Presenter: Tory Blackwell, Ph.D. (he/him)

Biology Instructor

Clackamas Community College

Bio: Tory Blackwell teaches biology at Clackamas Community College and currently serves as department chair. His prior research projects have focused on signal transduction pathways and protein localization. Along with his teaching duties, Dr. Blackwell is also an active community member working to ensure his community is welcome to all.

Moderator for Rounds 1 & 2: Alissa Leavitt, MPH, MCHES (she/they)

Principal Investigator for B2B Metro PDX
Health Studies Faculty
Portland Community College

Bio: Alissa Leavitt, MPH, MCHES, is the Bridges to Baccalaureate Coordinator at Portland Community College and an instructor in Health Studies. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Management and Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from Portland State University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor. Alissa's professional experience includes roles with the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Health & Science University, and the National Cancer Institute. Her commitment to education is further demonstrated by her post-graduate certificates in Learning Differences & Neurodiversity and in NeuroEducation.

Katherine Zuckerman, M.D., MPH, FAAP (she/her)

Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Oregon Health & Science University

Bio: I am a general pediatrician and health services researcher.  In my clinical practice, I provide primary care to children with disabilities and their healthy siblings.  My research focuses on health care quality and disparities for children with autism spectrum disorder and other communication disorders in early childhood.  I am especially interested in early identification of disabilities in low-income and racial/ethnic minoritized populations, through digital/mobile health, and in primary care and non-medical settings. 

Samantha Underwood, M.S., C.C.R.P.

Research Administrator
Department of Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University

Bio: Samantha Underwood is the Department of Surgery Research Administrator with 30 years of experience in clinical, animal, and basic science research. She has been at OHSU for 19 years where she worked with investigators to build their research portfolios and secure funding from the NIH, DoD, foundations, and industry partners. During her time at OHSU, she has mentored PSU students through the BUILD EXITO program, medical students, and residents in research.

Kathi Inman Berens, Ph.D. (she/her)

Assoc. Prof. Book Publishing and Digital Humanities 

English Dept.
Portland State University

Bio: I'm a researcher of contemporary book publishing. My latest publications are about Gen Z and millennials' book reading and identity. We've found that there's a distinction between readerly behavior and readerly identity. Surprisingly, people who don't identify as readers actually read more than the general population.  Another area is digital humanities: how AI affects creative writing and the book publishing industry. 

Jennifer Blakeslee, Ph.D., MSW (she/her)

School of Social Work, Associate Professor of Research, and PhD Program Director
Portland State University

Bio: Jennifer Blakeslee conducts research to improve programming and services for young people transitioning from the foster care system, with a particular interest in how support networks and mentoring can help young people maintain mental health. Her current research includes pilot testing a program for youth in foster care which is designed to improve coping and help-seeking, and she works with youth and service providers across the state to develop new strategies to better support young people exiting foster care. Although she now primarily works with doctoral students, she has had many undergraduate research assistants placed in her lab over the years and has seen so many of them go on to do exciting things after graduation. 

Olyssa Starry, Ph.D. (she/her)

Associate Professor
University Honors College at Portland State University

Bio: Dr. Starry is an associate professor at PSU where she teaches urban ecology and other related courses in the Honors College. She’s advised numerous honors thesis projects and is also co-PI on an NSF-funded S-STEM scholarship program that supports PSU’s EAGLES (Engagement Achievement and Graduation for Low-incomE Students) scholars to consider research on environmental pollution. Professor Starry studies ecoroofs as model systems for understanding how design and management decisions affect the ecological, social, and political functions of urban open spaces.

Kathi Inman Berens, Ph.D. (she/her)

Assoc. Prof. Book Publishing and Digital Humanities 

English Dept.
Portland State University

Bio: I'm a researcher of contemporary book publishing. My latest publications are about Gen Z and millennials' book reading and identity. We've found that there's a distinction between readerly behavior and readerly identity. Surprisingly, people who don't identify as readers actually read more than the general population.  Another area is digital humanities: how AI affects creative writing and the book publishing industry.