Michael Kappelman, MD, MPH

Professor of Pediatrics and an experienced trialist, Dr. Kappelman has expertise in recruitment science gained from conducting numerous successful trials, including one of the largest pediatric Crohn's trials in history—and from creating a patient-powered research network that uses electronic recruitment and data collection to study disease course through the eyes of patients and caregivers.

Summer Choudhury, MPH

Summer Choudhury brings over a decade of hands-on experience to her role as Program Manager for the Recruitment & Retention Program. Her career began as an ELSI Fellow at the Center for Genomics & Society, where she focused on ethical decision-making in genetics, specifically related to neurodevelopmental disorders and pediatric populations. She later spent more than a decade managing clinical trials in high-intensity clinical settings within Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, building a strong foundation in trial operations and participant engagement.

Summer's research interests and publications focus on patient outcomes, health communication, research decision-making, and research consent practices, particularly in vulnerable populations. Her approach to recruitment is practical, data-driven, and centered on participant-friendly strategies that ensure studies meet their goals while respecting the experiences of those involved.

Fun Fact: When she's not crafting recruitment strategies, Summer is crafting with resin and ceramics, pressing flowers, and hand-making cards in her spare time... when she has spare time!

Sarah Sutter, MPH

Sarah is a recent graduate of UNC's Gillings School of Global Public Health, where she earned her MPH in Health Behavior. She brings diverse experience from the academic, government, and nonprofit sectors, including leading community-driven development initiatives and collaborating with the Scottish government to create a behavioral science toolkit for policymakers. With an undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Science from Auburn University, Sarah is passionate about making research more human-centered and responsive to people's needs. At the Recruitment & Retention Core, she leverages the power of design to help research find its voice, enhancing engagement, accessibility, and health communication to better connect research with the communities it serves.

Fun Fact: I once made it onto the Travel Channel...for peanut butter. Yes, peanut butter. I'm also a proud plant enthusiast—so much so that I named my dog Aspen. And yes, I may or may not show you an embarrassing number of photos of her!

Ali Sora, MS

Ali is a Research Project Manager with the Recruitment & Retention Program, bringing practical experience in clinical recruitment and electronic-driven recruitment strategies. During his time as a research coordinator with the Durham VA Healthcare System's Anesthesia Service, he worked on pain management studies focused on reducing long-term opioid use post-operation. Ali holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from Elon University and a master's degree in medical sciences with a concentration in biostatistics and statistical methods from the University of Kentucky. As a member of the Recruitment & Retention Core, he is committed to enhancing research engagement and accessibility.

Fun Fact: To this day, Ali's maternal grandmother still calls him "shoba," a term in his native language, Boran/Oromo, that loosely translates to "stylish." She gave him this nickname because, even as a child, Ali was meticulous about his outfits—everything had to match perfectly, and he couldn't tolerate even the slightest wrinkle in his shirts!

Esther Kim, BS Candidate

Esther is a current junior at UNC-Chapel Hill, studying Health Policy & Management and Public Policy. Combining her public health education with a dedication to healthcare consulting, she aims to bridge healthcare access gaps. With a background in research, marketing, and social media experience, Esther contributes to the Recruitment & Retention program with her creativity in designing recruitment materials, providing guidance to researchers, and managing language summaries for our study listing website, Research For Me.

Fun Fact: I am terrified of worms!