HPRC Team

Josh Kazman is a research statistician who has worked on military-specific analyses covering health behaviors, heat illness, health disparities, psychometrics, and measurement. Mr. Kazman contributes to study planning and design, data collection and quality, manuscripts, and research proposals. His background is in statistics and psychology, and he is studying for a PhD in Public Health. Recent projects include retrospective analysis of Army-wide readiness records and surveys and a prospective study of return to duty following exertion-related injuries.

Education:

• Master of Arts (MA) in Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation, University of Maryland
• Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology, Loyola College in Maryland
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Arts, St. John’s College

Katie Kirkpatrick is CHAMP’s Senior Environment Nutrition Manager. Ms. Kirkpatrick is responsible for the operational oversight of nutrition-environment education and research initiatives, including the Go for Green® program. A Registered Dietitian with a board-certified specialty in sports nutrition, she has years of experience in wellness and prevention, sports and performance nutrition, mindful eating, culinary nutrition, and plant-based eating. Her focus is on optimizing nutrition to impact nutritional fitness and Total Force Fitness for everyone.

Education:

• Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition, Boston University
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Dietetics, Miami University

Relevant accomplishments:

• Registered Dietitian (RD)
• Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
• MHSRS Poster Presenter (2018, 2021)
• FNCE Poster Presenter (2018)

Kierra Sarfo-Kantanka is the project manager for the Warrior Heat- and Exertion-Related Events Collaborative (WHEC). She oversees development and dissemination of educational resources on the WHEC website and throughout the Department of Defense. Kierra leads the WHEC mission in partnership with the Army Heat Center and the Multidisciplinary Case Review Committee by fostering strategic communication between research and education and developing evidence-based instructional resources and tools. She also tracks HPRC’s Ask the Expert portal for exertional-related illness and education consults. 

Education: 

• Master of Public Health (MPH), Florida International University
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Community Health, George Mason University

Accomplishments:

• Warrior Heat and Exertional-Related Events (WHEC) Framework poster presenter, Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), 2024.
• Florida International University Online Masters of Public Health Advisory Board Member, 2024.

Dr. Lauren Messina is a senior scientist with the HPRC team at CHAMP. She contributes to strategic initiatives to grow the team’s work, particularly related to developing Total Force Fitness curricula. A Clinical Licensed Couple and Family Therapist and Diplomat with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Lauren is experienced in evidence-based research, clinical mental-health interventions, relational health strategies to improve performance, and holistic, lifestyle-based approaches to well-being.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland
• Master of Science (MS), Couple and Family Therapy, School of Public Health, University of Maryland
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Interpersonal and Organizational Communications, Villanova University

Accomplishments:

• Licensed Couple and Family Therapist
• Diplomate with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine
• “Total Force Fitness and Human Performance Optimization: A Paradigm Shift within the Military Medical Community,” presented with Patricia Deuster at the 6th Annual International Lifestyle Medicine Conference, 2021.

Published articles include:

• Total Force Fitness Education: A Critical Enabler of Human Performance Optimization
• Social Fitness and the Social Domain: A Holistic Approach Based on Total Force Fitness 
• Optimizing Warfighter Lethality through Human Performance Optimization Education
• A Shift from Resilience to Human Performance Optimization in Special Operations Training: Advancements in Theory and Practice

Maria McConville is a Senior Nutrition Health Educator with HPRC. She designs and delivers nutrition presentations, creates nutrition-related content for HPRC, and helps integrate nutrition into Total Force Fitness. She is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and Health and Wellness Coach with experience in clinical and community dietetics, as well as corporate wellness. An Army Veteran and Spouse Master Resilience trainer, she combines her military knowledge with her love of nutrition and fitness to empower others to strive for nourishment of mind, body, and soul.

Education:

• Master of Science (MS), Austin Peay State University
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Miami University

Relevant accomplishments:

• Registered Dietitian, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
• Certified Personal Trainer, American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• Member and former executive officer for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

Melissa Reichley is a senior technical writer and editor for CHAMP’s HPRC website, blog, and other related content. She strives to make evidence-based info about human performance optimization accessible, accurate, and reader friendly. In her 25+ years as a communications professional, Melissa has managed digital and print content for ad and PR firms, publishing companies, universities, and the Smithsonian. In the healthcare industry, prior to joining CHAMP, Melissa wrote and edited in the physical therapy, home health, hospital, and pharmaceutical industries.

