SPRING 2021 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 1 ]
IN THIS ISSUE
CPH LEADERSHIP TEAM DEAN Donna Arnett PhD MSPH ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ADMINISTRATION Paula Arnett DrPH MBA ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH Teresa Waters PhD ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS Sarah Wackerbarth PhD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION Allison Elliott-Shannon MA
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NEW FACULTY
ALUMNI IN DEI
DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY Shelley Ward MAGAZINE EDITOR Allison Elliott-Shannon MA
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DESIGNER Linda Kim
ASSISTANT DEAN FOR RESEACH
PHOTOGRAPHY Mark Cornelison & Pete Comparoni for UK Public Relations and Marketing PRINTER Copy Express, Lexington KY To request additional copies or for questions or comments, contact allison.elliott@uky.edu or write to: UK College of Public Health 111 Washington Avenue Suite 112 Lexington, KY 40536 Facebook @ukcph Twitter @ukcph Instagram @ukcph cph.uky.edu
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13
CERTIFICATE IN POPULATION HEALTH
STUDENT LEADERSHIP IN DEI
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PREVENTING OVERDOSES
Cover: Kaylin G. Batey, College of Medicine student, holds a sign at a peaceful demonstration attended by students, faculty, and staff from all of UK’s health colleges. Photo by UK PR & Marketing.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | SPRING 2021
Dear Friends and Alumni: Welcome to a new issue of Catalyst, the magazine of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health. In this issue, we focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as told through profiles of members of our College community. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of public health education and practice. It is our obligation to imbue our students – our future health leaders – with an understanding of the causes and consequences of health disparities in the U.S. and around the globe. Building that understanding starts here, on our campus. I am proud to see several of our College of Public Health faculty, staff, students, and alumni stepping into DEI leadership roles within the university and beyond. On p. 3, I invite you to read about Dr. Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa, who has taken the lead in creating opportunities for our students to learn from world-class scholars of health equity. On p. 13, you will meet Michaela Taylor, a dual degree JD/MHA student who serves as a member of UK’s DEI Leadership team. Starting on p. 10, we profile this year’s recipients of Lyman T. Johnson Awards from the UK Alumni Association. And on p. 12, we spotlight four alumni who are working in the field of DEI and health. By the time you read this, hopefully Covid-19 vaccination drives will be well underway in communities across the U.S., and we will all feel increased hope for an end to the pandemic that has gripped the globe for the past year. But long after we have put away our face masks, racism will still be endemic. It is our task to make our College, our University, our nation, and our world a more equitable and anti-racist place.
In 2020, we started some tough conversations – at UK and across the nation – about racism, injustice, and inequity. Those conversations are still ongoing, and I invite you to visit our website at cph.uky.edu and follow us on social media to join in the discussion. As we move further into 2021, please stay in touch. With best wishes,
Donna K. Arnett, PhD, MSPH Dean, UK College of Public Health
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FOCUS ON FACULTY
HERE WE GROW AGAIN...
This year the College of Public Health welcomed eleven new faculty members:
Reuben Adatorwovor, PhD
Rachel Hogg-Graham, DrPH
Angela Brumley-Shelton, MPH
Krystle Kuhs, PhD
Meredith S. Duncan, PhD
Tiffany Lindsey, EdD
Amanda Ellis, PhD
Stephen Shimshock, PhD
April D. Fernando, PhD
Min-Woong Sohn, PhD
Assistant Professor Dept. of Biostatistics
Instructor Dept. of Health, Behavior & Society
Assistant Professor Dept. of Biostatistics
Assistant Professor Dept. of Biostatistics
Assistant Professor Dept. of Health, Behavior & Society
Rachel Vickers-Smith, PhD Assistant Professor Dept. of Epidemiology
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Assistant Professor Dept. of Health Management and Policy
Associate Professor Dept. of Epidemiology
Instructor Dept. of Health, Behavior & Society
Assistant Professor Dept. of Biostatistics
Professor Dept. of Health Management and Policy
FOCUS ON FACULTY As a member of the College Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Pérez-Figueroa took a leading role in recruiting world-class speakers to present to UK audiences this Fall. In September, the “Virtual Symposium on Racial and Ethnic Health Inequities in the U.S.” featured an all-star panel of scholars: Dr. Luisa N. Borrell of City University of New York, Dr. Robert E. Fullilove of Columbia University Medical Center, and Dr. Gilbert C. Gee of the University of California Los Angeles.
FACULTY LEADERSHIP IN DEI
Pérez-Figueroa introduced the panel, while Dr. Kathryn Cardarelli, associate professor of Health, Behavior & Society, moderated. Pérez-Figueroa and Cardarelli also served as faculty leaders of the October virtual visit by Dr. MarYam Hamedani of Stanford University. Hamedani, who serves as managing director and senior research scientist at Stanford SPARQ, presented “RaceWorks: Bridging Research and Practice to Foster Racial Literacy.”
By Allison Elliott-Shannon Dr. Rafael Pérez-Figueroa, assistant professor of Health, Behavior & Society and a member of the College Diversity & Inclusion Committee, has been the driving force behind multiple DEI activities in the College of Public Health this year. Pérez-Figueroa initially trained as a physician in the Dominican Republic before coming to the U.S. to train in public health. After that he completed post-doctoral training at New York University, then worked at Columbia University for several years. Pérez-Figueroa came to UK and the College in 2019. His scholarship and teaching are focused on issues of health equity. “I think about DEI as something that permeates all levels of society. This is connected directly to my work because when you see disproportionate outcomes that certain populations experience, what is evident to me is how we have inequities rooted in social factors which are confirmed. We cannot address those inequities without making sure that we address that aspect of social justice and fairness, “ PérezFigueroa said.
