Bio
Renee is a health policy and health economics researcher, and an Instructor in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. Her work focuses on health systems, policy development, and monitoring and evaluation, with an emphasis on translating evidence into actionable policy in small island developing states (SIDS).
She has contributed to national and regional public health initiatives, including work with the National Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Commission (NCNCDC) in Grenada and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), supporting policy design, stakeholder engagement, and implementation planning.
Renee is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Economics and Policy with research interests in health financing, non-communicable diseases, and health system performance.
Professional Philosophy
Renee’s teaching approach emphasizes the integration of theory, policy, and practice. She focuses on equipping students with the analytical and practical skills needed to engage with real-world public health challenges, particularly through case-based learning and policy analysis.
She encourages critical thinking by engaging students in the complexities of health systems, including the economic, social, and political factors that shape health outcomes. Drawing on her experience, she highlights how evidence is translated into practice while acknowledging real-world constraints.
Her goal is to support students in developing the skills to critically analyze health systems and contribute meaningfully to public health policy and practice.
Research & Interests
- Health financing and universal health coverage in SIDS
- Non-communicable disease prevention and control
- Health policy analysis and evaluation
- Public health management and systems strengthening
Affiliations
- Lancaster University, UK
- ISPOR – International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research
- Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH)
- National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), Certified in Public Health (CPH)
- Healthy Caribbean Coalition / Healthy Caribbean Youth
- National Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Commission, Grenada
Academic Degrees
- Master of Public Health, Saint Louis University
- Bachelor of Science, Illinois Institute of Technology
Course Teachings
- Health Policy and Management
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Public Health Research Methods
Institutional Services & Committees
- SGU Institutional Review Board
International & National Committees
- Grenada National Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Commission
Memberships in Associations / Societies
- International Health Economics Association
- ISPOR
Academic Appointments
- Health Policy and Management Course Director
Journal Articles
- Thomas-Venugopal, R., Hem-Lee-Forsyth, S., Gómez, A. R. G., Edwards, N., & James, D. (2023). Evaluating existing policies to address overweight and obesity in the Anglophone Caribbean: A narrative review. Obesity Pillars, 6, 100060.
- Hem-Lee-Forsyth, S., Thomas, R., Pierre-Romain, L., et al. (2022). The Economic and Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 on Alcohol Use in Grenada during Lockdown. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 5(2), 244–255.
- Hem-Lee-Forsyth, S., & Thomas, R. (2021). Caribbean Faith-Based Organisations: Friend or Foe in the fight against the feminisation of HIV/AIDS. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(10), 9–16.
Selected Projects
- Legislative Approaches to Health Financing in the Caribbean (under review)
- Challenges with Health Financing in SIDS: Analysis of PHI in Grenada (manuscript in preparation)
- Household Perceptions of Private Health Insurance in Grenada (ISPOR 2025 poster)
- Grenada School Health Data (data analysis ongoing)
- Assessing Physician Workforce Capacity in a Small Island Developing State: Implications for Health System Planning in Grenada (under review)