Donna Williams, DrPH

Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) Director

Louisiana State University School of Public Health Associate Dean

SurviveDAT is a project of the Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) and Donna has been the LCP director since 2002, as well as the force behind it, thanks to the more than 20 years she has been doing research and programming in cancer prevention and control. If she ever does think about a career change, Donna also boasts more than one engineering degree – and that’s in addition to the MPH and DrPH degrees she earned from Tulane University – so she’s covered. Fun fact? Donna’s favorite movie is “Best In Show,” so it’s probably not surprising that she hopes to be reincarnated as someone’s very spoiled dog.

Dwilli3@lsuhsc.edu

(888) 599-1073

Helen McMillan, MSW

Gulf States Young Breast Cancer Survivor Network/SurviveDAT Project Coordinator

(A Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Program project)

Louisiana State University School of Public Health

Helen is a New Orleans native, who recently relocated to the countryside. A graduate of Newcomb College, she received a master’s degree in social work from Tulane University and has spent more than 30 years in the cancer field doing research and epidemiology. Her work interests include health, wellness, and quality of life outcomes, while her outside interests include swimming, sailing, reading and gardening. Helen is married with two daughters and two grand-cats.

Hmcmi1@lsuhsc.edu

(504) 568-5858

Laura Ricks, MPH

Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) Communications Manager

Louisiana State University School of Public Health

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois, Laura honed her communications skills at an ad agency and a major daily newspaper, before getting the urge to go into public health. And though she sometimes misses the days when she got paid to drive new cars and write about them, she gets to enjoy the best of both worlds in her Louisiana Cancer Prevention communications work. A native of New Orleans, Laura belongs to two Mardi Gras krewes, is a Saints season ticket holder and keeps a Jane Austen action figure on her desk, marking her both as an extreme Anglophile and a geek.

lricks@lsuhsc.edu

(504) 568-5877

Whitney Marmer, MPH

Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) Communications Coordinator

Louisiana State University School of Public Health

Whitney is passionate about creating accessible information that empowers everyone to make healthier choices. She earned her bachelor's degree in Exercise & Movement Science at the University of Vermont and her Master of Public Health degree right here at LSU Health New Orleans' School of Public Health. All of her experience after grad school has been in health communications, including her previous role at a health literacy-focused firm managing large government agencies' social media accounts and websites. At LCP, she works to develop, maintain, and evaluate written and visual health content for websites, social media, blogs, and marketing materials. Hailing from Vermont, she fell in love with New Orleans' inexhaustible joie de vivre and now calls it home.

wmarme@lsuhsc.edu

504-568-5845

Yu-wen "Angela" Chiu, DrPH, MPH

Health Policy & Systems Management Assistant Professor

Louisiana State University School of Public Health

Angela was trained in health economics and outcomes research. Born in Taiwan, she received her Doctor of Public Health degree and a Master of Public Health degree from Tulane University. Her research interests include economic evaluations, health outcomes, health care disparity, and access to care. Angela is married with a 20 year-old son and a 10 year-old doggie daughter.

YChiu@lsuhsc.edu

(504) 568-5863

Joseph Gautier, BS

Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) IT Analyst

Louisiana State University School of Public Health

Joseph received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Southeastern Louisiana University and not only works for LCP, but our partner, the Louisiana Tumor Registry, as well as the LSUHSC School of Public where both LCP and LTR are housed – all of which makes him a busy guy! Joseph recently got married and his fun fact is that while he was in high school, he was part of an award-winning drumline where he learned every marching instrument - though his favorite is the bass drum.

jgauti@lsuhsc.edu

(504) 568-5730

Renea Duffin, MPA

Cancer Support & Outreach Vice President

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Renea worked in the executive and legislative branches, as well as the private sector, before putting her career on hold to become a full-time care giver to her sister who was living with cancer. That experience changed her life and put her on the path to her cancer work, where she oversees programs and services for Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center within an 18-parish area to lessen the burden of cancer in communities. That said, she views her role has a wife to her husband, Moise, and her son, Moise III (Trey), as the most challenging and rewarding.

rduffin@marybird.com

(225) 215-1227

Dr. Mary Kathryn Rodrigue

Guest Advisor

Licensed Professional Counselor

Dr. Mary Kathryn Rodrigue is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 12 years of professional practice, and is the co-owner and founder of The Wellness Studio, LLC. Dr. Rodrigue also has over five years of experience in psychosocial oncology with a focus on young adults, and specializes in grief and bereavement counseling. Before reaching 30 years old, Dr. Rodrigue co-founded her private practice, earned her master’s degree and Ph.D., fought cancer alongside her husband, and founded two cancer-related nonprofit organizations in her husband’s memory. Dr. Rodrigue utilizes her personal experiences and insight with cancer patients to help others stricken with the disease.