In 2020, Pérez-Figueroa joined the UK DEI Leadership Team, working alongside interim VP for Institutional Diversity Dr. George Wright and other campus leaders to create a fairer, better UK. What’s his vision for the future of DEI at Kentucky’s flagship university? “This is an endeavor for everybody, and it should be intersectional in nature otherwise it’s not likely to be effective. Everybody should participate in making this university a better place,” Pérez-Figueroa said. “We can bring in different perspectives, realities and voices to make a better Kentucky – a Kentucky that everyone can be even more proud of.” Watch recordings of this Fall’s DEI events at https://cph. uky.edu/YouTube.
“I think that it’s not enough to address the system and provide treatments and have interventions when the outcomes that we have in certain populations are rooted in unfairness. So, how do you address unfairness? You need to do deeper work, and work with communities. You need to advocate, be concerned with how to translate knowledge into policies and work to change the way people see things. This is a community endeavor. I cannot do my work well without being involved in activities like DEI. It’s not one or the other for me; it’s creating the scene for the kind of work I do.”
Dr. Rafael Pérez-Figueroa
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FOCUS ON FACULTY
Make Diversity and Inclusion
Wildy Possible... Join Dean Donna Arnett in establishing a new scholarship that will attract and support diverse students in the College of Public Health. For more information, contact Shelley.Ward@uky.edu
New: Online Graduate Certificate in Population Health Looking to retool your career or refresh your skills? The Graduate Certificate in Population Health packages the core courses of our Master of Public Health degree into a 12-hour/4 course concentrated learning experience. Now available 100% online, this certificate program provides a valuable credential for those seeking to join or advance in the public health workforce. It’s also the perfect introduction to further study, as all credits can be applied to the 42-hour MPH program. Ready to upgrade your resume or CV with a credential from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health? Learn more at https://cph.uky.edu/ PopHealthCert, or scan the QR code.
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FOCUS ON FACULTY
BIOSTATISTICS DEPARTMENT GROWTH POWERS COLLABORATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH By Allison Elliott-Shannon Dr. Heather Bush likes it when her work is a complicated mess. Bush, who started her career in the controlled environment of clinical trials, came to UK and the College of Public Health in search of complex problems to solve. Now chair of the Department of Biostatistics, she has been successful in assembling a team of faculty who are active in addressing the complex, weighty issues of health disparities. As a discipline, biostatistics sits at the intersection of statistics, policy, and human health. Over the course of several recruitment cycles, the College of Public Health has been successful in attracting biostatisticians who are first and foremost public health scientists, ready to roll up their sleeves and engage in multi-disciplinary collaborations focused on confronting big issues. This “team science” model, which forms the backbone of most scientific research in the last decade, no longer relegates biostatisticians to number-crunching on the sidelines. Now these scientists are fully engaged players on the field, contributing leadership, expertise, and strategy to collaborative efforts to improve health and save lives. Biostatistics researchers often find themselves acting as a bridge between disciplines. “It helps when you’re around the table to bridge communication gaps between disciplines, because biostatisticians bring the data expertise – and statistics are the trade language of health research,” Bush said. “UK is an institution where collaborations thrive,” Bush said. “Our new faculty came here because they want to be part of this kind of collaborative research. I am amazed and grateful we have this collection of people with such a passion for improving health. These scholars know the literature, the context, and the urgency.”
Ph.D. program in Epidemiology & Biostatistics. “We are serious about solving public health problems—this is our passion,” Bush said. “Data are everywhere. Opportunities for research as a biostatistician are constant. Here, in the Department of Biostatistics, we consider it our awesome responsiblity to focus on research that will directly impact and improve the lives and health for Kentucky.” Meet new Biostatistics faculty on p. 2, or visit https://cph.uky.edu/Biostatistics to learn more.
Dr. Heather Bush
The alignment of the Department of Biostatistics with public health science at UK is intentional. It’s visible in the research interests of faculty who address issues as wide-ranging as substance use, violence, dementia, and heart disease - and in the collaborative
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RESEARCH Stapleton Named Assistant Dean for Research By Allison Elliott-Shannon Following a banner year for research funding and productivity, in Fall 2020 the University of Kentucky College of Public Health (CPH) announced the expansion of the research leadership team with the appointment of Dr. Jerod Stapleton as Assistant Dean for Research. Stapleton, who is also associate professor in the department of Health, Behavior & Society, started his new role on Nov. 1. As Assistant Dean for Research, Stapleton serves as a senior research administrator for the College. Reporting to Associate Dean for Research Dr. Teresa Waters, he shares responsibility for developing and facilitating the college’s programs of research. Stapleton’s specific duties include overseeing the CPH Office of Scientific Writing, developing and maintaining a knowledge base of CPH research resources, fostering the research career development of early career faculty, representing CPH in campus-level, research-related activities, and collaboratively working with other members of the CPH administrative team to ensure an efficient and effective research infrastructure. “We are fortunate that Dr. Stapleton has agreed to serve in this critical role,” said CPH Dean Donna K. Arnett. “I particularly look forward to working with him on initiatives to encourage the career development of junior faculty—an important component of our College’s strategic plan.” College leaders tapped Stapleton for the assistant dean position following an internal search. Stapleton, who has an impressive track record of funding as a principal investigator, was chosen from among several strong candidates. “I look forward to working with Jerod to promote the continued growth of research operations in the College of Public Health,” said Waters. “With experience as a principal investigator on complex grant projects, Dr. Stapleton brings to the role a keen awareness of faculty needs.” “I am grateful to Dean Arnett, Dr. Waters, and college leadership and humbled to receive this opportunity,” said Stapleton. “My priority is to be an advocate for our faculty, staff, and students by getting to know their research needs and doing all that I can to facilitate their success.” Stapleton, who joined the College of Public Health as an associate professor in August 2019, is also co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at Markey Cancer Center.
