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Alumni
Profiles (last updated May 2007)
Karla Vincent (no
picture available)
Karla Vincent attended her first Annual
Symposium on Career Opportunities in
Biomedical Sciences in 1999 hosted by
Florida A&M University. A senior at Benjamin
Franklin High School in New Orleans, LA, she
entered in the poster competition against
college students also attending the
conference. Her abstract, “Temporal and
Developmental Strategy Differences in the
formation of Axonal Connections Between the
Thalamus and the Perirhinal and Sensorimotor
Cortices” won first place in the competition.
Ms. Vincent began attending Xavier
University of New Orleans in the fall of
1999 on a partial scholarship following a
summer internship program at St. Paul’s
Hospital through the University of British
Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. During
this time, she was third author on the
abstract, “Behavioral and Histological
Changes in a Rat Model of an Upper Extremity
Cumulative Trauma Disorder” in the Journal
for the American Physical Therapy
Association. During her freshman year, Ms.
Vincent published her second abstract, “A
Freeze Fracture Study of Human Umbilical
Vein Endothelial Cells at Sites of
Diapedesis” in the Journal for the
Association for American Minority Physicians.
The following year, Ms. Vincent again
attended the Annual Symposium and gave the
invocation for one of the evening ceremonies.
That summer Karla was invited to do a
research internship at the Eye Research
Institute at Toronto Western Hospital in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2001, she once
again attended the symposium presenting her
poster, “A Freeze Fracture Study of Human
Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells at Sites of
Diapedesis”. During her senior year of
college, Ms. Vincent attended the Annual
Symposium for the fifth year in a row, again
as a speaker for the High School Internships
workshop. She graduated cum laude from
Xavier University in May 2003 with honors in
English. Ms. Vincent is currently attending
Morehouse School of Medicine.
 Marcus
Iszard, PhD
Dr. Marcus Iszard, a native of Jacksonville,
Florida, was a participant of the 1st and
2nd Annual Symposium on Career Opportunities
in Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Iszard received
his BS in Biology and MS degree in
Pharmacology/Toxicology from Florida A&M
University. Dr. Iszard continued his
education acquiring a PhD in 1991 from the
College of Pharmacy at FAMU and also
completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the
University of Kansas Department of
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics in
1994. Dr. Iszard’s research interests
include heavy metal toxicity, reproductive/developmental
toxicology and forensic toxicology. Dr.
Iszard’s expertise falls in the field of
proteomics and health disparities. Since his
involvement with the Biomedical Symposium as
participant, workshop speaker and abstract
judge, he has demonstrated growth and
sustainability in the Biomedical Research
and Health Professions fields. He is
currently the Director of Assessment in the
Division of Pharmacology at the University
of Missouri-Kansas City.
 AMY
R. ORINGI
Amy R. Oringi is a 2nd year Master of
Science in Public Health student at Meharry
Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She
attended the Annual Minority Health
Professions Symposium in 2000. She earned a
B.S. in Biological Sciences from Hampton
University in 2004. During her tenure at her
“Home by the Sea”, Hampton University, she
served as a member of the Student Leadership
Program, Senator of the Student Government
Association, Health Editor of the Hampton
Script Newspaper, and a member of Operation
Smiles. She also engaged in research for the
Minority Health Disparity Reduction Program,
sponsored by the National Institute of
Health. Ms. Oringi enjoys working actively
in the community through leadership. She
currently serves as the representative of
her school, Meharry Medical College, as
“Miss School of Graduate Studies and
Research” as well as the Health Care
Representative to the MSPH Advisory Board.
While matriculating at Meharry Medical
College, she has served as the Executive
Vice-President of the Student Graduate
Association and the Administrative Vice-President
of the Student Public Health Executive
Council. Amy has received many honors and
awards including the Cola-Cola and the
Health Care Executive scholarships. She
served as a Disparity Elimination Intern, in
the Office of the Commissioner for the
Tennessee Department of Health. Amy’s
professional affiliations include the
American Public Health Association –Community
Health Planning and Policy Development
Committee and the Young Policy Advisor for
the Health Task Force of the Tennessee Black
Caucus of State Legislators.
