Team
Meet TREE Collaborators & Staff
Director
Michael H. Chung, Director of TREE
Michael H. Chung, MD, PhD, MPH, FRCP is Director, Treatment, Research, and Expert Education (TREE) | Associate Director, Emory Global Health Institute | Professor, Emory University School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health| Affiliate Professor, University of Washington.
Dr. Chung spent nearly 20 years living in Kenya and Vietnam conducting research, teaching medicine, building health systems, and treating patients before returning to America. He co-founded the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases, one of the largest single-site HIV treatment clinics in Kenya, and chaired the Department of Medicine at Aga Khan University, East Africa.
Dr. Chung received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, PhD from Ghent University, and MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is American board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
Collaborators
Samah Sakr
Dr. Samah Sakr is a general surgeon and the Medical Director of the Coptic Hospital and co-founder of the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases, which oversees the largest faith-based network of HIV treatment clinics in Kenya. Dr. Sakr co-leads the NCI UG1- funded HOPE CASCADE clinical trials site at Coptic with Dr. Michael Chung.
Staff
Meet the staff who cultivate TREE activities in Kenya and the U.S.
David Karanja
David Karanja is a data analyst at TREE, responsible for collecting, cleaning, and managing study data. His experience as a data analyst spans several industries including health systems strengthening, software as a service (SaaS), and human rights. David has a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Nairobi and has more than five years of expertise in data analysis. He seeks refuge outside of his line of work in the world of books and going on challenging walks.
Shaaban Kariuki
Shaaban Kariuki is a trustworthy, reliable, and responsible driver for TREE and is well-known for his safe driving practices. He has over 10 years of experience driving personal and institutional automobiles as well as motorbikes and is well-versed in the operation and maintenance of all these vehicles. He has a Diploma in Purchasing and Supplies Management from the University of Nairobi and is a member of Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM). When he is not driving, Shaaban enjoys extensive workouts and running.
Eram Khan
Eram Khan an administrator at TREE who is responsible for a broad range of organizational level duties related to program planning, strategic implementation, staff supervision, financial accounting, and human resources. She takes pride in striving to improve administrative systems and processes and advancing overall work efficiency. Eram has a Diploma in Business Administration and over twenty years of administrative working experience in various fields. She is passionate about baking and rescuing cats.
Judith Lukorito
Judith Lukorito MPH is a study nurse at TREE who manages, supervises, and oversees clinical study operations in Nairobi at the Coptic Hope Center. Her skills and expertise in research include budgeting, good clinical practice (GCP), Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol submissions, and reporting for data safety and monitoring (DSMB) and regulatory requirements. Judith has an MPH in Monitoring and Evaluation and a BSc in Nursing. She has a substantial understanding of medical research protocols and data management and over 10 years of experience in clinical research management. She enjoys travelling, writing, singing, dancing and fitness training.
Nazha Diwan
Nazha Diwan is a PhD candidate in the Department of Epidemiology at Emory University. Her research lies at the intersection of cancer epidemiology, HIV, and causal inference, with a particular focus on improving cervical cancer prevention and treatment outcomes among women living with HIV in resource-limited settings. Her work examines the long-term effectiveness of cervical precancer treatments, high-risk human papillomavirus persistence, and gaps across the cervical cancer prevention and care continuum. She is especially interested in applying rigorous epidemiologic methods to clinical trials and longitudinal studies to inform effective and equitable cancer prevention programs and policies. As part of her doctoral training, Nazha spent a year in Nairobi, Kenya, working with the TREE research team, where she contributed epidemiologic expertise to the design, data collection, and analysis of several ongoing studies. She continues to collaborate closely with the TREE team. Outside of her research, Nazha enjoys cooking, working out, and learning about different cultures.
Philip Mwangi
Philip Mwangi is a finance and grants management professional with over 20 years of experience in grant operations, financial management, administration, accounting, and logistical support, particularly within health and medical research programs in Kenya. He holds a CPA-K qualification and an MBA. At TREE, Philip supports financial and administrative management, helping ensure effective budgeting, resource management, compliance, and smooth implementation of the ENHANCE LINKAge Study at the KEMRI-CCR, PHRD site in Thika, Kenya. He brings extensive experience in working with multidisciplinary teams, managing complex grants, and strengthening financial and operational systems.
Kristen Walden
Dr. Kristen Walden is a Senior Associate Director of Programs at Emory University in the Department of Biology, where she supports undergraduate research training and professional development. Dr. Walden also coordinates logistics for the NIAID R25-funded INSPIRE program, led by Dr. Michael Chung, Dr. Anita Corbett, and Dr. Zanthia Wiley.