HIV Vaccine Program Team

Spyros Kalams, MD is the Co-Principal Investigator of the Vanderbilt HIV Clinical Trials Unit and the Principal Investigator of the Vanderbilt HIV Vaccine Clinical Research Site. He studies how individuals generate immune responses to organisms such as viruses (HIV, influenza, SARS CoV-2) and bacteria such as M. tuberculosis. He has directed national phase 1 clinical trials to study the safety and immunogenicity of HIV vaccines. He is also the Director of the Tennessee Center for AIDS Research Advanced Technologies Core, and Director of the Vanderbilt Infection Pathogenesis Epidemiology Research T32 Training Grant.

Shonda Sumner (headshot and bio update): Shonda Sumner, MSN, RN, CCRP, serves as the Clinic Coordinator and brings 28 years of professional nursing experience to her role. She holds a master’s degree in nursing and has been a member of the program since 2010, providing continuity, operational oversight, and clinical leadership. Her professional background includes extensive experience in Surgical and Trauma Intensive Care (ICU), Coronary Care (CCU), and Pre‑operative and Recovery units.

Kenneth Stroop is a registered nurse with 17 plus years of experience at VUMC. His work experience includes Trauma ICU, Interventional Radiology, GI Lab procedures and Workers’ Comp. Case Management.

Rita is the Laboratory Director for the Vanderbilt HIV Vaccine Program. She provides supervision and coordination of laboratory assays and shipping for clinical vaccine trials.

Dana is no stranger to Vanderbilt. She's worked in many departments off and on since 1990, including the Vision Research Center, the Leukemia Lab, and even the very beginning of embryonic stem cell research.

Jarissa Greenard, M.A.Ed., is a Community Educator and Clinical Recruiter with the Vanderbilt HIV Vaccine Program who believes that trust is the foundation of science. Since 2018, she has worked at the intersection of research and community, building meaningful partnerships, creating space for honest conversations, and helping people see themselves as part of the future of HIV prevention.

Her work is rooted in empathy and a deep commitment to equity, transforming complex clinical research into stories that resonate, empower, and reduce stigma. Whether she is leading community discussions or supporting participants through their research journey, Jarissa shows up with intention, compassion, and purpose.

She holds a Master of Arts in Education and is currently pursuing certification as a sexuality educator, expanding her mission to ensure that sexual health education is inclusive, informed, and accessible to all.

Vic Sorrell brings over a decade of experience in HIV community engagement and clinical research to his role at the Vanderbilt HIV Vaccine Program. After a dynamic career path that included roles in both nonprofit and industry settings, Vic returned to the program in 2021 with renewed passion for advancing HIV prevention science through community-centered approaches.

Vic began his journey in the HIV arena as the HIV Prevention Education Coordinator at Nashville CARES in 2008. From there, he played a pivotal role in recruiting more than 200 volunteers for groundbreaking HIV clinical trials such as HVTN 505 ‘Hope Takes Action’ and HVTN 704 ‘The AMP Study’ during his initial tenure at the Vanderbilt HIV Vaccine Program from 2010 to 2017. He later expanded his impact nationally through his work as an HIV Community Liaison for Gilead Sciences, Inc., serving communities in Tampa, Nashville, Memphis, Alabama, and the Mississippi Delta.

Vic holds a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from the University of Tennessee and is also a pre-licensed psychotherapist. He is deeply committed to wellness and building meaningful connections between science and community.

He shares life with his partner, Kolrick, and is a proud dog dad to three beloved fur babies: Archie, Bella, and Miles.