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Community Engagement and Outreach Core

LaKeisha Williams

LaKeisha Williams, PharmD, MSPH
CEO Core Director
Xavier University


Stephanie Broyles

Stephanie Broyles, PhD
CEO Core Co-Director
Pennington Biomedical Research Center




Margarita Echeverri

Margarita Echeverri, PhD
CEO Associate Director
Xavier University 


Jen Caldwell

Jennifer Caldwell, PhD, MPH
CEO Core Member
Pennington Biomedical Research Center




D'Andra Odom

D'Andra Odom
CROWN Coordinator
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
225-763-3093

Contact this core
Email: community@lacats.org


About This Core

The Community Engagement and Outreach Core (CEO) plays an integral role in achieving the LA CaTS mission “to facilitate research focused on reducing disparities and improving health outcomes in Louisiana’s vulnerable populations”, by empowering community members to be involved in the research process.

The vision for the CEO Core is to enhance community involvement across the spectrum of LA CaTS clinical and translational research that addresses chronic disease burden, disparities, and health inequities. Our work draws on community involvement in identifying areas of research focus and developing research projects. We work with investigators to initiate and implement research trials using approaches that are embraced by the community, thereby enhancing clinical trials recruitment and retention.

This core is led out of Xavier University, and also includes core members at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, who have expertise in this field. 

Core Activities & Programs

CABs in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport comprises of community leaders from various public health backgrounds. CAB members provide insightful and community relevant feedback that propel health research to truly impact the Louisiana community.

Click here for more information

The goal of the LaCoSP is to increase the capacity of community-academic partnerships to conduct community engaged research with mutual ownership of the processes and products, and with the ultimate goal of improving the health of residents of Louisiana and the nation. LaCoSP pilot projects are intended to inform future grant applications by each LaCoSP team for state, federal, foundation and other sponsor funding considerations.

Click here for general information

2024-2025 Request for Applications Instructions

The LA CaTS Community Scholars (LaCoSP) Proposal Preparation Webinar Series, is part of the formal training conducted before the deadline to submit full proposals to the LaCOSP.  The webinar series is developed to ensure that community scholars and prospective applicants have the ability to meet each LaCoSP competency and each team gains the necessary skills to carry out a community-engagement project. The webinars are open to anyone and are recorded and posted on the LA CaTS YouTube Channel.

Click HERE to watch on YouTube

2024 Webinar Series Schedule 

More information coming soon.

Objective of TRIP is to translate research findings into lay summaries in order to support two-way communication with relevant community groups and to increase trust in research.

More information coming soon. 

Specific Aims

  1. To facilitate greater community involvement in biomedical research by identifying health priorities and increasing partnership opportunities.

  2. To provide LA CaTS investigators and community partners with services and resources that improve bi-directional engagement in outreach activities, research, and communication of findings.

  3. To create and maintain strategic partnerships between researchers, healthcare practitioners, and the lay communities to promote community-engaged translational/clinical research and health promotion in mitigating health disparities.