SPECIAL EDITION BULLETIN SUMMER 2020 of the ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION VOL. 8 5 NO. 2 URSULA A. MATULONIS, MD ’87 2020 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA CLASS OF 2020 SPECIAL FEATURE ALUMNI ACT DURING GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS IN THIS ISSUE: 2020 Alumni Association Awards | 2020 Commencement | 2019 Contributors Report Please consider an estate gift in support of Albany Medical College Dr. Chhiap understands the important role scholarship plays in launching careers Pillars Society member Visoth Chhiap, MD ’95, combines annual outright scholarship gifts with an unrestricted charitable trust to support two of Albany Medical College’s most pressing funding needs. Members of the ALBANY “ I owe my career and success to Albany Medical MEDICAL COLLEGE College, and I am extremely grateful. My scholarship PILLARS SOCIETY have created endowment was established by combining outright lasting legacies using their bequests, gifts with a bequest. I did this because I know there life income gifts and retirement plans. are many intelligent, driven individuals out there who !ey provide inspiration to others to want to become physicians but need help to achieve do the same. !ank you! their dream. I feel honored and privileged knowing I am doing my part to help Albany Medical College Learn more, contact Laura O’Brien and its students. Will you join me and consider Assistant Vice President combining your lifetime and estate giving to help Gift Planning and Principal Gifts (518) 262-6835 | [email protected] our alma mater?” amc.PlanMyGift.org Visoth Chhiap, MD ’95 Dermatologist Morgan Hill, California BULLETIN of the ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SUMMER 2020 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS President Evan Vosburgh, MD ’82 President-Elect David M. Jones, MD ’97 Immediate Past President Kevin W. Roberts, MD ’77 Secretary Nancy C. Sapio, MD ’85 Treasurer 8 Peter Manes, MD ’04 Historian Jeffrey D. Hubbard, MD ’68 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS Mitchell H. Bamberger, MD ’82 Anthony C. Campagna, MD ’85 Christopher L. Campese, MD ’90, MS ’15 Jodi Della Rocca, CRNA, MS ’02, PhD Clifford A. Erickson, MD ’99 Janet E. Gargiulo, MD ’79 Robert J. Hedderman, MD ’82 Kathryn A. Hogan, MD ’04 Ursula A. Matulonis, MD ’87 Fassil B. Mesfin, MS ’00, PhD ’01, MD ’05 4 President’s Message Michael M. Mueller, MS, PA-C ’17 23 Michael T. Mulligan, MD ’03 5 Dean’s Message Phillip S. Paty, MD ’86 6 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Donna M. Pietrocola, MD ’75 Dennis McKenna, MD ’92 Mary E. Rappazzo, MD ’76 Gary L. Sutter, MD ’76 8 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA: Peter A. Vincent, PhD ’89 Ursula Matulonis, MD ’87 Ferdinand J. Venditti, Jr., MD, Honorary ’15 Ex-Officio 12 2020 Alumni Association Vincent P. Verdile, MD ’84 Award Recipients Ex-Officio 16 COVID-19: Special Feature ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFF 29 28 Alumni Connections Sandy DiNoto, Executive Director 29 2020 Commencement Christine Horigan, Associate Director Logan Edson, Administrative Coordinator 33 Family Legacy Supports Scholarships Jessica Watson, MSIS, Archivist 34 2020 Alumni Association Design: Tessa Cochetti Design Student Award Recipients Dr. Matulonis cover photo by Kayana Szymczak 35 College News & Events COVID-19 virus images provided by the Centers 40 Archives Corner for Disease Control and Prevention 42 PILLARS PROFILE: Neil Lempert, MD ’58 [email protected] or (518) 262-5033 42 44 2019 Contributors Report A copy of the Albany Medical Center Foundation’s most recently 56 Class Notes filed financial report is available from the Charities Bureau Registry on the New York State Attorney General’s website (www.charitiesnys. 58 In Memoriam com) or, upon request, by contacting the New York State Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005, 62 Faculty Openings or us at 43 New Scotland Avenue-Mail Code 119, Albany, New York 12208. You also may obtain information on charitable 63 Reunion Thank You organizations from the New York State Office of the Attorney General at www.charitiesnys.com or (212) 416-8401. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Fellow Alumni: SINCE OUR LAST ISSUE, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED FOR ALL OF US, AND MY HOPE IS THAT YOU ARE STAYING WELL AND HEALTH Y. e emergence of the coronavirus pandemic made it necessary for us to reschedule our April 2020 Reunion to October 2020. We recently made the difficult decision—given the uncertainty of the continuing health crisis—to cancel Reunion activities this year. We look forward to gathering with our 2020 alumni celebrants— classes ending in zero and five —and 2021 alumni celebrants— classes ending in one and six — in April 2021 (Friday, April 9 & Saturday, April 10). We will keep you updated on our planning and are looking forward to an exceptional weekend. In March, we reached out to alumni for their observations and firsthand experiences with COVID-19. Our thanks to those of you who submitted compelling, poignant