Staff
Umar Y. Kabir, DVM, MPH, PhD
Umar Kabir serves as Research Leader at the Center for Health System Improvement as well as serving as Director of Operations for the Tennessee Population Health Consortium and overseeing its TN Population Health Data Network. He earned his PhD in Health Systems Management and Policy at the University of Memphis School of Public Health, he has extensive research experience in areas including healthcare disparity, health systems strengthening, mental illness, process improvement, and health information technology in low-resource communities. He earned his Master of Public Health from Western Kentucky University in 2016 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ahmadu Bello University in 2011. Dr. Kabir has successfully published research papers in several peer-reviewed journals and has presented both nationally and internationally. He has taught at the University of Memphis and National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism in Abuja, FTC, and did a fellowship in Process Improvement at Qsource. Dr. Kabir’s professional experience includes working as an epidemiologist for the Shelby County government, most recently managing the Department of Health’s COVID-19 Cluster Investigation Unit and Special Investigations Teams. At the beginning of his career, he serves as a clinician at the State House Veterinary Clinic in Abuja.
Email: ukabir@uthsc.edu
Nicky Hitching, BA
Nicky Hitching serves as Scientific Writer for the Center for Health System Improvement and the UTHSC Office of Scientific Writing. She also oversees marketing and communications for the Tennessee Population Health Consortium and its main project, the Tennessee Heart Health Network. She has experience as grant writer for Memphis nonprofits, and in her previous career worked for many years as a journalist for Memphis Business Journal and for national business and finance publications. Her degree is from Vanderbilt University.
Email: nhitchin@uthsc.edu
Phone: 901-448-2477
Gladys Icaza Hunt, BA
Gladys Hunt serves as the Research Coordinator for the TN Heart Health Network, the main project of the Tennessee Population Health Consortium. She received her BA in International Business at Memphis State University. After a long career in management for an international corporation, she shifted her focus to healthcare in 2002. Prior to joining the Center for Health System Improvement, she worked for a healthcare consulting organization working to improve healthcare quality in all clinical settings.
Email: ghunt7@uthsc.edu
Anusha Kompalli, MS
Anusha Kompalli serves as Data Engineer for the Center for Health System Improvement and Tennessee Population Health Consortium. Her responsibilities include maintaining the Diabetes, Wellness, and Prevention Coalition (DWPC) Registry, collaborating with IT teams of various data providers to ensure timely data transfer into the Registry, and troubleshooting data-related issues. She has MS degrees in Information Systems from University of Memphis and from Acharya Nagarjuna University in India.
Email: akompalli@uthsc.edu
Avinash Pakker, MS, Pharm-D
Avinash Pakker serves as Data Analyst for the Center for Health System Improvement. He is responsible for the analysis of EHR and administrative claims databases, and for assisting with the design, analysis, and interpretation of various health services research studies. He also helps to operationalize research questions, create study cohorts, apply analytic approaches, and assist with interpretation. Dr. Pakker has a MS in Health Informatics from Indiana University and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, India.
Email: apakker@uthsc.edu
Bill Pichette
Bill is the Administrative Services Assistant for Center for Health System Improvement. After a career in federal civil service, he moved to Memphis to experience the history, heritage, and culture of the region. Bill enjoys live music, baseball, travel, and volunteering in the community.
Email:bill.pichette@uthsc.edu
Phone: 901.448.2475
Ming Chen, MS
Ming Chen is a doctoral research assistant in the Institute of Health Outcomes and Policy and the Center for Health System Improvement. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Social and Administrative Pharmacy from China. She earned her Master in pharmaceutical outcomes research from the University of Florida. Her main interests include health service research, health outcomes, and observational study. The databases she has worked on include Registry, electronic medical records, federal and commercial administrative claims. She likes travelling, basketball, and watching live games.
Email: mchen46@uthsc.edu
Phone: 901.448.2561
Deborah Ogunsanmi, B Pharm
Deborah Ogunsanmi is a Ph.D. student in the Institute for Health Outcomes and Policy at UTHSC and a graduate research assistant in the Center for Health System Improvement. She received her bachelor's degree in Pharmacy from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Her research interest is focused on improving health care quality, health outcomes, access to medicines, and medication adherence especially among those with chronic conditions. In her free time she enjoys working out, traveling, and making new friends.
Email: dogunsan@uthsc.edu