Office of Analytics Staff Listing

Kyra Morgan

State Biostatistician

(775) 684-4161

Kyra Morgan is the State Biostatistician for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and has held this role since 2015.  In this capacity, Kyra works closely with all the Divisions within DHHS as the principal consultant to advise program management on data for decision making and data-driven projects.  Kyra plans, organizes, and directs research studies and methodologies for program evaluation throughout DHHS and serves as technical leadership to 38 analysts within the DHHS Office of Analytics.  Preceding her current position, Kyra has worked in the Biostatistics industry for both local government and private sectors. 

 Kyra hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mathematics with an emphasis in Statistics from the University of Nevada, Reno.  She also holds certifications from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) as a Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA), and from the SAS Institute as a Certified SAS Programmer.

 Kyra lives in Carson City with her wonderful husband, amazing daughter, and their two dogs.

Andrea Rivers

Health Program Manager II

(775) 684-4243

Andrea Rivers is a Health Program Manager II overseeing the Core Public Health Data Unit within the Office of Analytics. Andrea has been with the Department of Health and Human Services since 2003 working with data and public health programs designed to strengthen the lives of Nevadans. She is proud to call Nevada home as a fourth generation native Nevadan and University of Nevada, Reno graduate.

Henry Agbewali

Economist III

(775) 684-5286

Sandra Atkinson

Health Resource Analyst II, GIS Specialist

(775) 684-5984

Sandra currently works as a Health Resource Analyst II with a focus on spatial analysis of all things health related.  She has an Associate of Science Degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and has taught various GIS courses at Western Nevada Community College.  Sandra has worked at the State since 2011, first as a contractor and now as a full-time employee.  She has been working with GIS programming software since 2002.  Sandra loves what she does and enjoys the part she plays in improving access to healthcare for all Nevadans.

Douglas Banghart

Health Resource Analyst II, Immunizations Program

(775) 684-4139

Doug is a Health Resource Analyst II.  In his current role, Doug collects and evaluates immunization data from the Immunization Information System, known as NV WebIZ.  Doug attended the University of Utah where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree and a Master’s Degree in Public Health.  Prior to his current role, Doug worked in the following positions: Community Health Nurse for DPBH and Washoe County, Clinic Manager at Carson City Health and Human Services, Program Manager for DPBH (Immunization and HIV Programs) and as a Health Program Specialist (Immunization and Colorectal Cancer Control Programs).

Alexia Benshoof

Management Analyst IV over DCFS Data

(775) 687-9013

Alexia is a Management Analyst IV in support of the Division of Child and Family Services.

Laurel Brock-Kline

Economist III

(775) 684-5971

Laurel is an economist, supporting Medicaid in the Office of Analytics.  Previous to her current position she worked as a Biostatistician with a focus in opioid use and abuse.  She has been with the State of Nevada since 2016.  Laurel worked previously as a Statistician for the Department of Public Safety where she was responsible for aggregating and analyzing crime statistics gathered from all law enforcement agencies in Nevada.  As a Statistician, she contributed to the following publications: the 2016 and 2017 Crime In Nevada Annual Report, and the NIBRS transition website entitled NVCrimeMapping.com.  Laurel lived in South Lake Tahoe for 25 years where she raised three incredible children.  She recently married and relocated to Carson City.

Sara Byers

Economist II

(775) 684-4012

Sara Byers is an economist supporting Medicaid data needs.  Prior to this role, she served as Health Resource Analyst I for the Early Hearing Detection Intervention (EHDI) Program where she was responsible for supporting the data needs of the EHDI program, and for generating data reports for the program and its stakeholders. Prior to working for the EHDI program, Sara worked as a Program Coordinator for two programs within DPBH, firstly the Connecting Kids to Coverage Program and then the Tobacco Prevention Program. She also worked as a Project Evaluator for the Heart Disease Prevention and Diabetes Prevention and Control programs. Before working for the State, Sara completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Community Health Sciences from the University of Nevada, Reno. In her spare time, Sara enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, kayaking and rock climbing, and is an avid traveler.

Russ Carpenter

Management Analyst III - Medicaid

Russ Carpenter started with the State as a Child Support Enforcement specialist in the 1990s. In 2005, he joined Medicaid working for various units as a Management Analyst retrieving, reviewing and reporting data.

