GUIDING LIGHTS: Illuminating the Path Forward
In this final compilation of “125 Years Through 125 Stories,” we celebrate some of our guiding lights: visionary leaders, dedicated educators, exceptional alumni and generous benefactors who have shaped the legacy of our College. Their wisdom, commitment, and passion have driven excellence and innovation, illuminating the path forward for future generations of PCOM students.
DENAH M. APPELT, PHD
“I met Denah when we were both at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. I was a new assistant professor, and she was coming back to graduate school after having been in the workforce as a research assistant at the University of Pennsylvania. We hit it off with a conversation about what she was interested in doing and what I was doing with Alzheimer’s disease research. And she decided she would like to come into my lab and work on her PhD there. That started in 1991, and we worked together until the day she retired last June. … We did some really interesting and really good science along the way, first studying tau, a major component found in Alzheimer’s disease, and how it became modified, especially enzymatically. And from there we went on to look at how infection could be a causative factor in late onset Alzheimer’s disease. She was instrumental in all of this work. … Denah and I always got along. But at times we had different viewpoints, so we would argue. People thought, ‘They must be husband and wife, the way they’re arguing,’ but then we would move on and end up doing something productive. … After she finished her graduate work, we kept working together. When we came to PCOM she had her own lab, I had mine, and we became collaborators and colleagues, and she moved through the ranks to become a full professor. Early on, we were working on different arms of the same project; later, we would still collaborate, exchanging ideas about experimental approaches, things of that nature. Laboratories are realizing you need to bridge your silos, do more team science. We always approached it that way. … I miss our daily interactions. We were always communicating and always running things by each
other—anything from a single experiment to planning manuscripts and grants … Denah’s a wonderful teacher—she won a Lindback award—and marvelous as an advisor who would level with students, give them great advice about how to go about learning and moving through their careers. She had a motherly approach at times, and also tough love: ‘OK, this is what you have to do. It can’t be done for you.’ Denah was also a mentor to many of our junior colleagues, especially the female colleagues. Being a woman in science is extremely difficult, but Denah always adapted and made it work.”
As told by Brian J. Balin, PhD, professor of neuroscience and neuropathology, and director of the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging, PCOM
TIMOTHY BARKSDALE, PSYD ’12
“I interviewed Tim when he applied to our doctoral program. And I remember being really impressed with him. He was pretty seasoned already, working in community mental health as a master’s-level clinician. I also remember being impressed with how driven he was to address health disparities. As a matter of fact, his dissertation was one of the earliest we had, if not the first, to address health disparities. In particular, he studied clinician factors in psychotherapy disparities for people with intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental disorders. That was, and in many ways still is, an underserved population. Tim was able to identify that if you educate clinicians about this population, they report being more likely
Anniversary stories by Janice Fisher
to include them in their practices. … Even when he was applying to the program, Tim saw himself as an advocate, and that certainly has been a theme throughout his career. At Horizon House, he developed an intellectual disabilities and behavioral health clinical program. He’s now the senior executive director of clinical services for Merakey, an organization that works with people with individual intellectual disabilities and behavioral health issues. He oversees about 50 clinicians in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, California and Tennessee. He’s finishing his term as president of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, from which he received an early career award in 2016. PCOM gave him an award for exemplary leadership and advocacy, recognizing his contributions to practice, service, leadership, diversity and advocacy. He’s on the Board of Directors of Friends Hospital and the National Association of Dual Diagnosis, focusing on intellectual disability and mental health. He is dedicated to serving others. … We’re very proud of Tim and his accomplishments. He’s been an outstanding role model for our students. and continues to make contributions in areas that fit very well with our mission—a focus on the whole person, serving the underserved, and sensitivity to individual differences and diversity and remedying health disparities, all of which he embodies.”
As told by Robert A. DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP, professor, School of Professional and Applied Psychology, PCOM
WILLIAM H. DICKERSON, DO ’54
“Dr. Dickerson trained me, and I was his chief medical resident in 1980–81. He was our sole trainer and the chief of medicine—today the job is split. He was a person who was multifaceted and could teach on multiple levels, setting the curriculum for medical students and teaching residents as well as setting the standards of certification for osteopathic internists across the country. He’d left a lucrative booming private practice in Detroit to pursue academics and raise the standard of internal medicine at PCOM. … He conducted himself professionally at all times and expected his residents to do likewise. When we did not conduct ourselves in the manner he expected, he never embarrassed us but would, in a classic move, look over his glasses and repeat himself quietly to make sure we knew where our mistakes were and that they were never to be repeated. … He was beloved by his patients. He took care of my father, who thought he was the greatest guy that walked the face of the earth. I asked my father one day, ‘Who the hell are you talking about?’ He said, ‘Bill.’ I said, ‘Bill who?’ He said, ‘Bill Dickerson. You’re very lucky to have been trained by him.’ I said, ‘Dad, I haven’t spoken his first name, ever.’ I probably never called him Bill till he closed his eyes. … We never really knew how he felt about us. But when he knew he was dying, he planned his own funeral, and he had his residents carry him to the grave. … He always strived to do the right thing, and he demanded we do the right thing too. He was a devout Catholic and went to church every week. He had no prejudice that I ever saw—the patient was the patient. It was an honor to be his chief resident. He was a mountain of a man.”
As told by Bruce Kornberg, DO ‘78, FACC, FACOI, former professor and chair, Department of Cardiology (retired)
CARLO DIMARCO, DO ’78, MS ’90
“In 1979, I was a senior internal medicine resident at PCOM’s hospital, the Barth Pavillion, and Carlo was a rotating osteopathic intern. Back in that era, we all had to do a rotating internship before we started our residencies. Carlo and I had daily contact, and he also rotated through our service. He was a very reliable professional, and a very handsome young man who had grown up in South Philadelphia—he had some funny stories about that, and he had an eclectic background. He told me that when he was a teenager, his father sent him to the Ferrari factory in Italy, and he became a master mechanic. In fact, when I knew him he would receive consultations from Center City Cadillac regarding difficult mechanical automotive issues. I remember he tuned up a Ferrari that belonged to Bob Jama [DO ’69], who was a trauma surgeon and our chief of surgery. Normally Bob would have had to send it to Connecticut or New York. … All three of Carlo’s brothers followed him to PCOM [Claude, DO ’84; Eugene, also DO ’84; and Anthony, DO ’87]. … Carlo was always thoughtful and an active participant in our daily rounds. When he was on service, he also participated in our Harrison Club, which I ran. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine was our bible, and the club met weekly. … Later, of course, he became an ophthalmologist, and president of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association, then president of the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, and then president of the American Osteopathic Association. So you couldn’t miss reading about his outstanding career. He was also on PCOM’s faculty for almost 20 years, and he was the team ophthalmologist for the Philadelphia 76ers (he was an avid sports fan). After that, he became a professor and regional dean of clinical medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. … It was always enjoyable to be around Carlo. I was sad to learn about his passing in 2014.”
