Amy M. Sawyer, PhD, RN
PRISM co-Lead | Professor of Sleep & Health Behavior | Director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
Amy Sawyer is a Professor of Sleep & Health Behavior in the School of Nursing at Penn, where she directs the School’s practice doctoral program, conducts research focused on obstructive sleep apnea, mentors new nurse researchers in sleep science, and teaches doctoral-level nursing students. She is most excited about learning from community members about their experiences with sleep disorders and sleep issues through PRISM activities and the Advisory Board. The new partnerships that have formed—and continue to grow stronger—through this collaborative work are among the most rewarding experiences of her 20-year career as a sleep specialist and nurse scientist.
Alexa J. Watach, PhD, RN
PRISM co-Lead | Assistant Professor of Nursing at Penn Medicine Sleep Medicine
Alexa Watach, PhD, RN is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Penn Medicine Sleep Medicine. She earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from The Pennsylvania State University, where she first became interested in sleep health. This interest led her to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in sleep research at The University of Pennsylvania.
As a researcher, she is passionate about empowering patients to better understand their sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. As such, her work focuses on finding new and creative ways to improve sleep health care by bridging the gaps that exist between patients and healthcare systems, and research evidence and everyday practice. She also teaches in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Penn, where she guides students through the development of their own impactful practice improvement projects.
As Co-Lead of PRISM, she has valued the opportunity to build strong partnerships, professional relationships, and friendships with dedicated community partners. Collaborating to improve sleep health in the community and identify areas for growth and improvement in the field has been rewarding, inspiring, and transformational in many ways.
Peter Cronholm, MD, MSCE
PRISM Team Member | Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
Peter Cronholm is a family physician and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. During his 26 years of working at Penn, he enjoys working on projects like PRISM. Pete is interested in this project as he is a patient of insomnia and sleep apnea.
Heather Klusaritz, PhD, MSW
PRISM Team Member | Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health
Heather Klusaritz is the Division Chief for Community Health and the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a social worker by training. She spends most of her time at Penn thinking about how to bring community voice into the health system and the university of the co-design to strategies to improve the health of our community. She is excited about PRISM as she is new to the sleep medicine space, but it’s another opportunity to bring community voice and center community voice.
Melany Batad, MSEd
PRISM Coordinator
Melany Batad serves as the Engagement Coordinator for Partnered Research in Sleep Medicine (PRISM). Originally from Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and her Master of Science in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In her role, she partners with sleep researchers, West Philadelphia community organizations, and local residents to advance sleep wellness initiatives through education, outreach, and collaboration. Melany is honored to be part of PRISM, as it offers the opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues to address critical issues in sleep health and develop solutions that positively impact underrepresented communities. Passionate about bridging research and real-world impact, she is committed to furthering the mission and goals of PRISM.