Meet your SOR Treatment and RECOVERY Teams!

Many OMNI staff support the evaluation of the treatment and recovery components of Virginia’s SOR grant. The SOR Treatment TA team has the most contact with CSB staff as they resolve technical issues and support administration of the GPRA through trainings and other TA resources. Project Oversight and Leads provide high-level support and guidance in evaluation and technical assistance. The SOR Recovery Team works with partners across the Commonwealth, from CSBs to state colleges and recovery housing programs, to evaluate all areas SOR recovery funding reaches. You can contact either team at SORSupport@omni.org.

Sor treatment ta team

Alana Anderson

Alana (she/her) is a Senior Research Manager at OMNI. She oversees the SOR Quarterly Survey and Reporting team and the Treatment Analysis team. At OMNI Alana works across projects within the Community Health, Behavioral Health, and Child and Family services areas, and has 10 years of experience in social science research. She loves finding the story in the data. Alana earned a M.S. and PhD in Prevention Science from Washington State University. When not working, Alana enjoys biking, running, hiking, baking and cooking, or hanging out with her dog. Alana lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 
 

CHERYL WINSTON

Cheryl (she/her) leads the SOR Treatment Team. She’s a researcher manager who has been with OMNI since 2013. She has also worked on other projects related to substance use prevention, racial and ethnic disparities in health care, and juvenile justice. She enjoys her multi-faceted lead work on the project as well as working with the TA Team to provide technical assistance and training to SOR grantees. Cheryl is a long-time member and former OMNI’s Survey Best Practices Team lead. She also has a music degree, is a songwriter, and plays guitar and piano. She and her husband have recorded a few CDs. They live in Boulder, Colorado, along with Bibo and Butter, their cats. She enjoys drawing and painting, traveling, and learning new languages.

 
 

Erica (she/her) is a new Researcher at OMNI. Erica provides support for different aspects of the SOR grant. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Erica utilizes her passion for mental health through the lens of evaluating programs to explore sustainable improvements. Prior to joining OMNI, she spent over 5 years working as a therapist for those living with addiction, navigating trauma, and those having a difficult time adjusting to life circumstances. In addition to her mental health background, Erica has experience evaluating federally and state-funded public health programs. Outside of work, Erica enjoys being of service to her community, traveling, spending time with family, and learning different fun facts.

 
 

Hannah Lunkenheimer

Hannah (she/her) is a Quantitative Specialist at OMNI. She oversees data analysis, data visualization, and quantitative reporting for SOR Recovery in R Studio. Hannah has over 5 years of experience conducting mixed-method research and particularly enjoys using text analysis to inform quantitative methods. Before joining OMNI, Hannah worked as a social worker for individuals with developmental disabilities and a research lab manager at The University of Texas at Austin. When she’s not working, she’s probably chatting to her dogs, making earrings, or doing yoga with her friends.

 
 

JENNA LEE MATHEWS

Jenna (she/her) joined OMNI as a researcher in 2019 and provides oversight to the SOR Treatment and Recovery teams. Now a Senior Research Manager, Jenna is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and combines mental health expertise with passion for system improvement and program evaluation. Prior to joining OMNI Jenna spent five years as a therapist, specializing in individual and group therapy for survivors of sexual trauma. She believes in the power of inquiry, authenticity, and connection to move individuals and communities towards healing and wellness. Outside of work, Jenna enjoys cooking, traveling (pre-COVID!), growing veggies in her garden, and spending time in the sun with her husband and pup.

 
 

JULIA SIMHAI

Julia (she/her) has been with OMNI since 2016 and provides oversight to the Virginia SOR evaluation team, ensuring the completion of evaluation work and TA across the continuum of care. She has worked on several other projects in the areas of substance use, grant evaluation, and community assessment. Julia enjoys helping organizations of all sizes effectively use evaluation data. Outside of work, Julia enjoys camping, hiking, and running. Julia lives in Denver, Colorado.

 
 

KATIE GELMAN

Katie (she/her) is a Senior Vice President at OMNI and provides oversight for projects focused in public and behavioral health, including the overall portfolio of SOR projects. She works with the team to support contract management, deliverable development, and to be a thought partner throughout the evaluation. Katie loves engaging with clients to understand their evaluation goals, and to develop strategies rooted in best practices to support them in evaluation implementation, capacity building, and utilization of findings. Outside of work, Katie keeps busy chasing after her three small boys and enjoys being active outdoors in almost any way she can.

 
 

Leslie Garcia

Leslie has been a Research Associate at OMNI since June 2023. She is the Project Coordinator for the SOR Treatment and Virginia Prevention projects and serves as a technical assistance specialist for other projects in substance prevention, evaluation, and data dashboards. Leslie is an experienced non-profit professional with project management experience. Before joining OMNI, Leslie was a Project Coordinator for the Social Environment and Health Program at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Before that, she was the Special Projects Manager with the Chicano Federation and the San Diego Latino Health Coalition initiative. This experience led her to pursue a career in research as she saw the need for data in addressing public health issues in marginalized communities. In her free time, Leslie enjoys visiting museums and walking with her partner and dog, Coco.

