Employees
Currently, BSRI has 11 full-time employees and utilizes research associates and consultants as needed to fulfill project and contractual duties. The BSRI team handles project administration and management, qualitative and quantitative analysis and design, and final reporting for funders (local, State, and Federal). BSRI also provides lead staff support and administration to grant-funded committees and advisory boards.

The team is passionate about helping in the community.Annual client survey, 2019
We are proud to have affiliations with Universities and Colleges, serving as a preceptor for many interns studying public health and psychology. BSRI is a proud member of the following national and state-wide organizations:
- American Evaluation Association,
- Society for Community Research and Action (American Psychological Association, Division 27),
- Southeast Evaluation Association,
- Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association / Florida Behavioral Health Association, and the
- American Public Health Association.
They are humble and always available to answer questions. Annual client survey, 2019
BSRI also values community connection and is a member of local organizations such as:
- Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce,
- Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce,
- Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County,
- Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, and
- Miami-Dade County Public School System School Health Advisory Committee.

Executive Director
Angela Mooss, Ph.D.
Dr. Angela Mooss received her PhD in Community Psychology from Georgia State University and holds a graduate certificate (CPH) in public health epidemiology. She has more than 15 years of experience in conducting research with communities, in areas such as behavioral health, homelessness, HIV/AIDS, and alternatives to incarceration. She has conducted strategic planning, needs assessments, and program evaluations for agencies in Florida and throughout the United States. As Executive Director, she oversees all administrative functions for BSRI and provides lead project director and evaluation expertise across all BSRI clients. Her community participation includes being a voting member of Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership: Strategic Planning and Prevention Committees and a care coordination champion for Thriving Mind.
Contact: [email protected]

Associate Director
Megan Hartman, B.S.
Megan Hartman received her B.S. in Human and Social Development from the University of Miami and holds a graduate certificate in Evaluation Studies from the University of Wisconsin Stout. She has eight years of experience in the fields of public health, program evaluation, capacity building, and prevention science with a strong focus on community collaborations and health disparities. As a Community Psychology practitioner, she highly values the systems perspective of program implementation and social change as well as the community’s perspective in completing research and evaluation projects. This is evident from her community participation as a Co-Chair and voting member of Miami-Dade County Public School’s School Health Advisory Committee (2019-2021) and as a trauma-informed care champion for Thriving Mind. As Associate Director, she provides executive oversight on operations, strategic planning, business development, and marketing while also leading multiple healthcare, prevention, and strategic planning-related projects.
Contact: [email protected]

Director of Research
Alexandra Rivas, M.P.H.
Alexandra Rivas received her MPH with a concentration in epidemiology from George Mason University in 2014. She holds expertise in assessing health issues, risks and outcomes through data collection as well as conducting surveillance, analysis and research within local and state levels. As Director of Research she is an expert in quantitative research and leads BSRI projects with her data skillsets. Her community participation includes being a child welfare champion for Thriving Mind and a Guardian ad Litem volunteer advocating for the best interest of children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Contact: [email protected]

Senior Research Analyst
Camillia R. Comeaux, MSPH, DrPH(c)
Camillia R. Comeaux received her MSPH from the Meharry Medical College in 2012 and is currently a DrPH(c) from the Florida A&M University, Institute of Public Health. She has 10 years of professional experience in the fields of hospital administration, public health research, and programmatic evaluation. Her expertise is in maternal and infant health disparities epidemiology and embraces the assessment of gene and environment in understanding adverse health outcomes. She completed a doctoral fellowship in Health Disparities Epidemiology at Nemours Children’s Hospital and Temple University in Philadelphia where her research contributed to several projects that examined health disparities and risk differences in major malignancies in the United States, as well as examining blood biomarkers to determine risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in minority populations. As a Senior Evaluation Associate at BSRI she provides lead staff support across grant applications and projects while contributing effective program and system designs across multiple BSRI projects.
Contact: [email protected]

Senior Evaluation Associate
Jack Vertovec, Ph.D.
Jack Vertovec earned his PhD in 2021 in Anthropology from the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University. He has over nine years of experience conducting mixed-methods and community-based participatory research at the intersection of medical and economic anthropology across an array of topic areas like socioeconomic inequities/inequalities, structural conditions, income generating behaviors and opportunities, health vulnerabilities and outcomes, and the effects of broader translocal or transnational narratives on local communities. As an Evaluation Associate at BSRI, he performs applied research for community counterparts, assists on grant applications, collects and conducts qualitative data analysis, and provides evaluation support on projects.
Contact: [email protected]