Dr. Jerod L. Stapleton
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RESEARCH Focus on Fathers in Child Well-Being Dr. Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa (Health, Behavior and Society) is co-principal investigator of the project “Fostering Inter-Disciplinary Research-Practice Partnerships to Enhance Fathers’ Capacities to Promote Child Well-being,” funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leaders program. Pérez-Figueroa is collaborating with Dr. Antonio Garcia (UK College of Social Work) and David Cozart, director of The Fatherhood Initiative—a program that provides fathers with evidence-informed parenting workshops. PhD Student Named “Agent of Change” Fellow Gavin I. Rienne, a current student in the in Epidemiology and Biostatistics PhD program, has been selected as a Fellow in the “Agents of Change” program sponsored by the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public and Environmental Health. “Agents of Change” is an ongoing series featuring the stories, analyses, and perspectives of next-generation environmental health leaders who come from historically under-represented backgrounds in science and academia. Dr. Erin Haynes (Epidemiology) is Rienne’s research mentor. New Project Partnering With Community-based Nonprofits Dr. Anna Goodman Hoover (Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health) and Dr. Jason Unrine (UK College of Agriculture, Food & Environment) are principal investigators on a new project partnering with community-based nonprofits in a multidisciplinary, stakeholder-engaged approach to identify and reduce drinking water disinfection byproduct exposure in Martin and Letcher counties. The project is funded by an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Research to Action program.
Researchers Highlight Issues with Buprenorphine Dispensing In a commentary in the August 2020 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers from the University of Kentucky and Emory University highlighted pharmacy-level barriers to buprenorphine access in rural Appalachia. Dr. April Young (Epidemiology), Dr. Trish Freeman (UK College of Pharmacy), Dr. Hannah Cooper (Emory), and Dr. David Cloud (Emory) focused on a number of issues that have led many rural pharmacies to limit the dispensing of buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist that is an effective treatment for people with opioid use disorder. Medicaid Access as an Economic Buffer for Families Dr. Joseph Benitez (Health Management and Policy) is principal investigator of the project “Medicaid Access as an Economic Buffer Against Job Loss and Instability,” funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policies for Action. “From 2013-2015, more than 3 million U.S. workers became unemployed and nearly a third were unable to return to work by 2018. Unexpected job losses can be devastating for individuals and families. However, a job loss and a sudden gap in health coverage creates an added layer of financial distress for households with costly medical needs. These households must absorb the costs of their health care needs or risk experiencing negative health effects,” writes Benitez. PhD Student Researching Appalachian Health Epidemiology and Biostatistics PhD student Madeline Dunfee is among the recipients of the 2020 James S. Brown Graduate Student Awards for Research, presented by the UK Appalachian Center. Dunfee received funding for her project “Conducting Social Network Analysis Among Adults with Cardiometabolic Disease in Appalachia.”
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KIPRC’S OD2A PROGRAM SEEING SUCCESS By Jonathan Greene Despite interruptions from an ongoing pandemic, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC) has achieved many successes in its first year of the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Terry Bunn is co-Principal Investigator for the drug overdose prevention activities and Amber Kizewski is the drug overdose prevention director of the program. In 2020, KIPRC’s FindHelpNowKY.org, a near-real-time substance use disorder (SUD) treatment locator, was included in Kentucky’s prescription drug monitoring program e-reports — Kentucky All Schedule Electronic Reporting System, or KASPER. Jean Hall, KASPER Integration Project Manager with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said the KASPER team wanted to provide quick and easy access to additional resources should practitioners, or pharmacists, have a concern with a patient’s controlled substance use. “FindHelpNow links to substance use disorder
Mobile unit on its maiden voyage to the Kentucky Harm Reduction Summit in Covington KY, April 9, 2019
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treatment programs, and treatment and referral specialists who are a valuable resource to our users in linking patients with assessment and care,” Hall added. Feedback on the inclusion has been positive both from the user community and partners in health care system integration, according to Hall. Several vendors who assist the KASPER program in integration are working to incorporate the inclusion in their user interface as well. In addition, Tennessee became the first addition to the national FindHelpNow platform, as the direct result of the first Peer-to-Peer Learning Network Meeting hosted by KIPRC in November 2019. Catherine Hines, Educational Services Assistant Senior for FindHelpNow, said Tennessee reached out to KIPRC following the meeting to discuss implementation. The onboarding process with Tennessee has also been beneficial for the FindHelpNowKY website, according
to Hines. Edits have been made to the design of the homepage to improve readability. Other adjustments include updating treatment category names, adding a Family Planning Services filter and simplifying the website footer. The FindHelpNow Tennessee website is expected to go live by the end of 2020. “We are also working with several other jurisdictions on their implementation of FindHelpNow.org,” Hines said. “We will take the insight and feedback from Tennessee directly to these other jurisdictions in order to be able to offer an even better website platform that will help these other communities find the SUD treatment that they need when they need it most.”
