Researchers

Dr. Sunni Mumford is a reproductive epidemiologist with a dedicated career to creating and leading studies that help understand the big picture of how our environment and lifestyles affect our reproductive health, fertility, and children’s health.

Dr. Heather H. Burris is an attending neonatologist at CHOP and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Penn Perelman School of Medicine. She studies social and environmental factors contributing to perinatal health inequity.

Dr. Sara DeMauro is a neonatologist and researcher at CHOP and the Penn Perelman School of Medicine. Her research focuses on childhood outcomes after critical neonatal illness and understanding influences of illnesses and exposures on child development.

Dr. Samuel Parry is an obstetrician-gynecologist in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Penn Medicine, whose research areas of interest include viral infections of the human placenta and preterm delivery.

Dr. Harish Sehdev is an obstetrician-gynecologist in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Penn Medicine and Director of the Prenatal Diagnosis Unit at Pennsylvania Hospital.

Meaghan is the Director of Clinical Research Operations for the Pregnancy & Perinatal Research Center at Penn. After earning her MPH from UPenn, she has spent her career working on projects focused on enhancing the health of mothers and babies.

April joined ECHO as a research project manager in October 2023. April’s previous work focused on addressing reproductive and perinatal health issues and concerns in the Philadelphia area.

Kisha Gaskins joined ECHO as a research program manager in November 2023. She has previously managed research studies/programs at the University of Pennsylvania and the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD.

Rita Leite is the Biospecimen Manager for Penn’s Pregnancy & Perinatal Research Center and the Program Manager for the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at UPenn. She completed her post-doc at Penn after earning her medical degree in Brazil.

Maggie Barnidge joined ECHO in August 2024. She received her BA from the University of Notre Dame, where she studied Pre-health and Spanish. She is interested in pediatric medicine and is very excited to be joining the ECHO team.

Lorelei joined ECHO in August 2024 after graduating from the University of Washington with a BS in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology. Passionate about patient care, she is excited to advance pediatric research.

Marjani has been part of the ECHO team since November 2024. She studied Neuroscience and English for her Bachelors at Binghamton University and is now getting her MPH from UPenn. She is passionate about environmental health justice and social equity, and is excited to get to contribute to pediatric research through ECHO.

Rasha is a certified perinatal doula with a deep commitment to family-centered care, specializing in connecting parents, especially teen and underserved mothers, with emotional support, science-based education, and necessary community resources.

Niesha Darden is a Clinical Research Coordinator and trained Postpartum Doula specializing in maternal-child health. Founder of Compassion Cures, LLC, she offers research consultancy, advocacy, and support to NICU families on their unique journeys.

Gabby Chang focuses on Partner Enrollment within ECHO and believes in the impact of environmental and genetic factors on infant and child health. She is grateful to support research contributing to maternal and neonatal medicine on a larger scale.

Hasina joined ECHO in May 2026. She earned her BS from George Washington University where she studied Public Health and her MS from PCOM in Biomedical Sciences. She is passionate about improving healthcare access and outcomes in diverse populations.

Tiana joined the ECHO team in June of 2025 after serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda. She earned her BS in Health Science at Ohio State University and is currently an MPH student at UPenn. Tiana is passionate about women's health and turning research into policy.

Sneha joined the ECHO team in June 2025 after completing her degree in Computer Science at Georgia Tech and the pre-Health post-baccalaureate program at Penn. Sneha is passionate about improving healthcare access and addressing health disparities in women's health, and hopes to further access to healthcare as an academic physician in the future.

After graduating college in 2020, Shira worked as a research specialist at Princeton and on CHOP’s PASS project before joining the ECHO team. Shira hopes to one day study how to best help children navigate what it means to have a sibling in the NICU.

Lindsey Lutz joined the ECHO team in June 2024. She earned her BA from Dartmouth College and studied Global Health and Biology. She is excited to be involved in studying maternal and child health and hopes to pursue a career in pediatrics.

Tommy joined the ECHO team in October 2024 after graduating from the UPENN with a BA in Biochemistry and Biology, and a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies. Tommy is passionate about making health care accessible and equitable, and he intends to study, develop, and implement payor-blinded, integrated care systems as an academic physician.

Vanessa Pacheco joined the ECHO team in January 2026. She earned her BS in Public Health from The College of New Jersey and MPH from the University of Pennsylvania. She is excited to be involved in pediatric research and hopes to pursue a career in medicine.

Bhaavna joined ECHO in July 2024. She earned her BS in Environmental Science at Pitt and her MPH from UPenn. Bhaavna is excited to be working on a project that marries her interests in environmental exposures and maternal and child health.

Jayana joined the ECHO team in November 2024. She earned her BS from Rutgers University where she studied Biochemistry, and is currently pursuing an MPH at UPenn. She is passionate about health equity and is excited to be part of a team that focuses on maternal and child health advancement and improving the lives of diverse populations.

Yuheiry Rodriguez joined ECHO as a CRC in January 2026. She earned her BA in Psychology at Temple University and MPH from UPenn. She has spent her career working on studies focused on child development and is passionate about advancing health equity.

Jhumna Sarkar joined ECHO in December 2023. She is an ObGyn Physician from India and earned her MPH from Drexel University in June 2023. She is passionate about health equity and bridging health disparities and is excited to work for ECHO.

Maggie holds a BA in Marketing and AS in Veterinary Technology. She has spent most of her career within the biotechnology industry, demonstrating strong skills supporting efficient laboratory and research processes. She is known for being enthusiastic and motivated, with a passion for collaboration and problem-solving in fast-paced environments.

Jessica joined the ECHO Team in July 2024. She received her BA at the University of Virginia, where she studied African American Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is interested in social equity both in and outside of research and is excited to be a part of ECHO!

Chitra Shukla is a clinical research coordinator with a Master of Public and Community Health. She has a passion for pediatric research studies with several years’ experience supporting clinical and public health research.

Rylee Usher joined ECHO in December 2023 after graduating from Temple with a BS in Neuroscience, and minors in Dance and Psychology, in May 2023. She is incredibly excited to be involved in studying child health and development through this project.

Laura Walker is a Patient Resource Navigator and Full-Spectrum Doula.  She provides informational, emotional, resource, and advocacy support for families enrolled in research programs with a focus on NICU and medical system navigation.

Connie joined the ECHO team in January 2026. She earned her BA in Psychology from UPenn and MPH from UCLA. She is passionate about advancing equitable maternal and child health initiatives through research and policy.