Directory

Michael J. Pencina, PhD, is Duke Health's chief data scientist and serves as vice dean for data science, director of Duke AI Health, and professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at the Duke University School of Medicine. His work bridges the fields of data science, health care, and AI, and builds upon Duke’s national leadership in trustworthy AI.

Dawn Phillips joined CTSI in 2021. She has a master's degree in adult education and a bachelor's degree in business administration/management. She has extensive experience as an office assistant and office manager in busy academic environments, including East Carolina University and Catawba College. Her passion is supporting teams and offices and working with people, specifically geriatric populations.

Born in Argentina and now a resident of Concord, N.C. Ms. Plez joined Duke CTSI in January 2010. As the Research Project Leader for Community Engagement, Ms. Plez supports translational population health research efforts in Kannapolis by informing, recruiting, and enrolling the Hispanic population in the area. She previously worked as a teacher and translator in both Argentina and the United States after graduating from UM University in Buenos Aires with a Bachelor of Arts in modern languages.

Assistant Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics

Stella joined CTSI in September 2021 as a Program Manager and Research Analysist for the Evaluation and Strategic Planning Core.

Amber supports the Center for Pathway Programs by coordinating stakeholder engagement, developing strategies for effective program administration, and promoting the Center’s efforts both internally and externally. In addition to her role at the Center, Amber directs communications for The BOOST Program, a program founded by the late Dr. Brenda Armstrong to get Durham Public Schools students excited about STEM. Amber is a Duke alum from Hollister, NC, and a citizen of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe.

Pilar Roa serves as a bilingual clinical research coordinator for the OneDukeGen study. She brings to the CTSI 12 years of experience in clinical research including participant recruitment and retention, conducting industry sponsored trials, quality assurance, and innovative community engagement. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Ms. Roa is passionate about fostering diversity in clinical trials, striving to ensure clinical research reflects real-world populations.

Cheryl Robinson joined Duke CTSI as a Research Aide and is now a Clinical Research Specialist with the Duke Kannapolis group in Durham, N.C. She spent just over five years serving in the U.S. Navy boot camp in Orlando, Fla. and the Naval Operations Base in Norfolk, Va. to begin courses in underwater sound surveillance. Her advanced training took her to Eureka, Calif. and her career as an Ocean Systems Technician officially began at the base in Dam Neck, Va.