Two Oceans In Health
Two Oceans In Health (2OiH) is a global health research center, devoted to constructing knowledge that empowers the communities living in the Dominican Republic. Founded and led by recognized public health scientists, incorporating top-level academic background and methodological rigor, with decades of research experience focused on different levels of the Dominican health system, community health and related medical education activities, 2OiH also holds a diverse team of experts that allows for a unique synergy between scientific rigor and social commitment.
Dr. Eddy Pérez-Then
MD, MPH, MSPH, MBA, PhD.
2OiH President
Public health expert and Medical Doctor, with an MBA in International Health Management, at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (2019), a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (2009) at the University of Miami, under the auspices of the Fogarty International Center and Research Program, and a Master of Sciences degree in Public Health (2004). He has been setting standards in clinical and public health research in the Dominican Republic over the past 25 years, focusing on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and maternal and child health, among other public health priorities, while providing evidence for strategies aimed to improve health care practices and policies, both in the Dominican Republic and internationally. His experience in innovative medical education, as the founding Director of the O&Med Medical School, and the implementation of an integrated curriculum platform developed in alliance with Harvard Medical International, adds up to more than 25 years of accumulated contributions to top-level public health research, constructing a unique professional profile at the intersection of high-level management skills, academic excellence and research expertise, both in the Dominican Republic and international settings.
Dra. Marija Miric
2OiH Chief Executive Officer
MA, PhD.
Clinical psychologist (2001) with a Master in Research Methodology (2004), and a PhD in Social Psychology (2015). As a social scientist, with more than two decades of experience in public health research and medical education in the Dominican Republic, she has applied innovative qualitative and quantitative methodologies, promoting community-based participatory research to involve and empower local communities and hard-to-reach populations in addressing issues related to maternal and child health, infectious diseases, chronic health conditions, stigma, discrimination and human rights, among other health-related topics. Dr. Miric has also supported the development and implementation of the O&M Medical School integrated curriculum platform, in alliance with Harvard Medical International, establishing the 5-year Community Project longitudinal course, through long-term productive academia-community partnerships with underserved and migrant communities in the Dominican Republic. Her work has been funded by the Dominican Ministry of Health, USAID, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNFPA, PAHO, World Vision, Family Health International, the Population Council, the French Agency for Research on AIDS (ANRS) and the World Bank, among other local and international agencies.
Wanda Quezada
Communication Manager
Agusmery Heredia
Office Manager
Accounting Specialist with a Group Leadership & Educational Management Diploma, with more than 13 years of experience in administering and rendering accounting information and managing social and development projects both in the private sector and funded by the international agencies, such as USAID. Ms. Heredia has also worked as a manager of human talent to contribute to the growth of institutions through their talents.
Dr. Laura Sosa
Technical Coordinator, MD, MPH
Dr. Laura Sosa
Technical Coordinator
Virginia Vallejo, M.A.
Associate Consultant
Quantitative and Qualitative research specialist, with a Master of Arts degree in Computational Statistical Information Processing and with more than a decade of experience in designing quantitative and qualitative research tools; logistic of data collection; data quality control; statistical analysis and data process capability through statistics programs; and elaboration of technical reports to support accountability and making decisions. In addition, Ms. Vallejo holds Statistical software and Monitoring and Evaluation experience in social projects financed by agencies such as: PEPFAR, USAID, and CBSI. Her work has been presented in international conventions, such as the American Psychological Association 116th Annual Convention, and she has numerous research collaborations with the National Research Center for Maternal and Child Health (CENISMI, in spanish), the Dominican Institute of Integral Development, among others.
Suleika Polanco
Associate Consultant
Dr. Eddy Pérez-Then
MD, MPH, MSPH, MBA, PhD
2OiH President
Public health expert and Medical Doctor, with an MBA in International Health Management, at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (2019), a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (2009) at the University of Miami, under the auspices of the Fogarty International Center and Research Program, and a Master of Sciences degree in Public Health (2004). He has been setting standards in clinical and public health research in the Dominican Republic over the past 25 years, focusing on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and maternal and child health, among other public health priorities, while providing evidence for strategies aimed to improve health care practices and policies, both in the Dominican Republic and internationally. His experience in innovative medical education, as the founding Director of the O&Med Medical School, and the implementation of an integrated curriculum platform developed in alliance with Harvard Medical International, adds up to more than 25 years of accumulated contributions to top-level public health research, constructing a unique professional profile at the intersection of high-level management skills, academic excellence and research expertise, both in the Dominican Republic and international settings.
