Meet Our Team
Co-Directors
The Office of Research Administration
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Rochester
Emily S. Barrett, Ph.D.
Co-Director of ORA
(585) 275-9187
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Dr. Barrett's research focuses on how early environmental exposures affect female reproductive development. Dr. Barrett first became interested this topic during her doctoral work in Biological Anthropology at Harvard University. Her dissertation focused on understanding variation in reproductive function, particularly ovarian hormone levels, in relation to ecological factors including prenatal environment. She has since expanded her work to examine how prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals can shape subsequent reproductive development. To that end, she has worked on several large pregnancy cohort studies, including the National Children’s Study and the multi-center The Infant Development and the Environment Study (TIDES). Most recently, Dr. Barrett has become a BIRCWH Scholar and will investigate these issues in several large existing cohorts including TIDES, the Study for Future Families, and the Women’s Reproductive Health Study (WRHS) and hopes to recruit for a new small-scale study as well.
Rebecca Rowley
Research Administrator
Co-Director of ORA
(585) 275-9182
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Rebecca A. Rowley is the Research Administrator for the department. Trained as a Biochemist and hoping to engage in further study, she has spent the last few years working in various academic support positions. She facilitates the grant process for all Ob/Gyn faculty from the first spark of an idea to the final document hand-off to the sponsor. She is enthusiastic about finding funding for all faculty interested in research. She is also responsible for the post-award management of grants, contracts, and clinical studies. Please feel free to stop by or call if you have any questions or concerns.
ORA Team Members
Erin Driscoll-Brantley
Study Coordinator
Erin Driscoll-Brantley is a Study Coordinator for TIDES at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Study Center. She is responsible for managing the research study along with Lynda Kochman and Heather Fiore. Erin will follow up and communicate with women and infants who are participating in the study.
Ken Edell
Database Administrator
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Ken Edell is the Database Administrator for the department. He has been with the OB/GYN department for nine years and is responsible for managing the birth-related databases which are used for quality assessment and research purposes.
Heather Fiore
Study Coordinator
Heather Fiore, RD, MS Ed is a Study Coordinator for TIDES at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Study Center. She is responsible for managing the research study along with Lynda Kochman and Erin Driscoll-Brantley. Heather will follow up and communicate with women and infants who are participating in the study. Heather is a Registered Dietitian. She completed her Nutrition/Dietetics training at Cornell University and also holds a Masters of Health Education from SUNY Brockport. In addition her position on the TIDES team, she works as a Clinical Nutrition Specialist in the Children’s Diabetes Center at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong.
Lynda Kochman
Study Coordinator
Lynda Kochman, RN, CRCC is an experienced clinical coordinator of research studies in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has recruited regionally and coordinated numerous pediatric vaccine trials in the Rochester area since 1985. She joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2001 and has served as the regional site coordinator for several multi-site studies in the Department of OB/GYN. She brings 25 years of experience in study subject recruitment, subject follow-up and cross-site collaboration to the Rochester site. Research coordinating responsibilities include coordinating the recruitment, planning, implementation, on-going conduct, and documentation of clinical research trials sponsored by industry, government and private organizations. Supervision of staff assisting with study. Maintaining SOP’s, data quality and regulatory compliance. Lynda is a registered nurse. She received her nursing degree in Montreal, Canada where she is from originally. She received her certification in clinical research coordinating (CCRC) in 2001. Lynda moved to Rochester in 1979 with her husband where they raised their three now grown children.
Richard Stahlhut, MD, MPH
Research Assistant Professor
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Rick Stahlhut, M.D., M.P.H. is Research Assistant Professor in the department and board-certified in preventive medicine. Formerly a medical informatics practitioner and educator, Rick now uses his data skills to investigate how exposures to common chemicals may be contributing to the epidemics of diabetes and obesity.
Jena Tyra
Administrative Assistant
(585) 273-3521
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Jena Tyra is the Administrative Assistant for ORA. For the past several months, Jena Tyra has been working with the NCS Placenta Project 18 under the direction of Rich Miller. Recently, she has accepted the position of Administrative Assistant to the Office of Research Administration. She will be working part time for ORA and part time on NCS. Jena is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia and is interested in pursuing her MBA. She has worked for the University of Rochester for about 4 years, formerly in the Finance and Psychiatry Departments.
Sajitha Veettilakath
Accounting Bookkeeper
Sajitha holds a degree in Accounting from India and graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College in May with B.S in Business Administration. She is planning to pursue M.S in accounting or get a CMA certification in the near future. She loves spending time with her husband and doing all adventurous, fun outdoor activities. Her hobbies are cooking, crafting, reading, playing tennis.
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