Dr. Jean Marie Place is a maternal and child health researcher and an Associate Professor of Health Education and Promotion.  She began teaching at Ball State University in 2014 and studies adverse experiences in a woman’s reproductive life, particularly issues in the perinatal period such as infertility, postpartum depression, sexual violence, and infant mortality. She also examines fertility awareness among young people and prenatal care models.  Her work has centered on exploring these issues in low-resource contexts including Mexico, Guatemala, and immigrant populations in the United States.  Upon moving to Muncie, she became interested in maternal opioid use disorder and has since obtained external funding to explore this issue from the Volunteers of America, SAMHSA, and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.

Dr. Placek is an associate professor of anthropology in the College of Sciences and Humanities, and her research has focused on a variety of pregnancy-related issues such as tobacco use, HIV and HIV stigma, cultural food taboos, and the use of a free medical mobile clinic for prenatal care in India.

Dr. Jonel Thaller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work who began teaching at Ball State University in 2013. Her body of research includes the evaluation of safety assessment and interventions for intimate partner violence, including focus on perpetrator intervention. In her research, she has also examined the role of gender and lifespan development on relationship building, self-efficacy, and perpetration of intimate partner abuse. Her more recent practice experience includes working with pregnant and post-partum women in recovery from substance addiction and bringing the Recovery Café Muncie to Delaware County.

Lynn is the Medical Director at the BSU Healthy Lifestyle Center and an avid community activist.

Chief probation officer at the Delaware County Probation Office.

Neil is a community activist and pastor in Muncie’s Avondale neighborhood.  He also serves as the team leader for the Muncie Harm-Reduction Team.

Dawnya is a current MSW student and graduate affiliate of the Ball State SURCI.

Tami is a family case manager for the Indiana Department of Child Services and an avid community activist.

Sara Renee is a community activist and team-leader for the Muncie Harm-Reduction Team.  She is also the director of the non-profit Muncie Folk.

Bill is involved in developing and evaluating effective pedagogy for students not majoring in the natural sciences. Much of this work involves the influence technology has on student attitudes toward biology, student engagement, and performance.

Paula is currently the Service Line Leader for Orthopedics at Ball Memorial.  She currently leads a collaborative task force in Muncie whose mission is to bring new crisis services to the area.