Meet the team | Kalpulli Research Group

Meet the Principal Investigator

Dra. Dina Tamar Garcia (she/her/ella) is a public health scholar that was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the VCU School of Population Health and is a faculty affiliate with the VCU Office of the Provost's Convergence Lab focused on oral health equity transdisciplinary research (formally iCubed). She is formally trained in community-based participatory research, qualitative and quantitative methods as well as science communication. Her freelance work has appeared in popular publications such as CNN Español. Dra. García recently served as the appointed Chair of the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion for the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research and as a Deputy Editor for the international journal Teaching and Learning in Medicine. At VCU, she serves as the advisor for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) at VCU student chapter. As an advocate for racial and gender equity, she co-founded Cientificas de Milwaukee, which provides bilingual and bicultural STEAM education to Latina students 2nd to 8th grade. In her spare time, Dra. García enjoys printmaking and spending time with her fur baby.

Connect with her via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-dina-garcia/

Ph.D. Public & Community Health
M.P.H. Epidemiology
M.Ed. Educational Leadership
B.S. Bacteriology

Certificate in Adult Learning / Medical Education

CONTACT DRA. GARCIA

Kalpulli Research Group Trainees
2026-2027

Hi! My name is Maliha Baig (she/her), and I am studying Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science at VCU with a concentration in Health Science, and I'm on the pre-dental track. I am especially passionate about addressing healthcare disparities and helping people overcome barriers to care. I volunteer with Remote Area Medical and Inclusive Health and Fitness because I want to support people who face barriers to healthcare and better understand their individual needs. Through these experiences and my future career, I hope to help make dental care more accessible and welcoming. Outside of school, I enjoy baking, wrestling, and doing crafts.

Undergraduate
Research Assistant

Maliha Baig

Radhi (she/her/ella) is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, where her undergraduate honors thesis examined how caregiver well-being shapes the oral health of children living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). She currently works in a dental clinic, gaining hands-on experience in patient care while preparing to apply to dental school. Her experiences in research and clinical care have strengthened her commitment to advancing accessible, patient-centered oral health care for children and families.

Research Assistant

Radhi Desai

Hey! My name is Andrea (she/her/ella), and I am a Ph.D. student in the School of Public Health at Virginia Commonwealth University with an MSPH from Johns Hopkins University and a BA from UC Berkeley. My research centers on the intersections of behavioral science, basic needs, and community-driven initiatives to address health disparities in marginalized populations. In my free time, you can find me journaling, walking around the city, and/or scrolling on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

Graduate
Research Assistant

Andrea Flores Umanzor

Hello! My name is Hannah Mansuri and I am a Biology student at Virginia Commonwealth University with interests that bridge both health sciences and oral health. My experiences range from being a dental assistant at a Pediatric office to engaging in research and leadership through student organizations like CHAARG. I volunteered to lead the department to teach immigrants and refugees through IROC (Immigrant and Refugee Outreach Center). I aspire to become a dentist while also continuing to explore the intersections of science, health, and community. Beyond academics, I enjoy fitness, cooking new recipes, and capturing stories through photos and media projects.

Undergraduate
Research Assistant

Hannah Mansuri

Hi! My name is Kamauri, and I am currently a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) majoring in Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science (HPEX) with a concentration in Health Science. I am aspiring to become a pediatrician. I’m also a proud McNair Scholar here at VCU and actively involved in several student organizations. I serve on the executive board of Black Men in Medicine (BMIM) as a Pre-Med Ambassador. Outside of all these things related to school, I am a very social individual who enjoys having conversations with almost anyone. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends while trying almost anything adventurous and exciting.

McNair Scholar Program
Research Assistant

Kamauri Q. Montgomery

Paula (she/hers/ella) is a doctoral candidate in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Doctoral Program at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Public Health. Her research focuses on cervical cancer screening and follow-up care, with a commitment to advancing community-centered approaches that build trust and respond to the needs of the communities she serves.

Graduate
Research Assistant