 
 

Logan Ortiz

Logan (she/her) is a Researcher at OMNI, where she works on a variety of public health projects. She is currently transitioning into the TA Lead role for the SOR Treatment team. Logan moved to Boulder County in October of 2021, after previously working in Maryland at Westat and getting her B.A. in Sociology and Psychology at the University of North Florida. Prior to joining OMNI, Logan provided TA work for largescale national surveys, as well as data analysis and support for Colorado juvenile justice programs. Her roles have aligned with her passion for using data and storytelling to make meaning of the world and inform decision-making. Outside of OMNI, she can be found dog-walking, biking around town, or reading a new book.

 
 

Nicole Sanchez

Nicole has been a research fellow at OMNI Institute since June 2023, contributing to the Virginia State Opioid Response (SOR) Treatment and Recovery Team, as well as the Quarterly Survey and Reporting Team. In her role, she provides support to over 40 Community Service Boards (CSBs) across Virginia, overseeing quarterly survey data collection, delivering tailored technical assistance, and conducting data entry trainings. Before joining OMNI, Nicole was involved in research examining the well-being of Latino adolescent immigrants in Arizona and Florida. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she now resides in Colorado with her husband and their dog, Sunny. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys exploring mountain trails through running and practicing yoga.

 
 

STACEY MCCLELLAN

Stacey (she/her) joined OMNI as a Researcher with a focus on public health in July 2019, providing evaluation support to substance use treatment programs. She is now a Research Manager and since starting at OMNI and her focus has expanded to include evaluation support within the Criminal Justice field, including juvenile justice diversion and co-responder initiatives. Stacey received a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Colorado and is passionate about bridging clinical and research approaches to meet complex systemic needs. Stacey previously spent over four years in the community mental health crisis field before shifting focus to research and evaluation. You can find her in the mountains either fishing (especially ice fishing!), hiking, snowshoeing, or skiing in her free time.

 
 

Swechchha Tripathi

Swechchha Tripathi (she/her) is a Researcher at OMNI and has contributed to the SOR Treatment Team since January 2023. Before joining OMNI, she worked as a Foster Care Case Planner in New York City, supporting children in achieving their permanency goals. Swechchha earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver, where she specialized in Organizational Leadership and Policy Practice. She integrates a social work perspective into her projects and views her work with a focus on systemic understanding and human-centered insights. Outside of work, Swechchha enjoys watching crime shows and spending time with her three dogs: Hoku, Luna, and Nova.

 
 

LAUREN ROSENBAUM

Lauren (she/her) is a Researcher at OMNI and has been with the organization since 2019. Lauren supports several aspects of the SOR grant including quarterly surveys, collegiate recovery, peer recovery outcomes, and reporting. Lauren received her master’s in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University and loves bringing data to life through eye-catching visualizations. Lauren previously worked as a communications and marketing specialist for non-profits and public sector consulting firms. Outside of work, Lauren loves to crochet, kayak, play tennis, and hike with her husband and Australian cattle dog.

 
 

Christina Chavez

Christina Chavez (She/Her) is a Research Associate at OMNI. She provides support for the SOR Recovery and SOR Prevention teams through CSB communications, technical assistance, evaluation, data collection and analysis. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and has developed a passion for Research and Methods. Before joining OMNI, Christina served as a research assistant for the Sociology department at UCSB, on a study that explored the intersectional experiences of queer people of color in New Orleans. Christina's studies in Sociology have informed her advocacy for diversity and equity within the world of research. Outside of work, Christina enjoys hiking, traveling, and mountain biking.

 
 

Puspanjali Gurung

Puspanjali (she/her) is a Research Fellow at OMNI. She provides project management support and technical assistance to the SOR Quarterly Survey and Reporting Team. Prior to working at OMNI, Puspanjali received a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Furman University, where she discovered her interest in community health and learned how impactful health education can be in improving health outcomes. During her free time, she enjoys exploring new places, spending time with family, and working out with her partner.

 
 

Tammy Tran

Tammy (she/her) is a Research Fellow at OMNI and provides support for the Virginia State Opioid Response (SOR) Treatment team. As a part of OMNI’s 2024 fellowship program, she has the opportunity to support various projects and gain experience in the research and evaluation field. Before joining OMNI, she received a BA in Statistics and Data Science.

 

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.112 Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.112-1113 The Federal awarding agency must establish conflict of interest policies for Federal awards. The non-Federal entity must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with applicable Federal awarding agency policy. Failure to adhere to these statues will result in immediate termination of funding.

Virginia’s State Opioid Response (SOR) grant is awarded at the discretion of DBHDS and SAMHSA. All recipients of SOR funding supports evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery services to address opioid and stimulant misuse and use disorders, including for cocaine and methamphetamine. The SOR grant is not intended to be utilized as a long-term or permanent funding source. All SOR proposals must include a realistic plan for financial sustainability beyond the grant period.