Health Science Faculty & Staff
FACULTY
Cheree Y. Wiltsher, Ph.D., MEd.
Director
Dr. Wiltsher has spent over eighteen years working with college students in the capacity
of student affairs director, instructor, advisor, and guide; a background underscoring
her passion and commitment to advancing the health, wellness, learning and achievement
of undergraduate students. Having earned her PhD in Higher Education Management at
Hampton University (Virginia) she has extensive experience, training, and leadership
in promoting student success with research interests in minority and first-generation
student persistence, and health disparities relative to under-served populations.
One of the accomplishments Dr. Wiltsher is most proud of is having designed and implemented
the non-clinical Health Science, general degree track in support of achieving key
performance-based metrics relative to student outcomes. This effort solidified the
successful establishment of the new undergraduate Division of Health Science including
the development of 15 new courses, 14 of which were approved for online instruction.
The new Division has sustained a steady increase in both student enrollment and a
two-year graduation rate increase of eighty-nine percent.
Dr. Wiltsher is a proponent of interprofessional ideas that lead to innovation. To
that end, she partnered as a grantee with the Howard University’s four-year National
HIV Curriculum Integration Project (H-NiP). Funded by the Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), whereby participant health professions schools work collectively
to implement the University of Washington’s e-Learning platform into their respective
education and training curricula. Dr. Wiltsher has been a fellow with the Provost’s
Digital Learning Initiative, served as a faculty mentor with the Research Experience
for Undergraduates (REU) World Class Scholar Initiative, and is currently lead facilitator
for the FAMU Association of College and University Educator’s (ACUE) Effective Teaching
Practices program. Dr. Wiltsher's research publications and presentations have been
in line with her interests in the scholarship of teaching, online learning; employing
digital tools toward optimizing student engagement; and modeling collaborative approaches
towards improving faculty research and publication output. She also serves as an On-Site
Accreditation Reviewer for the Commission on Accreditation in Physical
Brandon A Moton, DrPH, MPH
Assistant Professor
Dr. Brandon A Moton earned a Doctor of Public Health Degree in Behavioral Sciences
and Health Education and a Master of Public Health Degree with a concentration in
Health Policy and Management from Florida A&M University, College of Pharmacy and
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health. He also holds a B.A. in Political
Science from Florida State University.
Dr. Moton’s research interests are in sexual health disparities, sexual behaviors,
and HIV prevention among racial & ethnic minorities. Currently, his research seeks
to examine the impact of hookup culture and social-media dating applications among
black gay, bi-sexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). His goal is to reduce
the research-to-practice gap to support improved health outcomes among black gay men
and other racial & ethnic minorities by applying evidence-based programs and interventions.
Dr. Moton holds professional memberships with the Florida Public Health Association
and the American Public Health Association.
Jazmyne Simmons, PhD, MPH
Jazmyne Simmons is a social science researcher and Visiting Instructor in the Division
of Health Science. Simmons is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy degree
in Communication Studies with a concentration in Health Communication at the University
of Miami. She holds a Master of Public Health Degree with a concentration in Behavioral
Science and Health Education from Florida A&M University, Institute of Public Health.
Simmons also holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Criminology from the
University of South Florida. Lastly, she has served in research capacities at both
Moffitt Cancer Research Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Professor Simmons’ research interests lie at the intersection of minority health,
interpersonal communication, and mass media. To date, her research has been awarded
nearly $50,000 in federal and institutional funding (University of Miami). Simmons
most recently served as Co-Principal Investigator for a clinical trial study (NCT03898063)
funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National
Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. This funding was awarded via
the University of Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute to investigate
effective interventions for HIV status disclosure, stigma reduction, and medical adherence
among Black women living with HIV. Prof. Simmons’ has presented academic research
at the national and international level. She holds professional memberships with the
National Communication Association, the International Communication Association, the
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and the American Public
Health Association.
Marilyn A Weatherspoon, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr. Marilyn A Weatherspoon completed her graduate training at Florida State University
by earning a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Masters
of Social Work degree with a Clinical Concentration. She completed her undergraduate
training at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a Bachelor of Science
degree in Psychology. Her research interests are in aging, psychosocial adjustment
to disability, and health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. The ultimate
goal of her research is to bridge the gaps in the understanding of the differences
in the process of adjustment to disability among younger and older adults. She has
extensive training in working with people with intellectual disabilities living in
community settings. Dr. Weatherspoon is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
and coordinates the Rehabilitation Services Management Certificate.
Tanganyika Wilder, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr. Tanganyika Wilder is an Assistant Professor in the School of Allied Health Science’s
Division of Health Sciences at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU).
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at FAMU in The Biological Sciences, Pre-medicine.
Her graduate degree was obtained from the University of Illinois at Chicago Department
of Physiology and Biophysics with a focus on Cardiovascular Physiology. Dr. Wilder’s
research publications, experience, and interest are in heart function in both health
and disease as it relates to various types of stressors. She has an interest in adolescent
obesity, mentoring, and cultivating students in scholarly efforts and beyond.
