fall 2011
AT THE READY SHAPING A NEW SCIENCE IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Ali S. Khan 00MPH in the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center
The Right SORT of Help | Biosafety Net | Peace Corps Evolution James W. Curran, MD, MPH MD, W. Curran, James Health Public of School Rollins Dean, 93MPH MEd, Graves, H. Kathryn Health Public of School Rollins Relations, External and Development for Dean Associate Schindler Karon Sciences Publications Health Director, Executive Turner Stuart Manager Production Print Pinto Carol Manager and Finance Circulation Robin Tricoles Torrance Kay Thompson E. Tarvis Pinto Carol Johnson Jennifer Patrick Adams 09MPH Editorial Contributors Rumley Caroline Kearse Jack Hinton Kay Borden Ann Photo Contributors Meltz Bryan of Photography Director Endicott Erica Director Art Auchmutey Pam Editor visit publichealthmagazine.emory.edu. The website of theRollins School of Public Health is sph.emory.edu. To view past issues of themagazine, Development andExternal Relations, call Kathryn Graves at 404-727-3352oremail [email protected]. Atlanta, GA30322,call 404-712-9265,oremail [email protected]. To contact theOffice of letters to theeditor, andothercorrespondence to Editor, Public Health , 1440Clifton Road, Suite 150, Sciences Center of University Emory (emoryhealthsciences.org). Please sendclass notes, observations, Public Health is published by theRollins School of Public Health, acomponent of the Woodruff Health County. To learn more about SORT, turn to page 11. and emergency preparedness at theCDC andinDeKalb group trained to assist with local outbreak investigations SORT—the StudentOutbreak Response Team—avolunteer during disease outbreaks. The students are members of to helpstaff theCDC’s Emergency Operations Center On theCover Ali S. Khan 00MPHrelies onRollins students manage theMIprogram. To learn more about Rollins andthePeace Corps, turn to page 18. Corps’ goal to increase collaboration. Among theRPCVs are thePaul D. Coverdell Fellows, who are several RPCVs, whocomprise asizable of thestudent portion body andexemplify thePeace with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) to work with refugee populations. Pictured above students for Peace Corps service, is theonly program inthenation that matches MI students around theworld. Fifty years later, Rollins’ Master International (MI)Program, which prepares In 1961, President JohnF. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote peace andfriendship PeaceBe With You Magazines intheApp Store. downloading Health Emory Public by Health isavailable The iPad editionof Emory
111010-2 fall 2011 10 Contents
3
3 Remembering a Health Pioneer 18 For David Sencer, the well-being of others came first. 10 The Science of Being Ready Rollins experts are defining research and training in emergency preparedness and response. 11 The Right SORT of Help Students provide extra hands in emergencies. 16 Biosafety Net Sean Kaufman protects laboratory workers who handle the most dangerous pathogens in the world. 18 Peace Be With You Rollins ramps up its programs for aspiring and returned Peace Corps volunteers. 22 Saluting the Dean’s Council Atlanta-area leaders mark 20 years of school advocacy.
in every issue Dean’s message ...... 2 In Brief ...... 5 campaign emory ...... 24 ALUMNI NEWS ...... 26 8 class notes ...... 30
fall 2011 public health magazine 1 111010-2 Then and now in public health
We have much to reflect on this year. Ten years ago, following 9/11 and the intentional release of anthrax, the O. Wayne Rollins Foundation came forward with a major gift to coalesce our research and training in emergency preparedness and response. Through the foundation’s generosity and support from the cdc and nih, Rollins faculty and students are leading efforts to create a new science in emergency preparedness. Fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps. Today, our Master’s International (MI) Program, which prepares students for Peace Corps service, is one of the largest MI public health
From the Dean From programs in the nation. In September, Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams visited Rollins to formally establish the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program for returned volunteers and recognize our students’ This year, we set new records commitment to serving Atlanta’s growing refugee population. for enrollment totals, proving This year, we set new records for enrollment totals, proving again again that Rollins is a global that Rollins is a global destination for public health. Among our destination for public health. incoming class of 501 degree-seeking students are 114 international Among our incoming class of 501 students—also a record. They join our largest cohorts of 67 Career degree-seeking students are 114 mph students and 25 md/mph students. And the expanded research of international students—also a our growing faculty led to an all-time high of more than $62 million in record. sponsored research awards, up 28% from last year. We also celebrated the remarkable life of David Sencer, the former cdc director and an rsph founding father who passed away in May. Dr. Sencer took great pride in the accomplishments of our students and faculty and was a role model for all of us. He is greatly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues in public health.
Sincerely,
James W. Curran, md, mph James W. Curran Dean of Public Health
2 public health magazine fall 2011 CDC Director David Sencer was instrumental in helping establish the master of community health program, which gave rise to the Rollins School of Public Health.
“David didn’t supervise as much as he enabled. He prowled the building to find out what was going on,” said William Foege, Emeritus Presidential Distinguished Professor of International Health. Foege, who worked on small- pox eradication in Africa, succeeded Sencer as CDC director. As many attest, Sencer cared deeply about the health of populations, the well-being of staff, and educating future public leaders. “We all would have walked through fire for him,” said Foege, who spoke during a June memo- rial service at Rollins. Two incidents shaped Sencer’s world- view and career path. In his 20s, he contracted tuberculosis, which required a long recovery. He later joined the U.S. Public Health Service, and one of his Remembering a first assignments took to him Idaho, where he conducted a health survey of migrant laborers. “It was then that I first began to see health pioneer the rewards of dealing with groups of people rather than individual patients,” the first time with malaria, nutrition, Sencer told Emory students with REACH For David Sencer, the health education, and occupational (Recognizing & Encouraging Aspira- well-being of others safety. Its greatest success during his tions in Community Health), which tenure was a program that eradicated honored him with its first lifetime always came first smallpox, beginning in central Africa achievement award a few years ago. and eventually extending worldwide. For three years, Sencer led a commu- Former CDC director David Sencer Sencer also was instrumental in part- nity-based research program in tuber- used to rely on the point system to nering with Emory faculty to establish culosis control in Muscogee County, recruit students for Emory’s master of a master of community health program Georgia. In 1960, he transferred to community health program. He would in 1974. By the 1990s, the program Atlanta to serve as assistant director of point to a CDC staff member and say, had evolved into the Rollins School of the CDC—then known as the Com- “You are going.” Public Health. Along with his leader- municable Disease Center. He was Sencer, a founding father of the ship during the smallpox eradication appointed director of the CDC in 1966. Rollins School of Public Health, died campaign, he counted the program and from complications of heart disease on school among his greatest contributions Courage under fire May 2 at age 86. to public health. Under his leadership, the agency As the longest-serving director of When Sencer became CDC director, expanded dramatically by entering the the CDC, Sencer oversaw a substantial the agency was small enough for him global arena, adding domestic pro- expansion of the agency as it dealt for to know almost everyone by name. grams, and assuming responsibility for
fall 2011 public health magazine 3 Later, as health commissioner of New York City from 1982 to 1986, Sencer faced public and political pressure again during the early years of the AIDs epidemic. He established surveillance parameters and recommended the course of the city’s response to AIDs. He also convinced Mayor Ed Koch to start a clean needle program to prevent AIDs transmission among drug addicts. Thomas Frieden served as New York City health commissioner before join- ing the CDC as director in 2009. “One of the wonderful things about coming to the CDC was getting to Above: The family of David Sencer (second know David Sencer,” said Frieden dur- from right) provided ing the memorial service. “He was my support to create a compass for where we needed to go in scholarship named in his honor. They include public health.” son David, daughter After leaving New York, Sencer Susan, wife Jane, and served as an international public health daughter Ann. Right: Sencer, shown here in consultant before retiring to Atlanta his office at the CDC, with his wife Jane. Not one to sit still, led the agency from he taught public health and medical 1966 to 1977. He is pointing to a piece of students at Emory and developed an artwork depicting the archive on global disease eradication, “kissing bugs” known assisted by the RSPH, Emory’s Wood- to transmit Chagas disease. ruff Library and Global Health Insti- tute, and the CDC. Launched in 2009, the Global Health Chronicles is an online resource on the eradication of smallpox and Guinea worm disease. vaccination programs against polio and Of all the challenges that Sencer In 2008, the RSPH established the childhood diseases and for surveillance faced at the CDC, the 1976 swine flu David J. Sencer MD, MPH, Scholarship and control of tuberculosis and sexually outbreak proved to be the most dif- Fund with support from his family. transmitted diseases. He helped focus ficult. Concerned about a possible Scholarship recipients must be state efforts in chronic disease prevention pandemic, Sencer’s team recommended and local public health professionals and control—beginning with a national that all Americans be immunized. In who exemplify leadership and service education campaign about the dangers two months, 43 million people were in the field—the same characteristics of smoking. Sencer heeded his agency’s vaccinated. But when more than 25 of that Sencer demonstrated throughout advice and quit smoking. them died of Guillain-Barré syndrome, his career. RSPH Dean James Curran first met the vaccination program was halted. In Following his death, the federal Sencer in 1974 at Harvard, where the 1977, Sencer was dismissed by Wash- agency he led renamed the David J. CDC director was a visiting fellow. ington officials. Sencer CDC Museum in his honor. esy of C D of esy rt cou o
“Dr. Sencer was the epitome of public “He made the right call, even though When Sencer first learned about the t health,” said Curran during the memo- the swine flu virus did not cause a pan- scholarship named for him, he summed rial service. “He was fearless in its demic,” said Foege. “He showed cour- up his career in his typical low-key fash- mission. It was never about him. It was age in doing what needed to be done to ion: “When you do good work, it’s fun.”
about the people.” protect the public.” Surviving him are his wife Jane, a Pho Bugs” “Kissing
4 public health magazine fall 2011 In Brief
Come January, Emory will become a 100% smoke-free campus. RSPH Dean James Curran is among the university leaders who support the new policy.
