The GROklahoma Podcast Show

What if one of the most important investments you could make in your research career wasn’t a grant, a publication, or a promotion but a year that quietly rewires everything?

Welcome to the first episode of 2026. I’m recording this from Seoul, South Korea, in the final months of my Fulbright U.S. Presidential STEM Scholar appointment. I came here to study cancer survivorship across cultures. What I didn’t expect was how deeply this...

In this year-end episode, we sit down with Dr. Deirdra "Dee" Terrell, a Professor of Epidemiology at the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, for a thoughtful conversation about what it really takes to do research that stays connected to people.

Dr. Terrell reflects on her journey from growing up in a small rural town in Oklahoma to becoming a clinical epidemiologist whose work focus...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. David Bard, Professor, Children’s Health Foundation Endowed Research Chair in Pediatrics, and the Chief Research Informatics Officer at OUHS,  to unpack what it really takes to turn data into action in a state where health disparities run deep. Born in Oklahoma but raised across several states, Dr. Bard brings a uniquely flexible lens to his work at the intersection of psychology, quantitative s...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Courtney W. Houchen, George Lynn Cross Research Professor and Chair of Oncology at the OU Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Houchen’s journey began in Brooklyn, where he was among the first children in the U.S. Head Start program. A love for math, science, and baseball led him to Howard and Atlanta University, where Nobel-trained mentors first introduced him to research. Choosing a summer in the lab over c...

In this episode, we sit down with Hope Reeves, a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma and a trainee in the American Cancer Society’s STRONG Program, an initiative designed to diversify the next generation of cancer researchers and healthcare professionals. Hope brings with her a powerful intersection of science and cultural insight, holding degrees in Human Health & Biology and Native American Studies. As an enrolled m...

In this episode, we sit down with Becky Mannel, a trailblazer in maternal and infant health whose journey began with a personal frustration: being a new mom struggling to breastfeed with no one around to help, not even in a hospital full of physicians. That experience lit a fire that would lead her to become a nationally recognized lactation advocate, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank, and a leader in reshaping ...

What happens when a powerhouse in fintech and a molecular biologist walk into a PTA meeting? Magic, in the form of STEM nights, community grants, and generational impact.

In this heartwarming episode, Dr. Lurdes Queimado (MD, PhD), a physician-scientist whose journey began in a rural Portuguese village under dictatorship rule, and Cheron Henry (MBA, MIS), a fintech leader and equity advocate born and raised in Oklahoma, share how t...

Continuing our exploration into Native American and American Indian health, this episode features Dr. Ashley Comiford, an epidemiologist at Cherokee Nation Health Services and a fierce advocate for equity. From a small Oklahoma town to leading research on cancer disparities, infectious disease, and tobacco-related illness, Dr. Comiford shares the powerful story of how her Cherokee identity shaped her path in public health.

She pull...

In this powerful episode, we explore how a federally funded initiative is shaping the future of healthcare across rural Oklahoma. Joining us are Dr. Susan Dresser, Regents Professor and Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing, OUHS, and three exceptional DNP students: Cody Bynum, Meagan Wright, and Debra Hawkins—each a recipient of the Oklahoma Workforce Innovations in Nursing gra...

Hope isn’t just a word—it’s action. It’s advocacy. It’s ensuring that no one has to choose between paying for cancer treatment and keeping a roof over their head. In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Michelle Fair, a dynamic leader in corporate philanthropy at the American Cancer Society (ACS), who has spent her career turning hope into tangible support for cancer patients.

As Senior Director of Corporate Relations and Phila...

The US, especially Oklahoma, is home to immigrants who play a vital role in shaping the healthcare landscape. Dr. Parisa Ghasemi is one such immigrant, making significant contributions to healthcare research. In this first episode of The GROklahoma Podcast for the year, we speak with Dr. Ghasemi, a physician, researcher, and lab administrator for The MORE Lab at the Health Promotion and Research Center (HPRC), where she focuses on ...

Today, we're honored to host not one, but two powerhouse leaders in health promotion and cancer research: Dr. Darla Kendzor and Dr. Michael Businelle, the dynamic duo behind the TSET Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Not only are they co-directors dedicated to advancing research and reducing health disparities, but they’re also partners in life, bringing a unique synergy t...

In this episode of the GROklahoma Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Karla Finnell, an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health. Dr. Finnell shared her inspiring journey from growing up in Comanche, Oklahoma, where her father worked in the oil fields and served as a rodeo judge, to her transformative experience in education when a professor’s small act of kindness—a full tuiti...

Welcome (back) to the GROklahoma Podcast, we are honored to feature Dr. Adam Alexander, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and Faculty at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center. Dr. Alexander brings his unique blend of empathy, cultural competence, and cutting-edge research to the table. A native of Memphis, he has dedicated his career to e...

This episode of the GROklahoma Podcast features Darbi Crist, a dedicated nurse educator and Oklahoma native with a rich background in postpartum care. Darbi shares her inspiring journey from aspiring sports trainer to becoming a third-generation nurse, reflecting on how her Guyanese roots have shaped her global perspectives and commitment to personal growth. She also talks about the fulfillment she finds in nursing, particularly in...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Natasha Bray, the Campus Dean at OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, OK. Dr. Bray shares her journey from medical student to dean, her passion for health equity, and her leadership in medical education. She discusses her early life in Oklahoma and how her father’s medical practice influenced her commitment to healthcare and community service. Her educational...

In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Sarah Borengasser, an Associate Professor specializing in endocrinology and diabetes at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Borengasser shared her journey from being adopted from Korea and growing up in Mason City to becoming a distinguished researcher in obesity, nutrition, and exercise science, driven by her passion for running and exercise. Her research, supported by consiste...

In this episode of the GROklahoma podcast, we're thrilled to have Margaret Robinson, the Senior Associate Director for the OUHSC Office of Interdisciplinary Programs, as our guest. Margaret's journey from rural Los Angeles, CA to Oklahoma is extraordinary, and she brings a wealth of expertise in fostering interdisciplinary learning experiences and facilitating faculty development. With a keen focus on student engagement and communi...

In this episode of GROklahoma podcast, we are honored to host Dr. James Mold, the George Lynn Cross Emeritus Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at OUHSC. Dr. Mold's journey from rural Ghana to Oklahoma is nothing short of extraordinary. His dedication to healthcare, particularly in geriatrics, has left an indelible mark on the field.

The episode explores Dr. Mold's upbringing, early medical experiences, an...