| Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation |
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Hello, readers!
My name is Ashley Bardon, and I recently joined the team as the newest Associate Director of the Light Institute! It is so nice to e-meet you.
To briefly introduce myself, I am an epidemiologist and researcher having worked in global health research, training, and education programs for over 12 years. Previously, I’ve worked at the WashU Global Health Center, the University of Washington International Clinical Research Center, the UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases, and the UCLA Center for World Health. I completed my PhD in epidemiology at the University of Washington, my MPH in health policy at Saint Louis University, and my BSc in biological sciences at the University of Missouri. Prior to joining the Light Institute, my research mostly focused on differentiated models of service delivery for HIV treatment and prevention; novel diagnostics (point-of-care and self-administered tests) for HIV, malaria, and noncommunicable diseases; interventions to improve medication adherence; and interventions using community-based care delivery.
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In my first month with the Light Institute, I dove straight into supporting the team with conceptualizing, planning, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating our team’s research projects. I’ve also had the privilege to meet with all of our partners and co-investigators and learn more about all the research projects and everyone’s roles, and I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the 2025 LIGHT Festival and the STAR Bootcamp, which were truly inspiring and thought-provoking. I am so excited to be a part of a team with such a wide range of work, a scope that reaches communities globally, and a focus on empowering the next generation of public health researchers and advocates to use their voices and ideas to drive sustainable and effective change in the pursuit of better health outcomes.
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As I settle into my role, I look forward to engaging more with the people and communities impacted by our research and working with them to develop innovative strategies for solving some of the greatest public health challenges. If you want to connect with me, please email me at bardon@wustl.edu.
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LIGHT Creativity in Public Health Summer Camp |
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Back by popular demand, LIGHT (Leaders Igniting Generational Healing and Transformation) hosted the third LIGHT Creativity in Public Health Summer Camp the week of June 2nd for 10 students in the St. Louis region. This 5-day program was designed to engage youth in the arts, creative writing, and public health through hands-on activities in visual art, letter writing, poetry, and storytelling. Initially created as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this camp offers a creative space for children to express themselves through creativity and learn more about public health.
Throughout the week, the campers were joined by WashU professors and researchers and local artists and creatives for sessions detailed below.
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Why Public Health Matters with Dr. Ross Brownson & Dr. Thembekile Shato
- Drs. Brownson and Shato talked to the students about public health, sharing what public health is, why learning about public health is important, identifying ways public health is part of their lives, and how they can advocate for public health, both now and in the future.
- The Trust Tree: Poems from the Heart with Rachel Jackson
- The students worked together to create a "trust tree" using their voices through group poems, shared stories, and playful writing to grow connection, kindness, and confidence.
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Trust is a Marble Jar with Ellen Tanner & Kevin Bowman
- The students worked with the presenters using creative writing to explore how trust is built and how it is broken by both individuals and institutions and were encouraged to explore their own life experiences to find examples of how their trust jar has been both filled and diminished.
- Trust in Motion: Exploring What's Right Through Dance and Public Health with Dr. Vidya Sundareshan
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Dr. Sundareshan explored the questions of right and wrong in public health and knowing who to trust when it comes to our health using the power of emotions and movement through Navarasa, the nine emotions expressed in Indian dance.
- Wrapping Ourselves in Trust with Dr. Juliet Iwelunmor
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Students explored the art and history of head wrapping while building a foundation of trust—within ourselves and each other. Through hands-on practice, storytelling, and reflection, students learned how this cultural tradition represents identity, protection, and pride, creating a strong sense of self and pride.
- Using Our Voice: Building Trust, One Story at a Time with Precious Barry
- Precious worked with the students to show how storytelling can help young people and adults build trust in their communities. Through the lens of the book, students learned about why using their voice matters, how sharing our truths can create safe spaces, and what it means to show up for each other.
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The Power of Teamwork: Creating Together to Spark Big Ideas with Cooper Harrison
- Cooper's session emphasized the magic of working together as a group to brainstorm, create, and bring ideas to life, focusing on how collaboration fosters creativity and builds social skills, and encouraging students to have big dreams and understand the value of teamwork.
- The Anatomy of Trust with Elizabeth Gibbs
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Students were asked make a list of memories and feelings associated with their memories, learned how to associate patterns with their list, and were encouraged to paint them individually on gingko leaves, ultimately layering the leaves to form a collaborative art piece. Through this accumulation of painted layers, the form of a brain emerges, symbolizing how our trust is a complex structure built from the myriad moments that shape us.
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To learn more about the summer camp, check out the feature produced by The Source below.