Dra. Marija Miric
MA, PhD
2OiH Chief Executive Officer
Clinical psychologist (2001) with a Master in Research Methodology (2004), and a PhD in Social Psychology (2015). As a social scientist, with more than two decades of experience in public health research and medical education in the Dominican Republic, she has applied innovative qualitative and quantitative methodologies, promoting community-based participatory research to involve and empower local communities and hard-to-reach populations in addressing issues related to maternal and child health, infectious diseases, chronic health conditions, stigma, discrimination and human rights, among other health-related topics. Dr. Miric has also supported the development and implementation of the O&M Medical School integrated curriculum platform, in alliance with Harvard Medical International, establishing the 5-year Community Project longitudinal course, through long-term productive academia-community partnerships with underserved and migrant communities in the Dominican Republic. Her work has been funded by the Dominican Ministry of Health, USAID, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNFPA, PAHO, World Vision, Family Health International, the Population Council, the French Agency for Research on AIDS (ANRS) and the World Bank, among other local and international agencies.
Karen Cuevas
Program Manager
Medical Doctor (1995) at Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo INTEC, with a MIPH/ SMDP Graduated certified by CDC and Emory University (1998), Community Project Manager certified at Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo UASD (1998), Modern Health Management Postgraduate at Universidad Católica de Santo Domingo (1999). 25 years of experience in the Health Programs and Projects field. In the last 10 years has focused her work in the design and implementation of health programs, Medical Training Programs, Protocols and Process Documentation and Quality Management Systems. Has collaborated in the development and monitoring of strategic plans of institutions linked to the areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health, Maternal and Child, Health Diagnostic Services, Health Information Systems, Gender and Rights, Health and Safety at Work, Human Rights and DSDR.
Wanda Quezada
Communication Manager
Agusmery Heredia
Office Manager
Dra. Laura Sosa, MD, MPH
Technical Coordinator
Juan Olivo
Project Coordinator
Medical Doctor with a specialization in research (2017) through the Leaders of Tomorrow program of Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE). He did his medical internship at the Armed Forces Central Hospital from 2017 to 2018. He has been part of the teaching staff of the O&M Medical School (O&Med) from 2017 to present and has worked on different research projects as Field Coordinator with this university and 2OiH.
Jean Carlos Castillo
Research Associate
M.D. with a diploma in neuropsychology applied to cognitive disorders. He did his medical internship at BRA Dominicana from 2020 to 2021, providing healthcare for the community of Batey Cinco Casas while also working as a Clinical Navigator, monitoring HIV patients. Also, he has more than 4 years of research experience as a research assistant, several published papers and teaching experience as a teaching assistant at Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo.
Massiel Méndez Jorge
Technical assistant
Medical Doctor and researcher with a diploma in Scientific Research in Health Sciences at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD)/University of Guadalajara, health systems and social protection by the Latin Federation of Social Sciences (FLASCO), and evidence-based medical audit management at Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE). She has more than 4 years of experience in the field as public health and basic sciences research assistant, several published papers in international journals, and teaching experience in Physiology and Biophysics at UASD. Dr. Méndez has also served in the last 3 years as editorial manager, and as a novel leader in several research-related programs and workshops, empowering students in science.
Miguel Sosa
Technical assistant
Dr. Sosa has a Medical Doctor degree from the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE). He did his medical internship at the Dominican medical center from 2019 to 2020 and has completed his preparation with courses and seminars, including fracture management workshop among other topics.
Elizabeth Feliz
Communications Assistant
Elizabeth has a Social Communication degree and a minor in Journalism from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD, for its acronym in Spanish), as well as a law degree from University of Tercera Edad (UTE, for its acronym in Spanish). She has worked with US Peace Corps and foundations related to public health, as is the case with Fundación Sol Naciente which works with international foundations, such as Physician for Peace and Old Dominion School (School of Nursing), where she has built experience in research and has developed projects on family and youth and migration issues with a focus on human rights and a gender perspective.