Emory resolves to be smoke-free Beginning January 2012, Emory will join the more than 450 colleges and universities nationwide that are 100% smoke-free. The new tobacco-free campus policy is based on the recommendations of a task force created by Emory President James Wagner last spring. Fac- ulty, staff, and student groups have endorsed this policy, along with Emory leaders, including James Curran, dean of the RSPH, and Jeffrey Koplan, director of the Emory Global Health Institute. In a message on Emory’s YouTube channel, Curran advocates educa- tion to prevent tobacco use, cessation programs, and policies that are fair to smokers but also effective in reducing health risks in the commu- nity and society. “Smoking is the leading cause of death that is preventable in the United States and soon in the world,” he says. “It causes cancer, heart disease, Top: William Foege worked on smallpox and lung disease and makes asthma worse for children who are exposed eradication in Africa under Sencer’s direction. Middle: Sencer with Virginia Bales Harris 71C to secondhand smoke. With patience and persistence, we can reduce this 77MPH, whom he tapped to study community public health problem greatly.” health at Emory. Bottom: James Curran and Before joining Emory, Koplan spent his career at the CDC, where he Sencer, shown here in 2008, first met in 1974 at Harvard. oversaw tobacco control activities before becoming the agency’s director. “It’s a tough thing to do and an important thing to do,” says Koplan of son, two daughters, and six grandchil- the new tobacco-free policy in his video message. “Emory needs to set the dren. Stephen Sencer serves as general bar on what constitutes good behavior on campus and make the environ- counsel of Emory. Susan Sencer-Mura is ment a better place to work and live in.” a pediatric oncologist in Minneapolis, Since 2001, the Rollins-based Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium and Ann Sencer is an oncology nurse (TTAC) has worked with states and communities to protect the public practitioner at Emory University Hos- from smoking. In 2009, the Global Health Institute and TTAC joined with pital Midtown.—Pam Auchmutey health leaders and cities in China to develop strategies for tobacco control. esy of C D of esy rt cou o t The China project is supported by a major grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To make a memorial gift to the David J. Sencer MD, MPH, Scholarship Fund, please Web Connection: To hear James Curran and Jeffrey Koplan advocate for a tobacco-
“Kissing Bugs” Pho Bugs” “Kissing visit sph.emory.edu/alumni_gift. free Emory campus, visit bit.ly/emorytobaccofree.
fall 2011 public health magazine 5 Curran receives national AIDS award
RSPH Dean James Curran, a pioneer in HIV/AIDS prevention, is the recipi- ent of the 2011 Ryan White Distin- guished Leadership Award. In Brief Curran was recently honored by the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention (RCAP), a joint project of Indiana University, the University of Colorado, and the Gary Rollins (left) and Charles Hatcher (right) congratulate Michael Kutner, recipient of the University of Kentucky. 2011 Charles R. Hatcher Jr. M.D. Award for Excellence in Public Health. He accepted the award at the rcap conference last spring. Biostatistician personifies When the first cases of AIDS were reported in James Curran public health excellence 1981, Curran led a CDC task force to investigate the epidemic Serving 35 years as an Emory of the school in 1990, Kutner and worked with the CDC and NIH biostatistician easily qualifies became the first associate dean to understand the cause and epi- Michael Kutner for a place in Rol- for academic affairs. He played a demiology of the disease within a lins history. His career is inter- major role in creating the orga- global context. He remains an inter- twined with the founding of the nizational structure of the school nationally known leader in the field school and the growth of biosta- and securing its initial accredita- as a professor of epidemiology at tistics as an integral part of health tion. In 2004, he was named Rol- Rollins and co-director of the Emory sciences research. lins Professor and chair of what is Center for AIDS Research. For his accomplishments, the now the Department of Biostatis- Curran is the fourth recipient of school presented Kutner with tics and Bioinformatics. Although the Ryan White Distinguished Lead- the Charles R. Hatcher Jr. M.D. Kutner stepped down as chair in ership Award, established by RCAP Award for Excellence in Pub- 2009, he continues to teach, write, in 2009 and named for the rural lic Health. Kutner is the ninth and conduct research. Indiana teenager who contracted recipient of the award, named in Last year, in return for his suc- HIV through a contaminated blood honor of Hatcher for his commit- cess after nearly 50 years of teach- treatment for hemophilia in 1984. At ment to public health. Hatcher, ing, he established the Michael that time, AIDS largely was perceived the award’s first recipient, was H. Kutner Award in Biostatistics, as a disease that affected homo- instrumental in the creation of which recognizes distinguished sexuals. White became a national the School of Public Health as rsph graduates in the field, and spokesperson on AIDS and helped Emory’s vice president for health the Michael H. Kutner Fund, change public perception about the affairs. which supports outstanding PhD disease. Following his death at age During the mid-1980s, Kut- candidates. 18 in 1990, the U.S. Congress passed ner was part of a small working Just recently, Kutner added legislation to create the Ryan White group that formulated a strategic the 2011 W.J. Dixon Award for HIV/AIDS Program. It remains the plan for a school of public health. Excellence in Statistical Consult- largest provider of services for low- When Hatcher, Emory President ing, presented by the American income, uninsured, and underinsured James Laney, and the Board of Statistical Association, to his long patients and their families. Trustees approved formation list of honors.
6 public health magazine fall 2011 In Brief
The “Baloney” exhibit is on display in the Environs Gallery in the Department of Environmental Health. The photographs by Caroline Rumley depict the impact of additives oline Rumley Car oline y on the safety of cereal, os b os t hot dogs, and other
Pho processed foods. Environs Gallery blends art and environmental science A blank canvas. That’s what Karen Levy thought as she surveyed the ample wall space on the second floor of the Claudia Nance Rollins (CNR) Building. Levy is not an artist. She’s an environmental scientist assigned to enhance her department’s visual surroundings prior to moving into the new CNR Building last summer. With the support of Department of Environmental Health Chair Paige Tolbert, Levy reached out to Emory’s Center for Creativity & Arts with a concept to bring the bare walls to life with artistic interpretations of environ- mental health topics. Her efforts led her to Mark Wentzel, a professor in the sculpture department at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Last fall, they opened Four Fields, a pilot exhibit to connect environmental health themes with art. The exhibit Karen Levy collaborated with the Savannah College of Art and Design to featured the work of four Atlanta-based artists including develop rotating exhibits with an environmental health theme. Wentzel, Susan Krause, Steve Jarvis, and Allen Peterson. Their sculptures approached issues of science and environ- dogs and bologna. According to the exhibit description, the mental health from a creative point of view. additive is exempt from the FDA’s regulation process, even “The exhibits push our thoughts about the broader mean- though it has been linked to cancer. ing of environmental health,” says Levy. “It’s interesting to Rumley’s photographs are displayed in the Environs Gal- read or hear about science, but to view science in an artistic lery, located in the department’s break room, where faculty, manner has been useful in expanding the way that we think staff, and students gather. Future ideas for the initiative about these topics.” include additional rotating art pieces, panel discussions, Currently, the second exhibit, titled “Baloney,” features student competitions, and student exchange programs to the photography of Caroline Rumley. The series of seven cross-pollinate ideas between artists and scientists in various photographs illustrates basic food items such as cereal and fields of study throughout Rollins. bread to depict the impact of additives on the safety of As Levy notes, “This is an opportunity to gain knowledge, processed foods. The exhibit’s title is a reference to the use of expand thoughts about research, and scientifically and cre- sodium nitrate to stabilize the red color in meats such as hot atively interpret our surroundings.”—Tarvis E. Thompson
fall 2011 public health magazine 7 The rewards of community
In Brief partnership
A few years ago, the Emory Prevention Research Center (EPRC) and the Southwest Georgia Can- cer Coalition joined forces to reduce cancer rates in 31 rural counties. Last spring, the EPRC was The Emory Prevention Research Center was honored for engaging honored for engaging those communities in cancer communities in cancer prevention research. Sharing the honor are (L-R) Johanna Hinman 98MPH, EPRC associate director of operations; J.K. prevention research. Veluswammy, program coordinator of the Southwest Georgia Cancer The EPRC is one of 11 Prevention Research Cen- Coalition; Sandra Daniel, vice chair, and Darrell Saabs, chair of the ters (PRCs) to receive the inaugural Community- Community Advisory Board; and Michelle Kegler, EPRC director. Based Participatory Research Best Practice Award, presented by the National Community Commit- Community Advisory Board members, who have been so tee. The group represents community partners passionate about guiding us in designing research projects of the 37 PRCs funded by the CDC in the United and programs that are relevant and address priority concerns States. It created the award to recognize the role in southwest Georgia.” of community partners in designing, implement- Established in 2004, the EPRC works with families and ing, and disseminating research. communities to encourage healthy eating and physical activ- “To be honored by community leaders dem- ity to address health problems such as obesity and to prevent onstrates that our efforts to engage community cancer. The Community Advisory Board guides the work of members are meaningful,” says EPRC Director the EPRC and partners such as the Southwest Georgia Cancer Michelle Kegler. “This award is a tribute to our Coalition, based in Albany.
The Class of 2013 includes the first King Abdullah Fellows from the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. Shown here are (standing L-R) Richard Levinson, Lea Matar, Roger Rochat, Saud Hamed Alzahrani (fellow), Mohammed Osama Alwafi (fellow), Hisham Bashawri (fellow), Scott McNabb, Mohammed Jamal Alkhalawi (fellow), and Fawaz Saror Alrasheedi (fellow). Seated (L-R) are Anila Naz, James Curran, and Fatima Younis Al Slail (fellow).
For the third consecutive year, new international students. Saudi Arabia. Last year, Emory Another the RSPH has set a record for The 114 students, who and the Saudi Ministry of new enrollment. The incoming represent 19% of the incoming Health signed an agreement to record start class includes approximately class, speak 70 languages provide training and research 501 degree-seeking students and dialects and include 40 opportunities for public health for Rollins representing 43 states and students from China and students and professionals. 28 countries. Rollins also the first eight King Abdullah Adjunct professor Scott welcomed its largest group of Fellows from the Kingdom of McNabb is their adviser.
