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 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
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
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
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