As told by Robert Biggs, DO ’76, FACC, FACOI
WALTER C. EHRENFEUCHTER, DO ’79, FAAO
“Dr. E.—I cannot call him Walt to this day—was the medical school teacher of your imagination. He was always perfectly pressed— shirt and tie, clean white coat, nothing out of place. He was calm, serious, and an amazing lecturer. And then the more you got to know him, the more you realized he was quite funny, and had many, many stories to tell, and was a good human, too. He was my teacher, my scholars director, and I later worked as faculty under him. He was my mentor and my friend. … Dr. E. used to say, ‘The weird finds me,’ and it really did. But he also had a way of seeing things that other people didn’t. … Once, after an OMM lab session when we students had been practicing on one
another, my back hurt, and I knew something was wrong. Dr. E. didn’t know my medical history, but he checked my back, and said, ‘You are hypermobile, and I think you may have a connective tissue disorder.’ I said I was fine, but later found out that my ranges of motion were not normal, fingers should not bend backwards, and he was right. Later he’d show us how to modify an OMM technique for someone like me, which has been so helpful for me in patient care. … Another time, on a cervical palpation day in the lab, Dr. E. told one student not to touch her partner’s neck; “they need X-rays,” he said. Sure enough, he’d recognized Klippel-Feil syndrome, a rare congenital condition—a small scapula, and therefore neck issues. That student had neck surgery a month later. I often tease that OMT means “osteopathic magic tricks,” but the truth is, it isn’t magic, and Dr. E. believed what his hands told him and taught us how as well. … In our profession, there are doctors and there are teachers, and some people can do one or the other really well. But Dr. E. did both. And he taught his patients, too. He knew everything about his patients—he remembered every detail, 20 years later. We would go into the clinic, and do what he had just shown us. And I thought, ‘I can do that. You taught me how to do that.’ ”
As told by Kristie Petree, DO ’13, chair, osteopathic manipulative medicine, PCOM South Georgia
“For many years, Joyce and I had the pleasure of staffing registration for PCOM golf outings and reunion weekends. Joyce has made it a point to know everyone. As people are walking up to the registration table, she’s already saying their names. I have great respect for her and how she has continued to help us. She’s always been invited to these events as a guest. But she has never sat down herself until she’s sure she’s finished helping us register people and getting things done. She’s 88 years old, and she still drives all the way down from the Northeast to attend these events. … When her husband [Stanley Essl, DO ’75] was alive, they were quite active in the PCOM community, and she has stayed in contact with people from Stanley’s class. Joyce loves PCOM, and it’s in honor of Stanley, who had that same dedication. She began to volunteer a few years after he passed away, and that’s when I first met her. … The Stanley E. Essl, DO ’75 Endowed Memorial Research Fund for Neurodegenerative Diseases was created in his memory. And his body was donated to the Center for Chronic Disorders of the Aging Neurodegenerative Research Labs. Joyce has never lost that understanding of the value of research and of making it possible for students to learn. … Her grandchildren are the light of her life, and she’s very close to her son and daughter. Family is so important to her, and that’s why she’s continued to keep Stanley’s memory alive at PCOM. And the prospect of finding a cure for the kind of neurodegenerative disease that plagued Stanley has also kept her involved with PCOM and with Brian Balin, PhD [director of the CCDA] and his research. … Joyce has kept a good outlook on life, and when we’re working together, we’re always laughing. I retired this May, so I will not see her this year, but I will send her a note to say how much I’ve enjoyed my many years of volunteering with her.”
As told by Connie Ennis, former director, Advancement Services, PCOM
A. ARCHIE FEINSTEIN, DO ’43
“My grandfather Archie—I called him Pop-Pop—lived in Philadelphia, and I was born and raised in San Diego. So I only met him a few times that I can remember. I’m named after both Archie and his son, my father Michael [DO ’74], a family practitioner who has since passed as well. My aunt Katherine [DO ’82] was a pediatrician. So none of us went into surgery like Archie did. But all three generations have a passion for osteopathic medicine, and we all became teachers. Now that I know how much work it is to train students, especially from the ground up, I reflect on how much Archie must have really liked teaching, or he wouldn’t have been involved in residency. … My grandfather was short—maybe five foot two. He was a very petite man, which speaks volumes given what he did in his life, and becoming chief of surgery in a hospital almost a hundred years ago. I remember going to formal dinners, the osteopathic dinners, and Archie winning an award, or giving the awards out, and thinking, ‘My Pop-Pop is such an important person.’ He was a physician to everyone else, so I think when he visited our house it was a safe space where he could be himself and didn’t have to be Dr. Feinstein. When Archie visited, he’d drink hot Lipton tea and eat dark chocolate cookies and fall asleep watching TV with me. … My father remembered how as the hospital administrator Archie got a new car every year, a Cadillac. My dad also talked about what Archie did for the American Osteopathic Association as president, and for the Pennsylvania chapter of the AOA. That inspired my dad to be very active in the osteopathic community in California. … My father shared his memories of visiting Archie’s parents, Yetta and Harris, in Philadelphia. Harris owned a store, and Archie’s older brother Samuel worked there too to raise enough money to send Archie to college, because Archie was smart. He was so grateful for his education at St. Joseph’s University. … My grandfather did not think women should have any role in medicine, and he tried to dissuade his daughter from doing so. Part of that is because there was no work-life balance; there was just work. It’s not like that anymore, and maybe he couldn’t imagine it being different. … He loved penguins. And he loved Gilbert and Sullivan. So did my dad, and so do I.”
As told by Erin M. Feinstein, DO ’11
ROBERT M. FOGEL, DO ’58
“I met Dr. Fogel in my first trimester at PCOM. The secondyear students had told us that Dr. Fogel’s pathology class would be one of the best—and that he was difficult, tough, demanding. … . He told us that somebody’s life was going to depend on the things he was teaching us. For me, that was when being in medical school first hit home. … We knew Dr. Fogel had been a pathologist in Oklahoma and a family physician before that. A lot of his slides were his own pathological specimens that he had analyzed. We knew
JOYCE ESSL
that what was up on the screen was once a human body, flesh and bone. The things he was teaching were things we were going to bring into the art of healing. So we wanted to impress him. … If you hadn’t done your reading, if you decided to close your eyes, or God forbid if you wore a hat, you became a target for his line of questioning. There was no penalty if you didn’t know the answer, though there was a certain amount of humiliation. If you’d read your Robbins textbook and you did have the answer, it was almost like a fatherly moment. He might flip a quarter to your seat from the floor of the auditorium, and you’d earned it. … You always took something away from his classes. You always could think back to what we used to call Fogelisms. He would give you clinical scenarios of a patient coming in with this complaint or that complaint, and he would say, ‘Well, what’s he got?’ As you went through your clinical rotations and your third and fourth years, you would hear in your head, ‘Well, what’s he got?’ I heard that through my internship, my residency, and even after 20 years of clinical practice I can still hear that voice. … Some of us asked Dr. Fogel to take part in our class Follies, not really expecting him to agree. But he ended up in several skits, memorizing routines, practicing dances, making fun of himself. He had earned our respect, and I think our class had earned his respect as well. He came down from the throne we had put him on, and he became one of us. He was as humble as humble could be. It was a great time and a lot of fun to see that side of him.”