8 public health magazine fall 2011 Jeremy Sarnat uses equipment developed by Georgia Tech to measure the pollutants Atlanta
commuters are exposed to inside In Brief their cars.
Each of the 100 study participants undergoes a bat- tery of tests, including blood gas and other cardiovascular measurements, the day before their commute and again after finishing their afternoon drive. Half of those enrolled in the study have asthma. The information gathered on how specific pollutants affect the drivers, and under what circumstances, can help inform discussions about traf- fic patterns, highway expansion, land use, and health, says Sarnat, associate professor of environmental health. “Even the smallest changes in oxi- dative stress among the participants Is commuting harmful tells us something,” he says. “We may be able to help individuals who are at greater risk so that they can make to your health? informed decisions about when, for instance, to start their commutes or Jeremy Sarnat has an ACE up his sleeve pollutants drivers are exposed to inside which routes to take.” when it comes measuring how com- their cars. Sarnat received national attention muting affects the health of Atlanta Participants go through a two- this year when the International Society drivers. It also helped him garner a hour commute in the morning and of Exposure Science (ISES) presented major award for environmental health again in the evening on two different him with the 2011 Joan M. Daisey research. days, driving along “scripted” routes Outstanding Young Scientist Award for Sarnat leads the EPA-funded Atlanta provided by Rollins and Georgia his work in human exposure analysis. Commuters’ Exposure (ACE) study. Tech researchers. Most of the time, The award honors the memory of Using sophisticated air analyzers and they drive Atlanta’s busy interstates, Daisey, an ISES founder and nationally other instrumentation developed at although they also traverse some sur- recognized expert on indoor air qual- Georgia Tech, ACE measures what face streets. ity.—Mike King
Emory Public Health Emory Public Health received a Grand a Bronze Medal in the Photographer of the Gold Award in the 2011 District III Awards Year category for her photos of Haiti. Meltz receives honors Program sponsored by the Council for visited the nation three times to document Advancement and Support of Education its recovery from the 2010 earthquake. She SPRING 2010 FALL 2010 (CASE). The magazine was honored for its recently published a book, After: Images 2010 issues on “Caring for Haiti” and “Rising from Haiti, in collaboration with the Global
Jean Cadet packed three bags of supplies, a tent, and his Rollins education. to New Heights: 35 Years of Public Health at Initiative for the Advancement of Nutritional Then he went home. Caring for Haiti Emory” in the alumni magazine category. Therapy, led by Alawode Oladele 93MPH.
Rising to CASE also recognized Bryan Meltz, the To view the winning magazine issues and new heights magazine’s photography director, in its photos, visit publichealthmagazine.emory. 35 Years of Public Health at Emory Parkinson’s Disease | Health and Statistics | Obesity and Chronic Disease 1518 Clifton Road | From the Ground Up | Public Health 24/7 national award competition. Meltz earned edu.
fall 2011 public health magazine 9 defining research and Training in emergency preparedness and response the science of being readyby Pam Auchmutey and Robin Tricoles
In the event of a zombie epidemic, Ali S. Khan 00MPH is the go-to expert.
Last May, he wrote a CDC blog post enforcement, and other experts who as Hurricane Katrina, wildfires, or the playing off the popularity of The Walk- play a role in emergency preparedness recent tsunami in Japan. The impact of ing Dead tv series filmed in Atlanta. and response. “What changed,” says these modern-day disasters has grown But the message behind the blog was Khan, “was the recognition of how more extreme, driven by population real: reminding the public to prepare at critical public health is to the security density, dependence on goods and home for possible emergencies. of our nation.” “The zombie blog was the best $87 “It’s not just about preparing for Studies conducted by Rollins researchers ever spent in the history of public a large, unexplained, or unpredict- provide much-needed scientific evidence to improve how experts and volunteers prepare health,” says Khan, director of the able event,” he adds. “It’s also about for and respond to disasters. Office of Public Health Preparedness responding to routine public health and Response at the CDC. “We reached events every day.” services from other countries, climate 3.6 billion people, who read or heard In the past 50 years, the potential change, and land-use patterns. about the blog. All fun aside, the zom- and capacity of a few individuals to In light of today’s threats, RSPH bies reminded people how public health intentionally harm large populations— researchers are growing the science protects them every day.” through infectious disease agents, to enhance how communities plan No one would deny that protect- chemical weapons, nuclear or radio- for and respond to disasters and thus ing the public’s health has become logic devices, explosives, and tamper- strengthen the public health system and an increasingly critical and complex ing with food and water sources—has community preparedness. endeavor. A decade ago, 9/11 and the greatly intensified. “We have to consider all hazards,” anthrax attacks that followed altered Compounding preparedness worries says Ruth Berkelman, Rollins Professor the mindset of public health, law is the threat of natural disasters such and director of the Center for Public
10 public health magazine fall 2011 The Right SORT of Help Students provide extra hands in emergencies
In 1996, a disgruntled laboratory worker intentionally sickened several people at St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas. Twelve co- workers became ill after eating baked goods infected with a rare strain of Shigella, which causes dysentery. Shauna Mettee 09 MSN/MPH, then an Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory Fellow at the CDC, accompanied the agency’s investigative team to the scene. During that time, she gained experience and formed relationships that would later benefit her and other RSPH students. More than 10 years later, she joined Rollins’ Student Outbreak and Response Team (SORT), a volunteer group trained to assist with local outbreak investigations and emergency preparedness. Formed in 2002, SORT was the
Ali S. Khan leads the CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response and co-teaches the Emerging Infectious Diseases course with Ruth Berkelman at Rollins. brainchild of Sara Forsting 01MSPH, then an epidemiologist with the DeKalb County Board of Health Center for Public Preparedness. Rollins Professor Ruth Berkelman supported the idea. The program took off as students took the lead to improve community health in partnership with local and state experts. In 2008, Mettee began thinking about how to broaden SORT’s scope. With Berkelman’s encouragement, Mettee and SORT co-leader Amy Williams 09MPH reached out to the CDC. Ian Williams, chief of the Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch, advocated for the collaboration, which included obtaining CDC badges for the entire team—an essential asset when SORT’s 40 members are asked to work at the agency during outbreak responses. To date, 200 students have participated in SORT. All are trained in disaster preparedness through the National Incident Management Command System and are certified as Red continued on page 13
fall 2011 public health magazine 11 Ruth Berkelman, an expert on emerging infectious diseases, serves on the National Biodefense Science Board and the Homeland Security Review Committee.
“We’re still in a nascent Ellen Whitney, who helped investigate the anthrax attacks in 2001, oversees Rollins’ stage of preparedness research projects in emergency preparedness and response. research. We need to know how people respond. If an event happens in and other federal agencies. concurs. “We are building new areas Research and collaborations estab- of research that will supplement and a community, what will lished by the CPHPR laid the ground- improve the public health response,” work for receiving a multi-year cdc says Whitney, a former cdc epidemi- make that community grant to establish the Emory Pre- ologist who assisted with the 2001 more resilient?”—Ruth paredness and Emergency Response anthrax investigation. Research Center (perrc), one of seven Berkelman such centers funded in 2008 across the Closing the immunization loop country. These centers were the result Four interdisciplinary perrc projects Health Preparedness and Research of the first federal funding to schools are building that science. A project led (CPHPR). “One way we are conducting of public health to address the need by vaccine safety expert Saad Omer has research is by examining a number of for an evidence base for public health yielded new best practices and policies, recent disasters, finding ‘lessons learned,’ preparedness programs. based on the Haemophilus influenzae and sharing them with our partners in “We’re still in a nascent stage of Type b (Hib) vaccine shortages from public health and the community.” preparedness and disaster research,” 2007 to 2009 and the response to Before leading the center, Berkelman says Berkelman, who directs the Emory pandemic H1N1 influenza in 2009. To served as a senior public health official perrc.“We need to know how people gather evidence, Omer’s team surveyed at the cdc and in 2000 became a con- respond. If an event happens in a com- two groups—immunization program sultant to the Nuclear Threat Initiative munity, what will make that commu- managers (IPMs) and health care in the area of biologic weapons and nity more resilient? How can they rely providers with the goal of examining disease surveillance, while also teaching on their public health department, and the U.S. immunization system and its a course on emerging infectious dis- how can we make that public health capacity for effectively distributing vac- eases at Rollins. Following 9/11, Dean department more potent working in cines and other countermeasures during James Curran recruited her to lead the collaboration with others?” an emergency. CPHPR, established with a gift from the Ellen Whitney 01mph, director of Data collected from IPMs on the Hib O. Wayne Rollins Foundation and sup- research projects for the CPHPR and vaccine shortage suggest that improving ported with funding from the cdc, nih, associate director of the Emory PERRC, vaccine transfer between jurisdictions
12 public health magazine fall 2011 the right sort of help (continued)
