at the University of Utah School of Medicine and Principal Investigator for a NIDA Clinical Trials Network project (CTN-0100) on Opioid Use Disorder. Dr. Howell is Board-certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and in Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Her past leadership and service to national professional organizations is recognized with designations as Distinguished Life Fellow in the American Psychiatric Association [APA] (2017-present) and as Distinguished Fellow in the American Society of Addiction Medicine [ASAM] (2016-present). In addition to her education and research, she is an attending on the inpatient Addiction Consult Service at UUH.
Unit Leaders
Kristi Carlston, MBA, CCRC, has ten years of progressive research experience that includes design, implementation and management of clinical research projects in an academic setting. She received her bachelor's at the University of Utah in Health Promotion and is certified as a Clinical Research Coordinator through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. She is responsible for coordination support to study investigators, staff and data management on several multi-site projects.
Jacob Baylis, MPH, is a Sr Research Analyst specializing in addiction research within the Veteran Health Administration. He is currently a PhD student in the Population Health Sciences program at the University of Utah with an emphasis in Health Systems Research. He plans to explore the impact of telehealth prescribing on Veterans with substance use disorders for his dissertation. Jacob holds an MPH from Indiana Wesleyan University where he studied the effects of social determinants of health among individuals receiving HIV treatment. He has worked with PARCKA since 2020 in various roles related to evaluating care and improving patient outcomes within the Veterans Health Administration. He is passionate about using data to inform policies and improve treatment outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations. His long-term goal is to advance healthcare policy and improve outcomes for at-risk groups through evidence-based, data-driven approaches. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors including skiing, camping, and climbing.
Mitchell Garets, MSW, CSW, earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of Utah and holds certifications in Leadership, Justice, and Community Practice and Substance Use Disorder Treatment. Since 2018, he has worked in various roles within addiction research, primarily focusing on program coordination, community advocacy, and outreach. Passionate about social and community justice, Mitchell has extensive experience working with diverse populations and is committed to advancing equity in healthcare and treatment access.
As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Mitchell recognizes the disproportionate impact of substance use disorders on marginalized groups and is honored to contribute to PARCKA’s research efforts to improve SUD treatment and outcomes. Outside of work, he enjoys shopping, indulging in reality TV, and immersing himself in all things pop culture and astrology. Most of all, he loves spending quality time with his cats.
PARCKA Team
Priscilla Blosser, RN, is born to the Diné (Navajo) Nation. She is Honágháahnii, One-Walks-Around clan, born to the Korean race on her Father’s side. Kinłichíi’nii, the Red House People, on her maternal Grandfather’s clan. The bilagáana, white people, is her paternal Grandfather’s clan.
Priscilla graduated with her associate’s degree from Salt Lake Community College in 2010, then attended Westminster College and graduated in 2014 with a baccalaureate in Nursing. She spent the first 4 years of her nursing career on the inpatient Bone Marrow Transplant and Hematology unit at Huntsman Cancer Hospital. Priscilla made the transition from clinical nursing to clinical research nursing in 2019 and started with Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Clinical Trials Office, coordinating Phase I, II, and III Hematology clinical trials, where she was able to use her nursing skills and apply them to the research. She started working with PARCKA July of 2021, coordinating SUD-focused clinical trials. More recently she has expanded her knowledge of research to Implementation Science to promote the adoption and integration of evidence-based practices, interventions, and policies into routine healthcare and public health settings to improve population health.
Grace Broussard, MPH, SSW, CCRC, holds a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Community Health and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Utah. She is also a certified Clinical Research Coordinator through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.
Before joining PARCKA, Grace worked in the expressive therapy department at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, supporting community and substance use treatment groups through the ROPES course. She also worked for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services as a caseworker for the Division of Child and Family Services, where she focused her advocacy efforts for children and families through a social justice lens.
Outside of work, Grace enjoys making the most of Utah’s great outdoors—spending her free time camping, skiing, and hiking in the mountains.
