Our Lab

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

A woman with glasses and a headwrap standing outdoors with arms crossed.

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.

A young woman with long hair, sunglasses on her head, and multiple earrings taking a selfie in a traditional Japanese garden with a pond and the Himeji Castle in the background.

Lauren Koerner

I am a PhD Candidate in Applied Anthropology and hold a MPH in social marketing and a MA in Applied Anthropology. I am interested in women’s healthcare access, STI prevention, health literacy, and the intersection of health, illness, and culture.

Young woman with long brown hair, wearing a black sleeveless top and jeans, standing in front of a large bull statue in a park or outdoor area.

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.

A smiling young woman with dark skin, wearing a black headscarf, a black blazer, and a beige top, standing in an indoor setting.

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.

Isabelle Christensen

I am a Biomedical Science major with a minor in Criminology, and my research interests focus on forensic science and the social factors that shape people’s daily lives. I joined the Entourage Lab to better understand how social support networks influence resilience, decision‑making, and well‑being, and how these dynamics connect to the real‑world contexts that inform forensic work.

A smiling woman with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, indoors with a dark background.

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. 

A woman with long brown hair smiling at the camera, wearing a black blazer and a gray top, standing against a gray background.

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)