Cross disaster volunteers. Students often take elective courses at Rollins, such as Public Health Preparedness and Bioterrorism, co-taught by Berkelman and global health Professor Phil Brachman (who investigated inhalational anthrax during the 1950s), and Emerging Infectious Diseases, co-taught by Berkelman shauna mettee 09msn/mph Khan relies on Rollins students to help staff and Ali S. Khan the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center during disease outbreaks. 00MPH. FBI instructors provide bioterrorism training, and Khan leads training in the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Last year, SORT members helped staff “It’s not just about preparing for a large, unexplained, the EOC during outbreak investigations of or unpredictable event. It’s also about responding to cholera in Haiti and cases of Salmonella Montevideo traced to Italian meat spices. routine public health events every day.”—Ali S. Khan Locally, they assisted DeKalb County with a flu immunization clinic and a MARTA disaster drill. and using immunization informa- results, the Association of Immu- Students also attended a national summit on tion systems to track compliance nization Managers developed public health preparedness and sponsored with shortage recommendations new national recommendations activities at Rollins, including a tour of Emory’s by providers could help the U.S. for working more closely with EP mock BSL-4 laboratory. Daniel Brencic and immunization system respond program managers to improve Carrie McNeil, current co-presidents of SORT, more effectively to future vaccine their response. plan to broaden its relationships further. shortages and emergencies. In Washington state, a survey Students carry their SORT experiences with During a crisis, state health of health providers showed that them after graduation. Heidi Moline 10MPH, an departments turn to their IPMs pharmacies could play a stron- associate analyst with the Union of Concerned and emergency preparedness (EP) ger role during public health Scientists in Washington, D.C., leads a project program managers to respond. emergencies by participating in looking at how science is maintained and used In 2010, Omer’s team studied disaster training, enhancing surge in decision-making during disasters. At the how immunization programs and capacity, and improving com- CDC, Williams helped create a toolkit that U.S. practices managed the response to munication and collaborations in health departments use to assess the needs of H1N1 in 2009. public health. reproductive-age women affected by disasters. Researchers considered several “The pharmacies stood out as Mettee served two years as a CDC Epidemic factors: vaccine campaign man- being a big provider in terms of Intelligence Service officer and is now a CDC agement, collaborations between their reach into communities,” Preventive Medicine Fellow assigned to work state immunization and emer- says project coordinator Katy Seib with three local county health departments. gency preparedness programs, 10MPH. “They indicated a desire Her assignment, she says, “will be the the use of incident command and for more outreach from their local perfect synergy of my experience with emergency operations centers, the health departments.” SORT—combining the federal and local county use of immunization information During a vaccine shortage or public health perspective and developing systems, and communication with crisis, providers depend on local and applying more leadership skills.”—Pam health providers. Based on the and state health departments for Auchmutey
fall 2011 public health magazine 13 Drills are imperative to ensuring a coordinated and effective response to public health emergencies. For example, information. As Omer’s team learned, of health policy and management, is the RSPH played a leading role in a local providers prefer using email, phone, looking at ways to improve disaster drill to dispense medication to prevent anthrax. The drill involved health, and fax instead of Twitter and text planning for both types of providers. emergency response, and other partners in messaging for communication. Early “There’s a great deal of attention five Atlanta metro-area counties. findings regarding communication were paid to hospitals in preparedness,” says Top left: Volunteers do intake in Fulton quickly disseminated to Washington’s Howard. “This is a chance to focus on a County. local health departments, which used segment of the provider community that Bottom left: Volunteers dispense this information in allocating their has received little attention previously.” medication in Clayton County. increasingly scarce resources. Identify- In San Diego, nursing homes have Top right: Ellen Whitney interviews the ing such factors streamlines the public banded together to share resources and incident commander in Gwinnett County. health response. information during a disaster in order
Bottom right: Kathy Miner conducts a video “We’re learning valuable lessons that to know who has supplies and avail- interview in Clayton County. Data collected will raise the quality of evidence to able beds. during drills such as this help participating influence policy at the national level and “One of the real strengths of the agencies refine their collective response to a real emergency. practice at the local level,” says Omer. model is that preparedness planners meet before a disaster occurs and build A safety net for nursing homes up a community of informal ties they When a disaster occurs, what happens can draw on when disaster strikes,” to patients who are confined to nurs- says Howard. “We think this might be ing homes or depend on a home health a good model for other jurisdictions to provider? David Howard, a PERRC follow because it doesn’t tax govern- project leader and associate professor ment resources.”
14 public health magazine fall 2011 A biosafety expert is suited up to investigate the spread of anthrax bacteria (shown above) through the mail in Washington, D.C., in 2001.
Kathy Miner leads a research project examining the role of incident command systems and emergency operation centers during public health crises. “What 9/11 and anthrax made clear is that public health is a primary response agency.”—kathy miner
Howard’s team has surveyed 296 Commanding the situation unfold as anticipated,” says Miner, nursing homes in California, Florida, In 2009, San Diego became ground whose project looks at how incident and Georgia—all disaster-prone states— zero for H1N1 in the United States. command systems (icss) and emergency about their preparedness planning and The cases spread from neighbor- operations centers (eocs) are used in capabilities. In coastal Georgia, many ing Mexico, where H1N1 was first response to public health crises. nursing homes rely on the same trans- detected. San Diego County’s response When the first case of H1N1 was
s portation providers for evacuation. to the potential pandemic makes for identified, San Diego County public In the event of a widespread disaster, a compelling case study in an Emory health officer Wilma Wooten stepped up bus and ambulance services would be PERRC project led by Professor Kathy to ensure coordination of activities in tty I mag e Ge tty / overtaxed. And evacuating patients to Miner 79mph, associate dean for the county health department and with A F P a local hospital would be impossible applied public health. local hospitals and community provid- J A FFE/ because hospitals frequently discharge “The H1N1 cases in San Diego ers. Wooten quickly established an eoc patients, often to nursing homes, in marked the first time that public health and organized county public health staff E PH N ST order to prepare for a surge. assumed the lead emergency manage- into an ics structure to meet the epide- “Doing a better job of system-wide ment role in a major event. We didn’t miologic and disease control challenges. planning is an important step going expect ‘ground zero’ in the U.S. to Through case studies of H1N1 in
washington post: post: washington forward,” says Howard. emerge in this way, and events didn’t San Diego and the 2009 ice storm in
fall 2011 public health magazine 15 Kentucky, Miner’s team is determining public health workforce via podcasts, “The fact that colleges best practices in emergency planning CD-ROMS, web-based lectures, case and response. The investigators and the studies, and other types of interac- and universities are part National Association of County and tive training. Since its inception, CPHP of the community and City Health Officials also are surveying distributed more than 57,000 copies state and local health departments to of instructional materials to state and don’t typically relocate assess their use of icss and eocs. local public health workers in Georgia As Miner explains, “We’re asking, and the nation. make them an ideal ‘Did you use incident command? Did “What 9/11 and anthrax made partner to public health you open an emergency operations clear is that public health is a primary center? And as a result of that, have response agency,” says Miner. “When agencies.” —Alexander you started to think about using those that awareness occurred, there was an systems for other responses?’ If their understanding that we have to prepare Isakov answer is ‘yes,’ that tells us that all of the public health workforce on how to the training and preparation for one assume this role.” Isakov’s team to undertake a PERRC event may change the way they think project exploring how colleges and about public health in the future.” Schooled in disasters universities can collaborate with disaster Miner has done her own share of In August 2005, the massive flooding response agencies to increase and sustain preparedness training. From 2002 to caused by Hurricane Katrina forced community readiness and response. 2010, she and Melissa Alperin 91mph thousands of Gulf Coast evacuees into “Traditionally, academic institu- led the Center for Public Health Pre- Georgia. The Emory community rallied tions are viewed as providing educa- paredness (CPHP). The center excelled to cushion the evacuees’ arrival. tion and training for preparedness,” in using technology to train Georgia’s Emory’s response led Alexander says Isakov, associate professor of
Sean Kaufman (seated) and his team have trained more than 2,000 researchers worldwide to minimize their risk of infection when handling pathogens in high-level biosafety laboratories.
Sean Kaufman’s job takes him all over the country and around the world. Though it may sound glamorous, his job is vital to protecting researchers who work with deadly diseases in biosafety laboratories. These high-tech, highly secure facilities handle viruses such as Ebola, Marburg Ebola, and Lassa fever. To minimize the risk of infection, researchers must master a multitude of safety measures and operating standards. There’s no better way to learn than through a hands-on training course in a mock biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory, says Kaufman. Here he wants trainees to make mistakes Biosafety Net because there is little room for error in a real laboratory. “You can learn about BSL emergencies from textbooks,” Sean Kaufman protects laboratory workers who handle the says Kaufman, “the same way you theoretically can learn most dangerous pathogens in the world
16 public health magazine fall 2011 emergency medicine and executive “The fact that colleges and universi- logistics infrastructure to distribute the director of Emory’s Office of Critical ties are part of the community and drugs to the community, reaching tens Event Preparedness and Response. “But don’t typically relocate make them an of thousands of people in some cases. we believe they’re an often-overlooked ideal partner to public health agencies,” Because funding and preparation for community partner when response says Isakov. disasters are cyclical, establishing rela- agencies are seeking to solve their Through PERRC, Isakov’s team tionships and cooperative plans before disaster response needs.” looked at several FEMA-declared a disaster is essential, especially when Those needs are vast and diverse: disasters to compare academic institu- funding is tight. physical resources, such as shelter for tions that partnered with public health “Relationships are key,” says Berkel- evacuees; a solid public communica- response agencies and those that did man. “Although we have different tions infrastructure; robust Internet not during specific events. cultures, we’ve learned to understand technology resources; and subject mat- The researchers found that having a each other and work together far better ter expertise in public health, clinical shared response plan and shared field than 10 years ago.” and veterinary medicine, engineering, training helps schools and agencies Her observation is timely, given nursing, theological and pastoral care, work together more effectively. They that federal funding for preparedness and language translation. also found that central coordination research and training at schools of pub- Although an array of expertise is of academic institutions’ resources lic health has been targeted for elimina- needed to effectively manage disaster facilitates collaborative action with tion in 2012 because of budget cuts. response, all disasters have fundamen- the public health response agency. For But the need to secure the scientific tal managerial elements that must be example, if a public health agency evidence for preparedness programs met. One is physical stability, a crucial needs to distribute drugs for prophy- remains. As rsph Dean James Curran aspect of disaster preparedness that is laxis or post-exposure, schools could notes, “We must know what works in often overlooked. leverage their communications and our communities to keep them safe.”