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On June 19, LIGHT (Leaders Igniting Generational Healing & Transformation) hosted its 4th annual LIGHT Festival in-person at Delmar DivINe and virtually via Zoom with a powerful call to action: Rebuilding Trust in Public Health. From the opening welcome to the final reflections, attendees were inspired by a dynamic lineup of artists, storytellers, wellness leaders, public health experts, and grassroots advocates who came together to explore how we can restore trust in public health through creativity, conversation, and community.
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- Maryam Bukar Hassan (Alhanislam), award-winning performance poet, strategic communicator, and global advocate, moved audiences with poetry and personal storytelling, showcasing how creative expression can be a powerful path to healing and trust.
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Precious Barry, a youth activist and Washington University student, energized the crowd and explored how speaking up and sharing truth can build and strengthen communities.
- Stacey Russell, Missouri-based painter and illustrator, participated in a Q&A session sharing how art reflects—and transforms—community realities, especially in urban and rural settings.
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Ellen Tanner, executive director of Hearing the Helper, shared how writing for LIGHT's open call helped her confront mistrust in public health. A surprising experience in a 19th-century cemetery shifted her perspective—and invited us to do the same as we reflected on healing, trust, and the systems we hope to transform.
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Jayvn Solomon, creative strategist and founding director of Lotus Labs, activated joy and creativity through his "Play to Play Workshop," demonstrating how play and imagination can inspire new approaches to systemic challenges.
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Vitendo 4 Africa founder Geoffrey Soyiantet hosted an energizing "Rhythms of Unity" drum circle, connecting festival-goers across generations through the shared beat of community and cultural heritage.
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Dr. Beth Reese, educator and visual storyteller, led a virtual session blending mindfulness, movement, and visual expression, guiding participants to create and integrate with integrity in both personal and collective spaces.
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Dr. Seye Abimbola closed the festival with thought-provoking reflections on the relationship between art, knowledge, and equity in global health research, challenging participants to center marginalized voices as essential knowers and creators.
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A special thanks to Jennifer Denny, holistic wellness specialist, whose presence and offerings include helping working professionals find balance through simple, grounding practices like breathwork, mindfulness, and reconnecting with nature.
We also recognize the powerful work of Hearing the Helper, a storytelling project collecting frontline worker narratives to address burnout in healthcare, education, and social services—reminding us that healing must also extend to our helpers.
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A Note from the LIGHT Team |
This year’s theme—Restoring Trust—wasn't just a question we posed in our open call. It is a call to action. At the LIGHT Festival, we witnessed how trust can be rebuilt: through rhythm and reflection, through stories that ache and heal, through poetry, play, and art that speaks when systems fall silent.
Your truth, your story, and your creativity all matter in the movement toward more just, human-centered public health systems. Trust doesn’t start with institutions. It starts with people. With you. With us.
On behalf of the entire LIGHT team, thank you to everyone who joined us in-person or virtually for this year’s LIGHT Festival.
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The six-week hybrid STAR (Stimulating Training and Access to HIV Research Experiences) Bootcamp has come to an end for the 17 STAR Scholars from WashU, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Georgia State University (GSU), and Northeastern University (NE). We are so proud of each of the students in this third cohort of STAR Scholars.
The bootcamp started with virtual sessions led by dissemination and implementation science experts, researchers, guest speakers, and members of the core STAR team on HIV research, qualitative and quantitative research methods, utilizing creativity and design in research, partnerships with community based organizations, and youth engagement in HIV research and intervention implementations to prepare the Scholars for two weeks of fieldwork experience in their local communities.
On Sunday, June 22, the Scholars arrived in St. Louis for the final week of bootcamp to continue working with their teams and mentors to refine their HIV self-testing interventions, go on field trips in the St. Louis community, hear from local HIV researchers, practitioners, and advocates, and prepare to give their final pitch to the panel of esteemed judges.
Scholars had the opportunity to visit the St. Louis City Department of Health on Thursday, June 26, where they discussed with the HIV and STI team on how the Department drives HIV prevention efforts for young people in the city. The Scholars also presented to the Department of Health a combined solution of using vending machines with sexual wellness resources, including HIV self-testing kits at strategic locations to bridge the access and stigma gaps in HIV prevention services for young people in the city. The Department of Health team was elated with the idea, as it closely aligned with top priorities and ideas the team was looking into and are excited to partner further with the scholars on this innovation.
On Friday, June 27, the Scholars pitched their innovations to the judges. The top teams emerged as follows:
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- In 1st place: Nextgen Health from WashU
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The Nextgen Health team (Bethel Ataro and Oviya Kalaivanan) developed a solution to deliver a youth-centered HIV outreach and dialogue solution for young adults to access information about HIV and STI testing and how to receive testing kits, using QR codes on yogurt cups at youth-frequented spots. The resources included unboxing videos for Take Me Home kits, which consist of HIV and STI testing kits. This team will be receiving $500 in support of their solution.