As told by Steven Blasi, DO ’02
MONIQUE A. GARY, MS/BIOMED ’05, DO ’09, FACS
“Monique is the very definition of a humanitarian, always looking out for the welfare of others. She was a unique student, and from the time she started out in our biomed program, I couldn’t wait to see where her career would lead her. … There was no entitlement in Monique’s past. She did not grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth. But she grew up a caring individual and loved her family dearly. And the work ethic was there. … When she matriculated as a medical student, she became a work study student in my lab, where I was researching Alzheimer’s disease. She had amazing technical skills, and one of the things she mastered was the ability to cut sections—that’s very tedious and arduous work, but she was diligent and dedicated. And she was very respectful of everyone she worked with—the technicians and the other students and the faculty. I’ve seen how she keeps in touch with her fellow students, and how much she really cares for them. … Monique was always happy, always upbeat, an incredibly positive person. … When I was involved with the Esperanza College of Eastern University, I asked her to address 400 high school students from underserved areas around the city of Philadelphia. You could see how engaged they were with her, and how she talked to them, not at them, and encouraged them to follow their passions. She was an incredible role model and very giving of her time. It’s part of her identity for herself to be able to give back. She exudes it, and she empowers others. The same is true when she talks to our medical students as well. … Her latest project is amazing: Still Rise Farms, 400 acres in upper Bucks County—and Monique was a city kid who grew up in Mount Airy. It’s a holistic retreat for people with cancer and chronic
illness. But it’s not based on a doctor-patient relationship at all. She’s a very accomplished breast surgeon, but she felt this was something she could do to give back to the community. … She’s spreading her wings now, and her impact on society is huge.”
As told by Denah M. Appelt, PhD, retired professor of neuroscience, PCOM
JOSEPH J. KUCHINSKI, JR., DO ’86, RES ’88
“Joe and I met as first-year medical students at PCOM in late summer of 1982. We became close friends during those two didactic years. Our bond grew stronger during our intern year at the former PCOM hospital. On July 1 at midnight—exactly when we were to become interns—hospital workers were going on strike. The night-shift intern crew had to get into the hospital earlier than the picketers. Joe worked the very first overnight, and I was his replacement the next morning. It was an eerie time, and as firstday interns we were appropriately fearful. … We were interns under the leadership of Dean Dan Wisely, a wonderful man to work for. It was work—you had no outside life. But being with Joe through 365 days in that role, as we grew as doctors, we became closer as friends. … Joe’s dad ran a retail pharmacy up in the Poconos, and Joe had been a pharmacist before he went to medical school. He was mature, and he had an understanding of what we were doing that made him a natural leader. … Joe excelled in his emergency medicine residency. Later, he became very active in the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and he got me involved helping the ACOEP with some of their publishing. We reconnected at the spring conferences in Arizona, where I met his wife and son, and I would bring my wife and kids out there. We also served together on the board of the PCOM Alumni Association and ran the golf tournament for a few years, trying to do whatever we could to help our alma mater. The school gave us the opportunity to become physicians and then to enjoy that role and be able to care for our families, so we felt that we should give back. … Joe loved emergency medicine, where he was ahead of his time as an early adopter of physician involvement in government affairs. He embraced lobbying activities that I know not everybody is eager to do, even when they love the discipline. He knew there was an important role for advocacy. And he not only preached that, he lived it. He went to DC and worked on behalf of elected officials to move legislation forward. … Joe passed away in 2021; his greatest legacy perhaps that of devoted husband and father. His son Michael was his pride and joy. He was a good human being and a good clinician—driven, approachable and enjoyable. Joe was a role model for anyone who’s trying to do good.
As told by James Bonner, DO ’86
HERBERT LOTMAN, LLD
“From the time my father died when I was a kid, Herb was my mentor and friend. Sometimes great things come from tragedy, and this was one of them. … Herb started as a butcher in a little store with his father when he was 16 or 17 years old. He ended up building one of the largest privately held companies in the world, Keystone Food Corporation. You can’t accomplish that type of success unless you treat all the people who work for you in a very positive way. You bring in people that are smarter than you, and you give them authority and responsibility and allow them to help grow the business. … Herb’s wife, Karen, was the daughter of a PCOM alumnus [Abraham Levin, DO ’35], and other members of her family were alumni as well, so she and Herb both became emotionally connected to PCOM over many years. Ultimately Herb was asked to provide his financial acumen and experience during a very difficult period. He saved the institution by selling off the hospitals and having the College re-focus on its academic roots. From there, PCOM began its rise back to where it is today. … Twenty-two years ago, Herb asked me if I would consider being part of the Board. I told him I didn’t know that much about PCOM. But not many people said no to Herb, and there was a reason: Herb was larger than life. When he walked into a room, the room filled with integrity, honor, honesty, and respect. … Herb was a man who lived up to his word. He wasn’t afraid to tell you his views, but he was open to discussion and robust conversation. If you could present and articulate an intelligent, cohesive argument or plan, he was open to all of it. He would ask other people’s opinions, ask very pointed questions, and dig into what was being presented. Ultimately, he would build consensus. … Herb was a gracious and highly intelligent, kind, and very thoughtful man who used those skills and characteristics to do a lot of wonderful things all over the world. … As successful as Herb was in business and philanthropy, his family was his priority. His wife Karen, his son and daughter, Jeff and Shelly, and his in-laws, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren were really what Herb was all about. He was a remarkable human being in all regards, but at the end of the day, at his core he was a family man. And PCOM was also his family.”
FLOYCE D. MCCAULEY, DO ’72
“Floyce and I were in a class of 126 people: 120 men and six women. We women were used to being a small minority—the class before us had had only one. … Floyce grew up in Pittsburgh, and I grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, but somehow we connected totally, as friends. And I was alone in Philadelphia. I think I might have felt that a bit, and Floyce and her husband Jimmy were wonderful to me. … Floyce had attended the University of Pittsburgh. You know, people make their assumptions. I remember one professor looked at the two of us, a white woman and a Black woman, and assumed I was the one who had gone there. But I went to West Liberty State College, because that’s the one I could afford. … Floyce and I went through four years of medical school together. I remember that when we graduated, her father came to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh on the bus, carrying a cake the whole way … . We both did an internship at Suburban General Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a 150-bed hospital. I got married in my second year and had a civil ceremony in Philadelphia with Floyce as my matron; then I went home and got married in the church by my father, who was a minister. … As part of our clinical rotation, Floyce and I made house calls together in South Philadelphia to see patients, who were grateful for our care. And that was a wonderful experience together. She had been a public health nurse and had a lot of good advice for me. … Floyce went into child psychiatry, which she loved. Her practice was right in her home. I imagine people who brought their children to her were blessed with her care. I went into physical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and later into emergency medicine. So we didn’t see each other professionally. But we were friends for a long time, and we stayed in contact until she died in 2005. We both had had breast cancer and recovered, but her cancer returned. I was able to visit her when she was ill, and we sat together and talked and laughed. She was a wonderful friend.”
