Graduate Students

Tyler Beauregard, MS, AT, ATC, CSCS

PhD Student

Tyler Beauregard received his Bachelor of Science, double majoring in in athletic training and exercise science from the University of Montana, and his Master of Science in kinesiology and recreation from Illinois State University. He then worked clinically as an athletic trainer in the high school and university settings for six years. His PhD training focuses on quality improvement and implementation science, studying under Dr. Catherine Quatman-Yates. Tyler enjoys working with computers and is currently teaching himself how to configure and deploy a home server.

Angela Emerson, MPH

PhD Student

Angela holds a Master of Public Health degree in health promotion and education from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor’s degree in biology from The Ohio State University.

She has over twelve years of experience working in public health and clinical research and is currently the Assistant Director for Research within the OSU Human Performance Collaborative. Her expertise includes DoD, FDA, and IRB research compliance, research design, process improvement, and data management. She enjoys building diverse teams to solve complex human performance problems.

She is currently pursuing a PhD and working with the LIFT Lab to investigate systems level solutions to improve the health and longevity of people in high stress occupations such as healthcare, military, and emergency medical services.

Yogesh Kumaran

MD/PhD Student

Yogesh Kumaran is an MD/PhD student at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Engineering, collaborating with The Ohio State University. His research focuses on integrating computational modeling and simulation in human biomechanics to identify post-operative risks, assess surgical outcomes, and develop effective rehabilitation strategies following orthopedic surgeries.

Matthew Paponetti, PT, DPT

PhD Student

Matt is a physical therapist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition, a comprehensive tertiary care obesity center nationally recognized for improving health outcomes in children living with obesity. He is also a PhD student in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Ohio State University, with a focus on understanding and improving physical activity engagement in pediatric populations, particularly among youth with obesity.

Working within the LIFT Lab under Dr. Catherine Quatman-Yates, Matt is particularly interested in how continuous learning health systems can be leveraged to address the complex challenges of pediatric obesity treatment. This systems-based approach aligns with Matt’s broader goal of developing evidence-based interventions that bridge research and clinical practice to promote sustainable physical activity engagement among youth with chronic conditions.

Beyond his clinical and research work, he serves as faculty in the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is actively involved in community education initiatives. Matt contributes to the Healthy Kids Coalition of Central Ohio, and serves as a Hub Team Member for Project ECHO’s Pediatric Obesity program, where he provide education and consultation to healthcare providers across the region on physical activity promotion strategies for youth with obesity.

Peyton Thomas

DPT/PhD Student

Peyton Thomas graduated in 2022 from Marshall University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a Minor in Psychology. During his time there, he received the NASA WV Space Grant and the Marshall University Undergraduate Creative Discovery and Research Grant to conductive research with Dr. Kumika Toma, looking at how antigravity positions would affect muscle fiber type in the soleus muscles of rats. Following graduation from Marshall, Peyton attended the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at OSU and completed a research specialization as part of Dr. Stephanie Di Stasi’s lab at the Jameson Crane Sports Medicine institute. In May of 2025, he graduated from the DPT program at OSU he is now pursuing a PhD in health and rehabilitation sciences with Dr. Stephani Di Stasi as his research advisor. Peyton’s main goal is to become a researcher, focusing on improving clinical outcomes within the realm of physical therapy.

Najhee Purdy, MPH

MD Student

Najhee graduated, with Honors in the Liberal Arts, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with his Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Biochemistry and a certificate in Global Health in May 2021. Najhee completed his MPH in Health Behavior and Health Promotion, and is now finishing his Doctor of Medicine. Najhee aspires to be a physician that serves underserved populations, and advocates for these populations by advancing health policy focused on achieving health equity and reducing health disparities.