Shlesma , Ph.D., MPH E-mail: [email protected]

EDUCATION

Ph.D. May 2019 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX Public Health – Health Behavior and Health Systems

Master of Public Health Dec 2017 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX Public Health – Health Behavior and Health Systems

Bachelor of Arts May 2012 Bates College, Lewiston, ME Major – Sociology

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

Assistant June 2019– Present University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX  Teach Master’s level courses  Manage a clinical trial titled SHE Tribe funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities  Manage Community Engagement and Dissemination Core funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities  Assist Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Health Equity, School of Public Health on administrative tasks  Manage and implement Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBESC) qualitative interviews funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Project Coordinator May 2018–June 2019 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX  Managed a clinical trial titled SHE Tribe funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities  Managed Community Engagement and Dissemination Core funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities  Assisted Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Health Equity, School of Public Health on administrative tasks

Graduate Research Assistant Aug 2013-May 2018 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX  Conducted multiple program evaluations and needs assessments for clients as a member of the evaluation team (see evaluation projects below)  Performed data cleaning and reconciled data inconsistencies  Developed evaluation reports for clients

Research Assistant Aug 2012-May 2013 Survey Research Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY  Conducted primary data collection via phone survey for nationwide projects  Conducted data transcription for qualitative projects

Multifaith Fellow Jan 2011-May 2012 Bates College, Lewiston, ME  Organized on-campus community events including the annual Interfaith Dialogue, and Multifaith Banquet

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Teaching Assistant Aug 2013-May 2018 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX  BACH 5300: Theoretical Foundations of Individual and Community Health  PHED 5197: Professional and Academic Development  PHED 5302: MPH-Professional Option Capstone

Teaching Fellow Spring 2017 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX  BACH 5350: Community Health Program Evaluation

Guest Lecturer Mar 2016 University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX  BACH 5340: The 10 Essential Public Health Services  BACH 5340: Program Implementation Strategies Guest Lecturer Sept 2015 Austin College, Sherman, TX  Behavioral and Community Health

EVALUATION PROJECTS

She is Healthy and Empowered (SHE) Tribe (Phase II) May 2018-Present SHE Tribe is a peer-facilitated group process to support a culture of health and wellbeing for women in North Texas  Managed the study by training peer-facilitators, enrolling participants, data management and fulfilling daily logistical duties pertaining to the study  Helped SHE Tribe team develop a dissemination plan  Supervised Graduate Research Assistants working with the team

Earn Well Aug 2013-Present Funded by the United Way of Tarrant County to help 24,000 low–income working families move toward financial stability by the year 2020  Managed and cleaned longitudinal data collected from participating families  Analyzed pre and post-enrollment data to assess change in the programmatic outcomes Technology Enhanced Screening and Supportive Assistance (TESSA) Aug 2015-Present Funded by the Office of Women’s Health, US Department of Health and Human Services to increase immediate safety and promote long-term health among individuals who are at high- risk for interpersonal violence utilizing a technology-based screening tool  Conducted needs assessment to understand the complex and holistic health needs among survivors who utilize interpersonal violence services in Tarrant County  Pilot tested the technology-based screening tool at one of the partner clinics  Performed regular data review to monitor participant engagement  Created interactive data dashboard and presented it to community partners

She is Healthy and Empowered (SHE) Tribe (Phase I) June 2016-Present SHE Tribe is a peer-facilitated group process to support a culture of health and wellbeing for women in North Texas  Created a wellness assessment package to administer during baseline and follow-up  Utilized Motivational Interviewing strategy to develop customized feedback reports for program participants based on their assessment results

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Mobile Community Health Assistance for Tenants (m.chat) Aug 2013-Dec 2017 Funded by a Medicaid 1115 Waiver to the State of Texas, m.chat utilizes motivational interviewing, health coaching technology, and wellness incentives to improve the overall quality of life among 650 low-income housing residents in Tarrant County  Completed quantitative data analysis to assess the change in programmatic outcomes over time and presented key findings to the community partners  Explored the patterns of change and relationship between diet, physical activity, and quality of life among participants utilizing a random intercept model  Examined the association among Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely (SMART) characteristics and goal completion among participants

Directions Home Aug 2013-Dec 2017 Funded by the City of Fort Worth and the State of Texas, Directions Home programs is a 10- year plan to make homelessness rare, short-term, and non-recurring in Fort Worth  Managed and cleaned longitudinal data collected from participants  Conducted focus groups and analyzed data using open, axial, and selective coding method

Second Chance Mentoring Aug 2013-Dec 2017 The goal of the 2014 Second Chance Act for Adult Mentoring and Transitional Services for Successful Re-entry Program (SCM) is to assist with reintegration into the community and reduce recidivism by 10% among individuals who have been incarcerated  Assisted with logic model development for the overall program  Conducted qualitative coding using open, axial, and selective method for data from focus groups and client notes  Compared the recidivism rate of the program participants to a control group using state- level criminal justice data

Breast Cancer Screening Day Evaluation Nov 2015-Mar 2017 Funded by Komen Foundation the goal of this project was to increase community capacity relative to early detection of breast cancer among women living in Tarrant County and to increase access to breast health services for uninsured women  Assisted with data collection during a county-wide breast cancer screening day event  Identified discrepancies in breast cancer screening guidelines from different agencies

INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes (NRH), Summer 2011  Received Ruggles Fellowship for pre-thesis research from Bates College  Researched the recurrence of malnutrition among children served by the NRH

