Hosted by and in collaboration with the UCI Schools of Medicine, Social Ecology, and the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health,the Center for Injury & Violence Prevention (CIVP) Symposium will amplify the impact in which injury and violence prevention research saves lives, discusses the importance of establishing university-based center infrastructure here in California, and will provide attendees the opportunity to share their thoughts on how we can bridge research to practice in partnership with our community.
This event brings together community partners and scholars across California to promote injury & violence prevention research, explore new opportunities for collaboration, and present the projects of CIVP-funded pilot grantees.
AGENDA OVERVIEW
- Opening remarks by keynote speaker Dr. Corinne Peek-Asa, PhD
- Community partner presentations and discussion panels
- Presentations by Injury & Violence Prevention Initiative (IVPI) pilot program grantees
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Corinne Peek-Asa is the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at UC San Diego and a Distinguished Professor in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. In her role as VCRI, she supports UC San Diego’s $1.7 billion research and innovation portfolio and works extensively with internal and external partners to support the campus and region. She has successfully expanded innovation activities in climate, national security, health, and broadening EDI programs for entrepreneurs. She is the Principal Investigator on grants from the Office of Naval Research and the State of California to expand UC San Diego’s research-to-innovation pipeline.
Dr. Peek-Asa’s research focuses on the epidemiology and prevention of traumatic injuries and violence. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and co-chairs the National Academies Accelerating Research in Traumatic Brain Injury Forum. She directs one of six National Institutes of Health-funded International Trauma Training Programs to build capacity in trauma and violence research. She is a founding member and past President of the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research and was named a ResearchAmerica! Public Health Hero.
COMMUNITY PANELISTS
Stephanie Dougherty was appointed Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) by Governor Gavin Newsom in December 2024. Dougherty brings more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sector on a variety of legislative and policy issues.
As Director of the OTS, Dougherty serves as the Governor’s Representative for Highway Safety at the federal level, managing a more than $140 million annual budget that supports hundreds of innovative, evidence-based education and enforcement programs and technologies designed to improve road safety. Dougherty’s priorities will be effective and meaningful community engagement, strong collaboration with traffic safety partners on new safety measures and establishing a strong road safety culture that advances the OTS mission of saving lives.
Elena Costa serves as the Chief of the Violence Prevention Program Section within the California Department of Public Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Branch. In this role, she provides strategic oversight for statewide initiatives addressing sexual violence, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, childhood adversity, and firearm violence. Ms. Costa advances evidence‑driven, community‑led policy strategies and programmatic efforts to reduce multiple forms of violence across California, while strengthening coordination among public health systems, governmental partners, and community organizations.
Ms. Costa holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health Education from California State University, Sacramento, as well as multiple associate degrees in social science, math and science, biology, and nutrition.
Brian Okamoto is a Senior Deputy Public Defender in Orange County. He represented indigent clients in the criminal and juvenile justice systems for 14 years and has devoted the past 10 years to representing parents in juvenile dependency. He has argued dependency cases in the Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court, and authored amicus briefs in the California Supreme Court on behalf of California Dependency Trial Counsel and California Appellate Defense Counsel.
He has been an invited presenter on dependency law by the California Public Defender Association, California Appellate Defense Counsel, California Dependency Attorneys for Parents, Orange County Blue Ribbon Commission, Orange County Bar Association, UC Irvine, Chapman University and Western State Law School. He serves on local and state committees on child welfare legislation and reform and has testified at a California Senate Hearing on Domestic Violence and Child Welfare.
Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided at this symposium. Please direct inquiries to civp@hs.uci.edu.