As told by Joan Watkins, DO ’72
As told by Thomas J. Gravina, chairman, PCOM Board of Trustees
A LEGACY OF INFLUENCE
by Jennifer Schaffer Leone
Pamela J. Ruoff, MS, who spent more than four decades working in various admissions, fundraising and alumni relations and engagement roles at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, retired June 30.
During her tenure, Ms. Ruoff cultivated the PCOM experience for thousands of alumni. Her leadership and outreach inspired new friendships, affiliations and support that will sustain the College for many years to come. The depth and breadth of her impact is immeasurable.
Ms. Ruoff sat down with the editor of Digest Magazine to reflect upon her legacy and the role PCOM has played in her life. Her thoughts are especially apt at this time—as the College marks its 125th anniversary.
FROM ADMISSIONS TO ALUMNI RELATIONS
“I had a good friend who worked at the Hector Company, and at the time, the College purchased furniture through the company. While furnishing PCOM’s Office of Admissions, my friend learned that Carol Fox, the registrar and head of admissions, was in need of a clerk typist. My friend urged me to apply.
I was 24 when I officially started at PCOM [in 1982]. I brought the skills I had gained from coursework at the Katharine Gibbs School in Boston—typing, punctuation and shorthand. I was a quick learner, and I had a good work ethic that Carol reinforced. She modeled dedication, single-handedly developing the College’s admissions while putting herself through her master’s degree studies.
Carol believed the interview process was of utmost importance, that each candidate must be considered as a whole person.
She valued admissions committees and insisted that no less than three people be a part of every interview. When one of the participants wasn’t available, I’d sit in. I’d take the notes. I’d ask the questions. I learned the art of the interview.
When a more advanced admissions position came available, I hoped to apply. But Carol cautioned that I would not be selected. The stark reality was that I didn’t have a college degree. I could not advance in higher education without one.
I quickly determined that I didn’t want to spend the next four decades of my life typing. I enrolled in undergraduate classes at Ursinus College and, later, in graduate classes at Eastern University, studying communications and nonprofit management—while working and raising two small children. Even on the hardest days, I found that I was encouraged by Carol and by the College. PCOM really was a place of self-discovery and opportunity for me.
Carol was a true leader—one of few women in senior leadership positions at the College. In fact, she was the first woman department head I had ever met. She took a chance on me and guided me during the 12 years I worked in admissions, becoming a remarkable mentor.
In 1994, PCOM introduced their first capital campaign and needed someone to assist with operations, someone who knew the College and alumni. I was offered the position of campaign director. By its end, The PCOM Mission campaign launched me into the realm of fundraising and alumni relations. This work has been the lifeblood of my career as alumni relations officer, director of alumni relations and development, interim chief advancement officer, and executive director of alumni engagement.”
ICONS & INSPIRATION
“I was privileged to meet and interact with some of the greatest teachers in the College’s history, those who wrote the textbooks, those who shaped their disciplines, those who really laid a strong foundation for our students. I fondly recall early icons like Dean Sherwood R. Mercer; Nicholas S. Nicholas, DO; Paul T. Lloyd, DO 1923; Galen S. Young, Sr., DO ’35; David Heilig, DO ’44; and William H. Dickerson, DO ’54, among others.
I witnessed the work of those who sought to foster a greater understanding of osteopathic medicine. And I watched those who fought tirelessly for the profession to gain fuller recognition. I’ll never forget special moments of breakthrough, like the one that came in 1988 when an alumnus earned a fellowship spot at the Mayo Clinic—one of the most competitive of fellowships in an allopathic program. The news came and my office went quiet. You could hear a pin drop. PCOM was worthy.
I also had the privilege to serve under five presidents (and an interim): Presidents Thomas M. Rowland, Jr.; J. Peter Tilley, DO; Leonard H. Finkelstein, DO ’59, MSc ’63; Matthew Schure, PhD; and Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81. Each made exemplary and profound contributions to the College. These leaders steered us through periods of growth and prosperity. They carried us through the tough times, too.
I believe the stories of these icons are worthy of emulation. It is so important to keep their flames alive. They represent what is best in our institutional life.”
GENUINE CONNECTION
“Alumni relations is intangible. It is not easily measured or quantified.
All alumni hold a relationship with the College. Those of us in alumni relations don’t own the relationship. We are custodians of it. It is our duty to build and cultivate the relationship, to evolve it over a lifetime.
I’ve known many PCOM alumni from when they were students— some from their initial admissions interviews. I’ve been privileged to be there to celebrate their early successes—to watch their progression from medical student to resident, from fellow to attending. To hear the news of their first job.
I’ve attended countless weddings, baptisms and funerals. I’ve met alumni and their families at women’s auxiliary events
at the former hospital, at board meetings and professional conferences, at student club gatherings and the annual Follies, at golf tournaments and galas, in their homes, over plates of hors d’oeuvres and flights of wine. I’ve come to know—closely—full generations and legacies of PCOM families.
I’ve known their long pauses filled with anticipation. Their laughter. Their handshakes and hugs. Their tears. Their points of crisis. I’ve been blessed by their genuine exclamations of ‘God, I have missed you!’ as they approached a POMA booth.
I’ve been their staunch advocate. They have been mine. I’ve been humbled time and time again when I would call: ‘Sure, I’ll sit on the council or serve on the alumni panel or donate to the fund.’ ‘Sure, I’ll help you. I’ll help PCOM.’
I’ve enjoyed the familiarity of Founders’ Days, graduations and reunions, the remembrance of histories and beloved professors, of rugby victories and fraternity parties. My longevity of service, my institutional knowledge, made me a touchstone. I believe I provided constancy in the midst of change, in times of challenge. This enabled me to assure alumni that they were my priority, that they are the College’s priority.”
A “VALUE-ADDED” CAREER
“PCOM’s value is not only for students but also for employees. Even though I did not go to medical school, PCOM educated me and afforded me opportunities as an employee that equaled what was provided for students.
I’ve had an incredible career because I’ve been part of a community that recognizes the entirety of each person’sexperience. I’ve met and known so many incredible people: students, faculty, staff, administrators, and of course alumni. Many have become influences, valuable resources, true friends. Among these people I especially count my decades-long friendships with Ken Veit, DO ’76, and [LTG USA (Ret.)] Ron Blanck, DO ’67. They are part of the tapestry of my life and I am part of theirs.
But perhaps the greatest privilege of my work has been to see the difference the College makes in people’s lives over a long period of time. Then I’ve seen it again in the lives of their children and now in their grandchildren. I’ve watched so many wonderful careers unfold, and I’ve observed how so many PCOM alumni have advanced the health of their communities.
PCOM is an extraordinary place. I have nothing but gratitude for my 42 years at the College. The experience allowed me to raise and provide for my children—as a single parent. I was challenged and promoted. My work was appreciated and recognized and honored with the PCOM Alumni Association Certificate of Honor (2013), the highest award given by the association in recognition of distinguished services rendered and loyal devotion to the welfare and strengthening of the College. Through my work, I was able to travel throughout the United States, to attend and have my voice heard at national meetings, to be respected and valued as a professional.
