CARDIAC - Staff

William A. Neal, M.D. is a pediatric cardiologist with special interest in the epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

CARDIAC Role:	Founder & Director, CARDIAC Project
Current Position:	Professor of Pediatrics Chief, Section of Pediatric Cardiology WVU School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
Degree:	M.D.
Contact Information:	wneal@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-2416 Fax: 304-293-1409

Valerie Evans Minor assists in the coordination of student recruitment, screening day activities and student/family follow-up through liaison work with county school administrations and staff.

CARDIAC Role:	Co-Founder & Associate Director, CARDIAC Project Coordinator, CARDIAC Surveillance
Current Position:	Associate Professor, School of Nursing Alderson-Broaddus College, Philippi, WV
Degree:	R.N., M.S.N.
Contact Information:	minorva@mail.ab.edu Phone: 304-457-6350

Eloise Elliott, Ph.D. is the Creator and Director of Healthy Hearts & Take Charge! Be Healthy!, overseeing all operations of the web-based modules, including development, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation.

CARDIAC Role:	Associate Director, CARDIAC Interventions
Current Position:	Professor, Department of Human Performance Concord College, Athens, WV
Degree:	Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction
Contact Information:	elelliot@concord.edu Phone: 304-384-5345

Lesley Cottrell, Ph.D. specializes in research on child development, parenting and examinations of health behaviors. She is currently supervising the implementation of the CARDIAC-Kinder Project.

CARDIAC Role:	Associate Director, CARDIAC Research
Current Position:	Assistant Professor of Pediatrics WVU School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
Degree:	Ph.D., Developmental Psychology
Contact Information:	lcottrell@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-1149 Fax: 304-293-1409

Georgianna Tillis is the site coordinator liaison to the 17 site coordinators from the West Virginia Rural Health Education Partnership Program.

CARDIAC Role:	Site Coordinator Liaison
Current Position:	RHEP Site Coordinator
Degree:	B.S., Parks & Recreation
Contact Information:	gtillis@marshall.edu One John Marshall Way Point Pleasant, WV 25550 Phone: 304-674-7234 Fax: 304-674-7236

Paula Nicholson is the Administrative Assistant and primary contact for the CARDIAC Project

CARDIAC Role:	Project Manager
Current Position:	Administrative Assistant
Contact Information:	pnicholson@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-2416 Fax: 304-293-1409

Emily Murphy, Ph.D. is a Pediatric Exercise Physiologist who specializes in research related to the impact of physical activity on childhood obesity. She is involved in the coordination of several statewide and local CARDIAC interventions. She is also involved with WV Games for Health, a series of statewide projects that have utilized Dance Dance Revolution, a total body video game, to enhance the physical activity levels of children as well as monitor the health benefits of active video game playing.

CARDIAC Role:	CARDIAC Interventions, Member of WV Genetic Hypercholesterolemia Team
Current Position:	Research Instructor, Dept. of Pediatrics
Degree:	Ph.D., Exercise Physiology
Contact Information:	espangler@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-0767 Fax: 304-293-1409

Alyson Marano Ward assists with CARDIAC screenings throughout the state and coordinates programmatic efforts aimed at addressing the needs of CARDIAC participants at both the state and local level.

CARDIAC Role:	CARDIAC Interventions Member of WV Genetic Hypercholesterolemia Team
Current Position:	Research Nurse
Degree:	BSN, MPH
Contact Information:	award@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-558-7081 Fax: 304-558-7081

Miriam Perez, M.D. is a pediatrician at West Virginia University Children's Hospital in Morgantown, WV. She specializes in the treatment of children and teenagers and their overall well being. Dr. Perez was born in Barranquilla, Columbia (South America) and she received her MD degree (with honors) from the Universidad del Norte School of Medicine in Barranquilla.

CARDIAC Role:	Children's Lipid Clinic Physician
Current Position:	Pediatric Physician
Degree:	M.D.
Contact Information:	kperezmd@yahoo.com Phone: 304-594-1313 Fax: 304-594-2951

Susie Ritchie is a pediatric nurse practioner who helps with the children's Lipid clinic in Morgantown. She is involved in the coordination of follow-up children and families with genetic Hyperlipidemia (FH and FCN), and a FCN research project collaborating with Marshall University

CARDIAC Role:	Coordinator, FH/FCH Project
Current Position:	Clinical Associate Professor Department of Pediatrics
Degree:	RN, MPH, Maternal Child Health, CPNP
Contact Information:	sritchie@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-1199 Fax: 304-293-1409

Violet Pastorial is a liaison between the CARDIAC Project and the Northern West Virginia RHEC (Rural Health Education Center) Consortium. She is also responsible for the screenings in Monogalia County. Violet's volunteer activities include serving as State President for the 2006-2008 administration of the General Federation of Women's Clubs in West Virginia; member of the Braxton County Extension Service Committee; and member of the Braxton County Career Technical Advisory Committee.

CARDIAC Role:	Project Liaison
Current Position:	Program Specialist
Degree:	BA, Art and Journalism
Contact Information:	vpastorial@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-216-3969 Fax: 304-293-1409

Katie Polak helps with the organization and entering of data that comes into the central office from the participating schools. She is also responsible for the ongoing project of updating the CARDIAC Project's web site.

CARDIAC Role:	Data Technician
Degree:	BA, English
Contact Information:	cpolak@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-4286 Fax: 304-293-1409

Derek Belcher is the technology interventions specialist and also serves as the CARDIAC website administrator. He is responsible for continued website updates and maintenance. In addition, he works with the Healthy Hearts 4 Kids, and Take Charge! Be Healthy! e-Learning modules. He also serves as the project coordinator for the Active Academics web resource.

CARDIAC Role:	Website Administrator
Current Position:	Technology Intervention Specialist
Degree:	BS, Physical Education & Health Education
Contact Information:	belcherds@concord.edu Phone: 304-887-4868 Fax: 304-384-6033

Christa Green, Ph.D. is a developmental and quantitative psychologist. She is currently assisting CARDIAC with methodological issues and statistical analyses.

CARDIAC Role:	Biostatistician
Current Position:	Research Instructor, Pediatrics WVU School of Medicine
Degree:	Ph.D., Psychology
Contact Information:	cgreen@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: 304-293-6515 Fax: 304-293-1409

Kristen McCartney is a dietitian with experience in adult weight management. She most recently co-coordinated the School Wellness Policy workshops and is currently working on school based nutrition interventions.

CARDIAC Role:	Registered Dietitian
Current Position:	CARDIAC Interventions
Degree:	B.S. in Dietetics
Internship:	UPMC Shadyside, 2005
Contact Information:	kmmcartney@hsc.wvu.edu Phone: (304)216-3277 Fax: (304) 293-1409

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