Our Team
Qing Xia
Associate Director for Global Health Education
Qing Xia, Ph.D, serves as the Associate Director for Global Health Education and Research at the Institute for Global Health (IGH) and Assistant Professor (adjunct) of Family and Community Medicine at the College of Osteopathic Medicine. She specializes in interdisciplinary team building in global health research and professional development. Before joining IGH, Qing held leadership roles at the Office of China Programs and the Visiting International Professional Program at the International Studies and Programs. She managed various programs and projects in capacity building, international professional development, faculty development, and many international student training programs. Qing obtained B.A. and M.A. in China and M.A. and Ph.D. at Michigan State University. Her research interests include adult learning, nursing students’ professional identity development, compassion and empathy in medical education, health education, mental health, One Health, community engagement, and higher education internationalization.
Rene C. Hinojosa Director of Research, Students Senior Research Advisor
Rene C. Hinojosa, Ph.D, is a Professor Emeritus in the Urban and Regional Planning program, School of Planning Design and Construction, Adjunct professor of the department of Geography and the Institute for Global Health, Michigan State University. He was former Acting Director of Julian Samora research institute, former Chair of the Department of Geography, visiting professor at the Science Tokyo, Japan, Fullbright Scholar at the National University, Colombia and Private University of Bolivia. Previously he worked as civil engineer and as a consultant in international development agencies. He has authored many articles and technical reports. He has organized several study abroad courses including programs in Japan, Mexico, Italy, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and served in numerous university, college and departmental committees. He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering and a PhD degree in planning from the University of Washington. He also serves as a research mentor for COM students.
Sabrina Vieyra Hollenbeck
Operations Manager ERCA Director
Sabrina holds a B.A in Public and Institutional Relation from UADE (Universidad Argentina de la Empresa) Bs. As., Argentina and a Graduate Certificate on Global Health from MSU, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her early start in the marketing areas allowed her to gain experience in sales and advertisement. Prior to IGH, she had worked in the telecommunications field for over 5 years providing mobile and digital solutions all over Latin America. Through her family passion on medicine and public health, she again interested in the global health matters. Currently serves as the operations manager of the institute, overseeing also all global health education abroad programs, and has been appointed as the director for all the ERCA projects within Latin America. Thrill organizer and a global outreacher.
Arpon Shahed
Clinical Director Preceptorship Programs
Arpon Shahed, DO, MBT is a board-certified Family Medicine physician and the Regional Medical Director & Quality Improvement Director at Get Well Urgent Care LLC in metro Detroit. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a Master’s in Biomedical Technology (MBT) before finishing his residency at Ascension Providence Southfield, where he served as Chief Medical Resident.
In addition to patient care, Dr. Shahed holds academic, research, and clinical teaching positions at the Michigan State University Institute for Global Health and the MSU Family Medicine Department. With a deep passion for global health, he has dedicated over a decade to international medical outreach in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala.
As a Bangladeshi-Canadian immigrant, Dr. Shahed’s background has shaped his commitment to bridging healthcare gaps worldwide. He continues to serve as a global health liaison, connecting medical professionals and resources to improve care in vulnerable communities.
Ruben Kenny Briceno Associate Professor Researcher, Advisor to students
Ruben Kenny Briceno, M.D. is a Peruvian board certified Physician and specialist in Infectious and Tropical Diseases with Hospital De Alta Complejidad Virgen de la Puerta (HACVP). He serves as a Researcher, a mentor for students and a program leader for IGH programs in Peru. He is a clinical faculty at the College of Osteopathic Medicine and work at Universidad Cesar Vallejo in Trujillo. Kenny has a master degree in Health Services Management from Universidad Cesar Vallejo Graduate School. Since 2009, Kenny has serve as the co-leader of the Research Chapter of the Peru Medical Elective program and continues to expand the footprint of knowledge on Infectious Disease in the Americas. Dr. Briceno’s research publications focus on ID’s, climate change, and nanotechnology. He has also led several research training grants.
Travis Gordon
Director of Medical Education Yucatan
Travis Gordon, DO, MSc is the Director of Medical Education for International Studies in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico as well as Assistant Professor of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He oversees all international projects and collaborations between MSU IGH and Merida, Mexico.
As a Lansing native he graduated from Alma College in 2005 with a B.S. in exercise and Health Science and a B.A. in Spanish. He completed a two-year service in Peace Corps in Nicaragua from 2007-2009 in Public Health with a focus on HIV/AIDS, subsequently being awarded the International AIDS Day Award for outstanding initiatives in the field. He graduated from MSUCOM in 2013, earning the Fred Mitchell Sr. Award for his work in OMM, and later completed a residency at Florida Hospital East Orlando with specialties in family medicine and osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine.