naloxone education and free doses of Narcan to take home. Many have shared stories of loved ones or friends/neighbors that have substance use struggles.” Through October, the mobile harm reduction unit has participated in three events that combined COVID-19 testing and naloxone education. Jaggers said 196 two-dose units of naloxone were distributed. Several more events are scheduled for November and December. The mobile harm reduction unit hopes to continue the partnership with dedicated flu vaccination clinics.
Also, despite COVID-19 delaying or interrupting many events, the Mobile Harm Reduction Unit was able to partner with local health departments to distribute Naloxone kits and education handouts during COVID-19 testing events. “So far the response has been very positive,” said Jody Jaggers, Director of Pharmacy Public Health Programs for the Kentucky Pharmacy Education & Research Foundation. “The overwhelming majority of people getting tested for COVID-19 has also received
Amy Colvin, Peer Support Specialist with New Vista at the event in Corbin KY
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LYMAN T. JOHNSON AWARDS 2020 By Allison Elliott-Shannon Thinking big isn’t new for Taylor. The Indianapolis native knew when she came to UK that she was interested in the broad field of health. The “small but mighty” inaugural class of the BPH program provided a home for her to explore her interests and find her path.
Sydney Taylor, MPH Without Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion there is no Public Health Sydney Taylor’s future is as bright as the California sun. Taylor, who was in the first cohort of Bachelor of Public Health (BPH) students at UK, graduated in 2018. In 2020 she completed her Master of Public Health at Indiana University and recently relocated to San Diego for a full-time position with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In October, she spoke with Catalyst about her public health journey so far, what it means to take responsibility for the safety of the nation’s food supply, and how she feels about receiving a Lyman T. Johnson Torch of Excellence Award. The FDA regulates a broad swath of American consumer goods—everything from medical devices to vaccines to food. As an FDA consumer safety officer in the Office of Human and Animal Food Operations West Division 5, Taylor is part of a team that ensures that the food that reaches our tables is safe. And when something goes wrong—people are sickened by e. coli in peaches, salmonella in potato chips, or disease linked to industrial meat processing—Taylor and her fellow officers investigate. “When we show up at a site it’s crucial that firms are following the proper regulations within the FD&C Act,” Taylor said. “We’re investigating and testing, using science to track contamination. It’s our job to protect all consumers, to ensure they have safe food.” Focusing on major players in the food industry, Taylor and her colleagues are charged with ensuring the safety of food that crosses state lines as part of national and global supply chains. That’s why she says they protect “everyone in the world.”
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“I was immediately immersed in the curriculum, and my passion expanded every semester,” Taylor said. “Since the BPH program was new, the faculty and advisors really tried to provide resources like access to professionals in the field.” Taylor started out with a strong interest in epidemiology, but after completing the broad-based BPH program she opted to pursue environmental health as her MPH concentration. She is evangelical about public health as a field of study. “In public health we’re doing research, creating awareness. You can pursue any career with a public health degree.” As she launches her career, Taylor takes inspiration from those who came before her. She is particularly gratified to be the recipient of a 2020 Lyman T. Johnson Torch of Excellence Award, named for the first Black student to attend UK. In a normal year Taylor and other LTJ honorees would have been guests of honor at a homecoming banquet sponsored by the UK Alumni Association. With festivities on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, Taylor accepted her award remotely. The honor is still special to her. “Lyman T. Johnson had a mission to be admitted to the University of Kentucky. With his success and legacy, I was able to attend such a phenomenal school. I was 21 when I graduated with my BPH, 23 when I graduated with my master’s degree, and now I have a profession. Without his dedication and commitment to equality, I would not be talking with you today,” said Taylor. “I feel as though without diversity, equity, and inclusion there is no public health. As public health professionals we are responsible for providing the best health services for our society. We need to provide the very best information to help communities to lower disparities. Minority health and the disparities that go with it need to be taken more seriously.”
faculty and alumni of the MHA program—with helping her obtain a prior internship at Norton, during which she focused on clinical effectiveness at the Norton Audubon Hospital. What does it mean to Dougherty to receive a Lyman T. Johnson Award?
Kayla Dougherty, MHA Candidate
“Being an African American woman growing up in a single parent household, the cards could have been written very differently for me. I want other African American women to look at me and see that you don’t have to have a perfect GPA, grow up in a huge house, or go to private school. You can pave your own way—then pay it forward.”