- In 2nd place: Gateway 2.0 from WashU
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The Gateway 2.0 team (Kwabena Boateng, Dennis Tsagli, and Dagem Gebremichael) developed a 3-pronged, culturally tailored program for young African immigrants, comprising of a music and art participatory event, culturally relevant and visually appealing educational workbook, and training of ambassadors that are young African immigrants to deliver HIV and sexual wellness knowledge and access to resources to them. This team will be receiving $300 in support of their solution.
- In 3rd place: Healthy Love from GSU
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The Healthy Love team (Kelsey Boreland, Anna Walick, and Sandra Alozie) developed a community-embedded program consisting of community events and a mobile bus delivery program to provide HIV and STI information and testing services to young, unhoused Black women in Atlanta, Georgia. This team will receive $200 in support of their solution.
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The runner up teams will each receive $100 in support of their various ideas, and are listed below in no particular order:
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Runner up: Power in the Process from WashU
- The Power in the Process team (Helen Etya'ale and Debbie Dada) developed an adapted, peer-delivered, youth engagement toolkit for HIV education for young Black MSM in St. Louis.
- Runner up: (HIV)E from NE
- The (HIV)E team (Jamira Collins, Heather Omoruyi, and Krystal Amihere) developed a music and art inspired summer program for young adults to co-create HIV prevention messaging projects to share with their community.
- Runner up: Enhance AI from UNC
- The Enhance AI team (Hanan Kadi Abafita, Dicky Baruah, Daisy Sowah, and Ziyi Zhang) developed an AI-enhanced HIV prevention and care solution, using a knowledge sharing review on the facilitators and barriers to AI interventions for HIV prevention and co-creation activities with community partners on strategies for incorporating AI into HIV prevention studies.
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Both scholars and faculty team expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to continue to engage with early career investigators interested in HIV research and implementation science, with close partnerships with community-based organizations.
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Light Institute at the Missouri History Museum |
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On June 18th and 19th, the Light Institute and our LIGHT program attended two events hosted by the Missouri History Museum to share more about our work with the community and make connections with those who visited our station.
On Thursday, June 18th, Dr. Juliet led head wrapping sessions as part of the Museum's Summer Family Fun Series. She taught children and their caretakers the art of head wraps and how they can represent mental health and wellness. On June 19th, the Light Institute and LIGHT returned for the Museum's Thursday Nights at the Museum series, celebrating Juneteenth through performances and activities highlighting Black American culture. Dr. Juliet was able to share the story of the traditional headwraps, demonstrate different ways people can wear them, and celebrate the power of incorporating culture and history into wellness and identity.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by. We loved meeting you!
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2025 Infectious Diseases Annual Research Symposium |
On Tuesday, June 17, the Light Institute team had 10 posters at the annual WashU Medicine Infectious Diseases Research Symposium sharing work from the 4 Communities By Communities, 4 Girls & Women, 4 Mothers & Babies, 4 Youth By Youth, INSPIRE, and STAR programs.
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A pragmatic PLAN to sustain situationally tailored, innovative strategies to promote evidence-based health interventions in Nigeria: Insights from a 5-week participatory co-creation and capacity building event.
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Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Folahanmi Akinsolu, PhD; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Ucheoma Nwaozuru, PhD; Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, MBBS, PhD; David Oladele, MBBS, PhD; Abideen Salako, MBBS; Abodunrin Olunike, MPH; Chidi Okafor, MBA; Ekenechukwu Kokelu; Chiyere Arinze, MPH; Maria Afadapa, MD, MPH; Nkiruka Obodoechina, MPH; Agatha Wapmuk, MBBS, MPH; Jane Okwuzu,PhD; Ifedola Olojo, PharmD, MS; Onyekachukwu Anikamadu, MPH, CPH; Lateef Akeem Blessing; Dawit Alemu, PhD; Lauren Fidelak, MPH; Suzanne Day, PhD, MA; Donaldson Conserve, MS, PhD; Adesola Musa, MS, PhD; Collins Airhihenbuwa, PhD, MPH; Joseph Tucker, MD, PhD, AM; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- A Designathon to Collaboratively Develop Sustainable HIV Prevention Services for Youth with Community-Based Organizations: A Mixed Methods Analysis of a Crowdsourcing Open Call and Designathon.
- Caven Ngoe, MD; Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, MBBS, PhD; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- Advancing Underrepresented Youth-Friendly Prevention Strategies Through Participatory COVID-19 Self-Testing Interventions: Findings from the I-TEST COVID-19 Study.
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Shravya Allena, BDS, MPH; Peter Kalulu, MPH, CPH; Emily Miller, MPH; Chidi Okafor, MBA; Semilore Osunsanmi; Ekenechukwu Kokelu; Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- Designing for the Dissemination of Evidence-Based Youth-Led HIV Self-Testing Interventions for Nigerian Youth: Findings from Crowdsourcing Open Call.
