December 2012
Divia Forbes ’11, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, was honored with the Blue Ribbon Award in October by her supervisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she works as a public health analyst. The award recognized her work monitoring and tracking genotype clusters.
November 2012
Dr. Lisa P. Stevens ’10, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, was recently invited to the White House as part of a group of health professionals to discuss improving clinician understanding of and engagement with the Affordable Care Act with White House staff members. Dr. Stevens is the medical director of The Daily Planet Health Care Center in Richmond, Va., which serves the homeless, underinsured, and uninsured. She is also an assistant professor at Virginia
October 2012
Dr. Gayle D. Jones ’09, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, started as the director of the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Comprehensive Child Health Services Unit, Maternal and Child Health Program, in September. Dr. Jones previously served as the public health director for Oneida County. In her new position, Dr. Jones will oversee Children 1st, Health Check, the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems grant, and Child Health and Safety in partnership with the Injury Prevention Unit, which includes sudden infant death syndrome education.
September 2012
Divia P. Forbes ’11, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, and Dr. Jorg Westermann, associate dean of the School of Health Sciences, were quoted in “Online Public Health Education Growing in Popularity in U.S.: More Students Forgoing Classrooms” in The Nation’s Health (August 2012). Forbes explained that online public health programs allow students the opportunity to go back to school, and Dr. Westermann discussed how the programs meet the changing demands of the public health practice.
Dr. Hoa Appel ’05, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, will present at the American Public Health Association annual meeting in San Francisco in October. He also recently published “Physical, Behavioral, and Mental Health Issues in Asian-American Women: Results From the National Latino and Asian-American Study” in the Journal of Women’s Health (Vol. 21, Issue 8).
August 2012
Dr. Jonas Nguh ’11, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, won the Volunteerism and Service award from Nurse.com Nursing Spectrum’s 2012 Nursing Excellence program. A small group of winners and 30 finalists based in Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia were honored at the June 12 ceremony. Dr. Nguh serves as director of nursing programs at the Community College of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C., full time and also volunteers to lead teams of students to remote areas in Alaska, Kenya, Sudan, and South Africa to provide vaccines and supplies.
July 2012
Benjamin Banks ’10, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, was a speaker on a panel at the United States Food and Drug Administration in May as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. He spoke about issues such as drug development and patient adherence to treatment, contributing to the conversation about the risks and benefits to patients.
Dr. Ruth Stark ’88, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, had her book How to Work in Someone Else’s Country (University of Washington Press, 2011) selected as one of the “Best of the Best” university press books for public and secondary school libraries at the American Library Association’s annual conference in June.
June 2012
Dr. Gudeta Fufaa ’11, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate and a faculty member in the School of Health Sciences, was recently awarded a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Dr. Fufaa is a full-time epidemiologist and data manager at the Arizona Department of Health Services in Phoenix.
Tina Tvedt ’11, a Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) graduate, became Redwoods Rural Health Center’s executive director in March. She plans to work with a team to bring together patients and practitioners from 20 family practice providers to improve access to care.
Dr. Leo Parvis ’98, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, co-wrote the e-book Path to Professorship: A Plan (Amazon Digital Services, 2012) to help readers gain the tools they need to teach at the college level.
Dr. Gary Bickford ’97, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, explained how volunteerism benefits his medical practice and his Knoxville, Tenn., community in the article “Encouraging Your Staff to Volunteer in Your Community” in Medical Office Today (April 11, 2012).
May 2012
Dr. Tyra Norris-Ellis ’11, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, presented “Association Between Availability of an On-Site Workplace Wellness Program, Physical Activity, and Nutrition Among African-American Employees” at the 2012 American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) National Conference in Atlanta in March.
March 2012
Dr. Ruth Stark ’88, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, authored How to Work in Someone Else’s Country (University of Washington Press, 2011). Dr. Stark is a senior technical advisor in South Africa who has worked with the World Health Organization, international relief and development nongovernmental organizations, and national governments.
February 2012
Janet Stanovich ’06, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, was named the 2012 Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce president in January 2012. Stanovich has worked in emergency management for more than 15 years, has knowledge of local government, and is responsible for all emergency-related services in the county. It is her goal to maintain a solid membership by keeping members informed and engaged by participating in chamber-sponsored events.
January 2012
Gayle Walter ’07, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, gave a poster presentation in October 2011 at the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) 62nd annual meeting in Arlington, Va., and served as the state of Iowa delegate for SOPHE.
Joseph Citro ’08, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, contributed to a research project with Environmental Health Specialists that produced a CD on environmental health and learning disabilities for Learning Disabilities Worldwide, a nonprofit that promotes awareness of, and supports individuals with learning disabilities.
December 2011
Stephen Pires ’11, a Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) graduate, was named vice president of Care Continuum and Risk Services at Southcoast Health System. He is responsible for assuming oversight of the care coordination department, which provides case management, social services, and interpreter services at three hospitals.
Dr. Marc-Daniel Gutekunst ’91, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, was selected earlier this year to sit on the High-Level Independent Review Panel Support Team for the Global Fund, which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. In this position, Gutekunst conducted in-depth analysis of the technical panel review and the grant approval process.
November 2011
Dr. Tyra Norris-Ellis ’11, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, will begin work as an epidemiologist for the Cloudburst Group, a division of public health contracted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Georgia, starting in January.
September 2011
Dr. Jonas Nguh ’11, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, was appointed director of nursing programs at the Community College of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C., where he will oversee academic affairs and administration of the department.
Dr. Babatunde Oloyede ’10, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, presented his doctoral research, “Impact of a Hand Hygiene Intervention on the Risk of Transmitting a Positive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Culture,” in June 2011 at the Third North American Congress of Epidemiology in Montreal, Quebec.