Pave Your Way, then Pay it Forward Service, leadership, and achievement go handin-hand for Kayla Dougherty, a second-year Master of Health Administration student and this year’s Lyman T. Johnson Torch Bearer Award recipient for the College of Public Health. The Louisville native, who has an undergraduate degree in kinesiology from UK, has been active throughout her time on campus—from leadership roles in Kappa Delta sorority, to missions with an organization that sends medical supplies overseas, to helping seniors in long-term care get active through “bingocize”, Dougherty works to make a difference in every way she can. “The theme of my life is servant leadership, Dougherty said. “I value community service, and serving people because I have been so blessed. I am grateful to be able to give back.” Dougherty, who had a William C. Parker scholarship as an undergraduate, is funding her MHA studies by working at a graduate assistant in the UK Office of Student Organizations and Activities. She acts as an advisor to the student government association. Dougherty is also the current president of the UK MHA Student Association and is working hard to help first-year MHA students succeed—even on a changed campus during a global pandemic. After graduation, Dougherty will begin a prestigious administrative fellowship at Norton Healthcare in Louisville. She credits her mentors—many of them
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
ALUMNI IN DEI:
These College of Public Health alumni are making diversity, equity, and inclusion a reality across the nation.
Dr. Amanda Sokan (MHA, 2006 and PhD Gerontology, 2011) Co-Director MEZCOPH - Phoenix Programs and Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Az. “In my classes, workshops, research, or work with older adults and their families, I encourage the realization of older adults as our future selves and advocate against the marginalization of older persons in public health policy, applications, and practice. Consider LGBTQ+ older adults: Meeting their health and wellbeing needs, and optimizing their lived xperiences, requires a nuanced understanding of the history and impact of discrimination andstigma. Some special issues for older adults like elder abuse, isolation and paucity of knowledge in navigating healthcare systems may be more daunting for LGBTQ+ older adults. We must consider environmental and personal factors, social determinants of health such as access to healthcare, and the availability of culturally competent and responsive healthcare providers and services. We cannot adequately, efficiently, and effectively address the public health needs of our population without recognizing the importance of addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Dr. Swannie Jett (DrPH, 2011) Health Commissioner for Brookline Health and Human Services in Brookline, Mass. “COVID-19 is an excellent example of why diversity, equity, and inclusion matters. We have made vulnerable populations by the exclusion of parts of our communities. Public Health can be the catalyst to identify and collaborate within and outside communities to bring everyone together to have dialogue and shift resources for a better world. Public Health must conduct community health needs assessments, identify the vulnerable parts of the population, and lend people a voice by being the Chief Health Strategist. In my work, I determine policies that negatively impact people, places and lend my voice to foster change. Sometimes my work has identified systematic racism and exclusion. Once this has been identified I work extensively with stakeholders to change the system.”
Kayla Storrs (MPH, 2016)
Dr. Torrie Harris (DrPH, 2007)
Director of Equity & Inclusion at Brebeuf Jesuit Prep in Indianapolis, In.
Health Equity Strategist for the City of New Orleans Health Department in New Orleans, La.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion means that the spaces we occupy are representative of our actual country and world that we live in, and that regardless of who one is, what one looks like, how much much ones’ family makes, etc., one is able to easily enter into spaces knowing that they can be fully, authentically themselves. My current work contributes largely to the conversation of mental health and the implications of racism and discrimination on one’s mental health. Working with high school students, I see firsthand the effects of racial battle fatigue and the literal exhaustion of having to live in fear simply because of who they are or what they look like. I find myself counseling underrepresented students and providing resources to manage their mental health.”
“A friend of mine who is a Healer in racial equity spaces once told me that ‘Inequity thrives in us moving quickly, urgently, and outside of love. By minimizing a focus on equity, we can advance equity in a spreadsheet with no attention.’ To me that means that DEI or equity becomes nothing more than an objective to be completed within a certain timeframe. In reality, equality and equity require relationships and healing. As a Health Equity Strategist for the City of New Orleans, I challenge others to listen, be present with each other, and rest in the uncomfortable conversations so that we may rebuild systems that truly serve the public’s health for the better. This works takes a village of support to see our families and communities thrive.”
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
STUDENT LEADERSHIP IN DEI
MT: I’m currently doing a dual degree. So, I’m also pursuing a Master of Health Administration degree. I want to be able to take regulations, policy and laws and consult health care organizations to make sure they are in correct compliance with them. Not only in correct compliance with the laws we have now, but I also want to try to look at trends and see where we’re going and how organizations can create laws and policies that enhance patient safety and overall improve the general outcome of their organizations. Staying up to date with trends and then being able to consult organizations is kind of where I see myself going in the next few years. GW: How would you explain DEI at UK? MT: We are in a world right now that’s changing and recognizing that things are not right, and they haven’t been right for a very long time. As a DEI Leadership Team, we are looking at various areas and roles and we have multiple project groups that are doing different things to make changes that help everyone on this campus feel like they belong here, that they can be successful, that they can invite others to come here, and that they can feel comfortable saying that they represent the University of Kentucky. These various efforts and initiatives help make that a reality for everyone that steps foot on this campus, not just certain groups. I think our mission is to make sure everyone feels welcome and recognized and proud to be a member of the university community. Right now, we’re doing a lot of good work to move toward that, but there’s still a lot of work to do. And I think that’s kind of indicative of the world around us. Not everyone feels welcome in this country and it’s the same at the university – we’re trying to bridge that gap. GW: When your involvement with DEI concludes, whenever that is, what would you like to see as having been specifically accomplished?
