Meet the SAGE Team

Dr. Rebecca E. Lee

Dr. Rebecca E. Lee is a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. She is a community health psychologist, specializing in participatory research to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Her work focuses on environmental and policy strategies, capitalizes on innovations in technology and improves the quality of neighborhood environments. She draws on community partnerships to maximize impact and outreach for her work with Hispanic and Latino children and families in the U.S. and Mexico. 

Lakshmi Nair

Lakshmi Nair is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with 7 years experience as an NP and 15 years as an RN. She currently works as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at a mental health practice and has a telehealth private practice in NY state. She is currently a third-year Ph.D student in nursing and Health Innovations at Arizona State University, Edson College of Nursing. She is a research assistant at SAGE Lab. Her other areas of interest in research are mental health and substance use disorders, youth mental health prevention, community-based participatory research, and health promotion. She has been awarded University Graduate Fellowships by ASU and the prestigious Community Service Scholarship Award by Sigma Theta Tau in 2024. She is also a proud recipient of the DAISY Award for Advancing Health Equities in 2024. She is the current president of the Arizona Indian Nurses Association (AZINA) and the founder of the AZINA Mental Health Initiative. This volunteer-run mental health initiative under her guidance and leadership aims to improve mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and create safe spaces to seek mental health.

Ren Dickson

Ren is currently a graduate student at Arizona State University in the College of Health Solutions pursuing a degree in Health Care Administration and Policy, M.S. As a part of the program, he is working on a Capstone Project with Native Health on improving the Intake and SDOH Screening process. He currently works with SAGE as a Public Health AmeriCorps Coordinator assisting with the Arizona State AmeriCorps BE SAGE program. 

Cindy Herrick

Cindy is pursuing her PhD in Nursing and Healthcare Innovation and specializes in maternal mental health disorders and mental health policy. Her current research focuses on maternal mortality and suicidality during the perinatal period. In addition to her academic pursuits, Cindy serves as the Senior Editorial and Research Manager at the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, where she leads the development of publications and briefs that highlight policy gaps, evidence-based recommendations, and emerging considerations in maternal mental health (MMH).  

Rebecca F. Nelson

Rebecca is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Arizona State University, with a specialization in social and behavioral sciences. Her expertise extends to research methodologies and software, particularly SPSS, ATLAS.ti, NVivo, and the REDCap systems. 

Rebecca’s research focuses on analyzing relationships between sociological factors and biological outcomes. She also researches public health nutrition and activity promotion targeted to underserved youth in Maricopa County.

Marie Stevenson

Marie is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at Arizona State University. She has a strong interest in socio-behavioral research and its application to healthcare. 

In addition to their research, Marie is committed to pursuing a career in medicine with plans to attend medical school in the future. She is especially interested in orthopedics and aims to integrate their understanding of socio-behavioral science into a holistic approach to patient care. 

Kelly Hashiro

Kelly is currently pursuing bachelor's degrees in the areas of global health, family and human development, and digital audiences at Arizona State University. She has also participated in research labs that focused on documenting global health inequities and the extended foster care program in Arizona. Her passion lies in maternal and child health and advancing reproductive justice for underserved populations.

Catherine McInnes

Catherine is currently pursuing Microbiology at Arizona State University. Her wide range of experience includes research in bioplastics as well as humanitarian-based volunteering. She has been a crisis counselor on Crisis Text Line, helped kids develop reading skills through Page Turners at ASU, and volunteers at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly as a weekly caller to help isolated elderly adults feel connected and supported. 

Currently, she is president of the Devils4Devils club at ASU working on promoting mental health awareness and support at ASU. She is also working on supporting health education within the Maricopa County community. 

Ungwa Mmele

Ungwa Mmele is a student at Arizona State University and a member of the SAGE research program. She is a sophomore pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at ASU. She is passionate about healthcare and currently, as a student worker, she focuses on website development at SAGE research. Ungwa is committed to exploring various disciplines while developing practical skills in research. She strives for academic excellence and continuous growth, dedicating herself to both her studies and hands-on learning experiences as she works toward earning her degree.