Research Team
About Us
HOMER is led by the Department of Family Medicine’s Linda Zittleman, MSPH, Senior Instructor, and Don Nease, MD, Professor of Family Medicine. The study is working with the AAFP National Research Network / DARTNet and the HOMER Community Advisory Council, a group of patients, clinicians, other health professionals, and concerned community members who guide and inform all aspects of this study.
Team Members
HOMER co-Principal Investigator
High Plains Research Network (HPRN) co-Director
Linda Zittleman, MSPH is a Senior Instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at University of Colorado School of Medicine and the co-Director of the High Plains Research Network (HPRN). Ms. Zittleman has extensive experience in practice-based research, particularly working with the rural practices and communities on a range of studies and managing multi-site, multi-method research projects. She helped lead the IT MATTTRs research study, which included training primary care practice teams and activating communities around treatment for opioid use disorder and dependence with buprenorphine. She is a co-Principle Investigator for the HOMER Study.
HOMER co-Principal Investigator
Professor of Family Medicine and CCTSI Director of Community Engagement and Health Equity
Donald Nease Jr., M.D. Professor of Family Medicine at University of Colorado School of Medicine and Director of Community Engagement and Health Equity for the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI), Colorado’s NIH funded CTSI. Dr. Nease directs the State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory Practices and Partners (SNOCAP) practice-based research network consortium as well as the Colorado Research Network (CaReNet) a SNOCAP member network. Dr. Nease brings over 25 years of experience leading practice-based research, including work with the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN), a ten year history of SNOCAP and CaReNet leadership, and eight years of serving as Director of the CCTSI-CE&R. As a part of his experience, Dr. Nease has led multi-state and multi-PBRN projects. He has 31 years of clinical experience and is also a DEA waivered medication assisted treatment (MAT) provider.
Dr. Nease serves as a co-Principal Investigator for the HOMER project with Ms. Zittleman. Dr. Nease work with Ms. Zittleman, jointly holding responsibility and accountability for the conduct of the award and ensure that all awarded milestones, deliverables, and reports are completed. Dr. Nease will additionally lead work on the Technical and Scientific aspects of the project, chairing the Project Steering and Study Protocol Implementation groups. He will insure the direction and the scientific integrity of the project. Dr. Nease will work with the project team to disseminate project results, serving on the Communication and Dissemination group along with the Data Management and Analysis group.
HOMER Investigator
Dr. LeMaster assists DARTNet and the AAFP NRN with investigator activities on various studies, and is currently serving as the interim director. He is also a tenured Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Family Medicine. His clinical focus is on preventive health, refugee healthcare, and adolescent medicine with numerous research interests including opioid use, misuse, and the management of chronic pain. Dr. LeMaster serves as a co-Investigator on the HOMER study and works closely with and leads the DARTNet/AAFP NRN team.
HOMER Project Manager
Ben Sofie is a Research Services Senior Professional with the University of Colorado Department of Family Medicine. Ben works as a lead project manager for the HOMER study, managing research activities among academic, community, and primary care partners across the country. With a background in nonprofit and social work, Ben enjoys working with community partners to develop, implement, and evaluate research projects.
HOMER Project Manager
Senior Program Strategist, DARTNet Institute
Cory joined the NRN (now part of DARTNet) in 2017 and serves as senior program strategist. In his role, Cory provides strategic and project management for large-scale research programs and initiatives, representing numerous stakeholders, and external research institutions and primary care practices. Cory is responsible for strategy development, leadership and personnel management, financial budgeting and tracking, stakeholder communication, and full-scale project management. Prior to joining the NRN, Cory spent 9 years working in Biopharmaceutical R&D and advancement. Cory received a BS in Microbiology from the University of Kansas in 2008 and recently completed a Master’s in Health Administration (MHA) from the University of Cincinnati.
Maret Felzien
HOMER Community Advisor
Maret is a native to northeastern Colorado and recently retired from a long career working to support underserved and underprepared students at the local 2-year college. Currently she assists with the daily operations of Felzien Farms, the family dry-land farm and cattle ranch. She became involved with community engagement and Community-based Practice Research nearly 20 years ago working with High Plains Research Network (HPRN) and the Community Advisory Council. This group informs, advises, and co-creates health research to strengthen primary care across rural eastern Colorado. The research conducted in these rural communities has been fun, meaningful, and successful, and most importantly, has shown positive impact on the health of the communities. Her community engagement work and advocacy has grown from this experience to include work with North American Primary Care Research Group and The Robert Graham Center, among others; she continually collaborates on research teams and with projects as a patient/community voice or leader, an advocate, and even sometimes as a co-investigator.
On the HOMER Study, Maret brings her community perspective to the project development, data interpretation and dissemination of findings. She also coordinates between the academic team and the community advisors, including regular communication and meetings with the community advisors so they too are providing ongoing insight, advice, and unique viewpoints.