Research Staff

Johanna Dezil

Project Coordinator, Connections Study Team

Johanna joins the Foundations of Health Research Center after graduating from DePaul University with a B.A. in Community Psychology.
During her time at DePaul, Johanna served as a peer mentor for students of color, a Jumpstart Corps member, and a research volunteer in
DePaul’s Center for Community Research and Center for Access and Attainment. Johanna’s research interests are rooted in issues affecting
African American girls, who are often underrepresented in research. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry. Johanna is excited to serve as a full-time research assistant on a team so focused on helping empower underrepresented populations.

Robin Hayen

Project Manager, Connections Study Team

Robin received a B.A in psychology and history from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Prior to joining the research team at the Foundations of Health Research Center, she gained over 8 years of research experience working with parent and child participants in studies of early-onset depression at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. At the Foundations of Health Research Center, she has helped to coordinate the following completed studies: the Family Asthma Study, the Mentoring and Health Study, and the On the Rise Study, as well as two pilot studies. She currently manages enrollment for the FHRC’s newest NIH project, the Connections Study.

Jungwon Kim

Research Technologist III, Wetlab Team
Jungwon graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Biological Sciences. He is from Maryland and enjoys playing soccer and trying new restaurants in his free time. During his Northwestern studies, Jungwon served as a tutor for underprivileged children, either through programs (such as America Reads) or private tutelage. As a member of the wet lab, he supports FHRC by processing samples for multiple studies and managing wet lab RAs.

Veronica Passarelli

Senior Research Technologist, Wetlab Team

Veronica graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.Sc. in Integrative Biology. Her previous research focused on the environmental and socioeconomic conditions influencing mosquito-borne disease in Central Illinois. At the Foundations of Health Research Center, she contributes towards multiple studies including On the Rise and Stress, Pregnancy, & Health.

Jordan Kim

Research Assistant, Connections Study Team
Jordan graduated from Northwestern University in 2026 with a B.A. in Global Health and Anthropology. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research for the Young Lives Project, in which she measured cortisol levels as an indicator of chronic stress among youth in Ethiopia, India, and Peru. She is excited to be a part of the FHRC team and plans to pursue a career in health research. Jordan is from Chicago and Colorado, and enjoys hiking, reading, and crocheting in her free time.

Jackson Anderson

Research Technologist II, Wetlab Team

Jackson graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2023 with a B.S. In Biophysics. His previous research focused on the structural dynamics of DNA sequences associated with trinucleotide repeat disorders. Jackson grew up in the Twin Cities area and enjoys cycling, reading, and exploring new music in his free time. As part of the FHRC team, he assists with processing samples for the Connections and Every Dollar Counts studies.