Education:

• Master of Arts (MA), Communication Studies, UNLV
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Communications, Ithaca College

Published articles include:

• Lessons Learned from Lyme Disease: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
• The Relationship Between Media Exposure, Personal Experience and Education on the Public's Perceptions of People with Disabilities: A Correlational Study

Dr. Melissa Rittenhouse is a Nutrition and Exercise Scientist with the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP). She is also an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University (USU), where she conducts and translates human performance research. Her research focuses on dietary supplements, diet quality, adverse-event reporting, and omega-3 fatty acids. As a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), she is an expert in nutrition and human performance. Dr. Rittenhouse is a federal contractor for the Henry M Jackson Foundation at USU.

Education: 

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Kent State University
• Master of Science (MS), Georgia State University
• Bachelor of Science (BS), University of Dayton

Relevant accomplishments:

• Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
• Member of Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietetic Association (CPSDA)
• Member of Sports and Human Performance Nutrition (SHPN)
• Member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Published articles include:

• Healthy eating index and nutrition biomarkers among Army Soldiers and civilian control group indicate an intervention is necessary to raise omega-3 index and vitamin D and improve diet quality
• Dietary supplements: Knowledge and adverse event reporting practices of Department of Defense health care providers
• An innovative dietary supplement scorecard for assessing risk

Micaiah Corley is an Education Specialist with HPRC who serves as the Project Manager for the rebuild of the Rx3 program. A certified Athletic Trainer, she has been a resilient, passionate advocate and administrator for students who desired to achieve athletic success. Ms. Corley’s strategic, advanced, proactive leadership experience has helped her effectively implement athletic department programs and nationwide initiatives, and influence senior administrators with regard to the best course of action for collegiate accomplishment. Micaiah’s record of achievement includes instructing, mentoring, retaining, and rehabilitating elite-level collegiate athletes. 

Education

• Master of Science (MS), Exercise Physiology, Syracuse University
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Kinesiology, San Diego State State University

Relevant accomplishments

• Athletic Trainer Certified
• Functional Movement Screening Certified
• Developer and Program Manager for Women’s and Men’s Health Plan Initiative. She educated and empowered student athletes to take control of their general and sexual health.
• Developer and Program Manager for Rutgers University Performance Team. She monitored, supported, and cared for the nutritional and mental health of student athletes.

Misty Adams is a Senior Technical Editor for HPRC and OPSS, responsible for editing content prior to site deployment. Misty has a Master’s degree in Technical Communication. She has more than 10 years of editing experience, which includes working for the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the NASA White Sands Complex. Her background at the Air Force Research Laboratory highlights her commitment to Human Performance Optimization and Total Force Fitness.

Education:

• Master of Science (MS), Technical Communication, Missouri University of Science & Technology
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Technical Communication, Missouri University of Science & Technology

Relevant accomplishments:

• Society for Technical Communication (STC), Member

Sahaja Surapaneni is a mental and spiritual education specialist for CHAMP. Her subject-matter expertise includes positive psychology, resilience, and spirituality. Sahaja translates basic and clinical research to create culturally appropriate, evidence-based educational resources and training programs in positive and performance psychology. Sahaja has taught general psychology to undergraduate students. Her research experience includes studying Veterans and people undergoing trauma. 

Education:

• Bachelor of Science (BS), Psychology, University of Rhode Island 
• Bachelor of Arts (BA), Communication Studies, University of Rhode Island

Accomplishments:

• Conducted research study on consumerist tendencies and world beliefs for the University of Pennsylvania’s Primals Project. 
• Led a grant-funded, behavioral healthcare project at Thrive Behavioral Health to produce positive and lasting behavior change in adults.

Stacy Cappadona is a performance dietitian and the content lead for Nutritional Fitness at HPRC. She develops educational materials to promote and enhance human performance through nutritional fitness for all Service Members. As a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, Stacy translates and applies evidence-based nutrition strategies to optimize physical and mental performance of tactical athletes—such as those who work in the military in jobs that require physical fitness. Stacy has years of experience working directly with Service Members, embedded in tactical human performance teams

Education:

• Master of Science (MS) in Exercise Physiology and Sports Nutrition, Florida State University
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Exercise Science, Florida State University

Relevant accomplishments:

• Registered Dietitian (RD)
• Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
   

Tiana Hertenstein is a clinical research associate for HPRC. She oversees physical fitness content for the HPRC website and develops educational materials to help Service Members optimize their physical fitness performance. A strength and conditioning coach, Tiana has worked with all levels of athletes from collegiate, professional, and Olympic competitors to the military population. She has more than a decade of experience working in the special operations community as a part of a holistic human performance team.

Education: 

• Master of Science (MS) in Sports Medicine—Strength and Conditioning, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Exercise Science—Strength and Conditioning, Appalachian State University

Accomplishments:

• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)