Women Environment Preservation Committee, Nepal Summer 2010  Received Oak Environmental Internship grant from Bates College  Conducted community-based research on the solid waste management problems in

United Nations Development Funds for Women, Nepal Summer 2009  Studied the impact of women’s foreign labor migration on their children in Nepal

HONORS AND AWARDS

Dean’s Award for Scholarly Excellence in Research April, 2019 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Dean’s Award for Scholarly Excellence in Research April, 2018 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Outstanding Student Oral Presentation Mar 2017 Texas Public Health Association Shlesma Chhetri 3

Outstanding Volunteer Award Nov 2015 NepalRising, Dallas, TX

Dean’s Scholarship 2015-2016 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Outstanding Student Oral Presentation Feb 2015 Texas Public Health Association

1st Place Poster Presentation Mar 2014 Research Appreciation Day, University of North Texas Health Science Center

Dean’s Scholarship 2014-2015 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Dean’s Scholarship 2013-2014 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Marcy Plavin Dance Award Mar 2012 Bates College

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Member, NepalRising Team May 2015-May 2016 Dallas, TX

President, Public Health Community Services Organization Aug 2014-May 2016 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Ph.D. Representative, Student Government Aug 2014-May 2016 University of North Texas Health Science Center

Chair, Public Health Week Planning Committee Aug 2014-May 2016 University of North Texas Health Science Center

President, International Club Apr 2011-Apr 2012 Bates College

Co-founder, Bates Masti (Bollywood dance) Club Sep 2010-May 2012 Bates College

CONFERENCE PAPERS/POSTERS

 Stockbridge, E. L., Chhetri, S., Polcar, L. E., Loethen, A. D., & Carney, C. P. (2019). Behavioral Health Conditions and Potentially Preventable Diabetes-Related Hospitalizations in the United States: Findings from a National Sample of Commercial Claims Data. PLOS ONE.

 Chhetri, S., Anguiano, K. C., & Spence-Almaguer, E. (2018, May). She’s Healthy and Empowered: Utilizing a Social Network Based Peer-Led Model and Improving Women’s Health. Poster presented at Health Literacy Conference, San Francisco, CA

 Chhetri, S., Velarde, E., Anguiano, K. C., & Spence-Almaguer, E. (2018, April). SHE’s Healthy and Empowered: Optimizing Social Networks and Improving Health. Poster presented at Research Appreciation Day, UNTHSC, Fort Worth, TX.

 Chhetri, S., Anguiano, K. C., Spence-Almaguer, E., Paul, M., Desai, A., & Wilder, M. (2017, May). Breast Health Awareness, Recognition, and Future Directions. Poster presented at Health Literacy Conference, San Francisco, CA.  Chhetri, S., Andrews, A. R., Spence-Almaguer, E., Carlson, E., & Grace, J. (2017, April). Looking Beyond the Injuries: Identifying the Complex Healthcare Needs among Survivors of Interpersonal Violence. Poster presented at Research Appreciation Day: UNTHSC, Fort Worth, TX.

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 Chhetri, S., Anguiano, K. C., Spence-Almaguer, E., Paul, M., Desai, A., & Wilder, M. (2017, March). Getting on the Same Page for Breast Health Knowledge and Prevention. Paper presented at Texas Public Health Association Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX.  Spence-Almaguer, E., & Chhetri, S. (2017, February). Empowerment Evaluation and Service Learning: A Win- Win for Communities and Students. Paper presented at Texas Tech University Regional Academic Engagement Symposium, Lubbock, TX.  Chhetri, S., Suzuki, S., Spence-Almaguer, E., & Walters, S. (2016, October). Changing Lives: The Relationship between Quality of Life, Physical Activity & Diet among Permanent Supportive Housing Residents. Poster presented at American Public Health Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO.  Chhetri, S., Suzuki, S., Spence-Almaguer, E., & Walters, S. (2016, June). Improving Lives of the Most Vulnerable: The Relationship between Quality of Life, Physical Activity and Diet among Permanent Supportive Housing Residents. Paper presented at Annual JPS Research Day, Fort Worth, TX.  Chhetri, S., Gonzalez-Pons, K., Spence-Almaguer, E., & Rohr, D. (2016, April). Time Makes a Difference: Predicting Housing Loss through Case Management Visits and Case Management Minutes per Month. Poster presented at Texas Public Health Association Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.  Chhetri, S., & Spence-Almaguer, E. (2015, April). Empowerment Evaluation: A Learning Model. Poster presented at Research Appreciation Day: UNTHSC, Fort Worth, TX.  Chhetri, S., Spence-Almaguer, E., & Saks, G. (2015, February). Sex Trade: Survival Strategy among Homeless Women. Paper presented at Texas Public Health Association Annual Conference, Austin, TX.  Chhetri, S., & Spence-Almaguer, E. (2014, October). Empowerment Evaluation: Learning by Doing. Workshop presented at American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO.  Spence-Almaguer, E., & Chhetri, S. (2014, October). Visualizing with Words: Qualitative Interviewing using Solution-Focused Contextual Questions. Workshop presented at American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO.  Chhetri, S., Saks, G. & Spence-Almaguer, E. (2014, March). Survival Sex on the Streets: Results from the Homeless Women’s Health and Victimization Study. Poster presented at Research Appreciation Day: UNTHSC, Fort Worth, TX.

SKILLS

 Language: Fluent in Nepali, English, and  Software: Knowledge of Microsoft Office, SPSS, SAS, Tableau, FileMaker Pro and ETO

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