I retire from PCOM with a full heart and a sincere appreciation for the wonderful memories I will always carry with me. I extend my best wishes for PCOM in the years ahead.”
1965 Robert M. Mandell, DO, Scottsdale, AZ, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the city of Northville, Michigan, for medical services.
1971 Samuel Strauss, DO, MPH, Round Rock, TX, retired after 45 years of clinical practice in emergency medicine and aerospace medicine. Dr. Strauss was a colonel and senior flight surgeon with the US Air Force until 2000. He then served as a staff physician and consultant for 10 years at the Virginia Mason Clinic in Seattle, Washington. He also worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for 10 years. In this role, Dr. Strauss provided medical supervision for astronaut spacewalk training and served as a flight surgeon for the Reduced Gravity Flight Program.
1972 H. Allen Strunk, Jr., DO, Pinehurst, NC, has reduced his clinical cardiology practice to three days a week at First Health of the Carolinas in Pinehurst. Dr. Strunk has been in practice since 2001. He has also served as an assistant professor of medicine, tutoring students from Campbell University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
1973 John S. Stevens, Jr., DO, Allentown, PA, retired as an OB/GYN physician and is volunteering with the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association. Additionally, Dr. Stevens served on the certifying board of the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology for 25 years.
1976 Ted S. Eisenberg, DO, Philadelphia, PA, was invited to write the foreword and contribute two chapters to the Manual of Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery: Volume 2: Breast Reshaping, a new textbook published by Springer International. One chapter presents Dr. Eisenberg’s I.D.E.A.L. Breast Lift, a staple-first technique that can be combined with breast augmentation. The other focuses on Dr. Eisenberg’s simpler, less invasive technique to correct tuberous breasts using saline implants in a one-stage procedure.
Anita M. Steinbergh, DO, Columbus, OH, is serving as a patient advocate. Dr. Steinbergh also mentors pre-medical and medical students, residents and young physicians in practice.
1978 David Baron, MSEd, DO, Altadena, CA, was awarded the 2023 Presidential Commendation for Extraordinary Contributions to Global Psychiatry and Mental Health by Afzal Javed, MD, president of the World Psychiatric Association. Dr. Baron received this honor at the association’s global congress held in October 2023 in Vienna, Austria. He is the first DO to receive this award.
J. Michael Herr, DO, West Hartford, CT, retired from OMM practice in October.
Steven D. Kamajian, DO, Thousand Oaks, CA, received $2 million from philanthropist and Amazon co-founder MacKenzie Scott for the nonprofit Westminster Free Clinic in Thousand Oaks. Dr. Kamajian is a private family medicine physician and president of Westminster Free Clinic.
1979 Bernard S. Cieniawa, DO, Columbus, NC, retired as a clinical educator from Blue Ridge Community College, Western Carolina University, and Isothermal Community College, where he taught in their paramedic programs.
1980 Thomas M. Bozzuto, DO, Bangor, PA, was appointed professor of emergency medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton. Dr. Bozzuto moved back to Pennsylvania in June 2022 and serves as the northeast section chair of wound care in the Musculoskeletal Institute of Geisinger Health System.
1981 Jay S. Feldstein, DO, Gladwyne, PA, president and chief executive officer, PCOM, wrote an article with US Representative Brian Fitzpatrick in Modern Healthcare titled “Opinion: Fix the Residency Bottleneck to Ease Physician Shortage” (February 2, 2024) and authored an editorial, “I’m a Doctor on Ozempic—It’s Effective Under One Condition,” published in Newsweek (April 8, 2024).
1982 Paul F. Dende, DO, Gettysburg, PA, was invited to attend the 2024 State of the Union address in Washington, DC. Dr. Dende serves as chief medical officer at Wellspan Gettysburg Hospital.
Bruce A. Feinberg, DO, Atlanta, GA, launched The Weekly Check-Up Podcast after 13 years of hosting the healthcare radio show The Weekly Check-Up on 99.5. In the podcast, Dr. Feinberg provides the community with the latest health information and with an opportunity to express their views on health and medicine. Dr. Feinberg is the chief executive officer and president of Georgia Cancer Specialists in Atlanta.
Richard T. Husband, DO, Troy, PA, was honored as a distinguished alumnus by the Troy Area School District Foundation. Dr. Husband is board-certified in family medicine and has been serving the Canton and Troy communities since 1984.
1983 Thomas A. Boyle, DO, MBA, FACEP, FACOEP, Oswego, IL, wrote an essay for the Association of Academic Health Centers International’s Leadership Perspectives titled “Communicating Science to Patients, Professionals, and the Public (in an Age of Disinformation)” (March 2023). The essay was published along with submissions from Peking University and Oxford
Academic Health Partners to showcase a perspective from the United States. Additionally, Dr. Boyle was invited to serve as a plenary speaker at the National Hispanic Medical Association’s conference in Chicago, at which he presented Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine’s DEI initiatives. Darlene Marie Dunay, DO, Old Forge, PA, was elected secretary and treasurer of the Northeast Medical Society. Dr. Dunay maintains a solo private practice in Old Forge.
David J. Sevitski, DO, Southampton, PA, is practicing at Trinity Health MidAtlantic Medical Group’s Primary Care Cottman in Philadelphia. The location opened in November.
1985 Ellen Davis Conroy, DO, Norristown, PA, is serving as the president of the Philadelphia Psychiatric Society. Dr. Conroy also serves on the Council of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and on the executive board of Pennsylvania Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Conroy retired as an addiction psychiatrist from the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Hospital.
Robert Hostoffer, Jr., DO, Cleveland, OH, was named to the board of directors of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Dr. Hostoffer is an allergist, immunologist and pediatrician who practices at Allergy/Immunology Associates in Mayfield Heights.
Joan Sureck Naidorf, DO, Alexandria, VA, was featured on the podcast The Nurse Keith Show to discuss the topic “Let’s Change How We Think About Difficult Patients” (March 29, 2024). Dr. Naidorf addressed how medical professionals can reevaluate how they view difficult patients in their care from an emergency medicine standpoint. Dr. Naidorf is an author and retired emergency medicine physician.
Dana C. Shaffer, DO, Des Moines, IA, received the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners’ Santucci Award for outstanding contributions to the mission of the organization. Dr. Shaffer provided over 15 years of dedicated service to the organization. From 2017 to 2019, Dr. Shaffer served as board chair, board vice-chair, chair of the finance and liaison committees, and secretary-treasurer. He was also a member of the test accommodations and executive committees as well as the compensation subcommittee.
1986 Karen E. Arscott, DO, MSc ’96, Waverly, PA, is serving as an addiction medicine specialist at Malibu Wellness Ranch in Milford.
