About Us

Morgan CARES Steering Committee

This program is overseen by a Steering Committee the includes both community and academic voices. 

Ms. Lisa Bleich, Community Leader

Community Engagement Strategist, Equity & Inclusion Practitioner & Managing Partner at Signal Fire Consulting

Ms. Jane Buccheri, Community Leader

Resident of Southwest Baltimore City

Ms. Mary Gunning, Community Leader

Director, Catholic Charities Head Start of Baltimore City 

Mr. Raynard Baylor, Community Leader

Resident of Southwest Baltimore City

Ms. Elizabeth Sebastiao, Community Leader

Community Health, MedStar Health Baltimore City

Ms. Paula Purviance, Community Leader

President, Hillen Road Community Improvement Association

Ms. Annette Woodroffe, Community Leader 

Mr. Harold Morales, Community Leader 

Associate Professor, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and the City, Morgan State University 

Ms. Christina Delgado, Community Leader

Stewardship Coordinator, Northeast Housing Initiative 

Ms. Winifred Wilson

Executive Director, Dyslexia Advocation Inc 

Ms. Sarah McCann, Community Leader

Director of Partnerships, Fusion Partnerships

Ms. Candice Blackwell, Community Leader 

Director of Operations, Fusion Partners

Morgan CARES Administrative Team

Dr. Payam Sheikhattari, Director

Dr. Yvonne Bronner, Co-Director

Ms. Emma Shaffer, Senior Program Coordinator

Dr. Saman Fahimi, Senior Research Associate

Ms. Toya Lyons, Project Administrator

Ms. Tanaya Jones, Communications & Marketing Specialist 

Ms. Rifath Ara Alam Barsha, Graduate Research Assistant

Ms. Adriana Foster, Graduate Research Assistant 

Funding Acknowledgement: This program is funded through the Community Engagement Core component of the Center for Urban Health Disparities Research and innovation at Morgan State University (RCMI@Morgan), awarded by the National Institute of Minority Health & Health Disparities (NIMHD).