Operations Team

Kameela Afifi
Research Assistant
I joined Project Viva as a Research Assistant in August 2022. I received my BS in Cognitive Science from University of California, Santa Cruz in 2022. While there, I was also a Research Assistant for campus labs studying learning, memory, and psychopathology. In my free time I like to paint, play chess, and spend time in nature.

Nicole Bornkamp
Senior Project Manager, Data Science
I joined Project Viva in July of 2019. I received my BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University in 2014 and recently received my MPH in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in May 2019. Prior to joining Project Viva, I worked at NYU Langone Medical Center researching lupus nephritis in both the clinical and laboratory settings. I am passionate about equitable healthcare access and the distribution of care and resources particularly to vulnerable populations. In my personal life, I love backpacking, hiking, and playing baseball, and I am an avid fan of New York sports teams (and the Green Bay Packers).

Chelsea Jenter
CoRAL Division Administrator
I have worked with Viva a long time! I worked as the Operations Coordinator back when Viva was recruiting participants in the early 2000's, and in 2011 I returned to manage Viva's administrative side. Most of my time is spent with excel spreadsheets (!). I received my AB from Smith College, and my Masters in Public Health from Boston University, focusing on health policy and management. I really think the Viva team is exceptional right now, and I truly enjoy learning about all of the important research contributions that Viva participants make by participating in this study. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two young daughters - and, as many Viva moms know - catching up on sleep whenever I can.

Melissa Sidote
Research Analyst
I joined Project Viva as a Senior Research Assistant in June 2021. I received my BS in Public Health and Psychology in 2020 and my MPH in 2021, both from the University of Miami. Prior to joining the ECHO Team, I worked at a violence prevention non-profit in Miami assisting in the development and implementation of research-based violence prevention strategies. I was also a research assistant at the Social & Health Inequality Research Lab, where I contributed to research about global environmental health, mainly household water insecurity in Ghana. In my free time I enjoy reading, cooking, and spending time with my dog.

Michelle Zorine
Research Assistant / Phlebotomist
I joined Project Viva as a Research Assistant and Phlebotomist in July 2022. I graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Human Biology and a minor in Bioethics. During my time at MSU, I worked as a Research Assistant and mentor at a pediatric/adolescent mental health clinic and as a phlebotomist at an outpatient lab. I also spent my time volunteering at Grace Hospice and the Crisis Text line. I love dogs, road trips, hiking, and podcasts. My goal is to become a Family Medicine physician and to continue doing research in medical school and beyond.

Eunjae Benson
Research Assistant
I joined Project Viva as a Research Assistant in October 2023 and received my BS in Clinical Psychology with Criminology and Law minors from Belmont Abbey College in May of this year. While in college I assisted with developmental psychology research as a behavior analyst and was involved in a legal genomics research project studying admissibility of genomic information. In my free time I enjoy reading, painting, and cooking and hope to pursue graduate school for Epidemiology or Clinical Psychology in the future.

Sarah Cohan
Program Manager
I joined the team in June 2020. I was previously the Lab Manager for the Vision Sciences Lab in the Harvard Department of Psychology, collaborating on research exploring the spectrum of human face recognition abilities, and developing and validating online cognitive assessments. Following that I was a project and portfolio manager with the Football Players Health Study at Harvard Medical School. I received my BA in Theatrical Stage Management and Psychology from the University of Vermont, and I am a certified Project Management Professional. Outside of HPHCI, I work with Company One Theatre, sing with the Boston Symphony, am a graduate student in Management, bake at www.TheSweeteryBoston.com, and love playing with my toddler.

Kathleen Lynch
Project Coordinator, Operations
I joined Project Viva in June 2017. I received my BS in Public Health from Syracuse University. After college, I wanted to combine my passion for service and health care. I went on to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA, where I spent a year working in school-based health centers in Philadelphia. While working with Project Viva, I also recently completed my MPH part-time at Boston University School of Public Health in May 2023, where I focused on Health Communication & Promotion and Maternal & Child Health. I enjoy traveling in my spare time, with my favorite city being Florence, Italy, where I studied abroad. I am happy to return to my Boston roots to be near family and friends.

Eliza Stuart
Data Research Assistant
After graduating from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Public Health and a B.A. in Geography & Sustainable Development, I joined Project Viva as a Data Research Assistant in June 2022. In college, I was a member of the Social & Health Inequality Research (SHIRE) Lab with Melissa, where I conducted geospatial research on household water insecurity in rural Uganda and mapped access to ophthalmology specialists across the US. In addition to my passion for public health, I love scuba diving, caring for my houseplants, and enjoying time with my friends and family.

Luke Bernier
Data Research Assistant
I joined Project Viva as a Research Assistant on in August 2022. Prior to this, I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross. While there I was able to start my research career by studying visual motion processing in animal species. In the future, I hope to continue my education in psychology. Outside of work, I enjoy playing sports, practicing guitar, and attending concerts.

Emily Goldsmith
Project Manager, Operations
I joined Project Viva in June 2020 as the Operations Project Manager. Previously, I worked for two global health organizations, Pathfinder International and Management Sciences for Health, where I managed reproductive health and maternal and child health programs. In addition, I managed community health projects while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. I hold an MA in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University and a BS in Development Sociology from Cornell University. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, running, skiing and spending time with friends and family.

Marleny Ortega
Visit Operations Project Manager
I joined Project Viva in Sept. 2012 as a Research Assistant/Phlebotomist. I received my BA in Psychology/Child and Adolescent Development from Southern New Hampshire University and my MPH from the same school. Prior to joining the Viva team, I was a data collector at New England Research Institutes. In my free time I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and traveling.

Yutong Zhang
Associate Research Analyst
I joined Project Viva as a Senior Research Assistant in May 2022. I received my BS in Food Science and MBA from Iowa State University and recently received my MS in Nutrition from Tufts University. Before joining Project Viva, I worked as a research assistant at Tufts Friedmann School of Nutrition Science and Policy focusing on nutritional data management and foodborne outbreak analysis. In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants, visiting museums, cooking, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.