1987 Lisa J. Finkelstein, DO, Jackson, WY, was honored by Wyoming Telehealth Consortium
as the recipient of the Excellence in Telehealth Award. Dr. Finkelstein was selected for her vision and efforts to expand access to health care in Wyoming using telehealth and innovation. Dr. Finkelstein is the medical director of telehealth at St. John’s Health and the chair of the telehealth taskforce for the American Urologic Association.
Daniel J. Parenti, DO, Philadelphia, PA, chair, department of internal medicine, PCOM, successfully completed and passed the subspecialty examination of the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine for recertification in pulmonary medicine.
1988 Michael F. Avallone, Jr., DO, Dresher, PA, is practicing at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic Medical Group’s Primary Care Cottman location in Philadelphia. The location opened in November 2023.
Maria C. Bucco, DO, Cape May, NJ, retired after 31 years of practicing general internal medicine. Dr. Bucco was a solo and independent practitioner affiliated with Riddle Hospital for most of her career. Prior to her retirement, Dr. Bucco was named the 2023 Physician Honoree for the Riddle Hospital Gala. Since retiring, she completed a certification of professional achievement in narrative medicine at Columbia University. She hosts workshops for the Riddle Hospital Hospice and Palliative Care Department and seminars through Columbia University. Dr. Bucco is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at PCOM, where she loves spending time teaching students.
Patrick J. Regan, DO, Fort Lauderdale, FL, joined the Health Care District of Palm Beach County as a general surgeon.
1989 Diane T. Scarpello, DO, Morristown, NJ, retired from private practice in rheumatology. She enjoys spending time with her husband and her son, who is due to graduate from the University of Alabama with a degree in mechanical engineering.
1991 Judith A. Rippert, DO, Dover, DE, is a cardiologist with BayHealth Heart & Vascular network, practicing out of Eden Hill Medical Center in Dover and an office in Milford.
1992 Russell Ephraim Burkett, DO, Ulster, PA, joined the Guthrie Clinic in Sayre as an emergency medicine physician.
Coyle Sean Connolly, DO, Moorestown, NJ, has been named a 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctor for the second year in a row. Only seven percent of the nation’s physicians are selected for this honor. Dr. Connolly is a dermatologist in Philadelphia.
Franklyn Robert Gergits, III, DO, Scottsdale, AZ, was featured in a December 2023 article in Patient Daily titled “Scottsdale Doctor on Depression: ‘In Reality, It Might Come from a Medical Condition Affecting the Nose and Sinuses.’ ” The article focused on how issues that come from chronic sinusitis, such as sleeping problems, could result in depression. Dr. Gergits was also featured in Patient Daily in an article titled “Scottsdale Doctor: Antibiotic Immunity or Resistance Happens When Patients Are Given Antibiotics Over and Over Again” (January 12, 2024). In the article, Dr. Gergits discussed how continuous use of antibiotics for sinus infections may cause antibiotic resistance. Additionally, he was featured in Patient Daily in an article titled “Scottsdale Balloon Dilation Physician: ‘I Have Personally Performed Over 2,000 In-Office Balloon Sinuplasties’ ” (June 14, 2023). Dr. Gergits was the first physician to perform a balloon sinuplasty in Pennsylvania, and has since performed over 2,000 procedures.
1993 Clara M. Higgins, DO, Millsboro, DE, joined Beebe Medical Group as a general surgeon.
1996 Darlene LaRue Haupt, DO, Elysburg, PA, joined Beebe Medical Group as a primary care physician.
1997 Lisa Snyder Duvall, DO, Breezewood, PA, was inducted into the Class of 2024 Hall of Excellence for the Bedford Area School District. Dr. Duvall is a family medicine physician for UPMC–Pennwood Family Medicine, where she has been in practice for 23 years.
Daniel Randolph Taylor, DO, FAAP, FACOP, Philadelphia, PA, wrote an article titled “Pediatricians Provide a Crucial Link in Postpartum Care” for the Philadelphia Inquirer (December 28, 2023). The article encourages pediatricians to make maternal health a priority postpartum to decrease maternal morbidity.
1998 Kathryn Anne Baker, DO, Trumbull, CT, is a pediatrician at her private practice, Baker Pediatrics, in New York City.
Thomas Geng, Jr., DO, Reading, PA, was named chair of the Department of Surgery at Reading Hospital. Dr. Geng served as the interim chair of the department since March 2023. He began working at Reading Hospital in 2004 and has served in several leadership roles, including associate chief medical officer, trauma program medical director, chief of the division of trauma, acute care surgery, and surgical critical care, and program director of the surgical critical care fellowship.
Brian D. Rosenthal, DO, Blue Bell, PA, was the subject of an article in Suburban Life magazine titled
“Return to Form” (October 2023). Dr. Rosenthal is a urologist with St. Mary Comprehensive Urologic Specialists.
1999 Beth A. Clark, DO, New Paris, PA, was inducted into the Bedford Area School District’s Hall of Excellence. Dr. Clark is the medical director for UPMC Family Hospice in Bedford.
Maria J. Hoertz, DO, MPH, Phoenix, AZ, is a family medicine physician at CenterWell Riverview in Mesa.
Janie L. Orrington-Myers, DO, Terre Haute, IN, was named to the board of directors of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Dr. Orrington-Myers is a surgeon specializing in laparoscopic procedures at Terre Haute Regional Hospital.
Laleh Sarah Radfar-Baublitz, DO, Lititz, PA, launched Iconic Medical Arts in Lancaster. Iconic Medical Arts is an anti-aging, medical aesthetics, and regenerative wellness practice specializing in holistic youth restoration. Dr. Radfar-Baublitz and her husband, Seth Baublitz, DO ’99, reside in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with their three children.
Brett Samson Rosenthal, DO, Voorhees, NJ, was published in Kidney International Reports (KIReports) for research done on “The Characteristics of Concurrent AntiGlomerular Basement Membrane Nephritis and Membranous Nephropathy” (August 11, 2023).
Kerry Marquez Scott, DO, Meridian, MS, was featured on WLOX Health Corner to discuss “Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget” (March 22, 2024). Dr. Scott provided tips to eat healthier and cheaper throughout the year. Dr. Scott is a culinary medicine specialist at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport.
2000 John Chovanes, DO, Sewell, NJ, was awarded the John P. Pryor, MD, Distinguished Service Award in Military Casualty Care by the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST). The award is granted to EAST members who have been in the military casualty care field and who have shown dedication to saving the lives of those who were injured in the Army during conflict. Dr. Chovanes was given this award at the EAST Annual Scientific Assembly in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Chovanes is an associate professor of clinical surgery trauma and surgical critical care at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
Andrew Chul Wook Kim, DO, Laurel, MD, retired from military medicine after a nearly three-decade-long career. Dr. Kim most recently served as deputy commanding officer for the medical research and development command at Fort Detrick since 2021. Prior to that, he served five years in the US Navy and 23 years in the US Army.
2001 Maria M. Mountis, DO, Broadview Heights, OH, was appointed as a fellow of the Heart
Failure Society of America in 2023. Dr. Mountis was also a Top Doctor in Cleveland Magazine in 2022 and 2023.
