Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity

Our Team

• Sandi Pruitt, Ph.D., Associate Director

  Dr. Sandi Pruitt serves as Associate Director for Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity at Simmons Cancer Center. She is also an associate professor in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern. In her work as a cancer epidemiologist, Dr. Pruitt studies health inequities across various populations, with the goal of guiding policies and programs that promote optimal health.

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• Aimee Israel, M.S.W., LCSW, Assistant Director

  Aimee Israel is the Assistant Director of Simmons’ Office of Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity. She has over 20 years of experience in clinical social work, with a focus on underserved communities in educational and medical settings. Most recently, Aimee has managed projects related to the early detection and treatment of mental health issues in primary care and community colleges. She believes that prevention and early detection are keys to reducing the cancer burden in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

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• Ariel Austin, M.P.H., CHW, CHES®, Community Outreach Specialist
• Renée Barber, M.M.R., Program Coordinator, Communications
• Anabel Castillo-Soto, Department Project Manager
• Aneesah Hyder, M.S., Public Education and Community Outreach Coordinator
• Karla Jerkins, LPC, LMFT, CTTS, NCTTP, Tobacco Treatment Specialist
• Christelle “Yvette” King, CIM, CCRP, Program Coordinator, Community Advisory Board
• Jessica Lee, M.P.H., Department Project Manager
• Michele Yates, CHES, CTTS, NCTTP, Tobacco Treatment Specialist
• Tiffany Hang, M.S., Administrative Assistant