Charlotte Braxton brings 9 years of experience in film and commercial production to PARCKA, with a background in boom operation, assistant directing, editing, and production assistance. Working across diverse productions, she has developed strong communication, organization, collaboration, and adaptability skills in fast-paced environments.
With a deep appreciation for storytelling through film, literature, art, and music, Charlotte values its power to build empathy and connection. She is passionate about supporting PARCKA’s mission to reduce stigma around mental health and addiction recovery and aims to use her creative background to amplify the organization’s impact.
She is proud to contribute to a team dedicated to research, compassion, and meaningful community work.
Spencer Calder, MPH, graduated with a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Utah in 2019 after completing an undergraduate degree in Public Health from Brigham Young University. As a graduate student, he worked as a Connect2Health mentor and with the University of Utah’s Hotspotting program to improve vulnerable patients’ access to healthcare, affordable housing, and other basic needs. Prior to working as a research analyst, he worked as a lead medical scribe for Robin Healthcare where he worked with otolaryngologists and urologists at UCSF. He is passionate about the potential of nutrition and physical activity to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. In his free time, he loves running and exploring new plant-based recipes.
Casi Cali, MPH, is a recent graduate from the University of Utah Master of Public Health program. Her passion for community wellness and working with underserved communities is what brought her to PARCKA to work as a Clinical Research Coordinator. During graduate school she worked for the Salt Lake County Health Department as a coordinator for the Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele Healthcare Coalition. Prior work experience also includes working as an Advanced-EMT and Stress Technician during her undergraduate years at the University of Utah Hospital. She is excited to start her new role and to gain experience working in research.
Cole Fordham, BS, holds a Bachelor's in Kinesiology and is a current student in the Masters in Public Health program at the University of Utah. He previously worked for the State of Utah Health Department in its COVID Outreach program. He lives with his dogs, Luna and Butter, and enjoys all things related to fitness and staying active, including swimming, hiking, and weightlifting.
Katie Kinsey, MSW, LCSW, completed a bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Utah State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in the Advanced Standing Social Work program at Utah State University. Katie has experience working with a variety of clients who experience substance use, mental health disorders, and trauma. As an intern in the Juvenile Probation mental health court, Katie provided adolescents and their families with as many resources as needed to succeed. While employed at Utah State University’s Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information center, Katie provided therapy for clients experiencing all types of interpersonal violence.
While at PARCKA, Katie went through extensive training to provide infant and toddler developmental assessments for the Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Expectant Mothers (MOMs) study. Katie is currently working as a patient navigator on the Healthy Opioid Prescription Engagement (HOPE) study and provides counseling and resources to participants working to follow their doctor’s opioid medication prescriptions. She wrote and presented an abstract on one portion of the HOPE study at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) 86th Annual Scientific Meeting in Montreal, Canada, in 2024 and is currently working to have the full research brief published. Katie is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Processing Therapy (TF-CPT), Mind Body Bridging (MBB), Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and MI Treatment Integrity Coding. In her free time, Katie enjoys rock climbing, river rafting, reading, writing, and spending time with her husband, son, and dog.
Riley McPherson brings, along with her 8 years of Administrative Support experience, a passion for organization and efficiency to the PARCKA team. With experience in a vast array of fields from Interior Design and Event Planning to working with students and families in Elementary Education. She is a lover of all things art, design, music, etc. and incorporates that creative spirit into her work wherever possible. She looks forward to joining the research world and becoming the go to for all things support/scheduling/admin to the PARCKA office and team!
Rachael K. Ross, PhD, MPH, holds a PhD in epidemiology with a minor in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina and a Master's in Public Health from Emory University. Her applied research leverages real-world health data and clinical trial data to inform optimal and equitable treatment of opioid use disorder, in particular medication treatment including buprenorphine and methadone. Rachael has a K99R00 Pathway to Independence Award from NIDA (1K99DA061935). In this work she will examine real-world access to extended-release (long-acting) buprenorphine and to understand optimal use of the different buprenorphine formulations with the goal of producing evidence to support personalized and effective buprenorphine treatment decisions. In her methodological research, Rachael develops and evaluates causal inference methods related to missing data, measurement error, and transporting results to relevant real-world target populations. She is also passionate about the dissemination of methodological and statistical tools to a broad research audience. Prior to her PhD, Rachael worked for 7 years at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia conducting pharmacoepidemiology and health services research focused on antibiotic treatment in children.