and hopeful stories which we are pleased to share in this issue. I was honored to represent our alumni community in leading the Class of 2020 in the recitation of the oath during Albany Medical College’s first virtual Commencement ceremony in May. e oath directly addresses issues of great importance as the confluence of COVID-19 health disparities and systemic racism cannot be separated from healthcare. Congratulations to our newest alumni who have graduated during these extraordinary times. e transition to residency or your next role has been made unusually complex but with such great potential to make significant and lasting change. All alumni, friends, families, colleagues, and patients are confident you will excel as leaders. ank you to all alumni for staying connected with us and with one another. Sincerely, Evan Vosburgh, MD ’82 President 4 | alumni.amc.edu DEAN’SN ’ S MESSAGEM E S S A G E IT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT LIFE HAS CHANGED FOR ALL OF US DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE ARE ADAPTING AT ALBANY MED. Under AAMC advisement and to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the College in the spring suspended in-person classes and clinical rotations for students. Learning did not cease though. Recorded lectures are stored on our system and access to simulated learning modules and library resources have been online for some time which made the transition seamless for our students who are accustomed to remote learning options. We are establishing plans for how we will transition to training and care in new settings and advance our readiness for the future. COVID-19 offers real-time teaching opportunities– on the prevention, transmission, treatment and cure of this virus. Other lessons to be learned include the economic impact of pandemics, the disproportionate effect it has on the underserved in our communities, and the importance of coordinated global health planning and responses. Albany Med has several research projects focused on COVID-19, including work related to the development of a vaccine and potential markers for assessing disease susceptibility. Our researchers have also initiated four clinical trials dedicated to COVID-19 therapeutics, studying the genomics of the virus, and the impact it has on co-morbidities and demographics. Albany Med was among the first hospitals in the country to obtain Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to use convalescent blood plasma therapy to experimentally treat critically ill patients who are infected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Additionally, we have been using Remdesivir as well to treat the most seriously ill patients. We celebrated the Class of 2020 with a commencement first for the College—a commemorative live video presentation held May 21. A copy of the video can be viewed online through the College website and Alumni Association Facebook page. We are so very proud of our graduating students and their accomplishments during a most unusual time for those entering the healthcare professions. We are grateful for your interest, concern and support. I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe during these extraordinary times. Best Wishes, Vincent P. Verdile, MD ’84 e Lynne and Mark Groban, MD ’67 Distinguished Dean SUMMER 2020 | 5 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: DR. DENNIS MCKENNA ’92 LEADS ALBANY MED SYSTEM DENNIS P. MCKENNA, MD ’92 BEGAN HIS NEW ROLE AS PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF ALBANY MED ON APRIL 1. HE REPLACES JAMES J. BARBA, WHO IS RETIRING. DURING MR. BARBA’S 25YEAR LEADERSHIP, ALBANY MED HAS GROWN TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN THE NORTHEAST WITH MORE THAN 100 LOCATIONS IN 25 COUNTIES; A PHYSICIAN PRACTICE GROUP OF MORE THAN 650; ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE, AND A WORKFORCE OF MORE THAN 13,000. IN ADDITION, IT HAS AFFILIATIONS WITH THREE HOSPITALS AN HOUR NORTH AND SOUTH IN SARATOGA, HUDSON AND GLENS FALLS. graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, Cornell University and Albany Medical College, A Class of 1992, Dr. McKenna completed his residency at Albany Med. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine. He spent five years in service to the United States on active duty as a Medical Officer, including a deployment as a battalion surgeon for the Marines to Somalia. He joined the Reserves in 1997 and was mobilized to active duty three times after 9/11, including two tours with the Marines to Iraq. He retired as a Navy Captain. He comes to the CEO position with many years of experience in the Albany Med system. He has held significant leadership roles serving as Medical Director of the Emergency Department, Medical Director of the Hospital, and President of the Albany Med Faculty Physician Group. He has been active outside of the hospital. He was previously a member of the Albany Medical College Alumni Association Board and has been a medical volunteer and serves on the Board with the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, New York.