Dennis K. Reilly, DO, Philadelphia, PA, is an anesthesiologist with Ari Blanc Medical Spa and UltraCare Anesthesia Partners in Philadelphia.
2002 Nicole Heath Bixler, DO, MBA, Land O Lakes, FL, was appointed to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Board of Directors for a three-year term starting in 2024. Dr. Bixler looks forward to sharing various osteopathic family medicine perspectives in the post-graduate education spectrum.
Jeffrey A. Gilbert, DO, Port Matilda, PA, joined UPMC in Wellsboro as a cardiologist.
Christie Q. Harp, DO, Spartanburg, SC, obtained triple board certification after passing the surgical critical care examination in 2022. Dr. Harp obtained her general surgery board certification in 2009 and her colon and rectal surgery board certification in 2012. She is a partner in the Department of Acute Care Surgery, Trauma Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care at Spartanburg Medical Center.
2003 Emily Theresa Suvock, DO, State College, PA, joined UPMC in Williamsport as a gastroenterologist.
2004 Natasha Bray, DO, RES ’04, Waterloo, IA, was honored as an Oklahoman of the Year by Oklahoma Magazine (December 22, 2023). Dr. Bray is the dean at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. Nilusha Tania Fernando, DO, Winter Park, FL, was listed as one of the Five Best Pain Management Doctors in Orlando by Kev’s Best. Dr. Fernando is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with a subspecialty certification in pain medicine.
2005 Marcin Andrew Jankowski, DO, Newark, DE, was named vice chair for surgical quality, patient safety, and performance improvement of the Department of Surgery at ChristianaCare.
Chavone D. Momon-Nelson, DO/ MBA, Carlisle, PA, appeared on an ABC27 news segment titled “Which Days Are Babies Born the Least” (January 1, 2024) to discuss New Year’s babies. Dr. Momon-Nelson is the OB/GYN department chair at UPMC Carlisle.
2006 Sean Patrick Conley, DO, Rockville, MD, was featured in a timeline on Health.mil titled “Military Doctors and Our Presidents” (February 13, 2024). Dr. Conley served as acting White House physician to President Donald J. Trump from 2018 to 2021. Brad M. Taicher, DO/MBA, Washington, DC, joined Children’s
National Hospital as chief of the Division of Anesthesiology, Pain, and Perioperative Medicine.
2007 William Morris Chasanov, II, DO, Lewes, DE, was named to the board of directors of Beebe Healthcare. Dr. Chasanov is the chief health systems design officer at Beebe Healthcare.
2008 Hollie S. Willeford, MS/ CCHP, Vincentown, NJ, was included in Marquis Who’s Who biographic volumes. She is an outpatient therapist and founder of Where Are You Counseling, a telehealth therapy practice.
2009 Scott Clinton Feitell, DO, Pittsford, NY, was featured in the Rochester Business Journal in an article titled “LVAD Gives Cardiac Patients a Third Choice for Lifesaving Treatment” (February 7, 2024). Dr. Feitell discussed the Left Ventricular Assist Device and stated that it should be made more accessible to patients. Dr. Feitell is the director of heart failure at Rochester Regional Health’s Sands-Constellation Heart Institute and director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Rochester General Hospital.
Monique A. Gary, DO, MS/Biomed ’05, Perkasie, PA, was featured in the Wall Street Journal in the article titled “Cancer Is Striking More Young People, and Doctors Are Alarmed and Baffled” (January 11, 2024). Additionally, she was listed as one of the “Five Cancer Docs You Should Be Following on Instagram” (February 1, 2024) by Everyday Health. Dr. Gary is a breast surgical oncologist and medical director of the Grand View Health Penn Cancer Network cancer program in Sellersville.
2011 Valerie A. Cohen, DO, MS/ Biomed ’06, Wilmington, DE, was named director of the ChristianaCare emergency medicine and family medicine residency program. Dr. Cohen is responsible for the oversight of emergency medicine and family medicine graduate medical education in the departments of family and community medicine and emergency medicine. Messalina Charisse Jordan, DO, Albertville, AL, was named a Mover and Shaper by Business Alabama for Jackson, Marshall, Dekalb and Cherokee counties (November 2023). Dr. Jordan is the owner of Boaz and Albertville Family Care.
Kristopher Brent Meadows, DO, Signal Mountain, TN, joined CHI Memorial Internal Medicine Associates – Chattanooga. Dr. Meadows is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
Alyssa Kristen Tomsey, DO, Wexford, PA, is the medical director of the emergency room at Butler Health System in Pittsburgh.
2012 Chelsea Erin Marks, DO, Ephrata, PA, was promoted to direc-
tor of maternal child health at Berks Community Health Center.
Christopher J. Zambrano, DO, MS/Biomed ’08, Gainesville, FL, is a cardiothoracic surgeon with HCA Florida North Florida Hospital.
Erik Zarandy, DO, Duluth, GA, assistant professor of family medicine, PCOM Georgia, led a group of medical students in providing medical support at the PGA TOUR Championship at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. As volunteers for medical coverage, students learned to manage varying degrees of heat-related illnesses.
2013 Keith Stephen Fuleki, DO, Albion, NY, joined Oak Orchard Health’s Albion location as a family medicine physician. Dr. Fuleki previously worked at Oak Orchard Health from 2016 to 2020.
Scott David Glassman, PsyD, Cherry Hill, NJ, director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program, PCOM, was interviewed for an article in Vox titled “Are You Catastrophizing? Here’s How to Stop Assuming the Worst” (February 3, 2024). Dr. Glassman provided a tactic to help patients stop catastrophizing their lives and lessen everyday anxiety. Dr. Glassman was also featured in WellSpa360 in an article titled “How Providers Can De-Stress Before a Client” (February 6, 2024). He addressed how mindfulness practices, like deep breathing, can help improve the experience between a provider and client.
Courtney Elyse Wein, DO, Tampa, FL, was featured in Tampa Bay Parenting in an article titled “Evan’s Fight to a Healthy Heart” (February 1, 2024). Dr. Wein oversaw the diagnosis and treatment of a young child’s heart defect while providing immense support to the family.
2014 Courtland R. Blount, MS/ Biomed, Indianapolis, IN, was the subject of an article in Memphis Voyager titled “Meet Courtland Blount of IU Health Physicians” (October 31, 2023). Dr. Blount is a board-certified internal medicine physician and a cardiology fellow with Indiana University Health.
Kathryn Jinah Brokus, DO, Kittery, ME, received the 2024 Best Doctor award from Women’s Choice. The award is given to physicians based on numerous points of objective criteria such as certifications and affiliations, minimum years of experience, medical license and medical background checks, and a process of analyzing patient reviews from across numerous publicly available sources that yield a minimum of a 4.2 patient satisfaction rating. Dr. Brokus is a family medicine physician at Examine Life in York. Christopher Manieri, DO, West Chester, PA, was appointed as a council member for the Delaware chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Manieri is a bariatric surgeon at Beebe Healthcare.
Afriyie Makel Randle, DO, RES ’14, Caledonia, MI, is working as a geriatrician in Grand Rapids.
