skip to main content

Meet Our Team: WREN Staff

Paul D. Smith, MD, 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.

Michael Grasmick, PhD, Network Coordinator

Michael Grasmick, PhD, 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

  • MS and PhD, Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Two post-doctoral positions in biotechnology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Senior Scientist, Frito-Lay, 1986-2001
  • Research Specialist, UW Department of Family Medicine, 2003-2007

Research Interests

  • Treatment of adult asthma with azithromycin

Cynthia Colombo, MS, Regional Research Coordinator

Cynthia Colombo, MS supports ongoing quality improvement and research activities at WREN clinics.

Education and Experience

  • MS, Rehabilitation Psychology, University of Wisconsin Madison
  • BA, Psychology, University of New Mexico
  • Research specialist, UW-Madison Department of Family Medicine, College Health Intervention Projects
  • Associate Research Specialist, UW-Madison Department of Family Medicine, Study on Opioid Addiction in Chronic Pain Patients
  • Associate Research Specialist, UW-Madison Psychology Department, Measuring Psychopathy in Female Offenders

Kelly Kwiatkowski, MA, WREN Project Manager

Kelly Kwiatkowski, MA is responsible for WREN communications, fundraising, project planning, and preparing work for publication.

Education and Experience

  • MA, Education, University of Connecticut
  • BA, Comparative Literature, University of Wisconsin Madison
  • Scientific Writer, Standard Process, Inc.
  • Communications Manager, Wisconsin Newspaper Association
  • Program Specialist, UW-Madison Institute on Aging
  • IT Architect/Project Manager, UW-Madison School of Nursing

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

Katie Pronschinske, BS, MT(ASCP), Regional Research Coordinator

Katie Pronschinske, BS, MT(ASCP) supports ongoing quality improvement and research activities at WREN clinics. Katie is located at the Center for Urban and Population Health office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Education and Experience

  • BS, Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Certified Medical Technologist through the American Society for Clinical Pathology
  • Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Oncology, Chemistry and Critical Care laboratories
  • Volunteer, University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center