The research study had 15 participants who answered questions about affordable healthcare in New Haven County. 

Adira DeMatteo (she/her) is a senior at Southern Connecticut State University and a member of the Honors College. She will begin pursuing a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in the fall, concentrating in Aural Rehabilitation. Her academic and professional experiences have centered on health equity, healthcare access, and patient advocacy, including research initiatives focused on connecting underserved communities with health and social service resources. Her professional interests include healthcare advocacy, cultural competence, equitable access to communication services, and interdisciplinary approaches to patient-centered care. Through her research and advocacy work, she hopes to encourage individuals not only to access services available through local clinics, but also to become more informed about the broader resources these organizations provide and explore additional pathways to care and support within their communities. 

Dr. Kelvin Rutledge is an innovative higher education practitioner-scholar with over 15 years of professional experience within the areas of higher education leadership, student success, equity and inclusion, external and community relations, and student development practice. He holds documented core competencies within the areas of strategic planning and change management, human and organizational resource management, student outcomes assessment and evaluation, inclusive excellence practices and strategy, and curricular approaches to student learning and development.