Elizabeth has also worked as a Language and Culture Facilitator and in 2019, she began working as a facilitator of Spanish and Culture for JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).
Sugeiry De los Santos
Office Assistant
Associate Consultants
Virginia Vallejo, M.A.
Program Manager
Quantitative and Qualitative research specialist, with a Master of Arts degree in Computational Statistical Information Processing and with more than a decade of experience in designing quantitative and qualitative research tools; logistic of data collection; data quality control; statistical analysis and data process capability through statistics programs; and elaboration of technical reports to support accountability and making decisions. In addition, Ms. Vallejo holds Statistical software and Monitoring and Evaluation experience in social projects financed by agencies such as: PEPFAR, USAID, and CBSI. Her work has been presented in international conventions, such as the American Psychological Association 116th Annual Convention, and she has numerous research collaborations with the National Research Center for Maternal and Child Health (CENISMI, in spanish), the Dominican Institute of Integral Development, among others.
Suleika Polanco
2OiH Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Jennie Adorno
Rodolfo Núñez-Musa
Lisselot Paulino
Juan Olivo
Irene Campos
Lucía Santana
Jennie Adorno
Medical Doctor / Clinician
Medical Doctor with a specialty in Infectiology, Fundamental Bioethics and Clinical Bioethics from the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC). She is a member and assistant to the Executive Director of the National Council for Bioethics in Health (CONABIOS). She works as a Bioethicist Physician and Assistant Physician in the Teaching and Research Department of the Marcelino Vélez Santana Hospital, in addition to being President of the Healthcare Bioethics and Research Committee of this same hospital. She is also a professor at the Technological University of Santiago (UTESA) School of Medicine and has further developed her capacities in research with courses such as "Good Clinical Practices in Research" of the Global Health Network.
Rodolfo Núñez-Musa
Medical Doctor / Researcher
Medical Doctor (UASD), specialized in Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology with training in Pediatric Echocardiography. Master in Social Medicine and Health Research Methodology. He has more than 40 years of experience in teaching, research, and healthcare, and is a retired Profesor of Physiology, Clinical Pharmacology and Pediatric Cardiology. Currently, he is in charge of the the Clinical Room of the Dr. Robert Reid Cabral Hospital (1996-2016), Coordinator of Clinical Sciences of OyMed, member of INVICTUS Research Group IP, Miami, United States, President of the IEC-CENISMI, Executive Director of the Dominican Institute of Clinical-Pharmacological Research, Research Associate at the National Evangelical University and the National Researchers Career MESCyT and Coordinator of the Advisory Committee of 2OiH. Dr. Núñez has more than 70 articles, conferences, publications and original research and co-authorship of texts and guides.
Lisselot Paulino
Public Health and Sanitation Management Specialist
Dental Medicine Doctor with a Master in Public Health and Health Management and in Healthcare Quality and Safety Bioethics. Currently, she works as a Clinical Research Monitor in the National Council of Bioethics in Health (CONABIOS) and as a General Dentist in the Dental Office of the Dominican National Police Palace. She has completed her professional training with various seminars, congresses, and conferences, such as: the IV Conference on Bioethics of the Valencia La Fe Health Department in Spain, and ICH E6 Good Clinical Practice Standards.
Irene Campos
Psychologist
Psychologist (INTEC) with a Master of Research in clinical and health psychology and legal and forensic psychology. She is a member of the Catalan Official College of Psychologists (COPC-Barcelona for its acronym in spanish) and a former Faculty Member of O&M Medical School (2013). Additionally, she collaborates in social and health research projects and serves as a forensic psychologist and psychotherapist.
Lucía Santana
HIV activist (Grupo Clara, Puerto Plata)
Educator, specialized in social sciences at the O&M University (2008). Currently, she serves as Executive Director of GRUPO CLARA and Coordinator of the NGO / Community Project HS3. She has 20 years of experience in community work, having held the position of General Coordinator in several projects, including, but not limited to, Proyecto Alerta Jóven where she was able to transform the lives of young people at risk, in order to prevent crime in the Dominican Republic. He has also taken specialized courses on Methodology for the Prevention of STIs / HIV / AIDS in Adolescents and Young People.
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