May 4, 2026
Three CHP faculty members selected as VCU Shift Labs Faculty Fellows Awardees
Three faculty members from the VCU College of Health Professions have been selected by the VCU Office of Innovation and Strategic Design as Shift Labs Faculty Fellow Awardees. This award recognizes those who demonstrate exceptional commitment to innovation and entrepreneurial thinking by participating in Shift Labs programming and contributing to projects that address complex societal challenges.
Carolyn Hawley Ph.D., professor in the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, along with her collaborator Jared Schultz, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, were recognized for their collaboration on a grant to “address youth gambling through an interdisciplinary lens.” Both Hawley and Schultz have partnered with other researchers to create new models to address societal issues including gambling addiction.
“I’m really honored to be named a Shift Labs Faculty Fellow. This recognition reflects the collaborative and innovative work happening at VCU,” said Hawley. “Through my work with the Virginia Partnership for Gaming & Health, I’m excited to keep connecting research, practice and policy to address emerging public health challenges and expand access to care across Virginia.”
The other awardee is Kristin MacDonald, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Administration. Both she and her collaborator, Christian Bergman, an associate professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine in the School of Medicine, were selected due to their work with the Virginia Long-term Care Clinician Network. Both are part of a team researching how innovation and entrepreneurship tools can help providers improve long-term care.
“I am honored and delighted to be selected as a Shift Labs Faculty Fellow, in a big part recognizing my work with the Virginia Long-Term Care Clinician Network,” MacDonald said. “Collaborating with clinicians and project team members committed to improving long-term care across the Commonwealth has been truly rewarding work, and we look forward to continue supporting this peer learning collaborative in innovative ways that target their evolving needs.”
Read the full article on VCU News.