We engage, educate, empower and protect our communities with access to COVID-19 vaccines.
We promote diversity and access to clinical research to ensure tomorrow’s therapies work for all of us.
The Massachusetts Community Engagement Alliance (MA-CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities, led by Boston Medical Center, is part of a nationwide initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health. MA-CEAL’s mission is to provide trustworthy information on COVID-19 through active community engagement and outreach to the people hardest-hit by the pandemic. Our goal is to build long-lasting partnerships and improve diversity and inclusion in our research response to COVID-19 and beyond.
Visit our website to learn more.
MA-CEAL’s Objectives
- Conduct urgent community-engaged outreach and research around COVID-19
- Improve awareness and education to address widespread misinformation and distrust regarding COVID-19
- Improve education around COVID therapeutics and the prevalence of Long COVID
- Promote an evidence-based response to the disease
- Promote and facilitate the inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic populations in clinical trials to ensure therapies are safe and effective for populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic
The Questions We're Asking
- How can we build our community’s confidence in the vaccine?
- How can we communicate the importance of diverse participation in clinical research?
- What are the challenges and questions that prevent vaccination and research participation?
- How can we engage and partner with our communities to find solutions?
Our Team
- Benjamin Linas, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator, Administrative Core Director - Annette Nansubuga , MSc
Program Manager - Sabrina Assoumou, MD, MPH
Co-Investigator - Katherine Gergen Barnett, MD
Co-Investigator - Mari-Lynn Drainoni, PhD, MEd
Co-Investigator, Evaluation Core Director - Kimberly Fisher, MD
Co-Investigator, Population Data Core Director - Natalie Joseph, MD
Co-Investigator - Jai Marathe MD, MS
Co-Investigator - Kathleen Mazor, EdD
Co-Investigator - Cassandra Pierre, MD, MPH
Co-Investigator - Rebecca Rudel, DrPH, RD
Co-Investigator - Sarah Barnes
Research Study Coordinator - Nikki Kaufmann, M.S.
Research Study Coordinator - Shaquera Robinson, MPH
Community Engagement Specialist - Jazmin Granadeño
Community Engagement Specialist - Garey Lywood
Senior Manager, Community Engagement & Internal Affairs - Glory Ruiz, MD
Multiple Principle Investigator
CEAL Nationwide
CEAL is a nationwide initiative led by the National Institutes of Health with centers across the country. Learn more about the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL)
Contact Us
MA-CEAL Events
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