Our Lab

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Dick Powis, Ph.D.

Dick Powis is a medical anthropologist and Assistant Professor of Maternal & Child Health in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. His research focuses on the people who surround pregnant women and new mothers, and how they think about and provide care and support for those women. He founded The Entourage Lab in 2022 to teach students about social support, social networks, and cultural domain analysis as they relate to Maternal & Child Health issues.

Email | Website | Instagram

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Kanur Raïssa Minkilane

Raïssa Minkilane is a research assistant in anthropology with a strong interest in migration, community dynamics, and social justice. Her work is grounded in qualitative research methods, including ethnographic fieldwork, semi-structured interviews, and archival research. Raïssa has contributed to projects exploring transnational economic practices and community-based health and social initiatives in Senegal. She is deeply passionate about human-centered research and aims to make anthropological knowledge accessible, meaningful, and impactful for both academic and non-academic audiences.

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Lauren Koerner

I am a second year MPH Student and PhD Candidate in Applied Anthropology. I am interested in women’s healthcare access, STI prevention and the intersection of health, illness, and culture in the US and Japan.

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Addie Prasal

I am an undergraduate nursing student with a psychology minor in the Judy Genshaft Honors College. I’m especially interested in maternal and child health, neonatology, neurodevelopment, and how early-life experiences shape long-term health outcomes.

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Jemila Macauley

My name is Jemila Macauley and I am a second-year MPH student concentrating in Maternal and Child Health (MCH). I am an MCH Scholar completing my academic-community internship with the Entourage Lab, where I am exploring how maternal support systems can improve health outcomes. My research interests include maternal mortality and morbidity and I am passionate about advancing health equity in underserved and global communities.

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Courtney Johns Rejano

I am a PhD Candidate in Medical Anthropology and my research interest is in the ways patient advocacy skills are incorporated into medical education including the shifts in approaches in the midst of social and political changes. 

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Ainsley Baker

I am a second-year concurrent degree student pursuing a Master of Health Administration and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policies and Programs. I am passionate about using data to evaluate health programs and inform improvements in healthcare delivery, access, and equity.

Lab Alumni

Dr. Marlene Joannie Bewa (PhD’23)

Assata Jasper (MPH’24)

Sendy Sejourne (MPH’25)

Anna Broich (MA/MPH’25)

Dr. Merveilles Kajangu (MPH’25)

Lila VandenBroek (MPH’25)

Kiara Perez-Cans (BS’26)