Michaela Taylor, a JD/MHA student from Elgin, Illinois, is a member of the UK DEI Leadership Team. The following Q&A with Taylor first appeared in a blog post by Dr. George Wright, UK Vice President of institutional Diversity. Dr. George Wright: What has it been like being a student at UK? Michaela Taylor: When I started here as a freshman, it was kind of daunting to be in a new state and in a new place with people I didn’t know. I think freshman year was kind of hard for me just figuring out who I was and what I wanted to do on campus as well as who I wanted to be after I left campus. I think the most influential thing I did was get involved. UK is the type of place that has something for everybody, but if you don’t get involved in something you kind of drown in the vastness of what UK is. Getting involved in different things that I was passionate about really helped me feel like I had a place on campus. I started with my sorority, then student government and then the Alumni Association. It took me getting into student government to really understand my love and my passion for UK and its students, and to also be able to see the kind of work that needs to be done on campus. I think that is one thing that student government really helped me to understand, and it also just affirmed my desire to help UK students and campus grow. That’s been my experience here. Freshman year was hard, but once I finally got Involved in things and found a purpose and a passion at UK, it helped me want to stay. And I decided to stay for law school. GW: You’re now in law school, so what do you hope to do in a few years?
MT: I think one of the things that we’ve talked about in the DEI meetings, and I think I would really like to see this go further, are the laws and regulations around hate speech, reporting and how that process unfolds. Although I haven’t had much of a chance to assess what it looks like now, it does not seem as robust as it needs to be. I think that’s going to change with this new project work group. I also think that incidents and bias training needs to be implemented campus wide as soon as someone gets here. Whether you are faculty, staff, or a student, you should be going through those regardless of what area of campus you’re in. That’s something we all need to be doing, and it needs to hit everyone. It also needs to be an intentional program for every single person that comes on this campus. I think after I leave the group, that’s something I would want to see happening every year, not just this year, not just next year, but every year. GW: My last question is one that I’ve asked everybody all my life. I want people to look far into the future. What are you going to be doing and what would you like to do for or with UK at age 50? MT: I really hope I’m making a difference somewhere – even if it’s small. If I’m working in a small regional hospital to improve their policy, then that’d be great. If I’m working in the government to help improve the country, that’d be great, too. I just want to make an impact on somebody – if that’s big or small, it doesn’t really much matter to me. I think impact is impact, regardless. I’d like to still be coming to sports games at UK and cheering on the teams. I’ve been involved in the Alumni Association as a student, and I think they do a lot of great work. I would love to be able to do that when I’m a little older. Also, I’ve had a lot of great mentors that went to UK and they are people in the industry that I want to go into. They’re also really open to mentoring and helping me, and I would like to do that for students too.
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ALUMNI UPDATES DEAR COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH ALUMNI COMMUNITY, The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has created new opportunities to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively about alumni connection. Through the help of the newly formed College of Public Health Alumni Committee and online platforms such as Zoom and LinkedIn, we have successfully opened the door to alumni engagement beyond the state of Kentucky and across the globe. Whether it be through a virtual networking event or an online learning opportunity such as the Health Equity Symposium, we have found ways to strengthen the bonds of the alumni community despite the strains of the pandemic. Not only have our alumni connected to each other, but they have also found opportunities to pay it forward. Over the last few months our alumni have embraced and invested in current College of Public Health students by participating in mock interviews and meet-and-greets, establishing new scholarships, and providing feedback for our many academic programs. Again and again, College of Public Health alumni have demonstrated how much they care for their communities and each other. This Spring we will continue to challenge ourselves to build a strong alumni network. Now more than ever is a great time to reconnect with the College of Public Health. Whether it be updating your alumni information, providing feedback about your alumni experience, or joining our LinkedIn Group, we are happy to hear from you. Remember, you are always “at home” at the UK College of Public Health. Sincerely,
Jillian Faith Senior Alumni Coordinator
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CLASS NOTES BACHELOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Alexis Klein (BPH, 2020) Started a new position as Receptionist at Grasmere Place, LLC. Alyssa Bromagen (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as Data Epidemiologist at Medasource. Ansley McElroy (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as Communicable Disease Investigator at Madison County Health Department. Bailee Watson (BPH, 2020) Started a new position as Staff Member at Christian Student Fellowship at the University of Kentucky. Caitlin Dorris (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Economic Recovery Coordinator at Equus Workforce Solutions. Derrick Bruno (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as Public Health Analyst at Caduceus Healthcare Inc. Hannah Sullivan (BPH, 2019) Started a new position as Regional Coordinator at Medasource. Jaycea Frederick (BPH, 2020) Started a new position as Contact Tracer at LexingtonFayette County Health Department. Jenika Soni (BPH, 2019) Started a new position as Health Educator at Matthew 25 AIDS Services. Julia Seiden (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Clinical Content Analyst at LabCorp. Kaitlynn Overby (BPH, 2019) Started a new position as Medical Assistant at Surgical Group of Paducah, PSC. Karli Herald (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Research Compliance & Education Specialist at Baptist Health (KY & IN) System. Kelley Conley (BPH, 2020) Started a new position as Research Assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University. Maci Babbage (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Senior Marketing Communications Consultant at Humana. Mackenize Walls (BPH, 2019) Started a new position as Medical Scribe at Medical Scribe Alliance. Matthew Roland (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as Safety, Health, and Environmental Factory Management Trainee at Nestlé. Megan Gilmore (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Patient Services Coordinator at University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center. Megan Randolph (BPH, 2016) Started a new position as Population Health Program Manager at Carle Health. Megan Tully (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as Safety Specialist at Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Miranda Fields (BPH, 2019) Started a new position as Personal Trainer at TITLE Boxing Club.