Returning to his Alma Mater in 2017 to live and work in Yucatan, Mexico to advance international collaboration in the health arena is what he considers a dream job. He has earned a master’s degree in humanistic psychotherapy, which he incorporates into his osteopathic practice in Yucatan. Through his international conferences and workshops he hopes to further osteopathic principles throughout Latin America.
Suna Barber
Accountant
Suna Barber is an Accountant in IGH specializing in managing and processing financial transactions ensuring compliance with MSU Business Manual Procedures, preparing program budgets, and assisting financial inquiry for IGH faculty, staff, professionals and students. Prior to joining IGH in August 2019, she served at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference center as an accounting associate and at the Controller’s office as a travel voucher auditor. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and her Master’s from the University of Houston.
Lorena Mier y Teran
Merida Coordinator & Assistant
Lorena Mier y Teran graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Universidad Marista in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Currently Lorena is the MSU project coordinator for our educational programs in Merida, Mexico and assistant to the director of medical education in Merida. She has been the bridge between MSU and various collaborating institutions in Yucatan. Constantly involved in social work, she is actively dedicating time to limited resource communities. In her passion for international relations, she has studied abroad at IDRAC business school in Lyon, France; at Central Bucks East in Pennsylvania, USA; Caux peace and leadership programme in Switzerland and Caux Scholars Programme in India, focusing in conflict resolution, trauma healing, change management and sustainable development.
Ramjee Ghimire, Affiliated Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Researcher
Dr. Ramjee Ghimire serves as the Specialist for Global Outreach and Network in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and is an adjunct faculty member at the Institute for Global Health at Michigan State University (MSU). He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, focusing on international agricultural development, and holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Mumbai Veterinary College, India. His work spans multidisciplinary research, training, and outreach, emphasizing food safety, animal health, community empowerment, and sustainable agricultural development across Asia, Africa, and the U.S.
Currently, Dr. Ghimire serves as the Program Director and Principal Investigator for the Mekong One Health Innovation Program (MOHIP), administered by the Institute for Global Health at the College of Osteopathic Medicine at MSU. MOHIP is part of the Mekong U.S. Partnership Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Dr. Ghimire also directs the short course on “Health Security, One Health, and Zoonoses.” Additionally, he oversees the MSU WorldTAP international short course on “Food Safety.”
Beyond his academic roles, Dr. Ghimire has actively volunteered both within and outside MSU. He served as President of the Association of Nepalese Agricultural Professionals of Americas (NAPA) and was Editor-in-Chief for the NAPA Policy and Research Brief Editorial Committee. He has authored and edited numerous book chapters, journal articles, policy briefs, bulletins, and posters focused on animal health, livestock production, agricultural extension, and education. As a widely published researcher, he serves as a reviewer for more than half a dozen academic journals.
MaryKay Smith, Director LAC MSU, Program Leader undergrad Santo Domingo Program
Mary Kay Smith, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, FSSH is the Director of the Learning and Assessment Center, which is a multidisciplinary simulation center serving COM. Her doctorate is from the MSU Higher Adult and Lifelong Education Administration program. She is also a Fellow in the Academy of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) and ex-officio Chair of the SSH Accreditation Council. Her research interests include simulation methodology, higher adult education and administration and interprofessional education.
Jacob Rowan
Merida Medical Education Program Leader
Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Medical Specialty: physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Areas of research/interest: osteopathic manipulative medicine, global health, telemedicine, sports medicine, physician communication.
Richard Bryce
Guatemala Program Leader
Richard Bryce, D.O, is the program director for the Henry Ford Family Medicine residency program and the chief medical officer at the Community Health and Social Services Center (CHASS), a federally qualified health center in Mexicantown, Detroit. His passion is to promote and motivate his patients to pursue a healthy lifestyle. He started the CHASS Mexicantown 5k Run/Walk and Children’s Race to improve exposure to exercise within the Detroit community. He has been instrumental in facilitating the Fresh Prescription program at the CHASS Center, where he and other providers prescribe fresh fruits and vegetables to their patients from the clinic-based Farmers Market with the goal of increasing consumption of these foods. Dr. Bryce also initiated CHASS’s Reach Out and Read partnership, which provides pediatric patients with a free book at each well-child visit.
Dr. Bryce provides the best care possible for those most vulnerable in our society. He uses medication-assisted treatment to help those suffering from opioid addiction. He is the Faculty Advisor for Street Medicine Detroit and Detroit Street Care, student organizations affiliated with Wayne State University School of Medicine and Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine respectively. These programs provide medical care to Detroit’s homeless population; and he is the program leader for the Guatemala Elective Program at COM.
Furqan Irfan, Affiliated Adjunct Researcher
Eric Randhawa, Student Assistant
Tavleen Kaur, Student Assistant
Ayverie Evangelista, Student Assistant
Sydney Keller, Student Assistant
Kaushik Paladugu, Student Assistant
Alisa Livadic, Student Assistant