August 2011
Dr. Frazier Benjamin Beatty ’09, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, is now a public health advisor for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dr. Vernice Jackson-Lewis ’94, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, was listed as one of the most frequently cited researchers on Parkinson’s Disease in the article co-authored by Aaron A. Sorensena and David Weedonb, “Productivity and Impact of the Top 100 Cited Parkinson’s Disease Investigators Since 1985,” in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease (IOS Press, 2011).
June 2011
Dr. Jon E. Graham ’03, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, will serve as deputy director of clinical operations for the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center and as assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
May 2011
John Thompson ’06, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, will head the District of Columbia Office on Aging in Washington, D.C.
December 2010
Alex Camacho ’07, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, was appointed to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in Rockville, Md., where he will combine his clinical expertise and research experience to help inform the collection, analysis, and interpretation of population-level data.
November 2010
Dr. Bruce Dart ’05, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, was named director of the Tulsa City-County Health Department.
LaQuanta Person ’08, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, described her Walden experience in Delta Sky Magazine (October 2010): “Walden’s distance learning program gave me the flexibility to pursue my degree and continue to work.”
Dr. Geneva Craig ’04, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, was the keynote speaker at the Alaska State Nurses Convention in October 2010.
Taylor S. Jones ’09, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, won the 2010 Best Student Paper in the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section of the American Public Health Association.
October 2010
Dr. Andrea Novak ’10, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, was selected for a five-year grant administered by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing to adapt her dissertation research to the primary care setting.
September 2010
Jeannette Bryant ’09, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, applied her knowledge of behavioral issues and human relationships in her new book, The Cheating Ways.
Dr. Ruthy Watson ’08, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, will present her doctoral research, titled “Obesity Prevention, Healthy Nutrition, and Physical Activity: What does the Pastor Think?” at the Ninth Annual Conference on Health, Illness and Disease at Oxford University held September 11–13, 2010.
July 2010
Dr. Gayle Jones ’09, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, recently accepted the position as health director of Oneida County, N.Y.
Marlene M. von Friederichs-Fitzwater ’06, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, published “A Value-Based Approach to Increase Breast Cancer Screening and Health-Directed Behaviors Among American Indian Women” in the Journal of Cancer Education (2010). Von Friederichs-Fitzwater is an adjunct assistant professor and director of the Outreach Research and Education Program at the University of California, Davis, Cancer Center. She currently serves as a practicum preceptor to two Walden M.P.H. students.
Julie Tomaska ’06, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, presented a poster, “IRB Concerns About DNA Banking: The CSP #546 Experience,” at the 2009 Internal Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Vienna, Austria. Tomaska was selected as the 2010 148th Fighter Wing’s Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, as well as the 2010 Civil Servant of the Year by the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is working on her Ph.D. in Public Health at Walden.
March 2010
Jeannette Bryant ’09, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, recently authored How Far Can You Go for Love? Bryant is the CEO of Kids Be Aware!, a nonprofit organization that creates books for children that aim to raise awareness on chronic and infectious diseases.
January 2010
Dr. Sandra Kuntz ’04, with a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, was selected for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Nurse Faculty Scholars program (2009–2012). Kuntz recently authored two papers on methyl mercury research that appeared in Environmental Research and the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing.
September 2009
Jeannette Bryant ’09, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, designed a program called “Kids Be Aware” during her practicum experience. She gave a presentation on the program at the Ninth Annual [Tuberculosis] Education and Training Network conference on July 28–30, 2009, in Atlanta. On Oct. 30, 2009, Bryant will present at the United States Conference on AIDS in San Francisco.
Dr. Moshe S. Dreyfuss ’09, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate, gave a presentation of his dissertation results entitled “Norovirus: Foodborne or Pandemic Pathogen?” at the International Association for Food Protection 2009 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, on July 13.
Marlene M. von Friederichs-Fitzwater ’08, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) graduate, is director of the UC Davis Cancer Center Outreach Research and Education Program and recently released research findings on the issue of low breast cancer screening and survival rates among American Indian and Alaska native women.
Dr. Bruce Dart ’05, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, assumed the duties of president of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) at the association’s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., July 29–31, 2009. NACCHO is the national organization representing the nation’s nearly 3,000 local health departments.
Dr. Vanessa Briscoe ’04, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, has been named the recipient of the 2009 Davis-Galloway Empowerment Award by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metropolitan Nashville Chapter. The award is given to recognize and honor women of color across Middle Tennessee who ascend to leadership through outstanding advocacy, effective networking and superlative community service. Briscoe is currently a research assistant and professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Prince Ordu ’00, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, received a Career Education Corporation Educator of the Year award in the category of Student Success. He also received the Best Service and Philanthropist award from the Etche-America Foundation.
July 2009
Dr. Hoa Appel ’05, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, will be presenting at the American Public Health Association 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition on Nov. 10, 2009. The presentation is titled “Diverse Faith Influence on Complications and Hospital Stay of Cardiac Patients.”
Dr. Vanessa Briscoe ’04, a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, has been named the recipient of the 2009 Davis-Galloway Empowerment Award by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women–Metropolitan Nashville Chapter. The award is given to recognize and honor women of color across Middle Tennessee who ascend to leadership through outstanding advocacy, effective networking, and superlative community service. Briscoe is currently a research assistant and professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Ruthy Watson ’08, a Ph.D. in Public Health graduate with a specialization in Community Health Promotion and Education, presented her research in a poster presentation at the 2008 Florida Public Health Annual Educational Conference of the Florida Public Health Association. She presented two workshops on healthy nutrition and stress management techniques for Broward College Professional Development Day, held on March 20, 2009. Watson also joined more than 80 other professors and graduate students from universities throughout the U.S. and around the world to participate in the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements course “Dietary Supplement Research Practicum 2009” held on June 1–5, 2009.