Instructors and Facilitators
Kathryn Nearing, PhD, MA Kady is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Associate Director for Education and Evaluation for the VA Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC). She is part of the Evaluation and Data Core for the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement (DEICE). She serves on the Chancellor’s DEICE Leadership Council, the executive committee of the Multidisciplinary Center on Aging, and the Age-Friendly University task force that helped CU Anschutz achieve the designation as an Age-Friendly University in December 2021. For the VA Eastern Colorado GRECC, she coordinates and facilitates the Older Veteran Engagement Team – a group of 8 Veterans and one care partner between the ages of 62-92 who have met monthly since 2018 to provide input and feedback on aging-related research and quality improvement projects for the VA. Kady has dedicated much of her career to promoting community engagement in research, as well as education, training and career development to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in education, research and healthcare.
Leslie Wright, MALeslie Wright, MA, is a Community Research Liaison and Project Manager working at Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s Institute for Health Research. Leslie’s passion meets her work when she’s partnering with individuals and organizations committed to the equitable engagement of individuals and communities in social, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. She gravitates towards partnerships with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) community and the senior community and relishes opportunities to partner with LGBT seniors. She is a founding member of the LGBT SUSTAIN project, which identified strengths and challenges for LGBT seniors to age in place and was the impetus for the Colorado GLBT Center’s Care-Link. Leslie’s current projects involve building the capacity of patients and community members to critically assess and advise on the design, conduct and dissemination of health research. She is the senior lead for the KP National Research Bank Community Advisory Board.
Lorenzo Ramírez
Lorenzo Ramírez has worked as a Community Research Liaison in the various Latino communities of metro Denver with the University of Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) for the past 13 years and is currently working on the CCTSI Colorado COVID-19 Community Engagement Alliance (CO-CEAL) data collection team. Lorenzo serves on the newly formed Near Northwest Area Plan Steering Committee, sponsored by the City and County of Denver, addressing the impact of gentrification and development in the neighborhoods of Northwest Denver that he has called home for the past 40 years. Lorenzo is also the Founder/ Artistic Director of the award winning Grupo Folklórico Sabor Latino, Inc. which will be celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, and a new member of the Arts Alliance for Health Equity.
Gordon Duvall, DNPGordon Duvall has focused his lifework and career on serving the community by identifying and confronting high-risk behaviors. For over five years, Gordon delivered his advanced emergency nursing skills at Denver General Hospital, now Denver Health, one of the nation’s top trauma centers. Gordon is well adapted at managing and coordinating a variety of professionals and non-professionals focusing on quality of care and access to coordinated services for people hurting and in need. Gordon provides high quality healthcare for troubled and incarcerated youth at Gilliam Youth Services Center, one of Colorado’s Division of Youth Corrections service facilities; while there, he coordinated teams of professionals developing and implementing holistic health programs for youth. Gordon received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Metropolitan State College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Regis University, a Master’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Regis University. Gordon Duvall is a pediatric nurse practitioner, fatherhood practitioner, minister, educator, father and community activist who has been involved in community organizing through MOP in Denver, Colorado, which now is called Together Colorado. Gordon Duvall is a Denver native, a graduate of George Washington High School, Regis University, The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and the 2008 Class of the African American Leadership Institute. He is an avid motorcycle enthusiast and one of the founding members of the Road Warriors Motorcycle Club.
May TranMay Tran is a Community Research Liaison for the Asian/Refugee communities in Denver, Colorado – a role she serves for the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. Fluent in four languages (Chinese-Cantonese, Vietnamese, French, and English), and as a boat refugee herself, May has a passion to help the Vietnamese and Chinese communities in Denver by utilizing her networking skills and languages. She was born in a Chinese family, lived in Viet Nam, went to a private French School, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Metropolitan University in Computer Management Science. She is on the Board of Directors for the Sisters Enterprise Random Acts of Kindness Non-Profit Organization, and Board of Directors for The Pearl Foundation. May also performs classical piano to the senior citizens throughout the Denver metro area. In her spare time, she enjoys painting. As a Community Research Liaison, she is able to build relationships and connect the dots between the researchers and the diverse Asian communities.
Cory Sedey-Seitz. MPHCory Sedey-Seitz works for the Clinical Research Support Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC). She began her career at the university working as a Professional Research Assistant at the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health. She received her Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Community and Behavior Health. Cory has an interest in decreasing health disparities. She works with study teams on campus to ensure they are running their studies according to regulatory standards. In her work with these teams, she also provides information on how to recruit more diverse study populations. Twice a year, Cory teaches a recruitment and retention class through her department’s education program. During the class she emphases the need for diverse recruitment. Cory is a member of SOCRA (Society of Clinical Research Associates), which creates professional standards and competencies for clinical research professionals supporting clinical trials
Christy Williamson, CCRP, CHRC Christy has worked in clinical research for over a dozen years. She began her career as a research coordinator in the Neuropsychology Department at National Jewish Health and then with the epilepsy team at the University of Colorado. Through these experiences, she learned the value of training and ongoing education for those involved in human subjects research. The desire to provide guidance to other researchers drove Christy to clinical research administration. Currently, Christy serves as the Assistant Director of the Clinical Research Administration Office at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She has developed and delivered numerous educational classes and sessions on a variety of topics related to human subjects research. Her goal is to make it easy for researchers to be compliant with regulations. She enjoys working closely with the study teams to help their projects be successful. Christy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University, is a Certified Clinical Research Professional and is Certified in Healthcare Research Compliance.