The goal of the conference is to highlight facilitation and importance of community engagement in every phase of the research process. The presence of physicians, clinicians, researchers, and members of the community (residents, advocates for social justice, representatives of agencies and organizations) who advocate for programs and services for vulnerable populations, is essential.
When community is included, the research outcome is greatly improved, addressing the physical, mental and environmental well-being of all people.
Monday, May 8 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Martin L. King Jr. Student Center, Delaware State University
1200 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901
Community Research Exchange Co-Chairs:
Allison Karpyn, PhD
Omar Khan, MD, MHS, FAAFP
Marlene Saunders, DSW, MSW, LMSW
Community Engagement & Outreach Core Lead:
Lee Pachter, DO
Keynote Presentations
“Fast Forward! A Community Engagement Strategy from the Community Perspective”
Presented by:
Paris Davis, MBA
Executive Director
Total Resource Community Development Organization / Pastors4PCOR
Rebecca E. Johnson, PhD, MSc
Freelance Researcher
Research, Partnership & Facilitation
“Ensuring the Community is at the Center of Research”
Presented by:
Renee Mahaffey Harris, CHES
President & CEO
The Center for Closing the Health Gap in Greater Cincinnati
Meet our Keynote Speakers:

Dr. Paris Davis is an ordained Elder at Triedstone Church of Chicago and Executive Director (ED) of Total Resource Community Development (TRCDO). She, along with Bishop Simon Gordon, co-founded TRCDO in 1999 as a 501c3 for providing HUD-approved housing agency, food pantry via the Chicago Food Depository, utility payments through CEDA, Youth Programs, Community Research projects in partnership with Northwestern University, University Chicago, University of Illinois and Rush Hospitals, along with medical coalitions that include Alliance Chicago and CAPRICORN. She has 35+ years of senior management experience with nonprofit and profit organizations, including IBM as Senior Project Manager and Harris Bank as Vice President. She consults in leadership forums for strategic planning, community engagement, proposal writing, organization development and sustainability. Annually, +10,000 families are serviced through her leadership. Currently, she is Principal Investigator (PI) for Pastors4PCOR, PI with PCORI’s HUB and the development of a PTSD Trauma Learning Community, and MPI with Northwestern and the National Institute (NIH) for Community Intervention to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease in Chicago. She has earned a PhD from The Graduate Theological Foundation of Oxford University/Rome Foundation Fellowships and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Grad ate School of Business, in Labor
Relations and Statistics. She has published 7 books.

Rebecca Johnson, PhD, is a freelance researcher specializing in Research, Partnership & Facilitation. Her current work focuses on building the capacity of community-based stakeholders to engage with health research and researchers. Dr. Johnson is consultant to the CIRCL-Chicago NIHLB Community Engagement Working Group and evaluator for Building the capacity of the long-term HIV survivor community to participate and engage in PCOR/CER EW Award led by CJE Senior Life. She also works with the community based Pastors4PCOR faith-based research engagement network led by Dr. Paris Davis. Currently P4P is focusing on Building a Roadmap for PCOR/CER Priorities for Communities of Color Living with PTSD. Drs. Davis and Johnson are the evaluation team for SheRay’s and Associates as they work with the State of Indiana on Coronavirus Response and Relief: Supplemental Appropriations Act of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program.

Renee Mahaffey Harris is a committed advocate for the marginalized populations in Greater Cincinnati and the region. Mahaffey Harris leads The Health Gap in its mission to lead the efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities through advocacy, education, and community outreach. During her tenure at The Health Gap, Harris jointly implemented the City of Cincinnati’s Health in All Policy and launched several groundbreaking community-based health initiatives including the Do Right! Campaign and the Black Women’s Health Movement, which is an Ohio collaboration with the national organization Black Women’s Health Imperative. Harris serves as a member of the Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s COVID 19 Minority Strike Force, is President of Ohio African American Health Disparities Coalition, and was appointed as Co-Chair City of Cincinnati Racial Equity Taskforce and a member of the National Council on Black Health-Subcommittee on national programs. Harris was recently awarded the UC Health Humanitarian Award, the City of Cincinnati Black History Month Honoree, the Urban One “Hometown Shero” Award, and the MLK Humanitarian Award.
For questions, please contact Erica Singleton, Project Manager Institute for Research on Equity & Community Health (iREACH) at ChristianaCare.