About Our Team

The Office for Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) is dedicated to facilitating cancer research and delivering evidence-based cancer education and screening to the Long Island community. 

It is the responsibility of the Office for COE to monitor the cancer burden within our community and understand the unique cancer-related challenges that its residents experience. 

By building upon the existing leadership, organization, and community-based infrastructure, we aim to create a bi-directional, trusting partnership with the Long Island community and work toward implementing services and policies to reduce the cancer burden. The efforts of the Office for COE are integrated into all programs of the Stony Brook Cancer Center. The Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement works under the direction of the Cancer Center Director and the COE team collaborates with researchers and clinicians throughout Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine.  

For questions or comments, please email us: COE@stonybrookmedicine.edu

COE Administration & Health Education

Linda Mermelstein, MD, MPH
Associate Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Chitra Thakur, MS, PhD
Assistant Scientific Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Linda Bily, EdD, MA, CSA, OPN-CG
Community Educator and Advocate, Per Diem
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Patrick Dineen, MD, MBA
Program Manager, Screening and Prevention
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Giuseppina Caravella, MPH, MS, CHES
Health Educator Specialist,
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Annalea Trask
Program Coordinator, Cancer Prevention in Action
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Ashley Cervino, MPH, CHES
Health Educator Specialist,
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Jaclyn Grimaldi, MA, CHES
Health Educator Specialist,
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Maria Loja
Sr. Administrative Assistant,
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

Mobile Mammography Program

Liana Orduña, MA
Program Coordinator, Mobile Mammography Program

Sara Hansen, MPH
Associate Program Coordinator, Mobile Mammography Program

Angela Tejeda
Program Assistant, Mobile Mammography Program

Robert Alejo
Transportation Supervisor, Mobile Mammography Program

Jocelyn Cabrera-Kearley
Intake Coordinator, Mobile Mammography Program

Community Advisory Council

Established in February 2020, the Community Advisory Council (CAC) is charged with strategic planning, engaging community members and organizations, and promoting dialogue for setting research priorities with Stony Brook Cancer Center leadership, researchers and other stakeholders. The CAC represents our Long Island community, including those traditionally disenfranchised from health care and research. The CAC includes patient advocates and survivors, civic activists, as well as representatives from social service organizations, religious institutions, commercial organizations and local Federally Qualified Health Centers.