Practice-Based Research Networks
SNOCAP
ABOUT SNOCAP
The State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory Practices & Partners (SNOCAP) is an umbrella network of Practice Based Research Networks (PBRNs) affiliated with the University of Colorado Denver. The Adult and Child Center for Research on Delivery Systems (ACCORDS) and the Department of Family Medicine provide central support for the consortium. SNOCAP member networks are housed within the Department of Family Medicine and the Division of General Pediatrics. SNOCAP member networks collaborate on projects and studies, share resources, and jointly sponsor an annual meeting of member practices and clinicians. SNOCAP works closely with practices across the state to develop and answer research questions that are relevant to primary care clinicians in the communities across the entire state.
SNOCAP MEMBER NETWORKS
SNOCAP PARTNER NETWORKS
BIGHORN – Building InvestiGative practices for better Health Outcomes Research Network, a network of private primary care practices in Colorado.
American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network
CaReNet – Colorado Research Network, a network of practices that care for disadvantaged populations, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), FQHC look-alikes, and residency practices. COCONet – Colorado Children’s Outcomes Network, a network of pediatric and child health focused practices. HPRN – High Plains Research Network, a geographically-based network of health care providers in rural eastern Colorado. PEACHnet – Partners Engaged in Achieving Change in Health, a geographically-based network of health care providers along the Western Slope of Colorado.
Jennifer Carroll Director
SNOCAP TEAM
SNOCAP/CaReNet
SNOCAP/CaReNet
Donald E. Nease Jr., MD
Mary Fisher, MPH
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? 8 years.
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? Started with HPRN as a student worker in January 2014 and officially joined the SNOCAP staff in June 2015.
SNOCAP Director, CaReNet Director Bio: Dr. Nease is Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado — Anschutz Medical Campus where he serves as the Green-Edelman Chair for PracticeBased Research, Director of Community Engagement for the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Vice Chair for Community in the Department of Family Medicine, and Director of the SNOCAP Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative. He also serves as President of the International Balint Federation (balintinternational. com). He completed his undergraduate degree and medical school at the University of Kansas, residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, and a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill.
SNOCAP Manager, CaReNet Manager
Bio: Mary Fisher, MPH, is a Senior Professional Research Assistant and network manager for the SNOCAP Practice-Based Research Networks based out of the University of Colorado’s Department of Family Medicine (CU DFM). She is also a project manager for CCTSI Community Engagement where she works with the Community Research Liaisons and various committees and programs. Mary has been with CU DFM and CCTSI for nearly 4 years in which time she has managed and facilitated a number of research projects and programs, including coordinating the Colorado Research Network’s (CaReNet) Patient Advisory Council (PAC).
Special interest(s): Reading German detective novels, in German; improving health in partnership with communities, patients, clinicians and their practices.
Special interest(s): Anything outdoors-y, DIY projects and woodworking, nutrition and dietetics, community and patient engagement.
Interesting facts: As a resident Don was part of an American Academy of Family Physicians committee that produced a small book on practice-based research.
Interesting facts: Growing up, Mary’s cousins owned a small ice cream shop. She still strives to find the best local ice cream anywhere she goes.
Email: donald.nease@cuanschutz.edu
Email: mary.fisher@cuanschutz.edu
CaReNet
BIGHORN
Matthew Simpson, MD, MPH
Douglas Fernald, MA
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? Joined CU DFM as a resident in 2012 and have stayed ever since.
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? 23 years in DFM. 21 years with SNOCAP.
Bio: Matthew Simpson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School Anschutz Medical Campus. As a clinician-researcher, he has an active clinical practice at the A.F. Williams Family Medicine Clinic and serves as the associate director for the Colorado Research Network (CaReNet), a practicebased research network of primary care clinics that are focused on delivering care to medically underserved patients. He is passionate about weaving together the fields of implementation science, health equity, and community engagement to conduct research projects that advance health equity in Colorado’s safety net clinics.
Bio: In addition to practice-based research network work, Mr. Fernald has ongoing lead roles in the evaluation of several primary care transformation efforts in Colorado. Combined, these evaluations comprise practice transformation work in over 300 primary care practices across Colorado. He has worked extensively on large and small-scale evaluation and practice-based research projects including behavioral health integration, health promotion, patient safety, and health risk assessment.
Special interest(s): Riding bicycles, fixing bicycles, drinking really good coffee, traveling.
Interesting facts: When he was younger, he thought it would be cool to play the sousaphone. Turns out it was a terrible idea: it was bigger than he was at the time.
SNOCAP Manager, CaReNet Manager
Interesting facts: In his spare time, he is the co-owner of En Fuego Cycles, a local bike store. Email: matthew.simpson@cuanschutz.edu
BIGHORN Director
Special interest(s): Who knew a degree in anthropology would lead to a career in family medicine? Doug says that it’s a great discipline to be in.
Email: doug.fernald@cuanschutz.edu
SNOCAP TEAM
COCONet Sean O’Leary, MD, MPH
COCONet Sarah Brewer, MPA
COCONet Director
COCONet Associate Director
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? 11 years with ACCORDS. COCONet director since 2014.
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? 5 years with COCONet. One-and-a-half years with DFM.
