Gerald Alfred is a dedicated public health leader and advocate serving as the Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Mobile Chapter (SCDAA-MC). With a strong background in community engagement, healthcare access, and public transit leadership, he brings a strategic and systems-focused approach to improving outcomes for individuals living with sickle cell disease. Under his leadership, SCDAA-MC has expanded critical services through the BeHEARD initiative. Mr. Alfred works closely with healthcare providers, community partners, and policymakers to strengthen care coordination and advance health equity across Southwest Alabama. Through his leadership, Mr. Alfred continues to champion awareness, advocacy, and sustainable solutions that empower Warriors and their families.

Bio coming soon!

Dr. Karen B. Fowler is a professor and investigator with expertise in congenital infections, including cytomegalovirus (CMV). Her research work focuses on prevention strategies, screening approaches, and long-term neurodevelopmental and hearing outcomes for infants affected by congenital CMV. She has led and contributed to pivotal clinical and epidemiologic studies that have shaped current understanding of congenital CMV transmission, early detection, and disease impact. Dr. Fowler's work has informed evidence based approaches to newborn screening and management of affected infants. She is widely recognized for advancing CMV research through multidisciplinary collaboration and translating research findings into clinical and public health practice.

Amy Ingram Williamson is a pediatric audiologist who received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from Auburn University in 2008 and Doctorate of Audiology from the University of South Alabama in 2013. Dr. Williamson completed her externship at Children's of Alabama prior to spending four years as a pediatric audiologist in Columbia, South Carolina. She currently serves as the Audiology Program Specialist with Children's Rehabilitation Service (CRS), a division of the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Dr. Russell Kirby is a perinatal and pediatric epidemiologist trained in the social sciences, with a PhD in human geography and MS in preventive medicine-epidemiology. He worked in two state agencies (Wisconsin and Arkansas), as faculty in academic medicine at UAMS and University of Wisconsin, and since 2002 as a professor of maternal and child health, from 2002-2008 at UAB and since then at USF. Dr. Kirby has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles, with more than 700 different co-authors, and actively participates in the editorial process as an editor-in chief, peer reviewer or editorial board member for numerous journals. While his research interests focus on the public health implications of health policies and programs, with special reference to perinatal and maternal/child health; population health informatics; and perinatal/pediatric studies in genetics, birth defects, and developmental disabilities, clinical research, study design and analysis, birth defects surveillance, epidemiology and prevention has been a major interest since the early 1980s.

Ardie Pack-Mabien, PhD, FNP-BC is a highly experienced clinical nurse practitioner and researcher with more than 29 years of expertise dedicated to the care and management of individuals living with sickle cell disease across the lifespan. Her work has been particularly influential in advancing best practices for the transition of adolescents and young adults from pediatric to adult care systems. Dr. Pack-Mabien earned her doctorate in March 2018, with a dissertation that provided critical evidence-based insights leading to revisions of the Pediatric to Adult Care Transition (PACT) Program at the University of South Alabama. Her contributions have helped improve continuity of care and health outcomes for patients navigating this complex transition period. A recognized leader in her field, she is the author of the widely cited 2009 manuscript, “A Primary Care Provider’s Guide to the Management of Adults and Children with Sickle Cell Disease,” which remains an important resource for clinicians. Her body of scholarly work also includes publications addressing transition program evaluation, iron overload in adult patients receiving transfusions, and global and systemic perspectives on pain management in sickle cell disease. Her more recent work explores pediatric nursing attitudes and barriers to optimal pain management, with articles published in Pediatric Nursing (2022) and Pain Management Nursing (2023, 2025). Through her clinical practice, research, and publications, Dr. Pack-Mabien continues to make significant contributions to improving care delivery, education, and health outcomes for individuals affected by sickle cell disease.

Stephen Pope is an epidemiologist with the Alabama Department of Public Health, where he specializes in newborn screening, hearing screening, and birth defects surveillance. With a Doctorate in Health Sciences and a Master’s degree in Public Health, he brings a strong academic foundation and analytical expertise to his work in public health. Dr. Pope is dedicated to advancing early detection and prevention efforts that improve health outcomes for infants and children across Alabama. He is particularly committed to addressing health disparities and ensuring that vulnerable and underserved populations have equitable access to essential health services and opportunities. Through his work, he strives to promote healthier communities and support systems that enable all individuals to thrive.

Coming soon!

Stephanie Rhodes, RN is an experienced Registered Nurse with 28 years of dedicated practice in Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) settings. Throughout her career, she has provided compassionate, high-quality care to newborns and their families during some of the most critical moments of early life. For the past seven years, Stephanie has served with the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Newborn Screening Program, where she plays a vital role in ensuring early detection and intervention for a variety of health conditions in infants. Her work supports improved long-term outcomes and helps give newborns the healthiest possible start. Stephanie considers herself truly blessed to be part of a profession that allows her to make a meaningful difference every day. She remains deeply committed to supporting the well-being of the state’s smallest patients and their families, helping ensure every child has the best possible beginning in life.

Mary Ellen Whigham, RN is a dedicated nursing professional with 41 years of experience, including 10 years serving in the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program. Throughout her career, she has combined extensive clinical expertise with a deep commitment to supporting children and families. Mary Ellen’s passion for her work is shaped not only by her professional background but also by her personal experience. As the mother of a son diagnosed with hearing impairment at age seven—prior to the implementation of universal newborn hearing screening—she brings a unique, empathetic perspective to the families she serves. Her journey has strengthened her commitment to early detection, timely intervention, and meaningful family support. She views her role not simply as a job, but as a calling. Mary Ellen is devoted to helping families navigate their child’s diagnosis, guiding them toward resources and empowering them with the tools needed for success. She believes that while parents do not determine a child’s success, they play a critical role in providing the support and opportunities that allow each child to thrive.