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Ucheoma Nwaozuru, PhD; Chisom Obiezu-Umeh, PhD; Lateef Akeem Blessing; Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, MBBS, PhD; Goodness Mirikwe; Jane Okwuzu, PhD; Mmesoma Igbokwe, MBBS; Ebenezer Adeoti, MD, MPH; Ekenechukwu Kokelu; Onyekachukwu Anikamadu, MPH, CPH; Maria Afadapa, MD, MPH; Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Suzanne Day, PhD, MA; David Oladele, MBBS, PhD; Collins Airhihenbuwa, PhD, MPH; Joseph Tucker, MD, PhD, AM; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- Intersectional Stigma and Resilience in the Uptake of Cervical Cancer Prevention Services: A Qualitative Study in Nigeria.
- Agatha E Wapmuk, MBBS, MPH; Ifeoma Obionu, PhD, MSc, FWACP, MBBS; Angel Obiorah; Nneka Okeke, MPH; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Joseph Tucker, MD, PhD, AM; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- Effects of the 4 Youth by Youth HIV Prevention Intervention on Sexually Transmitted Infections Testing Uptake Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Nigeria: Findings from a Stepped-Wedge Cluster-Randomized Trial.
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Peter Kalulu, MPH, CPH; Oluwakorede J. Adedeji, Bpharm; Arinze Chiyere, MPH; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Ashley Bardon, PhD, MPH, Hong Xian, PhD, MS, Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, MBBS, PhD; Joseph Tucker, MD, PhD, AM; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
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No-One-Size-Fits All: Using Mega-Innovation Bootcamp Events to Design and Finalize Implementation Strategies for Implementing Evidence-Based Interventions in Community Settings in Nigeria.
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Nkiruka Obodoechina, MPH; Ucheoma Nwaozuru, PhD; Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Joseph Tucker, MD, PhD, AM; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- Nothing for Communities Without Communities: Expanding the Reach of Evidence-Based Interventions in Nigeria Through Crowdsourcing Open Calls
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Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Folahanmi Akinsolu, PhD; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Ucheoma Nwaozuru, PhD; Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, MBBS, PhD; David Oladele, MBBS, PhD; Abodunrin Olunike, MPH; Oluwabukola Ola; Chidi Okafor, MBA; Ekenechukwu Kokelu; Chiyere Arinze, MPH; Maria Afadapa, MD, MPH; Nkiruka Obodoechina, MPH; Lauren Fidelak, MPH; Yusuf Babatunde, BPharm; Suzanne Day, PhD, MA; Donaldson Conserve, MS, PhD; Adesola Musa, MS, PhD, Joseph Tucker, MD, PhD, AM; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- Organizational Readiness to Sustain HIV Prevention Interventions Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Nigeria
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Chiyere Arinze, MPH; Lateef Akeem Blessing; Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, MBBS, PhD; Jane Okwuzu, PhD; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Oliver Ezechi, MD, PhD; Joseph Tucker MD, PhD, AM; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
- The Role of Music for Enhancing High Blood Pressure Control and Stroke Preparedness: Insights from an Innovation Bootcamp in Lagos, Nigeria
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Chidi Okafor, MBA; Shravya Allena, BDS, MPH; Ifedola Olojo, PharmD, MS; Ucheoma Nwaozuru Ph.D; Ogunlana Olaoluwaposi; Olufunto Olusanya, PhD, MD, MPH; Hong Xian PhD, MS; Randell Edgell MD; Njideka Okubadejo MD; Babatunde L. Salako, MBBS; Olugbenga Ogedegbe MD, MPH; Rajesh Vedanthan MD, MPH; Collins Airhihenbuwa PhD, MPH; Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH; Chizoba Ezepue MD; Olajide Williams, MD, MS; Joseph Tucker MD, PhD, AM; Oliver Ezechi MD, PhD; Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
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Upcoming for the Light Institute |
Members of the Light Institute team are preparing for upcoming travel to Nigeria in July for our 4 Communities By Communities - Policy Supplement, 4 Communities Change Academy, 4 Girls & Women, 4 Youth By Youth, and Music4Health programs. We are so excited for all of the exciting programming and implementations they will be working on with individuals across Nigeria and look forward to sharing updates in our next edition. Stay tuned!
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The Light Institute has a LinkedIn! |
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If you haven't followed us on LinkedIn yet, please do by clicking the button below to stay up to date on our work and research, learn more about our grants and upcoming events, meet members of the team, and more.
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Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation |
Mailing Address: 660 S. Euclid Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
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4950 Children's Place | St. Louis, MO 63110 US
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