Who We Are - Two Oceans In Health

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

As a marketer with a concentration in New Age Marketing and with more than 6 years of experience, she has worked on the design and execution of strategic marketing and communications plans that allow for brand awareness and Top of Mind (TOP) positioning, campaigns with a high-level of notoriety, actions that connect with the target audience, among other strategies, serving as steps to achieve business objectives. She has initiated her career in health-related research with 2OiH, participating in USAID and PEPFAR-funded research projects, including: Assessment of Youth Gang Phenomenon and Situation Analysis of HIV Epidemic in Migrant Populations in the Dominican Republic.

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

Pediatrician with a Master in Public Health (2016), awarded by the University of Wolverhampton in England, UK, and advanced research skills. She has completed her preparation with international courses and seminars, including Injury Prevention for Children and Adolescents from the University of Michigan, among other topics related to childhood health.

Dr. Laura Sosa

Technical Coordinator

Accounting assistant with almost a decade of experience in establishing financial status by developing and implementing systems for collecting, analyzing, verifying and reporting information.

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

Journalist and Social Communicator, with experience in research and projects on migration issues with a focus on human rights and a gender perspective. She has been a consultant for the Regional Network of Observatory LA treats, Dominican Republic chapter. She has also participated as a coder for the Global Media Monitoring project. Recently, Suleika has collaborated in the logistical support and interviews in the research on “Access to Clinical Services and HIV and AIDS prevention for the populations prioritized by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in the Dominican Republic”, Two Oceans in Health (2OiH, 2019).

Dr. Eddy Pérez-Then

MD, MPH, MSPH, MBA, PhD

2OiH President

Dra. Marija Miric

MA, PhD

2OiH Chief Executive Officer

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.

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

Accountant with almost a decade of experience in establishing financial status by developing and implementing systems for collecting, analyzing, verifying and reporting information.

Associate Consultants

Virginia Vallejo, M.A.

Program Manager

Suleika Polanco

2OiH Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Jennie Adorno

Bioethicist / IRB Coordinator

Rodolfo Núñez-Musa

Medical Doctor / Researcher

Lisselot Paulino

Public Health and Sanitation Management Specialist

Juan Olivo

Medical Doctor / Clinician

Irene Campos

Psychologist

Lucía Santana

HIV activist (Grupo Clara, Puerto Plata)

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.

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.

Gustavo Fernández

Education Specialist

Industrial Arts Technician, graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), with higher studies in Basic Education at the Instituto Superior de Educación Félix Evaristo Mejía. He has a postgraduate degree in Quality and Productivity Management from the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and a master’s degree in Education Management and Planning from the Universidad Católica Santo Domingo (UCSD). He has completed his professional career with extensive experience in both education and computing, in addition to taking courses and diplomas such as "Bioethics in Clinical Trials and Research with Human Beings" from El Paso Community College in Texas, USA. His special interest in HIV and AIDS prevention has led him to become involved as: founding member of the VIDA Program and National Coordinator of the COPRESIDA Youth Program, in addition to producing and validating educational materials related to prevention, among other actions.

Erika Suero

Lawyer / Human Rights Specialist

Ms. Suero obtained a Law Degree (2002) from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and a Higher Diploma in Management, Policies, Health Systems and Social Protection of the International Health Program of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), Dominican Republic. She is currently completing a Master in Health Systems and Services Management (PUCMM, 2023). For more than 15 years, she has been involved, among others, with the health sector, the National Response to HIV and Human Rights. As part of her professional experience, she has coordinated the process that led to the enactment of Law No.135-11 on HIV and AIDS (2005 - 2005); coordinated the official delegations to the Special Session of the UN General Assembly, on HIV and AIDS (2006 - 2017); designed and implemented the strategy of the National Response to HIV and AIDS in the workplace (2007 - 2017), along with other valuable contributions. She has also served as a speaker at various forums and as an advisor and consultant for various national and international organizations.

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.