Our Team
We are a group of designers and researchers, faculty and students at DePaul University, working to better understand the problem of poor birth outcomes in Chicago. We are collecting birth stories to help advocate for change and design something to address these issues.
Enid Montague, PhD
Researcher
Enid Montague received MS and PhD degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, specializing in human factors and ergonomics engineering, the future professoriate, women’s studies and human computer interaction. Dr. Montague is currently an Associate Professor in the college of computing at DePaul University and adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She is the director of the Wellness and Health Enhancement Engineering Laboratory (WHEEL). Dr. Montague has received numerous awards for her research including the Francis Research Fellowship for research that emphasizes “longer, safer and healthier lives” and a Kl2 early career award from that National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore trust in health care systems. Dr. Montague’s research uses human factors and human-computer interaction methodologies, design principles and theories to understand health care systems to promote safety and patient-centered care. She looks at organizational and design factors that affect both workers and patients with the overall goal of understanding technology mediated interactions and designing new and effective health technologies.
Sheena Erete, PhD
Researcher
Sheena Erete is a researcher and technology designer, who has studied the role of technology in addressing various social issues in Chicago for over a decade. Dr. Erete is an assistant professor in the College of Computing and Digital Media at DePaul University and co-director of the Technology for Social Good Research and Design Lab. With a background in computer and social science, she is an expert in understanding how to situate and evaluate the use of technologies in resource-constrained communities to address issues such as violence, civic engagement, health and STEM education. Dr. Erete has a PhD in Technology and Social Behavior (a joint degree in computer science and communication) from Northwestern University, a Masters in Computer Science from Georgia Tech, and Bachelor degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from Spelman College. More can be found at www.sheenaerete.com
Ashley Loomis
Graduate Researcher
Ashley is a graduate student in DePaul University's Human Computer Interaction Program. Previously, she earned a her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta and later worked as a statistician in cancer research. Throughout her public health career, she noticed a lack of engagement with and inclusion of populations in the development, testing, and refinement of health-related products and interventions. She is interested in combining public health and human centered design to create better and more accessible technology in the name of health equity.
Liz Davis
Designer
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Christanne Siamas
Designer
Christanne Siamas is a DePaul University graduate student pursuing her Masters in Experience Design. She earned Bachelor degrees from Indiana University in Visual Communication Design and Apparel Merchandising and Business. Currently working in the health tech industry, she sees the disparities that occur in the healthcare system. She concentrates on solutions that combine technology and human empathy to create better healthcare systems that equally serve all.
Maddie Shiparski
Social Media
Maddie is an aspiring Experience Designer finishing up her fourth year as an undergrad studying User Experience Design at DePaul University. She plans to continue at DePaul in 2020 to work towards her Master’s degree in Experience design. Her goal is to build products and systems that make our communities more sustainable, equitable, and accessible. While most of her past experience and knowledge centers around UX/UI design, Maddie is interested in implementing those design and research methodologies into civic technology and place-making.
Dom Abrams
Social Media
With nearly ten years experience in digital media, Dom is an expert in organizational communications, process efficiency and results driven thinking. She is specialized in the areas of advertising, marketing, branding, digital communications, and social media. Dom holds a Bachelor’s degree in marketing from Western Michigan University, and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Digital Communications and Media Arts at DePaul University. Throughout her career in digital media, she has worked for several major publishers and digital platforms, including Pandora Radio, Tribune Publishing, and Crane Communications. She recently launched her own media consulting organization, Dom dot Dom Media, which offers support services to business organizations and creatives in the areas of branding, organizational communications, and social media strategy. Dom also uses her platform as a podcaster, and radio personality to uplift and support independent Chicago artists. More can be found at www.domdotdom.com.