Who We Are
Wei-ting Chen, PhD, MA
Executive Director
Wei-ting Chen, PhD is the Executive Director of the Office of Community Engagement. In this role, she provides overall leadership to the staff and guides the team in developing bi-directional research partnerships to improve health equity. As a sociologist, Wei-ting’s research interests focus on how social inequality shapes people’s life chances across the life course. Prior to joining Stanford, Wei-ting was the Nutrition, Family & Consumer Sciences Advisor with the UC Cooperative Extension System where she led an applied research program in the areas of food, agriculture, and public health, particularly around the impact of climate change on these issues. Learn more
Glenda Estioko
Administrative Manager
Glenda oversees OCE’s programmatic functions related, but not limited to, the program’s administration, finance, and operations. In addition, she manages and amplifies the mission and core values of OCE through marketing, communications, and events to internal and external partners. Prior to working at Stanford, Glenda worked as a controller for community-based organizations (CBOs) and Fortune 200 companies.
Dave Zapata
Program Associate
Dave actively contributes to the planning and coordination of all OCE events while providing program support through assistance with administrational office needs and the processing of financial transactions. He plays a pivotal role in developing operational procedures to enhance the effectiveness of OCE's organizational functions. Prior to joining OCE, Dave graduated SFSU with a major in Health Education and was a volunteer for various charity events within the Bay Area in an effort to give back to the community.
Lisa Goldman Rosas, PhD, MPH
Faculty Director
Lisa Goldman Rosas, PhD MPH serves as the Faculty Director for the Office of Community Engagement. Dr. Goldman Rosas is passionate about integrating the lived experience and perspective of community partners, patients, caregivers, and policy makers into research to affect the greatest impacts on health equity. As a reflection of this passion, she has developed and sustained many bidirectional partnerships with different community groups in diverse research areas including diabetes, cancer, disabilities, and other areas. Learn more
Cristina Mancera, MA
Capacity Building Manager
Cristina joined OCE in 2022 in support of our mission to develop innovative engagement models, nurture community partnerships, and design and implement projects promoting health equity for diverse populations. She leads program and training development for academic research teams and community partners, seeking to empower them to integrate community-driven inquiry and solutions in translational science and research.
Barakah Love
Research Coordinator
Barakah is Research Coordinator who works with Dr. Lisa Goldman Rosas focusing on cancer health equity work. She works closely with organizations and communities across the East Bay, including Black Ladies Advocating for Cancer Care (BLACC). She graduated from Mills College with a BA in Psychology. Her roots within a large diverse Muslim community that originated in East Oakland have informed her strong beliefs in centering in community, compassion, inclusivity and equity. This foundation in her life is something she aims to bring into her work to help create space for more diverse narratives.
Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, PhD, MPH
Associate Director, Research
Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, PhD MPH serves as the Associate Director of Research. She is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. The ultimate goal of her research is to decrease health inequities through transdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship. Dr. Rodriguez Espinosa’s research has centered around developing the science of Community-Based Participatory Research and other participatory research approaches. She is also a committed teacher and mentor in community-engaged research. Dr. Rodriguez Espinosa also serves as the Core Associate Leader for the Outreach Recruitment and Engagement Core for the Stanford Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Learn more
Yessica Martinez Mulet, MS
Research Coordinator
Yessica is the Research Coordinator for the Office of Community Engagement (OCE), working closely with the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Community Advisory Board the Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. Her work supports prioritizing community-engagement - integrating community voices, needs, and experiences into science, research, and programming. Prior to working with OCE, Yessica was completing her Master of Science in Community Health and Prevention Research at the Stanford School of Medicine.
Helen Hailu
REACH Postbac Scholar
Helen has a BA in Public Policy and Biology from Pomona College and recently joined Stanford Medicine as a REACH Postbac Scholar. She is a passionate advocate for linking academic interests and research to advocacy and policy implications. Her research interests revolve broadly around health policy and population health studies, with a particular focus on addressing the social determinants of health that disproportionately affect Black communities. During her undergraduate studies, Helen was involved in exploring the benefits of community-based support for Black birthers in Los Angeles as a maternal and reproductive health intern for the California Black Women’s Health Project.