 Dodie
Arnold
Ms. Dodie Arnold is a student at Meharry
Medical College’s School of Graduate Studies
and Research in the Masters of Science
Public Health Program in Nashville, TN. Ms.
Arnold attended the AMHPS Symposium
sponsored by Howard University in 2000 as a
college freshman. In 2003, she earned her
B.S. in Biology with honors, B.A. in Spanish,
and a minor in Chemistry with honors, from
Xavier University of Louisiana in New
Orleans, Louisiana. Since participating in
AMHPS, Ms. Arnold earned a United States
Environmental Protection Agency Minority
Academic Institutions Fellowship which she
completed in the Office of Children’s Health
at the EPA Region IV Headquarters in
Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Arnold also studied
and worked at the Center for Molecular
Genetics and Childhood Cancers in Curitiba,
Brazil through the Christian Brother’s
University Minority International Research
Training Program in Memphis, TN. Upon
completion of her MSPH at Meharry, Ms.
Arnold plans to pursue a PhD in Public
Health.
 Duriel
Gray
Duriel Gray is currently a junior medical
student at Meharry Medical College in
Nashville, Tennessee. He attended the 10th
Annual Symposium as a high school student,
and the 12th Annual Symposium as a college
freshman. He earned the Bachelor of Science
degree in Biology from Tennessee State
University. Mr. Gray was treasurer of the
Meharry Medical College Pre-Alumni
Association and participated in the Student
Life Committee. He was the 2006 Committee
Chair of the Black History Month
Commemoration for the Meharry/Vanderbilt
Alliance. Duriel is currently a member of
the Student National Medical Association (SNMA),
American Medical Student Association (AMSA),
and the American Medical Association (AMA).
 Alexis
S. Hammond
Alexis S. Hammond is currently a second year
medical student at Meharry Medical College.
She was privileged to attend the AMHPS
Symposium in 1998, 1999 and 2000 through
Hampton University in her hometown of
Hampton, Virginia. Ms. Hammond attended
Spelman College where she received a B.A. in
Psychology in 2004. During her first year at
Meharry, she was accepted into the Meharry-Vanderbilt
Alliance Medical Scientist Training Program
(MSTP), which culminates in both MD and PhD
degrees. As a requirement for her program,
she has completed laboratory rotations in
Neuroscience at Vanderbilt University, where
she has focused on the development, course
and treatment of psychiatric disorders.
During her time at Meharry, Alexis has
received awards such as the Helen Karpov
Memorial Scholarship, the Edward G. High,
Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship, and the Meharry
Association of Office Personnel Award. She
is a member of the Student National Medical
Association (SNMA) and the American Medical
Association (AMA). She serves as co-chair of
the fundraiser committee of the Psychiatry
Club, and is a member of the Student
Interviewing Committee at Meharry. Ms.
Hammond has also assumed a leadership
position within the MSTP as a member of the
Physician-Scientist Speaker Series Committee.
Alexis feels fortunate to have been exposed
to the many opportunities within the
healthcare field through participation in
the AMHPS Symposium, and is grateful for the
support she and other minorities have
received throughout the years.
 Hari
Ian McGowan
Hari Ian McGowan is currently a freshman
dental student at Meharry Medical College
School of Dentistry. He attended the 11th
Annual Biomedical Symposium in Houston, TX
as a high school student through Meharry
Medical College. He attended
Florida A & M University and Tennessee State
University where he received a B.S. in
Biology. He is a member of the Student
National Dental Association (SNDA) and also
participates in several community-based
programs for disadvantaged children, such as
mentoring, basketball, and baseball.
