Meet the Team

Amy’s research has focused on understanding how cognitive, psychosocial, and environmental determinants influence health behaviors and testing behavioral interventions to improve health. She is particularly interested in individuals’ biases and defenses that impede their engagement in health behaviors and adherence to recommendations, as well as testing novel strategies for reducing defenses.

Tess Thompson’s research examines how the social context affects health in cancer prevention and control. Her work includes three main strands: the effects of family on health, the importance of social support, and the role of health communication in reducing disparities.

Phillip Marotta’s research examines drivers of health disparities among people with substance use disorders with a focus on the criminal justice system. Dr. Marotta’s research examines factors that heighten the risk of disengaging from treatment, overdose, and HIV infection among people who are re-entering the community from incarceration. Dr. Marotta’s research aims to inform implementation strategies and identify novel interventions to improve the delivery of substance use disorder treatments for people who are involved in the criminal justice system. This includes working with multiple data sources to conduct predictive analysis and simulation modeling to estimate the potential benefits of adopting and scaling up evidence-based and promising interventions. Dr. Marotta’s research extends to redressing disparities in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and deaths among people with substance use disorders and incarcerated populations.

Catherine J. Berman is a behavioral researcher at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight. She leads the Center’s vaccination behavior research and studies chronic disease management, preventive health behavior, and purpose and meaning in life. Catherine graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota and is applying to PhD programs to continue a career in basic and applied research. She is passionate about using research collaborations to contribute tangible, equitable improvements in the world.

Jenna Clark is a senior behavioral researcher at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight where she works to help people make healthy decisions in spite of themselves. She’s also interested in how technology contributes to our well-being through its effect on our close personal relationships. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology.

Jan Willem Lindemans leads the Health team at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight. His research covers a wide range of health behaviors: from lifestyle, vaccination and self-care to the personal finance of health. He has extensively collaborated with partners in the healthcare industry, global health, and health tech. Before arriving at Duke, he was postdoctoral researcher and founding co-director of the Penn Social Norms group at the University of Pennsylvania.

Shanta Ricks is a behavioral researcher at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight. She received her Master of Arts in Psychology from North Carolina Central University in December 2018 and now works within the Common Cents and Health team lab. Her research interest includes exploring and understanding the psychological mechanisms that promotes pro-health and good financial behaviors.

Jon Cloughesy is a behavioral researcher at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight. He graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara where he studied Biopsychology and Applied Psychology. Jon specializes in using the power of social forces to improve health. He is passionate about behavioral science, and aspires to help build a healthier, happier world for us all.  

Becky completed her Master’s in Psychology from UNCW in 2007, a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2011, and a 2-yr post-doc fellowship at Tufts University in 2016. Her research interests involve decision-making under uncertainty, social support, and cognitive and emotional barriers to successful behavior change.

Jamie Foehl is a Senior Behavioral Researcher at CAH. She is a ten-year veteran of the lab and brings her expertise to a variety of lab endeavors including working with The Common Cents Lab, a sub lab committed to financial health. Jamie joined the health team mid-March 2020 and her work focuses on health behaviors as they relate to COVID-19. Prior to joining the lab Jamie worked in the advertising industry at top agencies in NYC and Minneapolis, such as Fallon. Jamie graduated from Carleton College.

Emily is the Project Manager for the Centene Center for Health Transformation. Emily is dedicated to improving community health through innovative research and people-centered decision making. With her multi-disciplinary expertise in social work, organizational change management, and program management, Emily helps the Center’s partners problem-solve towards solutions that better the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Brendan is the Data Analyst for the Centene Center for Health Transformation. He wields expertise in clinical outcomes & study design, predictive analytics, data warehousing & mining, and Centene systems. Through this technical expertise and a business operations background, he strives to promote the usage of data-driven, evidence-based decisions to improve research and influence positive health outcomes.

Matthew is a Program Manager for the Centene Center for Health Transformation in the Social Policy Institute of Washington University in St. Louis. Matthew fosters team cohesion, coordinates communications, and manages center operations and contract development. He is passionate about improving community health through research that is both relevant and applied. With his experience in public health, grant development, center management, and dissemination and implementation science, Matthew helps the center collaborate to build understandings that help people’s health and wellbeing.

Abaki Beck is a Project Coordinator at the Centene Center for Health Transformation. She supports the smooth functioning of research projects by maintaining and monitoring project plans, ensuring alignment of project work with stated goals and stakeholder views, and managing administrative tasks related to engaging partners and navigating research processes. She earned her Master’s in Public Health from Washington University in St. Louis in May, 2020.