Ben Classen

Management Analyst II, Aging and Disability Services

Ben is a Management Analyst II in the Office of Analytics working in support of the Aging and Disability Services Division. He has Master’s degrees in Mathematics (Statistics option) and Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Stephen Dotter

Management Analyst I, DCFS

(775) 684-4460

Stephen is a Management Analyst I in support of the Division of Child and Family Services.  He has been with the State for two years.  Stephen compiles and analyzes data, responds to ad hoc requests and completes a number of monthly and quarterly reports so that the State can accurately maintain data for the children and families involved with various State programs.  Stephen was born and raised in Philadelphia, a good place to be from.  Before joining the State, Stephen received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and completed a 22 year career with the U.S. Navy where he retired as a Chief Petty Officer, one of the highest ranks available to an enlisted person.  Stephen also spent 15 years in the private sector, working as a Product Manager in the Telecom industry.  Stephen is married and enjoys life in Dayton with his wife and two small dogs.

Jane Dreiling

Administrative Assistant III

(775) 684-5930

Devin Gamboa

Health Resource Analyst I, Vital Records

(775) 684-4059

Devin Gamboa is a Reno native who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in community health science from the University of Nevada Reno. Before joining the Office of Analytics he worked for Mountain Valley Express for four years as an operations supervisor. He was also part of the safety team who developed preventive procedures and occupational safety requirements for the Reno branch. He currently lives in Sparks and is excited to be a new member of the team.

Lily Gu

Biostatistician II, Chronic Disease

(775) 684-5997

Lily is a Biostatistician focusing on chronic disease data (i.e., BRFSS). She has master’s degrees in biostatistics and biology. Lily has a range of different experiences in scientific research and teaching. She enjoys hiking, camping, climbing, paddling, and spelunking.

Michelle Khau

Health Resource Analyst II, Communicable Diseases and Syndromic Surveillance

(775) 687-0540

Cynthia Leech

Management Analyst IV - Medicaid

Cynthia Leech is the lead Management Analyst supporting Medicaid analytics. She graduated from California State University Chico with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in International Relations in 1996. Cynthia has been with the State since 2002. Prior to her current role, she has worked in various units within the DHCFP including Fiscal Services, Business Lines, Policy Development, and Recoupment and Recoveries. Cynthia and her husband live in Reno with their three children and one fur baby. She enjoys camping, boating, reading, and road trips with her family.

Madison Lopey

Data Analytics Contractor, Welfare and Supportive Services

(775) 684-2219

Madison is currently working towards her Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in Statistics at the University of Nevada, Reno. She lives in Reno with her husband and their dog. In her spare time she loves to go hiking, camping, go on road trips, and spend time with her family and friends.

Amy Lucas

Health Resource Analyst II, HIV/STD

(775) 684-5895

Amy currently works as a Health Resource Analyst II overseeing HIV/STD data analytics.  She has worked for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services since 2014 as a Health Resource Analyst focused on vital statistics.  Amy has a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University.  Upon graduating, she spent the next ten years conducting field studies.  Amy moved to Nevada in 2009, returning to school and completing a Master’s Degree in Biology in 2012.  She enjoys camping, hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Jillian Mackie

Biostatistician II

(775) 684-2216

Jillian is a Biostatistician II working with mental health data within the Office of Analytics. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2010. Jillian has been with the State of Nevada since 2011. Prior to her current role, Jillian worked as a computer programmer supporting many public safety applications. She enjoys spending time with family, hunting, fishing, camping, and practicing her photography skills.

Robert (Bob) Moore

Management Analyst III - Medicaid

Bob Moore has been a Nevada Medicaid supervisor in the Rates, Program Integrity, and Fiscal Services Units for thirteen years. His PCN was created to be the DSS SME for the division, which he did for years, creating hundreds of reports for many units. He is an Air Force veteran, a graduate of the DHHS Supervisor’s Academy, and has a Master’s in information systems. Bob and his wife Liz have been together for 38 years and keep busy with family and their self-published books (they’re both writers).

Vacant

Health Resource Analyst II, Early Home Visiting

(775) 684-5953

Vacant

Biostatistician II, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

(775) 684-9040

Carmen Ponce

Biostatistician II, Cancer Registry

(775) 684-5965

Carmen has been with the State for more than a decade.  She spent her first five years working with communicable disease data, and as the State Influenza Coordinator.  Carmen currently works as a Cancer Registry Biostatistician where she focusses on data quality, data analysis and data dissemination.  Before joining the State, she spent six years training to become an M.D.- General Practice, and two years in a fellowship to obtain a Medical Specialty in preventive approach to medical diagnosis and treatment.  Carmen also spent two years in the Mexican National Public Health Institute, earning a Master’s Degree in Public Health, with a major in Health Resources Administration.  Carmen’s family lives in Carson City and in Mexico.

