The Center for Health Research - Hawaii Researchers

CHRH Researchers

	Rachel Novotny, PhD Senior Investigator, Associate Director, Center for Health Research Hawaii For 18 years, Dr. Novotny’s research in the Pacific Region has examined how diet, physical activity, and body size affect health and disease. Her current research is assessing children’s diets in the Pacific Region and examining nutritional, physical activity, and genetic factors influencing growth.
	Joan P. Dubanoski, PhD, MPH Research Associate II Dr. Dubanoski began her career as a clinical psychologist, and has an interest in prevention and mental/physical health promotion over the lifespan. Dr. Dubanoski is co-investigator and project director for the Personality and Health Study, which integrates her interests in cross-cultural, clinical, and social psychology, and her broader interests in aging processes, prevention, and health promotion.
	Melissa L. Finucane, PhD Affiliate Investigator Dr. Finucane is a psychologist interested in understanding human judgment and decision-making. Her research examines the role of socio-cultural values in the perception of environmental, health, and financial risks; risk communication challenges; and how decision competence is affected by aging-related socio-psychological changes.
	Teresa Hillier, MD Senior Investigator Dr. Hillier is an investigator at both the CHR-H and CHR-NW offices. In Hawaii, she leads a study to determine the current incidence rates of childhood diabetes, and develops a better algorithm for classifying Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes in children based study clinical and laboratory data.
	Thomas M. Vogt, MD, MPH Senior Investigator Dr. Vogt directed CHR's epidemiology and disease prevention program in Portland and was the past director of CHR-H. His research examines workplace interventions, the quality and costs of preventive care, the organization of primary care, the relation of personality to disease risk, and cancer care.
	Andrew E. Williams, PhD Research Associate III Dr. Williams is the project director of the 3W study and assists Drs. Vogt and Finucane with other projects. He wants to pursue his own research in prevention of violence against women, patient dignity and decision-making, electronic medical records, and network models of causal beliefs.