to swim from a PowerPoint presentation. But the only if they try to walk across the room. “Students realize they real way to learn how to respond to BSL emergencies is are thinking at the speed of light, but they are moving at by responding. Our program bridges the gap between the speed of a turtle,” says Kaufman. knowing something and being able to do it quickly and with In another scenario, he tells a participant to pretend to minimum risk.” collapse on the floor. Other participants are inclined to rush Kaufman designed the biosafety training course seven over to the person, but what if a second person goes down? years ago after Ruth Berkelman, director of the Center for How do you move an unconscious co-worker? (Answer: with Public Health Preparedness and Research, received an NIH plastic trays.) How does one get out of the laboratory if the grant to create such a program. Berkelman tapped him for power has gone out? (Form a conga line to exit.) his expertise in human behavior and his affinity for working Since Kaufman designed the program, more than on infectious disease issues. 2,000 participants have come through the doors of the “Previously, training was behavior-based with little or mock laboratory on Emory’s Briarcliff Campus, including no simulation training,” he says. “With hands-on training, those from as far away as Pakistan, India, Singapore, and we can move people from being novices, we can put them the Philippines. In the past 12 months, he has traveled safely in settings of a laboratory emergency, and overall, to Jordan, Switzerland, India, Mexico, and Honduras, in we can begin to create experts.” addition to traveling domestically to the University of Training scenarios are designed to induce frustration or Florida, George Mason University, and UCLA. bSL-4 laboratory panic. For example, learning how to move around in heavy For Kaufman, the best part of the job “is when pathogens: ebola protection gear is a feat in itself. Just squatting to pick up participants learn to do something they thought (top), marburg Ebola, a dropped object is an exercise in strength and balance. impossible that will protect them in a laboratory and lassa fever Participants are tethered to air hoses and are yanked back emergency.”—Kay Torrance
fall 2011 public health magazine 17 Sherry Chen, a second-year student in the Master’s International Program, picks vegetables at a community garden tended by women from Burundi. peace be with you Rollins ramps up its programs for aspiring and returned Peace Corps volunteers
by Patrick Adams 09MPH and Pam Auchmutey
t’s been two years since the Our Community Farm gardening, primarily among the large refugee population in Project took root on a converted playground in Deca- DeKalb County. What the network needs most is more land. tur, Georgia. Every Saturday, refugee women from Maggie Bale 12mph has helped find it. Last spring, she Burundi arrive early in the morning to tend the vegeta- applied her skills in Geographic Information Systems and bles and fruits they produce to help feed their families mapping to pinpoint locations in nearby Clarkston, Geor- Iand sell at a local farmer’s market. Organized by Refugee gia, that could be developed as urban gardens. While Bale’s Family Services, the successful project led to formation of work not only benefits Clarkston’s refugee committee, it also the Global Growers Network of Georgia to expand urban is preparing her for her next assignment after she graduates
18 public health magazine fall 2011 Left: Kristin Unzicker (center) leads an exercise with the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows at the Clarkston Community Center. The fellows, all Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, manage the Master’s International Program, which prepares Rollins students for Peace Corps service after they graduate. The fellows and students work with the refugee community in Clarkston, an experience that mimics Peace Corps service through community engagement.
next year. Bale is among a growing number of Rollins students enrolled in the Master’s Inter- national (mi) Program, which prepares them for Peace Corps service overseas. “I came to Emory with a strong knowledge of what it means to be a Peace Corps volunteer,” says Bale, whose two older brothers are Returned “I spent my Peace Corps Peace Corps Volunteers (rpcvs). Her brother experience trying to Jeff enrolled at Rollins this fall. “But what my figure out how to be brothers couldn’t give me through their stories a better public health was real-world experience. The Master’s Inter- professional in the field. national Program provides that experience by And because I struggled helping me work with refugees, one of the most underserved—and international—populations in with that at times, I Atlanta.” wanted to help ease the Real-world experience is exactly what Kristin process for others.” Unzicker 02mph had in mind when she joined Master’s International student Maggie Bale plans —Kristin Unzicker, Director, Rollins five years ago to direct leadership and to join the Peace Corps after she graduates. Her Leadership and Community- community-engaged learning in the Office of brother Jeff, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Engaged Learning Admission and Student Services. While she spends from Namibia, enrolled at Rollins this fall. much of her time helping students connect with the local Atlanta community, she has devoted the article to combat hiv/aids in Africa, she called up her Peace bulk of her energy to revamping the same mi pro- Corps placement officer to reactivate her application. Within gram she went through as a Rollins student. two months she was bound for Botswana, where she became Like many earlier alumni of the program, a district aids coordinator in a small village in the middle of Unzicker declined her Peace Corps assignment to the Kalahari. Her volunteer and student experiences helped pursue another opportunity after graduating from in reshaping Rollins’ mi curriculum. Rollins. In her case, she joined the Society for “I spent my Peace Corps experience trying to figure out Public Health Education in Washington, D.C. Two how to be a better public health professional in the field— years later, ready for a change and inspired by an how to apply the things I learned in school at the community
fall 2011 public health magazine 19 level in Botswana,” Unzicker says. “And because I struggled with that at times, I wanted to help ease that process for others.” Subsequent research by Unzicker and others showed that mi students wanted more contact with one another and with the Peace Corps com- munity. When the students began to meet, eight students were in the mi program. That was 2009. A year later, eight had grown to 16, and the regular meetings had morphed into weekly seminars, many of them led by rpcvs, who could speak about using community needs assessment tools or the challenges of integrating into the local community. Those rpcvs also spearheaded the mi program’s new service-based learning component by establishing partnerships with local refugee settlement and service agencies in Clarkston. “The aim was to create something that mimics the Peace Corps experience,” says Unzicker. Today, the mi program achieves that with its two-year service time frame and “global done want to do,” says Sumaya Karimi, a family advocate with the local” approach to community development. Clarkston Development Foundation who teaches a commu- Just as rpcvs are assigned to local organiza- nity transformation course at Rollins. “The students help fill tions overseas, mi students are assigned to one of that void.” several locally based orga- Sherry Chen, an mi student involved with the Our Com- nizations—Refugee Family munity Farm Project, worked through a translator to help Services, Lutheran Services refugee women learn to navigate the bus system to travel of Georgia, Clarkston to and from the garden site in Decatur. She also helped the Development Foundation, women gain access to health care. the Center for Pan Asian “The experience taught me how to be flexible and adapt to Community Services, Fugees different circumstances, especially when there is a language Family, the Global Village barrier,” says Chen. “You learn how to overcome obstacles School, Jewish Family and and keep going.” Career Services, and Refugee Resettlement and Immigra- A welcome change tion Services of Atlanta—for Chen has a rich pool of expertise from which to draw. A “Mentoring lets me tell the whole of their Rollins pair of rpcvs—Deb McFarland, now associate professor of my stories to a captive experience. mi students have global health, and Jim Setzer, former program coordinator assisted their refugee part- in international health—established Rollins’ mi program in audience that hasn’t ners—or “counterparts” in 1999. Last year, the school’s 42 rpcvs accounted for more heard them a thousand Peace Corps parlance—with than 5% of the total student population. Up until two years times. It’s also a great literacy tutoring, the creation ago, those rpcvs had never been tapped to mentor mi stu- way to stay connected of health education cur- dents. Getting the rpcvs involved was a welcome change. to the Peace Corps after ricula, and development of “Mentoring lets me tell my stories to a captive audience having been back for a surveys to assess the impact that hasn’t heard them a thousand times,” says Lisandro year and a half.” of new programming. Torre, who volunteered in Uganda before enrolling at Rollins “A lot of times, organiza- to study global epidemiology. “It’s also a great way to stay —Lisandro Torre, Returned Peace tions don’t have enough connected to the Peace Corps after having been back for a Corps Volunteer, Uganda staff to do the things they year and a half.”
20 public health magazine fall 2011 “Public health remains an important part of our DNA. One thing that has not changed is the enthusiasm and commitment that is so palpable at a school that is at the center of public health leadership.”
—Aaron Williams, director of the Peace Corps, established in 1961
Today, 33 Rollins students are graduated with the highest of service honors. enrolled in the mi program, and 11 Fleming and Jonathan Schultz received Rollins’ students who graduated last May have James W. Alley Award and Eugene J. Gangarosa accepted Peace Corps assignments. This Award, respectively. Rebecca Egner received year, more than 200 applicants to Rol- Emory’s Humanitarian Award. lins expressed interest in the program. No less engaged are the school’s mi students, Unzicker attributes much of the mi one of whom was among the record number of program’s success to another initiative. Emory graduates to receive a Fulbright Schol- Two years ago, Rollins began pilot- arship this year. Eric Harshfield 11mph was ing the Peace Corps’ Paul D. Coverdell awarded a Fulbright for a project in South Africa Fellows Program, which offers finan- aimed at empowering communities to improve cial assistance to returned volunteers, their health and well-being through improved contingent upon their participation in access to water and sanitation facilities. But underserved American communities. Harshfield turned down the Fulbright for a Peace Peace Corps Director The rsph now has eight Coverdell Fel- Corps assignment as a public health coordinator Aaron Williams met the lows, who manage the mi program. in Cameroon. He chose the Peace Corps “because Coverdell Fellows when he visited the school to “It’s essentially an extension of their it is a two-year experience and involves close inte- formalize its fellowship service in the U.S.,” says Unzicker. “We gration with the community,” he says. program. Rollins found in talking to recent graduates currently has eight Coverdell Fellows. that the mi program was one of their 50 years of peace and friendship The first three fellows favorite aspects of the Rollins experi- Fifty years ago this past March, President John F. graduated last May. ence. They forged strong ties with the Kennedy signed Executive Order 10924, establish- refugee community in Clarkston and ing the Peace Corps to promote peace and friend- gained a better understanding of the public health context ship around the world. In September, Peace Corps after two years of assisting a single organization.” Director Aaron Williams visited Rollins to formal- For Coverdell Fellow Paul Fleming 11mph, the program’s ize the Coverdell Fellows Program and commemo- service learning component made the return home from rate the Peace Corps–public health partnership. Nicaragua all the more palatable. “To get involved right “Public health remains an important part of our away at the community level—that’s something you really DNA,” said Williams, who served as a Peace Corps miss,” he says. “It’s much harder to find that in the U.S.” volunteer in the late 1960s. “One thing that has What does the Peace Corps make of the new model? not changed is the enthusiasm and commitment “Other schools have various iterations of preparing students that is so palpable at a school that is at the center for Peace Corps service, and Rollins is one that is truly out- of leadership in public health.” standing,” says Eric Goldman, manager of Master’s Interna- As Williams noted, more than 400 Emory tional and the Office of Diversity and National Outreach at alumni have joined the Peace Corps since its Peace Corps headquarters in Washington. inception. Of the 30 alumni who currently serve, At Goldman’s invitation, Unzicker presented on the Rollins 16 are Rollins graduates. model last year at the Peace Corps’ biennial conference for “We’re going to double that number next year,” mi institutions in Washington, describing before an audience says Unzicker. “We’re preparing them to be the of 100 coordinators how the programs complement one best volunteers they can be—adaptable, flexible, another to benefit both students and refugees. and patient people capable of listening, reflecting, With sufficient funding, those programs will continue to and integrating into the community. Not only do expand. As recruiting tools go, there may be nothing more they go as public health professionals, they go as effective. Last May, Rollins’ first three Coverdell Fellows representatives of Rollins.”