ALUMNI UPDATES Myra Gerst (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Prevention Advocate at Safe Harbor Crisis Center. Shannon Miller (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as Clinical Research Coordinator at Duke University School of Medicine. Sydney Adkisson (BPH, 2020) Started a new position as Data Specialist at Baptist Health (KY & IN) System. Sydney Clark (BPH, 2017) Started a new position as epidemiologist at Kentucky Department for Public Health. Sydney Richardson (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as HIV Surveillance Investigator at Kentucky Department for Public Health. Sydney Taylor (BPH, 2018) Started a new position as Consumer Safety Officer at the United States Food and Drug Administration. Takaia Rouse (BPH, 2019) Started a new position as Pharmacy Technician at Walgreens. Victoria Ellis (BPH, 2020) Started a new position as Program Administrative Assistant at Four Rivers Behavioral Health.
DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Joshua Gwinn (DrPH, 2019) Started a new position as Polio Emergency Operations Center Regional Lead at VSO. Keith Branham (DrPH, 2016) Started a new position as Research Team Lead at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Michelyn Wilson Bhandari (DrPH, 2006) Started a new position as Interim Department Chair of Health Promotion and Administration at Eastern Kentucky University. Samah Haiek (DrPH, 2013) Started a new position as Senior Epidemiologist and Researcher at Clalit Research Institute.
MASTER OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Ben Ridder (MHA, 2016) Started a new position as Chief Operating Officer at Tennova Healthcare. Brittany Deppen (MHA, 2016) Started a new position as System Facilities & Signage Project Manager at Baptist Health (KY& IN) System. Caleb Williams (MHA, 2009) Started a new position as Project Manager at University of Kentucky Office of Rural Health. Cameron Hyde (MHA, 2019) Started a new position as Improvement Leader with Riley Children’s Hospital at Indiana University Health. Catherine Bretz Mullaney (MHA, 1996) Started a new position as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Foundations at Med-IQ. Erin Alenciks (MHA, 2018) Started a new position as Director of Psychiatry Strategy and Operations at Compass Health Center. Heshaam Elbakoush (MHA, 2020) Started a new position as Senior Business Partner Specialist at University of Kentucky. Kaden Ross (MHA, 2019) Started a new position as Patient Experience Coordinator at University of Louisville Health.
Kayla Wilfong (MHA, 2020) Started a new position as Administrative Fellow at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Kirk Stack (MHA, 1996) Is the Assistant Chief Financial Offcier at Universty of Louisville Health. Kristen Goble Brown (MHA, 2007) Started a new position as Market Director of Operations at CHI Saint Joseph Health Partners. Lindsey Tyra (MHA, 2008) Started a new position as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Children’s Health. Named a Modern Healthcare “Top 25 Emerging Leader.” Logan Bryer (MHA, 2020) Started a new position as Administrative Fellow at Henry Ford Health System. Longford Nguyen (MHA, 2011) Started a new position as Director of Operations, Logistics and Facilities at United States Air Force. Madelyn Kaehler (MHA, 2020) Started a new position as Administrative Fellow at Yale New Haven Health. Maggie Owens (MHA, 2018) Started a new position as Operations Manager at Rush University Medical Center. Megan Parker (MHA, 2009) Started a new position as Health System Specialist at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Meagan Parker (MHA, 2018) Started a new position as Business Office Director at Women First of Louisville, PLLC. Micaela Hazlewood (MHA, 2020) Started a new position as Administrative Assistant at Columbus Springs. Michael Thomas (MHA, 2007) Started a new position as Executive Assistant to the Director at United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Nitish Patidar (MHA, 2010) Started a new position as Associate Professor of Management at Quinnipiac University. Patrick Bryant (MHA, 2012) Started a new position as Emergency Medicine Physician at Pikeville Medical Center. Matthew Turner (MHA, 2012) Started a new position as Vice President of Product Management and Data Solutions at Change Healthcare. Rebecca Cheatham (MHA, 2017) Started a new position as Program Evaluation Specialist at New Vista KY. Reynalda Davis (MHA, 2018) Started a new position as Senior Manager for Alternative Payment Models at Banner Health. Thomas Corbett (MHA, 2020) Started a new position as Administrative Fellow for System Finance at Medical University of South Carolina. Uzair Munis (MHA, 2013) Started a new position as Technical Product Manager at Apple.
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Ahmad Alexander (MPH, 2018) Started a new position as Chief of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Public Health) at United States Army.