Senior Evaluation Associate
Julie Stellmann, MSPH
Julie Stellmann received her MSPH in International Health, Social and Behavioral Interventions from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2021. Prior to pursuing her MSPH, she worked as a nonprofit consultant, assisting nonprofit partners manage compliance, financial, and advocacy needs in Washington, DC.
She earned her BA in Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia in 2016. Julie’s research focuses on working with Spanish-speaking communities both in the US and abroad. She has worked on a variety of public health topics, including household air pollution, maternal mental health, substance use disorders, immigration, and early childhood education. She specializes in qualitative research in both English and Spanish. As a Senior Evaluation Associate at Behavioral Science Research Institute, Julie leads multimethod evaluations of projects, serves as a point of contact for clients, collects qualitative data, conducts qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and manages reporting timelines and deadlines to ensure high quality and utility deliverables to partners. She also represents BSRI in both attending and presenting at national conferences and is an active member of the publications team.
Contact: [email protected]

Evaluation Associate
Derrick Forney, Ph.D.
Derrick Forney earned his PhD in December 2021 in Public Health from the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work at Florida International University and currently a post-doctoral scholar at the University of Miami. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a Master of Public Health degrees from Michigan State University, where he conducted a mixed-method capstone study gathering information on water access points, its uses, and health outcomes in rural Ghanaian mountains. He has five years of experience conducting community-based participatory research the psychosocial effects of HIV-related stigma, anxiety, and depression and gaps in outcomes along the HIV care continuum among racial and ethnic minority adults living with HIV. As a post-doctoral scholar at the University of Miami, Derrick is looking forward to developing relationships with community partners to better serve people living with HIV in Miami-Dade better. As an Evaluation Associate at BSRI, he performs applied research for community counterparts, assists on grant applications, collects and conducts qualitative data analysis, and provides evaluation support on projects.

Evaluation Associate
Shawneaqua Edwards, MSPH
Shawneaqua Edwards received her MSPH at Meharry Medical College. She has over 2 years of work experience working with community non-profit organizations. She has been a certified grant writer for over 3 years through the American Grant Writers Association. She earned her BA in African American Studies with a minor in Pre-Medicine at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Shawneaqua is passionate about the examination of marginalized communities and health disparities research and has published in the BMC Public Health journal through her examination of Neighborhood perceptions among low-income black women. She has presented at the National Council for Black Studies through her examination of Legislation and Its Impact on African Americans in Alabama. Shawneaqua is dedicated to mobilizing programs for community success through helping programs and organizations realize the bigger picture. As an Evaluation Associate at BSRI, Shawneaqua assists on grant applications, collects and conducts qualitative data analysis, and provides evaluation support on projects.

Research Analyst
Laura Raymond, MS
Laura Raymond received her MS in Mental Health Counseling from Florida International University in 2010. She has over 14 years of research experience in both a university setting while pursuing her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Miami and Florida International University, and as a full-time member of the research department at a non-profit community organization for 10 years. She has participated in data collection, analysis, and reporting, and served as an evaluator for a variety of federally funded studies in areas such as HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis prevention, education, and awareness with young adults with a specific focus on the LGBTQ+ community. Also, child and family welfare, mental health treatment and adherence to treatment, substance abuse prevention, treatment and adherence to treatment, and child and family healthcare. As a Research Analyst at BSRI she manages data sets, assists on grant application, and provides helpful insights on research projects.

HR & People Manager
Melanie Gonzalez, B.A.
Melanie Gonzalez received her B.A. in International Relations and B.A. in English from Florida International University. She is a Florida Bar Certified Paralegal and certified Translator in the English and Spanish Language. She is a notary for the State of Florida and is a freelance writer. Melanie has 6 years of professional experience in Immigration Law and Criminal Law and over 4 years of management experience. Before joining BSRI, she worked alongside defense attorneys as a Senior Paralegal and Office Manager, assisting in the preparation of Immigration applications and waivers to facilitate immigrants looking to adjust status in the United States and/or seek relief from deportation in Immigration Court. Her community participation includes involvement in presentations within the immigrant community seeking immigration legal advice and assisting her superior on pro-bono special immigrant juvenile cases assigned by the state. Melanie has a passion for helping people and is a part of the BSRI team as our Office Manager and head of HR. As the Office Manager/HR for BSRI, Melanie supports the company by maintaining the office system, procedures and operations, while also leading strategic planning-related projects.
Contact: [email protected]

Office and Admin Assistant
Marilynn Morales
Marilynn Morales received her B.A. in Liberal Studies from Florida International University in 2021. She is a certified translator of the English and Spanish language and a notary for the State of Florida. She has 2 years of professional experience as a Paralegal with a background in Immigration and Bankruptcy and has 8 years of experience in customer service. Before joining BSRI, she worked front desk at an outpatient center for cancer patients. Marilynn is part of the BSRI team as our Project Assistant. As a Project Assistant, Marilynn supports the company with team-based collaborative efforts, performing administrative tasks and ensuring smooth communication between all relevant parties.

Office Pups
Luna, Clover & Rico
Our loyal office dogs work diligently for pets and treats. They’re always around to listen to another team member’s story or diffuse stress, although they spend many work hours sleeping. All in a day’s work!