fall 2011 public health magazine 21 The Community Advisory Board in 1991. Members included (front L-R) Alicia Philipp, Betty Fuller, Leslie Graitcer, (middle) Ingrid Saunders Jones, Alexis Scott Reeves, Cathy Selig, Carlos Martel, (top) Cecil Phillips, Ray Greenberg, John Holder, and Bud Seretean. Dean’s Council marks 20 years of school advocacy
Three current members Several years ago, a conversation in Burma put I call ‘bookend support’—our group believes in have chaired the Anne Kaiser on the path to becoming chair of the who we are and what we do. Our members excel Deans’ Council. Shown RSPH Dean’s Council. in providing that support to the school.” with James Curran are (L-R) Cecil Phillips, “I have had an interest in global nutrition and For the past 20 years, Dean’s Council members Anne Kaiser, and water quality for quite some time through travels have met regularly to learn about the RSPH from Lawrence Klamon. with my husband around the world,” says Kaiser. faculty, students, and alumni. In turn, coun- “We are indebted to our Dean’s Council “During one of those trips to Burma, I talked with cil members share what they learn with other members for their Jane Shivers about both topics. She shared stories business, community, and philanthropic leaders. advocacy, counsel, about the Dean’s Council and asked if I would be Now more than 50 members strong, the Dean’s and support,” says Curran. “Many have interested. The rest is personal history.” Council began in 1991 as the Founding Advisory served on the council At the time, Shivers did what members of the Board and evolved into the Community Advisory for a number of years, and their collective Dean’s Council are wont to do—raise awareness Board. Renamed in 1995 as the Dean’s Council, knowledge and about Rollins. the group includes RSPH Dean James Curran and wisdom have helped “The Dean’s Council supports the school by Kathryn Graves, associate dean for development guide Rollins’ growth.” being the eyes, ears, voice, and ambassadors for and external relations. the school,” says Kaiser. “We also provide what While council members come from diverse
22 public health magazine fall 2011 The RSPH Campaign Committee: Among its members are (L-R) Virginia Bales Harris, Lawrence Klamon, Ann Estes Klamon, James Curran, Walter Wildstein, Stanley Jones, and Richard Hubert.
backgrounds, they share Rollins’ commitment to preventing disease and improving health. They also support the Dean’s Council Scholar- The Dean’s Council in 1997: Standing (L-R) are Ruth Katz, Robert Freeman, Evonne Yancey, Cecil Phillips, ship, awarded annually to help cover James Curran, Kathy Ziegler, and Lawrence Klamon. Seated (L-R) are Shelby Wilkes, Amy Rollins Kreisler, Carlos Martel, Nancy Paris, and Alicia Philipp. tuition for an MPH or msph student. Three current members have chaired the Dean’s Council, including Cecil Phillips (1996 to 2001), Law- Rollins School of Public Health Dean’s Council rence Klamon (2001 to 2010), and Kaiser. More than a dozen members Ms. Anne Kaiser, Chair serve on the RSPH Campaign Com- Ms. Yetty L. Arp Mr. Phil Jacobs Mr. Cecil M. Phillips mittee, chaired by Lawrence and Ann Mr. Chris Barker Ms. Ellen Hale Jones Mr. Glen A. Reed Estes Klamon. To date, the committee has helped raise more than $148 mil- Ms. Paula Lawton Ms. Randy Jones Ms. Teresa Maria Rivero lion through Campaign Emory. Bevington Mr. Stanley S. Jones Jr. Ms. Patricia B. Robinson “We are indebted to our Dean’s Ms. Connie Cousins-Baker Mr. Mark A. Kaiser Ms. Donna C. Rohling Council members for their advocacy, Mr. Morgan Crafts Jr. Ms. Ruth J. Katz Dr. Nalini R. Saligram counsel, and support,” says Curran. Mr. Bradley N. Currey Jr. Mr. Alfred D. Kennedy Dr. Dirk Schroeder “Many have served on the council Ms. Sally A. Dean Dr. William Kenny Dr. John R. Seffrin for a number of years, and their Mr. René M. Diaz Ms. Ann Estes Klamon Mr. Lee M. Sessions Jr. collective knowledge and wisdom Ms. Beth Desportes Dreelin Mr. Lawrence P. Klamon Ms. Debbie Shelton have helped guide Rollins’ growth. Dr. Walter C. Edwards Ms. Amy Rollins Kreisler Ms. Jane E. Shivers The school continues to benefit from Mr. Robert J. Freeman Ms. Barbara W. Levy Ms. Sandra L. Thurman their leadership and connections Dr. Helene D. Gayle Ms. Beverly B. Long Mr. William J. Todd with potential collaborators and Mr. Jonathan Golden Mr. Carlos Martel Jr. Dr. Kathleen E. Toomey supporters throughout the world.” Ms. Leslie J. Graitcer Dr. Barbara L. Massoudi Ms. Linda Torrence For Kaiser, serving on the Dean’s Mr. Shelby R. Grubbs Ms. Mary Lu Mitchell Ms. Evelyn G. Ullman Council stimulates her intellectual Ms. Virginia Bales Harris Mr. John S. Mori Dr. Walter B. Wildstein curiosity by exposing her to leading Ms. Valerie Hartman-Levy Mr. Christopher Offen Dr. Shelby R. Wilkes thinkers and practitioners in public Mr. Richard N. Hubert Ms. Nancy McDonald Paris Ms. Evonne H. Yancey health. “The school is deeply impor- tant to me, “she adds, “because Dr. James W. Curran, James W. Curran Dean of Public Health through my commitment, I can make Ms. Kathryn H. Graves 93mph, Associate Dean for Development and External Relations a difference.”—Pam Auchmutey
fall 2011 public health magazine 23 Patrick Sullivan (left) and Rob Stephenson are using a grant from the MAC AIDS Fund to pilot Testing Together in Atlanta and Chicago.
for CVCT,” says Rob Ste- phenson, associate professor of global health, who led this portion of the study. “They also saw CVCT as a forum for discussing risk-taking in a relationship.” The concept of CVCT was developed in Africa 20 years ago to prevent HIV among women, based on research by Emory pathology profes- sor Susan Allen. Her stud- ies in Rwanda and Zambia show that more than 75% of HIV infections among heterosexual couples come from their main sex partner. Preventing HIV In another study, Sullivan analyzed CDC data to look at new HIV infections among men who have Researchers target male couples sex with men and how many of those occurred What do Rollins researchers and Lady Gaga have in com- among casual sex partners. He found that two- mon? They both want men and women to protect themselves thirds of new infections come from main sex from HIV/AIDs. partners. “That observation started us thinking The entertainer is the spokesperson for the MAC Cosmetics about adapting Allen’s intervention and applying VIVA GLAM campaign. All proceeds from purchasing VIVA it for male couples,” says Sullivan. GLAM lipstick or lipglass are donated to the MAC AIDs Fund, During the next year, Sullivan and Stephenson which to date has raised more than $218 million to support will oversee testing and counseling among male HIV/AIDs programs globally. A project directed by couples at AID Atlanta and Patrick Sullivan, associate professor of epidemiol- AID Gwinnett, while the ogy, is among the beneficiaries of the MAC AIDs Howard Brown Health Fund this year. Center and Broadway Youth Sullivan leads Testing Together, an HIV testing Center will offer testing and and counseling service that began in Atlanta and counseling in Chicago. When Chicago on September 1. Testing Together, which Testing Together concludes will target 200 male couples in each city over next year, researchers in both the next year, brings a previous study out of the cities will use the results research setting and into public health practice. to develop best-practice In their initial study, researchers conducted guidelines for hiv preven- focus groups with male couples in Atlanta, tion organizations desiring Chicago, and Seattle to examine their attitudes to provide the new service toward couples-based voluntary counseling and to male couples. To learn testing (CVCT) for HIV. Lady Gaga is the spokesperson for more about the initiative, visit MAC Cosmetics VIVA GLAM lipstick “Although some were hesitant at first, the focus products. Proceeds support HIV/ testingtogether.org.—Pam group participants indicated overwhelming support AIDS programs worldwide. Auchmutey
24 public health magazine fall 2011 research, and patient care. He is widely renowned as a catalyst of new think- ing in many areas of health policy and health professions education. “Inviting distinguished people to exchange ideas and debate points of view is important for the intellectual growth of our faculty, students, and staff,” says Johns, who is now university chancellor. “It also familiarizes everyone with what is special about Rollins.” Kenneth Thorpe, Woodruff Professor and chair of the Department of Health Michael Johns (left) has endowed a lecture named in his honor and hosted by the Policy and Management, sees the Department of Health Policy and Management, chaired by Kenneth Thorpe. lecture as a way to address key health issues that affect Americans. “This is a challenging time as we face a variety of complex issues, such as Emory leader endows environmental hazards, access to health care, and the re-emergence of infectious health policy lecture diseases,” he says.“We hope this annual lecture serves as a catalyst for dialogue This fall, the Department of important role in the growth of with respected thought leaders and helps Health Policy and Manage- our school,” says Curran. “His prepare our students, researchers, and ment hosted its second annual vision and support helped guide policy-makers to meet these challenges.” Michael M.E. Johns M.D. Lecture us to become one of the nation’s The inaugural Johns lecture, which in Health Policy. Johns recently top schools of public health.” focused on health care reform, featured made a gift to endow the lecture, As head of the whsc from Robert J. Blendon from the Harvard established in 2009 by Dean 1996 to 2007, Johns implemented School of Public Health. This year’s James Curran to honor Johns’ a comprehensive strategy that headliner was Karen Ignagni, president leadership of Emory’s Woodruff positioned Emory as one of the and chief executive officer of America’s Health Sciences Center (whsc). nation’s pre-eminent academic Health Insurance Plans, who spoke in “Dr. Johns has played an health centers in education, September.—Jennifer Johnson
RSPH campaign support tops $148 million
To date, the RSPH has raised more than $148 To learn more about Campaign Emory and million—98.9% of its $150 million goal—for Rollins, visit campaign.emory.edu. To make a Campaign Emory. Gifts to the RSPH help gift, contact Kathryn Graves, Associate Dean build endowments for teaching and research, for Development and External Relations, at scholarships, programs, and facilities. As of 404-727-3352 or [email protected]. September, the university had raised $1.3 billion, 82.5% of its $1.6 billion goal.