 Latarsha
Reid
Latarsha Reid is a first year student in
the Cell Biology and Pathobiology Ph.D.
program at Columbia University. She attended
the Annual Biomedical Symposium as a high
school student from Campbell High School in
Smryna, Georgia when it was in Washington,
DC. She also attended as an undergraduate
student from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA
when it was held in Nashville, Tennessee in
2003. Ms. Reid states that she enjoyed the
conference because she was exposed to other
careers besides medicine. The Symposium
aroused her interest in research and is one
of the reasons why she is currently in a
Ph.D. program. Networking at the conference
provided Ms. Reid with opportunities to
attend other scientific conferences and
internships.
 Aisha
Morris Moultry, Pharm.D.
Aisha Morris Moultry is a faculty member
in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at
Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston,
Texas. She attended the Annual Biomedical
Symposium as a pharmacy student. Dr. Moultry
received the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from
Texas Southern University. She completed a
two-year pharmacy practice management
residency in Columbus, Ohio at Riverside
Methodist Hospital, and simultaneously
received a Masters degree in Health-System
Pharmacy Administration from Ohio State
University. Dr. Moultry coordinates two
Pharmacy Management courses and contributes
lectures in Prescription Practice, Advanced
Therapeutics II, and Professional
Communications and Counseling. She is
actively submitting articles to peer-reviewed
journals and participating in grant-funded
research. Currently, Dr. Moultry is involved
in the area of Pharmacy Administration. She
established a Pharmacy Administration site
with Harris County Hospital District, in
Houston Texas and is the Inpatient Pharmacy
Operations Manager.
 Angela
N. Hodges, Pharm. D.
Angela N. Hodges is a Pharmacy Clinical
Coordinator with East Houston Regional
Medical Center in Houston, Texas. She
attended the Annual Biomedical Symposium as
a pharmacy student. Dr. Hodges received the
Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm. D.) from
Texas Southern University (TSU). She
completed her pharmacy practice residency
with Owen Healthcare and has received
additional training in Advanced Cardiac Life
Support and Improving Pharmacists Decisions.
Dr. Hodges has been involved with
publications and research projects including
Customer Service Modules and Renal Dosing in
Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Currently, she
is involved with education and training,
customer satisfaction, and medication
utilization management at East Houston
Regional Medical Center.
 Douglas
M. Willis, Ph.D.
Douglas M. Willis is an Assistant
Professor in the College of Science and
Technology at Texas Southern University (TSU)
in Houston, Texas. He attended the Annual
Biomedical Symposium as a high school
student. He received a B.S. degree in
Chemistry from TSU, and a Ph.D. from
Louisiana State University in Synthetic
Organic Chemistry.
He is a member of the American Chemical
Society and National Organization for the
Professional Advancement of Black Chemists
and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChe). Dr. Willis
has received many honors and awards
including, Graduate Education for Minorities
(GEM) Fellowship, TSU E-Learning Course
Development Grant and LSU Dissertation
Fellowship. Dr. Willis has worked as a
Research Scientist for the Eastman Kodak
Company where he managed independent
research surrounding the development,
manufacturability and marketability of
solvent–based colorants. Willis also worked
as a Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant
for Louisiana State University, delivered
undergraduate lectures and laboratory
courses, and conducted his independent
thesis research. He has authored and co-authored
technical addenda in the field of Chemistry.
Currently, Dr. Willis is involved in
conducting independent research surrounding
the development of infrastructure and
support for an on-site biotechnology
research center in addition to providing
undergraduate instruction and curriculum
improvement.
 Andrew
J. Taylor
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
Andrew J. Taylor is a faculty member in the
Department of Health Sciences at Texas
Southern University (TSU). He attended the
Annual Biomedical Symposium as a college
student at Texas Southern University. He
received both his Bachelor of Science degree
in Respiratory Therapy and Master of Science
degree in Health Education from TSU. Mr.