John A. Saunders, PharmD, is a pharmacist and clinical researcher at the University of Utah. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Utah in 2019 and holds a Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Informatics. John’s research career began during pharmacy school, where he published a study on off-label dosing of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs). His recent work focuses on integrating pharmacists into outpatient substance use clinics and developing tools to help community pharmacists identify patients at risk of opioid misuse. John is passionate about leveraging data to answer novel research questions and supporting improved access to substance use care. He is also an advocate for animal welfare, volunteering with an organization that assists people in caring for their pets during times of crisis.
Britnee Sengpraseut, BS, holds a Bachelor's in Health Promotion & Education and is a University of Utah Health Promotion alum ('17) who speaks fluent Medical Terminology (thanks, pharmacy!). With 8+ years as a behind-the-counter pro, she's now bringing her coordination skills to PARCKA, tackling the fascinating world of Utah's Medical Cannabis Program and the PHARMTool Study (no, she doesn't dispense, but she does help make things run smoothly!). Britnee's always been a champion for behavioral health and her community – basically, she wants to help good things grow. Currently absorbing all things Implementation Science, she's ready to make evidence-based practices stick. Off-duty, you might spot her battling weeds in her garden, providing comedic relief on the golf course, or, most likely, being completely charmed by her two little ones and their new furry overlord, Spud.
Andrea Stofko, MS, is a Clinical Data Manager specializing in research related to substance use disorders and women’s health care initiatives. Currently working within PARKCA and the Veterans Health Administration, she manages data for projects focused on long-term trends and treatment outcomes for Veterans with substance use disorders, including the Buprenorphine Dosing for OUD Outcomes and Studying Treatment Episodes (BOOST) evaluation. Additionally, she contributes to the Stepped Care for Opioid Use Train the Trainer - Comprehensive Women’s Health Program (SCOUTT-CWHP), which aims to increase access to care for women Veterans. Andrea holds a Master’s in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Utah and continues gaining skills that will allow her to integrate data-driven insights to improve healthcare outcomes.
Laura Stolebarger, RN, CM, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Phoenix in 2019 after completing her Associate of Science in Nursing from College of Marin in 2018. Laura is joining the PARCKA team with over 2 years of inpatient nursing experience in both adult and neonatal medicine. She is passionate about education, social justice, and equal access to care. She is excited to be bringing these passions with her into her role as a Nurse Care Manager.
Kathryn Szczotka, MPH, CCRC, received her Bachelors of Arts in History and Women’s Studies from Colorado State University and then earned her Masters in Public Health from the University of Utah in 2015. She has worked in clinical research since 2013, predominately focusing in women’s health, and joined PARCKA from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Network at the University of Utah. Kathryn is passionate about merging the principles of public health and clinical research to make meaningful and sustainable change in people’s lives. In her free time, she enjoys skiing and spending time with her family.
Melissa Tyszko, BA, completed a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Utah in 2023, with a certificate in Social Justice Advocacy. She supports PARCKA with qualitative research analysis and assistance. Prior to joining PARCKA, Melissa worked with local organizations on community-based research projects, collaborating with Salt Lake's underserved youth and marginalized populations. She is excited to be part of the PARCKA team and hopes to expand her research skills and knowledge.
Ashley White, MA, CMHC, holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Colorado State University and a Master of Arts in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa University. With over a decade of experience in the substance use field, Ashley worked extensively as a mental health therapist in intensive outpatient treatment programs serving adults in the criminal justice system. For the past five years, she has been a vital part of the PARCKA team, contributing her expertise across a range of behavioral health initiatives. Recently joining the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, Ashley is actively training others in MI to further support projects with PARCKA. She remains passionate about serving vulnerable populations through the healing powers of mindfulness, creativity, and connection with the natural world.