fall 2011 public health magazine 25 Alumni News Alumni
Above: Alumni leaders Anne Farland Arwood (left) and Nancy Hunt Creating have much in common. Arwood is the current president of the RSPH Alumni Board, while Connections Hunt was the first president in 1992. Arwood is a strategic planning manager that Last with Emory’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center. Hunt is a consulting, Alumni Association Flourishes learning, and talent development manager with Deloitte Services Nancy Hunt 87MPH can’t imagine her life without the Office of Career Services was formed, alumni LLP and now lives in the professional and personal connections she has leaders created a mentoring program for students. Massachusetts. made through the RSPH. “They’ve kept me engaged Today, board members assist with admissions, Left: Alumni leaders with the school since I graduated,” says Hunt. career, and other events and lead several alumni in 1993 included Twenty years ago, shortly after Rollins became a committees. Rollins Alumni Ambassadors wel- (back row, L-R) Emy Lou Faber, Susan school, Hunt helped formalize the alumni associa- come and support new students and invite alumni Richardson, Michelle tion and served as the first alumni board president. to participate in school events. Yaeger, and Warren “We spent the first year figuring out where we Lisa Carlson 93MPH and Amri Johnson 96MPH, Williams. Seated in the front row are (L-R) Jane wanted to go,” Hunt recalls. “The challenge was past board presidents, represent Rollins on the Trowbridge, President- how to engage alumni to strengthen the school.” Association of Emory Alumni Board, strengthen- elect Dennis Jarvis, As the school grew in size and reputation, the ing the school’s ties with the university. President Martha Alexander, and Past RSPH Alumni Board stepped up where needed. When the 25th anniversary of the MPH program President Nancy Hunt. Board members worked with admissions staff to approached in 1995, Carlson chaired a committee hold open houses for prospective students. Before to mark the occasion that included presentation of
26 public health magazine fall 2011 RSPH Alumni Association Alumni News Board Members RSPH Alumni Board Presidents President Anne Farland Arwood 06mph 1992-1993 2002-2003 Nancy Hunt 87mph Joel London 98mph Past President Matthew Biggerstaff 06mph 1993-1994 2003-2004 Members Martha Alexander 86mph Amri Johnson 96mph Monica Chopra Gobely 05mph Chanda Holsey drph 96mph 1994-1995 2004-2005 Takeia Horton 09 mph Dennis Jarvis 88mph Gena Lee Hill 99mph Heather Ingold 00mph Alyssa Lederer 08mph 1995-1996 2005-2006 Kaitlin Porter 08mph Patricia Sweeney 88mph Ali S. Khan 00mph Paige Rohe 05mph J. Daniel Thompson 08mph 1996-1997 2006-2007 Hilarie Schubert Warren 05mph Georgia Jackson 95c 97mph Johanna Hinman 98mph
RSPH Leadership on the Association 1997-1998 2007-2008 of Emory Alumni Board David Williamson 87g Angela K. McGowan 98mph Lisa Carlson 93mph Amri Johnson 96mph 1998-1999 2008-2009 Jim Dunn Jr. 92mph 98g Jean O’Connor 01mph Upcoming Events 1999-2000 2009-2010 Destination Public Health/ Lisa Carlson 93mph Chad VanDenBerg 06mph Open House Saturday, October 15 2000-2001 2010-2011 Rollins School of Public Health Sarah Landis 97mph Matthew Biggerstaff 06mph Dean’s Reception American Public Health Association 2001-2002 2011-2012 Monday, October 31 John Robitscher 81ox 83c 92mph Anne Farland Arwood 06mph Washington, D.C.
For information: [email protected] The RSPH Alumni or 404-727-4740. Association fosters longtime connections for its members, including Matthew the first Distinguished Alumni Achieve- Biggerstaff, Lisa ment Award. In 2002, the RSPH Alumni Carlson, and Johanna Board established the Matthew Lee Hinman. All are past presidents of the RSPH Girvin Award to recognize outstanding Alumni Association young professionals in honor of Girvin, Board. a 1994 alumnus who died on a U.N. surveying mission in Mongolia. Both awards are presented each fall during the RSPH Alumni Reunion. For Hunt, serving the school has enriched her life and provided a last- ing network of colleagues and friends. “Those connections are invaluable,” she says.
fall 2011 public health magazine 27 Alumni News Alumni Common Cause From Georgia to Geneva to North Carolina, five classmates share a mission to prevent injuries and violence
Grant Baldwin 96MPH and Andrés Villaveces 96MPH began her injury prevention work as a fellow at first met when they were young children and their the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention fathers worked together in Colombia. Today, and Control and the Emory Center for Injury “Injuries are their lives still converge, along with those of three Control. She has coordinated projects in several the leading Rollins classmates who are experts in injury and African countries and currently leads a five-year violence prevention and control. pilot project, Road Safety in 10 Countries (RS10), cause of In the early 1990s, Villaveces was a physician in to help governments implement sound road safety death for Colombia, where the incidence of trauma caused practices. In addition to leading RS10 projects Americans by traffic injuries and violence was high. He began in Kenya and Egypt, she collaborates on global to understand and explore the public health con- health issues related to injury surveillance with aged 1 to 44 sequences of such injuries through courses led by Villaveces at UNC-Chapel Hill. and the fifth professors at Rollins. Villaveces’ work overlaps with that of other leading cause “Their classes were key to my understanding classmates, including Scott Proescholdbell of the public health implications of injuries,” says 96mph, a state injury epidemiologist in the North of death Villaveces. Carolina Division of Public Health. Proeschold- overall.” Since then, he has worked in more than 10 bell also is principal investigator of the Violent countries and with who, the Pan American Death Reporting System, which provides a —Grant Baldwin, Health Organization, the United Nations comprehensive picture of all violent deaths in the Division of Development Programme, and organizations such state to examine their causes and circumstances. Unintentional as Amnesty International. Today, he serves on the “In the past 25 years, we’ve come to see injury prevention, faculty of the Injury Prevention Research Center that injuries and violence aren’t just accidents, CDC (IPRC) at the University of North Carolina at Cha- as many people believe,” Proescholdbell says. pel Hill, where he studies pedestrian injuries in the “When you examine the data, you see very built environment and leads a project on injury predictable patterns of risk factors and human and violence prevention in Colombia. behavior. By applying public health approaches For a time, Villaveces worked with Kidist Bar- strategically, and changing social norms and tolomeos 96MPH at who headquarters in Geneva, behavior, we can help prevent millions of fatal where she is a technical officer in the Department and nonfatal injuries.” of Violence, Injury Prevention, and Disability. She Proescholdbell and Villaveces frequently cross
28 public health magazine fall 2011 Alumni News
paths as members of the State Advi- connects regularly with Proescholdbell sory Council on Injury & Violence and at conferences and CDC events. through their respective projects at UNC “Grant does a great job of connect- and with the state. ing people and projects and has worked “The Injury Prevention Research hard around unintentional injuries so Center where Andrés works has been that states can be a part of that pro- a mover and shaker in our field for the cess,” says Proescholdbell. “He has state,” says Proescholdbell. “Currently, been instrumental in focusing states’ Scott Proescholdbell the IPRC helps evaluate a suicide pre- attention on evidence-based prevention vention grant that we have. In the near strategies and trying to fund them at future, the IPRC will work with us on reasonable levels.” a quality coding improvement project Shane Diekman 96MPH joined the using North Carolina emergency room CDC as a behavioral scientist in the visit data.” National Center for Injury Prevention Proescholdbell considers himself and Control after completing his doc- a relative newcomer to the field. His torate at UNC-Chapel Hill. For several previous work with the state focused years, he led research and activities in on tobacco control and HIV/AIDs. He the Division of Unintentional Injury Grant Baldwin credits Villaveces and Baldwin with Prevention. He is now acting leader of “We’ve come helping him make the transition to the division’s Home and Recreation to see that injury prevention and control. Team, which regards the emerging Like Proescholdbell, Baldwin transi- epidemic of deaths from prescription injuries and tioned from one specialty to another. drug overdoses as a national public violence He began his career at the CDC with health priority. aren’t just the National Center for Environmen- When Diekman visits Proescholdbell tal Health and the Agency for Toxic in North Carolina, they converse about accidents. Substances and Disease Registry. When public health and longtime interests When you the CDC was reorganized in 2005, the such as soccer. “Shane was the fastest examine the Shane Diekman agency’s activities in environmental forward the Rollins intramural soccer health and injury and violence preven- team ever had,” says Proescholdbell. data, you tion became part of the same umbrella Diekman begs to differ. “Scott’s the see very organization. The exposure to injury most skilled soccer player I’ve played prevention ignited Baldwin’s interest with,” he says. “The other teams predictable and became a calling. devoted all their attention to chasing patterns “Injuries are the leading cause of him down and whacking him.” of human death for Americans aged 1 to 44 While the five Rollins classmates are and the fifth leading cause of death separated by geography and the focus behavior.” overall,” he notes. “They represent of their work varies, they share a com- —Scott Andrés Villaveces a significant and preventable public mon passion for their chosen field. Proescholdbell, health problem.” “Our professional activities address North Carolina Today, Baldwin serves as director of the biggest global public health prob- Division of Public the CDC’s Division of Unintentional lem affecting young populations,” Health Injury Prevention. Priority topics says Villaveces. “From our perspec- include prevention of motor vehicle tives, we will continue promoting injuries, prescription drug overdoses, policy, research, capacity-building, and older adult falls, and child injuries. practice interventions aimed at reduc- He collaborates with Kidist on interna- ing injuries, locally, nationally, and at tional activities regarding road safety a global level.”—Carol Pinto and Pam Kidist Bartolomeos and other unintentional injuries and Auchmutey
