Meet the Team
Theresa Gillespie, Ph.D., MA, BSN, FAAN
Co-PI & Professor
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​​Dr. Gillespie has extensive experience in clinical oncology, clinical trials, and cancer research. Her research has focused on disparities experienced by urban underserved, rural, minority, and under-represented populations across the continuum of care. Currently, she is Professor, Department of Surgery and Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Nursing. She has served in leadership roles in the Winship Cancer Institute for the past two decades, including Director of Clinical Research and Deputy Director, and as Co-Director of the Winship Cancer Institute’s Health Disparities Initiative. She previously was Director of Health Services Research at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center. As Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on numerous grants, Dr. Gillespie has been funded by the NCI and other NIH institutes; CDC; DOD; Veterans Affairs; American Cancer Society, Avon, and Movember Foundation. Her funded studies have focused on decision-making by patients, the public and clinicians; risk communication; quality and outcomes in healthcare; and educational interventions to improve risk comprehension, guideline concordant care, and outcomes.
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Adam is a Professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. His laboratory studies how cancers metastasize with the goal of developing treatments that target cancer metastasis. His research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, the Winship Cancer Institute, private foundations, and philanthropy. Dr. Marcus is a Georgia Cancer Coalition Scholar and has received awards for his research and teaching. In 2012, he co-founded a K-12 STEM outreach program, with the goals of using STEM initiatives in classrooms to stimulate critical thinking. This program visited over 35 Georgia schools and 3,500 students. He is a TEDx speaker, & writes in a science education blog on topics including cancer, science technology, and healthcare. Follow him on Twitter.
Cheri Kersey, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Research Projects
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​Cheri oversees the day-to-day activities of GSEI. She brings over a decade of experience in teaching and higher education administration to the team. Previously, she served as the Associate Director of Program Review in Emory College of Arts and Sciences and before that as the Special Programs Coordinator focusing on experiential learning and interdisciplinary degrees at Georgia State University. She received her master's degree and PhD in Sociology from University of Georgia.
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Jadyn Hill serves as an Assistant Program Coordinator, supporting classroom operations, curriculum development, and program logistics while managing mentors and volunteers. She works directly with students and facilitates communication between families and the program to ensure a supportive, well-organized learning environment. After participating in the program as a student, becoming its first Junior Mentor, and later attending Emory University, this role reflects her long-term commitment and institutional knowledge. Jadyn is especially interested in public health, education, community-driven initiatives, and environmental justice, and she is motivated by work that creates meaningful, accessible impact for the communities it serves.