Meet Our Team: WREN Staff

Paul D. Smith, MD, WREN Associate Director

Paul D. Smith, MD, manages all WREN operations. Dr. Smith was appointed WREN director in 2006 by the UW Department of Family Medicine chair.

Education and Experience

• BA, Chemistry, DePauw University, 1979
• MD, Wright State University School of Medicine, 1982
• Residency, Maine-Dartmouth Family Practice, 1985
• Family practice, Health Services Association, Syracuse, NY, 1985-1995
• Joined UW-DFM faculty in 1995
• Board member, Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians and Wisconsin Literacy, Inc.

Research Interests

• Health literacy issues among low literate adults
• Body Mass Index for the diagnosis and management of obesity
• Electronic medical records and computerized patient interviewing.

Melody Bockenfeld, MPH, BSN, Program Manager

Melody Bockenfeld, MPH, BSN, is responsible for administering WREN research grants, managing WREN growth and increasing its visibility, strengthening practice-based research in Wisconsin, and supervising WREN staff.

Education and Experience

• MPH University of Illinois School of Public Health
• BSN University of Illinois College of Nursing
• Health Officer and Public Health Manager, Outagamie County 1999-2011
• Perinatal Coordinator, Chicago, IL 1992-1998
• Community and Hospital based Maternal-Child Health, Chicago, IL 1982-1992

Peggy O'Halloran, MPH, Regional Research Coordinator

Peggy O'Halloran, MPH supports ongoing quality improvement and research activities at WREN clinics. Peggy is located at the UW Health Family Medicine Clinic in Eau Claire.

Education and Experience

• MPH, Epidemiology, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
• Evaluation Director, STD and HIV Section, Minnesota Department of Health
• Research and Evaluation Coordinator, University of Minnesota School Public Health, Division of Epidemiology

Mark Remiker, MA, Regional Research Coordinator

Mark Remiker, MA supports ongoing quality improvement and research activities at WREN clinics in Madison.

Education and Experience

• M.A. Biological Anthropology, Washington State University
• B.A. Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Fieldwork, Commonwealth of Dominica, 2008-2009
• Fieldwork, Central Africa Republic, 2010

Kate Judge, MSSW, Regional Research Coordinator

Kate Judge, MSSW, supports ongoing quality improvement and research activities at WREN clinics in Madison.

• B.S., Social Work, University of Iowa
• M.S., Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• NIH-Predoctoral Training Grant Fellow, UW-Madison
• Research Assistant, UW-Madison
• Research Specialist, UW Department of Family Medicine
• Certified Advanced Practice Social Worker

Hannah Louks, BS, Regional Research Coordinator

Hannah Louks, BS, supports ongoing quality improvement and research activities in WREN clinics in Milwaukee.

• B.S. Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Winner of 2008 Margaret Bernauer Psychology Research Award
• Research Assistant, Simmering Laboratory
• Residential Counselor, Eating Disorder Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital

Veronica Harper, MA, BS, Research Program Assistant

Veronica Harper, MA, BS supports WREN administration. Veronica is located at the Department of Family Medicine in Madison, Wisconsin.

Education and Experience

• MA, Organizational Management, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
• BS, Interior Design, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
• Extensive experience in office management and administration
• Has competencies in team participation/leadership, customer service, planning and scheduling, written communication and training facilitation
• Has created and donated wreaths to the charitable organization Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA)