U54 Staff

As the Program Manager (MSK), Nicole works closely with the Partnership PIs and handles all administrative and oversight activities for the U54. Alongside the CCNY Program Manager, Nicole maintains day-to-day contact with every aspect of the Partnership, including supervising and coordinating the work of all CCNY and MSK staff working on the Partnership. The Partnership Program Managers ensure that research projects and other internal processes are conducted according to the Partnership’s operating procedures.

Kelsey Schobert, MPH, is the Associate Program Manager (CCNY) for the U54 Partnership. She works closely with the Partnership PIs and manages all administrative and financial aspects of the U54. Kelsey collaborates with the MSK Program Manager to supervise and coordinate the work of all CCNY and MSK staff working on the Partnership. The Partnership Program Managers ensure that research projects and other internal processes are conducted according to the Partnership’s operating procedures.​

As the Research Coordinator for the CCNY-MSK partnership, Luis E. Banegas oversees all research and data collection for PCORE. He collaborates closely with community and institutional partners to facilitate and coordinate community outreach, participant recruitment, research initiatives, educational efforts, and event planning.

His research focuses on a range of topics in economics and social policy, including immigrant health, masculinity, gender inequality, development, and technology. Before joining the partnership, Banegas worked with grassroots organizations in Mexico and Colombia on the design and implementation of community-led projects. He holds a BA from St. Francis College and an MA from Columbia University.

In concert with the Partnership Community Outreach-Research-Education Core (PCORE), Gabriela develops and maintains relationships with local community agencies and institutions to foster collaborative work between the community and the CCNY/MSKCC Partnership and by coordinating all aspects of the PCORE community-engaged service delivery and research. She serves as a liaison with community agencies to develop and implement PCORE’s robust community outreach and engagement plan for the U54 Partnership, focusing on cancer risk reduction and prevention, screening, follow-up, and navigation into care for at-risk populations in New York City.

Research Education Consultant (CCNY)

Assist Principal Investigators and training evaluator with yearly progress report for Program Steering Committee meeting. Oversees student recruitment activities and placement for all students. Implement all training programs, including the Partnership Undergraduate Research Training (PURT), Graduate, Post Doc, and Early Stage Investigators Training initiatives of the Training Core. Oversees Administrative staff for Payments and recruitments.

As the Administrative Assistant, Shantel works closely with the Partnership team to provide daily administrative support for Partnership activities such as calendar management, agenda preparation, presentations, and other materials for key meetings. They handle contract management submissions, coordination of events, and the organization of annual reports to our stakeholders.

As the Research Project Associate in Data Operations for the MSK-CCNY partnership, Ryan ensures the meticulous management and integrity of research data. His role involves streamlining data processes, maintaining quality control, and fostering communication between research and IT teams. He supports data-driven decisions and research advancements by facilitating the seamless flow of information across projects.

Erica Lubetkin is an associate medical professor in the Department of Community Health and Social Medicine at the CUNY School of Medicine. Her background is in neuroscience (B.S), internal medicine (M.D), and public health (M.P.H – Health Policy and Management, Effectiveness, and Outcomes). The majority of her research has examined the performance of patient-reported outcome measures and has a strong track record in measuring health-related quality of life and quantifying the burden of disease due to chronic diseases and health risk behaviors. She also has worked on numerous projects assessing cancer risk beliefs, patient activation, and health literacy in inner city primary care patients. In terms of teaching, she is the course director for Evidence-Based Medicine, a longitudinal first- and second-year medical student course.