Kardie Tobb, DO, MS/Biomed ’06, Greensboro, NC, was featured in the Triad City Beat in an article titled “GSO’s Dr. Kardie Tobb Embraces African Heritage Through Handbag Design” (January 4, 2024). The article discussed Dr. Tobb’s passion for fashion and how she founded Tobbstars, a collection of modern, handcrafted bags that blend contemporary design with rich heritage from African craftsmanship. In addition, she serves as a cardiologist at Greensborobased Cone Health.
Chad M. Weinhold, PharmD, Waynesboro, VA, obtained board certification in oncology pharmacy. Dr. Weinhold currently practices as an oncology clinical pharmacy specialist at the Phillips Cancer Center at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville.
2016 Dhaval Pankaj Patel, DO, Thonotosassa, FL, was promoted to co-program director at Apogee Physicians at South Georgia Medical Center in 2021.
Lauren E. Smith, DO, Hilliard, OH, was featured in a report by ABC6 titled “OhioHealth Conducts Trauma Drills to Prepare for HighRisk Emergencies” (November 22, 2023). Dr. Smith is a trauma surgeon at OhioHealth, where she oversees monthly trauma drills.
2017 James J. Giannone, DO, RES ’17, Binghamton, NY, was featured in an article titled “Meet Your Doctor” in CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper. Dr. Giannone is a general surgeon with St. Joseph’s Health in Syracuse, New York. Dr. Giannone uses robotics for minimally invasive hernia and gall bladder surgeries.
Matthew Brian Shelnutt, DO, Moultrie, GA, assistant professor of NMM/OMM, PCOM South Georgia, was the recipient of PCOM’s annual Employee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award. The award is presented each year to a faculty member on each campus location who produces high-impact results and demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.
2019 Kaitlyn Rae Banning, DO, Novi, MI, is an OB/GYN at Beaumont Essential Gynecology in Novi.
Graham Connor Clifford, DO, Honolulu, HI, was highlighted by Islander News in an article titled “Tending to Injured Pipe Pro Surfers in Hawaii a Labor of Love for Florida Native and ER Doctor” (February 11, 2024). In the article, Dr. Clifford discussed his career with Pipe Master Medical Crew in medically assisting surfers who suffer injuries during competitions in Hawaii.
IN MEMORIAM
David H. Ahner, DO ’70, Hazelton, PA, April 2, 2024
Ryan Beneby, PharmD ‘21, Jacksonville, FL, June 30, 2024
Richard M. Bogutz, DO ’59, Cherry Hill, NJ, February 19, 2024
Michael H. Borek, DO ’76, Wilmington, DE, April 1, 2024
Nicholas F. Centafont, DO ’61, Fort Myers, FL, March 4, 2024
Clifton W. Fisher, DO ’65, Allegan, NJ, February 26, 2024
Daniel E. Gooding, DO ’79, Charlotte, NC, February 26, 2024
James Thomas Jackson, PsyD ’03, Harleysville, PA, March 8, 2024
Stanley C. Kelley, DO ’64, Mount Laurel, NJ, February 26, 2024
Joseph V. Koehler, DO ’60, Easton, PA, February 26, 2024
Dean T. Koukos, DO ’74, Bluffton, SC, March 18, 2024
Albert S. Kroser, DO ’58, Glen Mills, PA, March 28, 2024
Gerald M. Lovich, DO ’61, Southport, CT, February 27, 2024
Alex S. Macaione, DO ’96, Medford, NJ, March 18, 2024
Tomulyss Moody, DO ’59, North Ridgeville, OH, April 1, 2024
Kathleen Novak, DO ’93, Carlsbad, CA, March 8, 2024
Francis H. Oliver, DO ’73, Ardmore, OK, February 15, 2024
Leonard S. Papel, DO ’53, Nashville, TN, March 4, 2024
Andrew S. Poulshock, DO ’89, Cherry Hill, NJ, February 16, 2024
Nicholas Renzi, Jr, DO ’61, Moorestown, NJ, March 18, 2024
Nelson E. Ziets, DO ’67, Lake Worth Beach, FL, March 12, 2024
Ashley Roxanne Peterson, DO, Graniteville, SC, was interviewed by The DO for an article titled “Black History Month: EarlyCareer DO Shares Insights on Underrepresentation and Injustice in Medicine” (January 31, 2024). Dr. Peterson discussed issues involving underrepresentation in medicine and how she is working to serve underserved patients in primary care.
2020 Julia Therese Boyle, PsyD, Paoli, PA, recently obtained her specialty board certification in clinical geropsychology from the American Board of Professional Psychologists. Dr. Boyle also holds a specialty board certification in behavioral sleep medicine (Diplomate of Behavioral Sleep Medicine), obtained in 2022.
Alexander Samuel Ford, DO, Albany, NY, was featured in an article in The DO titled “Where Nutrition Meets Osteopathic Medicine: New York DO/ RD Supports Area Youth and Patients” (December 1, 2023). In the article, Dr. Ford discussed his work with 4th Family, a local nonprofit, and why he wanted to become a DO.
Leslie Mauras Fernandez, PsyD, Philadelphia, PA, was featured in a Telemundo62 broadcast on January 20, 2024, to discuss a rise in violent incidents involving teenagers on SEPTA platforms. Dr. Fernandez is the director of clinical training and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at PCOM.
Brian Andrew Henstenburg, DO, Allentown, PA, is completing a cardiology fellowship at St. Luke’s University Health Network. Dr. Henstenburg is the fourth person in his family to specialize in cardiology and to work within the St. Luke’s network. The family was the subject of
an article in the Saucon Source titled “Heart Care Runs in This St. Luke’s Family” (November 27, 2023).
Ashley Oneal Poole, PsyD, Philadelphia, PA, assistant professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, PCOM, was featured in an article titled “‘You Will Not Find What You Are Not Looking For’: How PCPs Can Fight Record Suicide Levels” in Healio (December 27, 2023).
Matthew Kerry Kalani Rose, DO, Chattanooga, TN, joined Erlanger Primary Care in Chattanooga as a primary care physician.
2021 Charbel M. Aoun, MS/ ODL, Buford, GA, was the youngest person named to Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40 for 2023. Aoun is a current pharmacy student at PCOM Georgia and the founder of the Georgia First Generation Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Gwinnett County that has helped more than 750 students consider next steps after graduation.
2022 Kyle Barnes Joseph, DO, Sterrett, AL, was appointed chief resident physician for the Division of Anatomic Pathology at the University of Alabama. In this role, Dr. Joseph oversees 26 physicians who are completing their residency training.
2023 Cindy Lin, MS/PA, Kimberly, WI, joined TidalHealth Neurosurgery as a physician assistant. Xavia Taylor, DO, Moultrie, GA, was featured in an article titled “FVSU Plant Science Biotechnology Alumna Fulfills Childhood Dream of Becoming a Doctor” in the Thomasville Times Enterprise (December 3, 2023). The article highlights Dr. Taylor’s journey to becoming a doctor by graduating from PCOM South Georgia.
