Meet the All-Volunteer Board of Directors and Executive Committee
The Board of Directors serves as the governing council for the operations and direction of the South Carolina Immunization Coalition. The Board works closely with the Organizing Director and Executive Committee to accomplish the coalition's mission and objectives. Learn more below about the volunteers that make it happen!
2022 Board of Directors and
Executive Committee
kathleen cartmell, phd, MPH
she/her
Board President, Executive Committee Chair
Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Public Health Sciences
Clemson University
Region: Upstate
Term: July 1, 2022- June 30, 2024
Dr. Kathleen Cartmell is a health services researcher, with a focus on dissemination and implementation of evidence-based strategies for population health. Her research is in the areas of vaccination, community health worker programs, and palliative care. Dr. Cartmell's current vaccine studies focus on interventions to address vaccine hesitancy through community and social media based interventions and through health system interventions to improve delivery systems for vaccination.
beth sundstrom, phd, mph
she/her
Communication Director, Executive Committee
Associate Professor, Dept. of Communication
College of Charleston
Region: Lowcountry
Term: July 1, 2022- June 30, 2024
Beth Sundstrom, Ph.D., M.P.H. is an associate professor of communication and public health at the College of Charleston, SC USA where she is the Director of the Women’s Health Research Team. Dr. Sundstrom conducts applied research that informs the development of community-based public health interventions and nationally recognized communication campaigns. She is a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Research Grant recipient and leading expert on health communication, social marketing, and women’s health. She is the author of two books and more than 60 peer-reviewed publications in such outlets as Social Science & Medicine, Contraception, and the Journal of Health Communication.
cdr misti houck, pharmd, MS-hca, bcps, ncps
she/her
Director at Large
Chief Pharmacist, Catawba Service Unit
Indian Health Service
Region: Midlands
Term: July 1, 2022- December 31, 2023
CDR Misti Houck is the Chief Pharmacist at Catawba Service Unit in Rock Hill, SC. She graduated from Samford University, McWhorter School of Pharmacy with a PharmD in 2007 and completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Whiteriver Indian Hospital in Whiteriver, AZ in 2008. CDR Houck became a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) in 2011. She is a National Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (NCPS) certified pharmacist for chronic disease state management and is a certified immunizer through the American Pharmacist Association (APhA). CDR Houck was selected as the Primary Coordinator for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program at the Catawba IHS Service Unit (CSU) in 2014 and has served continuously since that time.
sayward harrison, phd
she/her
Records Officer, Executive Committee
Health Psychologist/Assistant Professor
University of South Carolina
Region: Midlands
Term: July 1, 2022- June 30, 2024
Dr. Sayward Harrison, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina (UofSC). Dr. Harrison is a health psychologist and social-behavioral scientist with expertise in infectious disease prevention and treatment. Dr. Harrison runs the Healthy Futures Lab, whose mission is to engage in innovative, community-engaged research to help people—particularly those from marginalized communities—achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
tessa hastings, phd
she/her
Director at Large
Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy
University of South Carolina
Region: Midlands
Term: July 1, 2022- December 31, 2023
Tessa Hastings, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. Dr. Hastings earned her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Outcomes Research and Policy from Auburn University. Her research is broadly dedicated to reducing preventable infectious diseases and improving health outcomes among underserved populations. She focuses on the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based interventions to improve immunization coverage, specifically through pharmacy-based services in rural communities.
douglas moore, md
he/him
Director at Large
Medical Director of Quality
Abbeville Area Medical Center
Region: Upstate
Term: July 1, 2022- June 30, 2023
Douglas "Trey" Moore is a board certified family practitioner at Abbeville Area Healthcare Center. He attended medical school at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and completed his residency at Self Regional Healthcare. Dr. Moore's primary expertise and interest is the prevention of chronic disease as he is passionate about care coordination and developing means to address social determinants of health.
emily russell, pharmd
she/her
Director at Large
Director of Clinical Services
Family Pharmacy Aiken
Region: Midlands
Term: July 1, 2022- June 30, 2023
Emily Russell, PharmD, currently lives and works in Aiken, SC at Family Pharmacy. She attended pharmacy school at LECOM School of Pharmacy in Erie, Pennsylvania and completed a PGY-1 Community Pharmacy Residency with UofSC at Barney's Pharmacy in Augusta, GA. The lessons and skills learned in residency gave Emily the tools to build her own position and business plan for her current position as Director of Clinical Services in an independent community pharmacy setting. Emily manages MTM services, precepting IPPE and APPE students, organizing vaccination efforts and clinics, and serving as the lead for various projects and grants. Emily is also the Midlands Region Director for the South Carolina Pharmacy Association.
Outside of her career, Emily enjoys musical theater, participation in her church's worship band, traveling to new places, and spending time with her new baby boy, husband, and fur babies!
alexandra hayes, ma
she/her
Organizing Director
Sr. Project Manager, AIRA
Term: Appointed
Alexandra is a Senior Project Manager with a health informatics nonprofit organization. Previously, she served as the CDC Public Health Advisor field assignee with the Division of Immunization at SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Alexandra earned her undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University. As part of the US Peace Corps' Master's International Program, Alexandra earned her master's degree in Medical Anthropology from Washington State University and completed her Peace Corps service in Panama (2007-2009).
Ms. Hayes has a 15-year career in public health at the local, state, and federal government levels. She has contributed to the successful direction of several community and statewide coalitions in Washington, Indiana, and South Carolina. Alexandra currently manages the coalition's administrative and fiscal operations in direct collaboration with the Executive Committee.
She is an Ultimate Outsider, having visited all of SC's 47 state parks, and enjoys taking her rescue pup, Birdie, to explore the parks and beaches throughout the southeastern region. She is a proud member of the National Peace Corps Association, League of Women Voters, and the Junior League of Columbia.
Beth Poore, m.ed.
She/her
Public Health Liaison, Executive Committee
Outreach and Education Coordinator
Division of Immunization, SC DHEC
Term: Appointed
After a two-decade education and administration career in Newberry, Lexington, Richland 5, and SC Public Charter school districts, Beth Poore, M.Ed., joined the Division of Immunization at SC Dept of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in January 2021. In this capacity, she coordinates several partnership building and outreach initiatives to strengthen DHEC's immunization program impact on increasing SC's vaccination rates. She leverages her vast experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator to convene partners to achieve shared goals, especially through her work as the Public Health Liaison to the Coalition and participation on community groups such as TCHIP (Tri-County Health Improvement Plan). Beth's recent successes include the Sing It to Win It collaboration project with SC Department of Education. SC schools competed for prize money for their music programs and created jingles promoting the use of COVID-19 vaccines. Ultimately three schools were awarded $18,000, and projects like these are exactly how Beth loves to spend her time! When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her youngest daughter and husband at their home in Chapin, and on the lake and at the beach with her friends and family.