About PHRI - Senior Management

Bruce R. Stevenson, PhD

Executive Director and CEO
ceo@phrihawaii.org

Dr. Stevenson joined PHRI in June, 2007. He received his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and was awarded a PhD from Harvard University for his research in cell and developmental biology. After completing postdoctoral training at Yale University, he joined the University of Alberta in Canada, where he was a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology. His research was supported by competitive grants from the NIH, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Canadian Kidney Foundation. He was also the recipient of an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Scholarship. While in Canada, he became increasingly involved in education, curriculum design, and faculty administration, including serving as the first Assistant Dean of Student Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. Most recently, Stevenson served as Vice President, Academic Affairs at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA, where he facilitated faculty recruitment and promotions, awards, and usage of Institute space, and oversaw all research related operations.

 

Helen Petrovitch, MD

Chair, Department of Research
hpetrovitch@phrihawaii.org

Dr. Helen Petrovitch is the Chair of the Department of Research and currently serves as Investigator on key PHRI projects including Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, Epidemiology of Aging and Dementia – Autopsy Research, Brain Aging in the Very Old, Neurotoxins and Neurodegenerative Disorders in Japanese-American Men Living in Hawaii, Risk Factors for Pathologic Markers of Parkinson’s Disease, and the Prostate Lung Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial Hawaii. Dr. Petrovitch is an associate professor of medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii.

Vicki L. Shambaugh, MA, MPH

Director, Research and Development
vlshambaugh@phrihawaii.org

Ms. Shambaugh is responsible for assembling the resources necessary to enhance and ensure the Institute’s continued ability to successfully compete for research funding. This includes identifying funding opportunities, researchers and research teams, evaluating research concepts, serving as PHRI’s Human Protections Administrator, supporting the institutional review board, and assisting investigators in developing and conducting successful studies. Ms. Shambaugh serves on the board of various national and international research organizations to provide contacts and information to strengthen Hawaii’s research infrastructure.

Anita L. Swanson

Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer
alswanson@phrihawaii.org

As Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Swanson is responsible for overseeing accounting and finance, grants and contracts administration, human resources, information technology, and facilities for PHRI. In addition, Ms. Swanson also provides support to the Audit, Budget & Finance and Human Resources/Employee Benefits Committees of the Board of Directors. Ms. Swanson was previously the Deputy Director in the Hawaii Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration, and is a CPA with extensive auditing and tax experience. In addition she served as the Chief Financial Officer for a large independent physician group, as the Executive Director for the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii, and has consulted with the State of Hawaii and neighbor island community organizations in strategic initiatives.