University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Sarah L. Goff, MD, PhD
Q4A Lab Founder & Principal Investigator
Sarah earned her M.D. at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, her PhD at UMass Amherst, and her B.S. in Neurobiology at Yale University. Early in her career as a primary care pediatrician and internist, she recognized deep inequities in the health care system that contributed to health disparities. She returned to Yale for research training in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program and worked as a clinician-scientist at Baystate Medical Center until 2019 when she joined the UMass Amherst faculty. Her PhD focused on organizational studies and implementation science. When she is not working, she loves to hike, run, bike, cross-country ski, play board games, bake, and hang out with her family, including Max and Leo, the cats.
Staff
Erin DeCou
Erin joined the Quality for All team as Project Manager in November 2021. She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a focus on Community Development from Rutgers University and a B.A. in Anthropology from Skidmore College. Before joining the Q4A team, Erin worked in community engaged research at Smith College and led a series of community organizations in Philadelphia, including Neighborhood Bike Works and Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens.
Berry Williams
Berry joined the Q4A lab as Project Coordinator in 2023. Berry graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in Geosciences and holds a Master of Science in Geosciences from UMass Amherst. Berry is an avid gardener, collector of rocks, and lover of pugs.
Current Students
Crystal is a senior Public Health major with a Chinese minor in the Commonwealth Honors College. She joined the lab in 2024 due to an interest in Dr. Goff’s research on promoting health equity in vulnerable populations. Crystal has made significant contributions to analyses on the Depression Management for Dialysis Patients project and our projects exploring the impacts of value-based care on pediatric health. She has gained valuable skills in qualitative research in preparation for becoming a public health professional. The lab has influenced her current intention of going into a career in health policy. Crystal is also a part of the Cantonese Club and works at the Honors Residential Service Desk. She enjoys cooking, playing video games, and reading thriller/fantasy novels for fun.
Crystal Chen '27
Joyce Mogaka '28
Joyce is a Ph.D. student in Public Health, focusing on Health Policy and Management. She has over 15 years of experience in public health through implementing and supporting community-driven initiatives in Africa and the United States. Joyce holds a Master of Science in Global Health Policy and Management from Brandeis University and a Master of Arts in Community Development from Daystar University in Kenya. In addition, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology Major from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the Technical University of Kenya. Her research interests include health and healthcare disparities, infectious diseases epidemiology, women and children’s health, immigrant health, community-based participatory research, and result-based monitoring and evaluation. She also loves taking nature walks, cycling, and catching sunsets.
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Arni is a senior Public Health major in the Commonwealth Honors College. She joined the lab in the fall of 2025 with a passion for patient-centered care and an interest in addressing health inequities through research. Arni is pursuing the pre-dental track in hopes of going into general dentistry or orthodontics. Her past volunteer experiences and EMT training have shaped her understanding of the importance of empathy, communication, and equity in healthcare delivery. On campus, she volunteers at the Amherst Campus Pantry, is a mentor for Student National Medical Association - Minority Association of Premedical Students (SNMA-MAPS), and a Public Health Peer Advisor. In her free time she enjoys tennis, swimming, soccer, lifting, baking, and embroidery.
Arni Potnis '27
Lakshmi is a senior Public Health major and Business minor who hopes to pursue a Masters in Public Health after graduation. She joined the lab in 2024 in order to get involved in researching health inequities. Her primary interests are in health policy and management, which she hopes to study to reduce barriers to care and ensure individuals have access to equitable, high-quality healthcare. Lakshmi is a member of the Commonwealth Honors College and also works as a Public Health Peer Advisor for SPHHS. When she is not busy with school and work, Lakshmi enjoys working out, traveling, and hanging out with friends.