Meet the Team

Kathryn L. Taylor, PhD, Professor, Department of Oncology leads the LSTH lab. Dr. Taylor is a tenured Professor in the Department of Oncology and a member of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention and Control Program. Dr. Taylor’s research has focused on three broad areas: 1) the clinical and public health translation of lung cancer screening as a teachable moment for smoking cessation and relapse prevention, 2) understanding the impact of prostate cancer treatment on psychosocial, behavioral and clinical outcomes; and 3) developing and evaluating interventions designed to improve the outcomes of men undergoing prostate cancer screening and treatment. To learn more, visit Dr. Taylor’s Georgetown360 Profile.

Randi M. Williams, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology co-leads the LSTH lab with Dr. Taylor. Her research focuses on methods to promote the adoption of evidence-based lung cancer control practices to advance health equity. Dr. Williams completed her postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Kathryn L. Taylor and Dr. Lucile Adams-Campbell at Lombardi under a Diversity Supplement to Dr. Taylor’s R01(CA207228-S1). She received her PhD in behavioral and community health from the University of Maryland, College Park, School of Public Health. Dr. Williams obtained her Master’s of public health in behavioral sciences and health education from Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health. To learn more, visit Dr. Williams’ Georgetown 360 Profile.

Julia Whealan joined the LSTH lab in 2021 and is involved in accruing and interviewing study participants, as well as providing tobacco cessation counseling to MGUH/MWHC patients with cancer diagnoses and hematological conditions (Learn more about the STAR program here). She also supports data management, entry, and analysis across all of the group’s projects. Julia completed the Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program as well as the Assessment and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence in Cancer Care course through Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  She is interested in interventions to promote cancer screening uptake among populations with low screening rates, as well as interventions aimed at addressing health disparities and promoting equity in healthcare.

Peyton Yee joined the LSTH lab in 2022 as a research assistant. After graduating from Georgetown University in 2023, she transitioned to a full-time position in the lab. In addition to Peyton’s role as a research assistant, she serves as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist for both clinical and research programs. She obtained her Tobacco Treatment Specialist certification from the University of Pennsylvania. Peyton plans to pursue a career in medicine, and her research interests involve increasing equity in preventive care among minority and low-income individuals. She wants to use research findings to influence health policy, decreasing health disparities across the United States.

Olivia Rostagni joined the LSTH lab in June 2023 and is involved in study management, protocol design, and data analysis as the research coordinator for LSTH 2.0. She also completed the Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program at the University of Massachusetts and provides tobacco cessation counseling for LSTH 2.0 participants. Prior to joining the LSTH lab, Olivia studied Public Health at Davidson College and worked as a clinical research assistant at National Human Genome Research Institute for two years following graduation. Olivia is interested in how to develop and implement evidence-based, effective, and sustainable behavioral interventions toward cancer prevention on the health-system level. 

Anu Sangraula joined the LSTH lab in June 2023 and is involved in study management and participant recruitment as the project coordinator for PREP, and provides education to patients recruited for the PREP study as a health education specialist. Anu graduated with her MPH in behavioral and community health from the University of Maryland, School of Public Health in May 2023. She is interested in the development and implementation of community-based interventions targeting behavioral change, the impacts of patient activation on health outcomes, and the use and effectiveness of peer recovery support in substance use treatment.

Taylor Young is a student in the School of Health studying Health Care Management and Policy with a minor in government. Taylor is interested in studying interventions that promote community well-being, emerging technologies in healthcare, and ways to address the social determinants of health. She plans to graduate in 2026 and pursue a career in public health. 

Aanem Hasnie is a Health Care Management and Policy major in the School of Health. She plans to graduate in 2026 and pursue a career in medicine. Aanem is interested in research focused on addressing barriers to healthcare and targeting clinical measures that both treat patients and promote health equity within communities.