fall 2011 public health magazine 29 Book edited by Alisa Hughley 97MPH
Class NotesClass James T. Cooper 87MPH Meridith Rentz 97MPH 97MBA Yelena Khromova 00MPH and Matthias Duensing
Graduation Honors 1980s 1990s Dr. james T. (tom) Alisa hughley 97mph During the spring diploma ceremony, Rollins awarded Cooper 57C 62M 87mph published her first book, 414 MPH or MSPH degrees and 25 dual degrees, while co-authored the textbook III Gifts: poems and photo- the Laney Graduate Obesity and Treatment graphs, in which she curates School awarded 14 PhD Essentials, a publication of the poetry of her late brother, degrees, raising the Informa Healthcare. He and Carey Hughley III, and tells the total number of alumni 15 other bariatric physicians story of his life and gifts. As to 5,760 in more than each contributed a chapter in editor, Alisa collected poems 90 countries. the book. Cooper has prac- conveying themes of romantic, Among those hon- ticed bariatric medicine since fraternal, and spiritual love. ored at the ceremony 1967. He currently practices She also draws on her own this year was John in Marietta, Ga., and serves experiences to recount her McGowan, professor as a brigadier general with the brother’s decision to become Georgia State Defense Force. an organ donor and his tragic of epidemiology and death. The book has been recipient of the Emory accepted into selected high Williams Teaching Award, the univer- sity’s highest award for John McGowan teaching excellence. Students tapped Michael Goodman, associate professor Stay Connected of epidemiology, as the Student Government Professor of Link up with fellow RSPH alumni the Year. Kathleen Adams, professor of health policy and management, received the Thomas F. Sellers Jr. Award. through Facebook, LinkedIn, or Named after the former chairman of community health E-Connection, the online community at Emory, the award recognizes a faculty member for col- of the Emory Alumni Association. legiality and serving as a role model and mentor to col- Add your photos to Rollins’ Facebook leagues. page in honor of the 35th anniver- Ali S. Khan 00MPH, assistant surgeon general with the sary of the public health program. To U.S. Public Health Service and director of the CDC’s make a connection, visit “Alumni and Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, gave Friends” at sph.emory.edu. the keynote address. To hear his remarks, please visit bit.ly/phgrad2011.
30 public health magazine fall 2011 Class Notes
Tolton Pace 00C 02MPH and Gwen Ewald 05MPH and Matthew Jennifer Higgins 05MPH 05G Kate Bowler 04C 06MPH and family Biggerstaff 01OX 03C 06MPH Oliver Sabot
school libraries with a com- and sea lions who make at now.tufts.edu/articles/ panion cross-curricular lesson 2000s up the U.S. Navy’s Marine learning-flipper-navy-mammals. plan to educate youth about Mammal Program. Since the organ donation. Married: Dr. Yelena late 1950s, the Navy has born: To Tolton R. Pace Khromova 00MPH and studied how dolphins whip 00c 02MPH and his wife, “Although he lived just 21 Matthias Duensing on June through water, with the goal Khristal, a son, Roman Gabriel, short years, I hope this book 9, 2011. The couple lives in of improving torpedo, ship, on Jan. 24, 2011, in Atlanta. is a way to give voice to the Toronto. Yelena is director of and submarine design. Today, Pace writes that Roman is voiceless and carry forth his pharmacoepidemiology and the Navy trains dolphins and their first child and that both timeless message of altru- risk management at Sanofi sea lions to help guard ports, families are overjoyed. “I’m ism,” says Hughley. She Pasteur, where she provides personnel, and military ves- already making plans for currently uses her training support for post-licensure sels around the world. These Roman to attend Emory in the in public health to teach, monitoring of vaccine safety. marine animals have served fall of 2029,” he writes. consult, and maintain the in Vietnam and Iraq. Pace recently was named websites enBloommedia.com Stephanie (wong) venn- Venn-Watson says that the to the board of directors for and iiigifts.com. watson 00mph was dolphins receive daily health the Villages of Carver YMCA profiled in Tufts Veterinary inspections, provide routine in Atlanta. He currently is the Meridith rentz 97mph Medicine magazine on her blood samples, and are given coordinator for college readi- 97MBA became CEO of “one health” research on numerous diagnostic tests ness and multicultural initia- MedShare in Decatur, Ga., dolphins and diabetes. for 30 to 40 years. The data tives at the Agape Community effective Sept. 1. Prior to join- Venn-Watson is a veterinary generated has many applica- Center. Pace notes, “I’m ing MedShare, Rentz was COO epidemiologist who heads the tions to human medicine. excited to work in the nonprofit of the Points of Life Institute, clinical research enterprise at Venn-Watson’s current inves- community-based arena again which has offices in New York, the National Marine Mammal tigation has implications for to prepare students for post- Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Foundation in San Diego. new strategies to treat type 2 secondary options and to serve She is the former vice chair The foundation provides diabetes, which affects 23.6 the growing Latino/Hispanic of administration for Emory’s medical care for 120 dolphins million Americans. Read more population in Atlanta.” Department of Medicine. Michelle McAllister Married: Gwen Ewald born: To Michelle 98MPH and Sophia 05MPH and matthew McAllister 98MPH and her Anne biggerstaff 01ox 03c husband, Thomas, their first 06MPh on April 16, 2011. child, Sophia Anne, on Oct. 18, 2010. Michelle is a client Jennifer Higgins 05MPH services manager for Thomson 05G received the Early Career Reuters in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Teaching Award from the family lives in nearby Ypsilanti. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.
fall 2011 public health magazine 31 s e ass No t l
C Nia Bodrick 07MPH Phoebe Alleman 07C 10MPH and Sani Haider Kizilbash 11MPH Kevin Janflone 06B
The award recognizes a young DR. NIA BODRICK 07MPH faculty member who best rep- graduated from Meharry Alumni Deaths resents the school’s commit- Medical College in Nashville, CAROLYN (CARRIE) GALE MILES 84MPH of Glen Mills, ment to student learning and Tenn., in May. She began her N.C., on March 31, 2011, at home of pancreatic cancer. She educational excellence. An pediatric training in July at was 64. For the past six years, Miles was the principal pro- assistant professor of popula- Orlando Health, which serves grammer for customized tion and family health, Higgins Central Florida. is a sexual health advocate improvement strategies at who studies the relationship MARRIED: PHOEBE AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals between sexuality, gender, ALLEMAN 07C 10MPH in Wilmington, N.C. She previ- and the use of contraceptive and KEVIN JANFLONE ously was a programmer in methods. 06B on March 19, 2011, in epidemiology research at two Homestead, Fla. Phoebe is a other pharmaceutical compa- MARRIED: HILARY TURNER research coordinator for KDH nies and at the University of 05MPH and Bret Kricun Research & Communication in Pennsylvania. on April 30, 2011, in Atlanta. A native of Blue Point, N.Y., Philadelphia, where they cur- Miles met her husband, Rich rently live. MARRIED: DR. MICHELLE Aldred, at a Quaker confer- LYNN BUELOW 11MPH ence in North Carolina, and MARRIED: KATE BOWLER and Dr. Benjamin Weston on 04C 06MPH and Oliver March 21, 2011, in Roatan, they married in 1990. When Sabot in August 2009. Kate Honduras. The couple lives in Carolyn Gale Miles 84MPH Miles lived in Atlanta during is a research associate for Brookfield, Wis. Buelow is a the late 1960s, she fought monitoring and evaluation family medicine resident with against housing discrimina- with the Clinton Health Access United Allina, and Weston tion for families with children, Aldred says. More recently, Miles Initiative in Boston. She writes is an emergency medicine was vice chair of the Thornbury Township Democratic Party. She that hers was the “first Clinton resident at Hennepin County was an avid sailor, quilter, gardener, contra dancer, songwriter, Health Access Initiative wed- Medical Center. and flute player. In addition to her husband, she is survived by ding!” The couple lives in a daughter, Alice Reid; two sisters; a brother; and her former nearby Cambridge, Mass. DR. SANI HAIDER husband, Joseph Reid. KIZILBASH 11MPH began a hematology/oncology fel- lowship in July at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He previously was a hospitalist at William Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Mich.
32 public health magazine fall 2011
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A Place in History Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams recounted stories about the agency’s early days when he visited Rollins recently. Now 50 years old, the Peace Corps includes the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program for returned volunteers like those pictured here. To learn more about Rollins’ Peace Corps programs, see page 18.