Bio: Sean O’Leary is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the University of Colorado School of Medicine, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, an investigator at ACCORDS (Adult and Child Consortium for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science), and the Director of the Colorado Children’s Outcomes Network (COCONet), Colorado’s pediatric practice-based research network. Dr. O’Leary serves as the liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and is a member of the Committee on Infectious Diseases (the Red Book Committee) of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Prior to his infectious diseases fellowship, Dr. O’Leary was a partner in a large general pediatric practice in Fort Collins, Colorado for 8 years.
Bio: Sarah Brewer, Associate Director of COCONet, is an instructor in the Department of Family Medicine and the Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences. She is also a PhD candidate in Health and Behavioral Sciences. Her research interests include health equity, effective engagement of stakeholders to improve health systems, and the empowerment of children and teens in healthcare as a foundation for lifelong health.
Special interest(s): Prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) through understanding clinical, attitudinal and infrastructural barriers to vaccination, and developing and testing interventions to address those barriers.
Email: sarah.brewer@cuanschutz.edu
Interesting facts: Sean has 2 kids, 2 dogs and 5 chickens (formerly 6 — don’t ask). He is also a long-suffering Minnesota Vikings fan. Email: sean.oleary@cuanschutz.edu
Special interest(s): Sarah enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling with her family. Interesting facts: She has lived in 20 homes in 3 states and has called Colorado home since 2002.
HPRN
HPRN
Linda Zittleman, MSPH
Christin Sutter
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? With ACCORDS 11 years, COCONet director since 2014.
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? Since 2006.
HPRN Co-Director
Bio: Linda is the Co-Director for the High Plains Research Network (HPRN). With HPRN, she oversees all aspects of research and program activities and fosters and coordinates the HPRN Community Advisory Council. She is experienced in community-based participatory research and practice-based research. Linda greatly enjoys working with people on Colorado’s eastern plains and informing urban folks of the knowledge gained and new ideas from rural settings. Special interest(s): Working with people on the eastern plains and informing urban folks of the knowledge gained and new ideas from rural settings — travel, photography, gardening.
HPRN Senior Research Assistant and Practice Facilitator Bio: Christin Sutter is a Senior Research Assistant and Practice Facilitator for the High Plains Research Network (HPRN). She helps implement, maintain, and evaluate research studies — covering topics such as colon cancer, asthma, home blood pressure management, childhood obesity, behavioral health, opioid use disorder, COPD, and cancer survivorship. Her work helps practices link their research work and practice change efforts. Christin also serves as a liaison between practices, community-based organizations, and academic research teams. Special interest(s): She lives in the small town of Merino with her husband and three teenage daughters.
Interesting facts: Part owner of an NFL team – the Green Bay Packers.
Interesting facts: She has coached the local high school volleyball team for the past 6 years.
Email: linda.zittleman@cuanschutz.edu
Email: christin.sutter@cuanschutz.edu
SNOCAP TEAM
HPRN Jennifer Ancona
PEACHnet Andrea Nederveld, MD, MPH
HPRN Community Research Liaison
PEACHnet Director
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? Since 2017.
How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? With DFM since September of 2017 and with SNOCAP for about 6 years.
Bio: In 2014, Jennifer retired from a background of 15 years of corporate experience in Human Resource Management & Health Care Insurance for Employee Benefits in Denver, Colorado, where she had been an advocate and facilitator of corporate wellness programs. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Marylhurst University in Interdisciplinary Studies of Education, English, and Cultural and Historical Studies. As a Community Research Liaison for the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Department of Family Medicine, specifically the High Plains Research Network, Jennifer supports community-based participatory research through a variety of health research projects and quality improvement programs to the six counties in southeastern Colorado. Special interest(s): Jennifer enjoys building relationships, increasing health equity, understanding relevant local issues, promoting genuine, respectful patient care, and engaging communities in health awareness. Interesting facts: She is a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner, which is energy therapy support to facilitate connection, openness, and balance in clients’ energy field systems. Jennifer is also a certified Graphologist and does handwriting therapy to help clients improve their memory, motivation, self-esteem, and change unwanted behaviors. Email: jennifer.ancona@cuanschutz.edu
Bio: Anne is an internal medicine/pediatrics trained physician who practices in western Colorado. She is a clinician-researcher who is currently working to develop PEACHnet in western Colorado and also participating in a number of other studies, primarily on preventive health including obesity, addressing food insecurity, and improving vaccinations. Special interest(s): Trying to keep up with her kids and dog, who have all become faster skiers and runners than she. Also, learning to play the mandolin, but not quite ready for prime time on that one. Interesting facts: Anne was born on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico. Email: andrea.nederveld@cuanschutz.edu
PEACHnet Elena Broaddus
PEACHnet Research Assistant How long have you worked with CU DFM or SNOCAP? Since August, 2018. Bio: Elena has a background in global public health and worked on research projects in a variety of countries before moving to western Colorado and becoming interested in local health issues. She loves learning about the communities and practices involved in PEACHnet and using innovative methods to research social determinants of health. Special interest(s):​ Long nerdy conversations about data analysis, listening to audiobooks while driving through beautiful parts of western Colorado (a key component of working with PEACHnet, luckily), and doing all the lovely outdoorsy things there are to do. Interesting facts: Elena has a pet hedgehog named Vinny. Email: elena.broaddus@cuanschutz.edu
University of Colorado Department of Family Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus 12631 East 17th Avenue, Box F496 Aurora, CO 80045 FMNews@cuanschutz.edu