Please meet our team from Chapman University, School of Communication:
Dr. Rebecca (Riva) Tukachinsky Forster, Associate Professor at the School of Communication at Chapman University. She published research in the area of media psychology, namely how people understand, become involved with and might be influenced by media. As a scholar and a mom of two (a six year-old daughter and a four year-old son), she is excited about the many opportunities that today’s media environment offers families.
Dr. Michelle Ortiz, Assistant Director Diversity and Inclusion at the College of Medicine, University of Arizona. She earned a Ph.D. in communication studying media effects. Her research was published in top journals in the field. Dr. Ortiz oversees the media literacy presentations for Spanish-speaking parents.
2019 TEAM:
Hana Polizzotto is pursuing an M.S. in Health and Strategic Communication at Chapman University. She got her B.A. at Wake Forest University, where she studied Communication and discovered her passion for Health Communication. She loves working with children, and ultimately, wants to work in school districts to promote health literacy and education. This project gives her the chance to work with children and parents in a field she is very interested in pursuing after graduation.
Andrea Fernanda Chirino completed her B.S. in Health Science at California State University, Long Beach and is currently pursuing her M.S. in Health and Strategic Communication at Chapman University. Upon graduating, her goal is to work in low resource communities to improve health education and literacy. She is currently an instructor at Chapman University, teaching public speaking courses.
Ryan Johnson is a student in Chapman’s Health and Strategic Communication Master’s Program. He currently works with the Child Abuse Prevention Center in Orange County. He has taught English to young learners in Asia, and has provided tutoring to children in the U.S. through the Healthy Families program. His undergraduate education was in Psychology.
Ashley Ima is completing her M.S. in Health and Strategic Communication at Chapman. With a B.A. in Public Health Policy from UC Irvine, she has been consistently invested in improving the health and lives of others. Upon graduation, she hopes to apply her knowledge to either healthcare marketing or public health fields.
Emily Brogan-Freitas is in her final semester of the M.S. in Health and Strategic Communication program at Chapman University. She received her B.A. in Communication Studies from Chapman University. Emily gained experience with and a passion for community engagement as an intern at an Orange County-based non-profit. Upon graduation, Emily hopes to apply her health communication knowledge in either the non-profit or government sector.
Alexandra Stack is currently a student in the Health and Strategic Communication Graduate Program. She works full time in Alumni Engagement, keeping Chapman Alumni connected to the University. Alexis has gained extensive experience volunteering with children as well as working as a child care provider. She looks forward to working with children in the graduate program.
Faith Escalera is pursuing her M.S. in Health and Strategic Communication from Chapman University where she also obtained her B.A. in Strategic and Corporate Communication with a minor in Public Relations in 2018. She currently works as the graduate assistant for the Office of Community Relations, working with city and elected officials, civic organizations, and businesses who call our surrounding communities home. Following graduation, she hopes to use the skills and knowledge Chapman has instilled in her in healthcare marketing or public relations.
Lauren Graziani
Josanni Martinez
Megan Norris
Amanda Olsen
Rochelle Salvador
Jon Small
Allie White
PAST TEAM MEMBERS
See here