Mavis Quansah Amissah

Biostatistician II, Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program

(775) 684-5982

Mavis is a Biostatistician for the WIC program. She has a Master’s Degree in Statistics from Northern Arizona University. She recently moved from Columbus, Ohio to Reno where she lives with her family.

Sneha Ravikumar

Health Program Specialist, Substance Abuse

(775) 684-4090

Sneha is a Health Program Specialist with the Office of Analytics.  Her work involves collection, analysis, validation and Federal reporting of Treatment Episode Data Sets (TEDS) to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  Sneha has spent the past 24 years in the following fields: teaching, materials testing, regulatory development, regulation of licensed bodies and regulated materials, grants management, database management, data analysis and reporting and development of policy and procedures.  Sneha has two Master’s Degree in Chemistry.  She lives in Carson City with her husband and three children.

Tommy Sargent

Management Analyst III - Medicaid

Tommy Sargent has been a Medicaid Management Analyst since 2008: from 2008-2015 specializing in managed care and DHCFP contracting (MCO, non-emergent transportation, actuarial services, care management of FFS members) as well as MMIS and data store design and development; from 2016-2017 launched and managed DHCFP’s operational analytics and reporting team; in 2018 managed DHCFP’s rate analysis and development unit; from 2019 to date, fiscal analysis and service utilization reporting for DHCFP program units and administration. From 2016 to date, while acting in other roles, continued to provide programmatic and subject matter consulting and analytic support services to DHCFP’s managed care unit staff as well as the Health Care Guidance (HCGP) program, including but not limited to operational and compliance requirements, policy development, RFP development and contract proposal assessments, and formal responses to RFP questions; data store issues and data extracts for rate development; coordination of compliance and performance audits (CMS/PERM, OIG, GAO, LCB, etc.) as well as formal responses to audit inquiries.

Tommy has a Bachelor of Science from University of Maryland, 1990; and was in the United States Coast Guard, 1979-1981. Prior to Medicaid, Tommy had a long trip through early PC networking and database programming in the trucking industry during the eighties; a five-year stint at TMCC directing the Institute for Business & Industry from 1996 to 2000; and after that, five years as spokesperson to then Attorneys General Frankie Sue Del Papa and Brian Sandoval.

Patricia Segura

Statistician, DCFS

(775) 684-5997

Patricia was born in Peru and moved to the States in 2003. In 2008 she graduated with a dual bachelor’s degree in chemistry and political science from the University of Nevada, Reno. In 2009 she moved to Texas and worked for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as a Chemist and for the Department of State Health Services as an Environmental Health Specialist. For over five years, Patricia coordinated and managed environmental surveillance and toxicology data for the state of Texas. In May of 2019, Patricia will finish her graduate studies in Epidemiology. She lives with her son, husband, and dog in Reno.

Jen Thompson

Health Program Specialist II over Special Populations, Behavioral Health Data Manager

(775) 684-5897

Jen is a Behavioral Health Data Manager who oversees the reporting of data related to mental health, as well as substance abuse treatment and prevention, including the opioid epidemic.  She has a Bachelors’ Degree in Public Health from UNR.  Jen has been with the State for eight years, working the entire time in Analytics.  She enjoys working with data to apply logic toward making policies and decisions.  In her spare time, Jen enjoys biking, tennis, racquetball and hiking.  She places a high value on happiness and tries to find the good in all situations. Jen and her husband have three daughters and live in Carson City.

Jesse Wellman

Biostatistician II, Health Facilities, Sentinel Events and Lead

(775) 684-4112

Jesse is a Biostatistician II and has been with the State since 2016.  He is currently focused on Healthcare Quality Compliance (HCQC) issues, including the Sentinel Events Registry Program and Healthcare Acquired Infections NHSN.  Jesse has a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology.  Prior to his current role, Jesse worked as a Statistician II for the Division of Child and Family Services within the State of Nevada.

Jie Zhang

Biostatistician II, Maternal Child Health

(775) 684-5933

Jie is a Biostatistician focusing on Maternal Child Health.  She received a Master’s of Science Degree in Biostatistics from the University of Iowa in 2005.  Jie and her husband moved to Reno from Iowa City in 2007.  They enjoy living in Reno with their lovely daughter.