Taylor has earned numerous specializations
in the field of Respiratory Therapy
including, Perinatal/Pediatric Respiratory
Care Specialist, Registered Pulmonary
Function Technologist, and Certified Health
Education Specialist. He has worked as a
staff Respiratory Therapist for the Veterans
Affairs Hospital in Houston, Texas and in
the area of Home Health Care for the
American Medical Equipment Company. His
professional involvement includes: Texas
Society for Respiratory Care, American
Association for Respiratory Care, and the
National Board for Respiratory Care.
Currently, Mr. Taylor is the Director of
Clinical Education for the Respiratory
Therapy Program at Texas Southern University.
 Shaylarene
T. Hubert, Pharm. D.
Shaylarene T. Hubert is a practicing
community pharmacist in San Antonio, Texas.
Dr. Hubert received the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
from Texas Southern University (TSU). She
participated in the Annual Biomedical
Symposium as a pharmacy student. Dr. Hubert
has received many honors and awards
including, 1st place at the AMHPS Symposium
for her abstract presentation. She has
participated and been a member of numerous
organizations including, the American
Society for Health-System Pharmacists and
The Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, as a
student researcher. Dr. Hubert’s future
aspirations include developing programs with
minority elementary and middle school
students to encourage interest in
mathematics and science.
 Christopher
Emanuel Smith, MPH
Christopher Smith is currently a Program
Coordinator with the National Cancer
Institute’s Cancer Information Service (CIS)
and Cancer Prevention & Control Research
Network (CPCRM). He attended the Annual
Symposium with Tuskegee University in
Norfolk, Virginia. Mr. Smith received his
B.S. degree in Clinical Laboratory Science
from Tuskegee University and a MPH degree
from Saint Louis University, School of
Public Health. He has conducted the
following research projects: 1) Community
Based Participatory Research-Garden of Eden
Project; 2) Health Communications-Prostate
Cancer Message Development; 3) Program
Evaluation of a Prostate Cancer Peer
Education Program; and 4) Cancer Information
Service and Cancer Prevention and Control
Research Network. Mr. Smith is an active
member of several associations such as the
American Heart Association- Minority Council;
Tabernacle Health Ministry and Comprehensive
Cancer Coalition; and the Minority
Leadership Committee.
 Danielle
L. Wiley, Pharm. D.
Danielle L. Wiley is an Assistant
Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Texas
Southern University College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences (TSU) in Houston, Texas. She
participated as a high school senior in the
Annual Biomedical Symposium. While in
pharmacy school at TSU, she also
participated in the Annual Biomedical
Symposium. She received her Doctor of
Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) from TSU. Upon receipt
of her degree, she went on to complete a
Community Pharmacy Practice Residency with
University of Houston and Walgreens.
Currently, Dr. Wiley serves as the course co-coordinator
for Nonprescription Products and Coordinator
for Prescription Practice. She also has a
grant with the Area Agency on Aging for home
medication management services in the
elderly population.
Michael S. Thomas (no picture),
received a BS degree in 2005 in Clinical
Laboratory Sciences Program from Tuskegee
University. He is currently employed at
Central Baptist Hospital as a Medical
Technologist. He attended AMHPS in 2003.
Michael is a graduate student at University
of Kentucky pursuing a Masters in Health
Administration.
 Kataren
J. Johnson, M.S.
Kataren Johnson is currently a Research
Associate at Auburn University in the
Department of Biological Sciences. She
attended the Annual Symposium with Tuskegee
University as a high school student in 1994.
Ms. Johnson received a B.S. degree in
Biology and a M.S. degree in Biological
Sciences from the University of Alabama in
Huntsville. Her current research efforts
focus is on native North American grapevines
(the plant genus Vitis) for which she is
developing projects involving various
aspects of molecular evolution, phylogeny,
and speciation genetics. In addition to
basic evolutionary research she is using
molecular tools to examine the origins of
weediness in invasive species such as
Wisteria and the population genetics of
endangered species of Clematis.
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