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ALUMNI UPDATES Andrew Cline (MPH, 2002) Started a new position as Healthcare Director and Privacy Officer with the Department of Compliance & Ancillary Services at G4S. Angela Brumley-Shelton (MPH, 2009) Started a new position as Coordinator of MPH/MHA Programs at University of Kentucky College of Public Health. Brendan Matthews (MPH, 2020) Started a new position as Perinatal & Pediatric Epidemiologist at Kentucky Department for Public Health. Carmen Saylor Stiles (MPH, 2006) Started a new position as Director of Clinical Analytics at Clinispace. Cheryl Taylor (MPH, 2012) Started a new position as Environmental Enforcement Specialist at Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection. Colleen Roberts (MPH, 2015) Started a new position as Infection Preventionist at Swedish. Erin Camp (MPH, 2015) Started a new position as Director of Care Integration at New Vista KY. Holley Trucks (MPH, 2017) Started a new position as Animal Research Compliance Manager at the University of Kentucky. Ibitola Asaolu (MPH, 2016) Started a new position as Epidemiologist II at Tennessee Department of Health. Jennifer Walch (MPH, 2016) Started a new position as Epidemiologist at County of San Luis Obispo. Jonnisa Ferguson (MPH, 2011) Started a new position as Senior Coordinator of Obstetrics & Gynecology at University of Kentucky. Jorge Masson (MPH, 2018) Started a new position as OPS Biological Scientist IV at Pinellas County Health Department. Justin Blackburn (MPH, 2007) Started a new position as Associate Professor and Director of Health Policy and Management PhD Program at Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health. Kayla Storrs (MPH, 2016) Started a new position as Director of Equity and Inclusion at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. Kirstyn Hill (MPH, 2019) Started a new position as Clinical Pharmacist at Cleveland Clinic. Kovel Walker (MPH, 2008) Started a new position as Lead Supply Planner at Nestlé Purina North America. Lazarus Eze (MPH, 2013) Launched a talkshow called “Talking Health with Dr. Laz” for Africa Independent Television. Lea Jacobsen Lakes (MPH, 2013) Started a new position as Continuous Improvement Manager at City of Seattle. Lori Wong (MPH, 2020) Started a new position Physician Fellow at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Lucy Hollingsworth Williamson (MPH, 2018) Started a new position as Clinical Instructor of Public Health Nursing at the University of Kentucky.
Maryna Hrudii (MPH, 2019) Started a new position as Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at NGO Club Eney. Matthew Harman (MPH, 2013) Started a new position as Vice President of Clinical Solutions at Employers Health. Matthew Hutson (MPH, 2019) Started a new position as Disease Investigator at Lexington-Fayette County Health Department LFCHD. Megan Cummins (MPH, 2019) Started a new position as PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Resident at UK HealthCare. Michael McNeely (MPH, 2002) Started a new position as Director of the Office for the Advancement of Teleheath with United States Health Resources and Services Administration. Natalie Littlefield (MPH, 2018) Started a new position as Community Relations Specialist at UnitedHealthcare. Nicholas Hines (MPH, 2010) Started a new position as Grants and Contracts Specialist at Public Heath Institute. Peter Rock (MPH, 2012) Started a new position as Associate Director of Biomedical Data Science and Biomedical Informatics at University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science. Quincy Bascombe (MPH, 2020) Started a new position as Occupational Medicine Associate Physician at Kaiser Permanente. Sabine Meuse (MPH, 2003) Started a new position as Supervisor of Infection Prevention Team at Washington State Department of Health. Saumya Mehta (MPH, 2013) Started a new position as Attending Physician and Hospitalist at University of Chicago Ingalls Memorial Hospital. Smita Prasad (MPH, 2007) Started a new position as Medical Director at Longbrand Healthcare and Assistant Professor at Tulane University School of Medicine. Susan Mittenzwei (MPH, 2012) Started a new position as Acting Director of Field Operations for VISN 19 Rocky Mountain Network Regional Office at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Taylor Miller (MPH, 2020) Started a new position as Epidemiologist and Contact Tracing Staff Section Lead at Kentucky Department for Public Health. Yaliet Cruz (MPH, 2016) Started a new position as Senior Environment Health Safety Specialist at Schneider Electric. Denerica Curry (MPH, 2016) Started a new position as Family Nurse Practitioner at Lone Star Circle of Care.
PHD EPIDEMIOLOGY & BIOSTATISTICS
Frank Appiah (PhD (EPI/BST), 2017) Started a new position as Senior Data Scientist at PMAT Inc.
Have news to share? Send class notes to Jillian.Faith@uky.edu.
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PHILANTHROPY
DEAR FRIENDS OF CPH, Our Master of Health Administration program is committed to providing world-class, dynamic health administration education, empowering students through experiential learning and professional development opportunities, and educating individuals who are prepared to lead transformational change in healthcare systems and services. After many years of service, Dr. Martha Riddell has stepped down as MHA program director. We now seek to honor Dr. Riddell by establishing an endowed scholarship fund in her name. The scholarship will be awarded annually to students in the MHA program who demonstrate academic success and professional promise. As MHA program director, Dr. Martha Riddell oversaw tremendous growth for health administration education at UK—including the creation of new scholarships, recruitment of talented students and faculty, building a fellowship placement program, and program reaccreditation for the maximum length of seven years. She has excelled in teaching and mentoring, and in 2020 was named a Great Teacher by the UK Alumni Association. May we count on you to help us transform lives, develop health leaders, and leave a legacy for the future? Gifts of any size are appreciated, but we also want to learn about the impact of the MHA program and the College of Public Health on your life. Contact me to connect with the College or to send your best wishes to Dr. Riddell. Thank you for your ongoing support of the College of Public Health. With your help, we can lead the way to a brighter tomorrow for our students and the world. Sincerely,
Shelley Ward Director of Philanthropy shelley.ward@uky.edu 859.323.4551
“I give because I am a firm believer in paying it forward. The University of Kentucky MHA Program gave me an outlet for a career in healthcare. Were it not for the professors, staff, and fellow students that I learned from and created a network with, I would never be in the career I am today. I still relate to the lessons I was taught inside and outside of the classroom during my tenure as a graduate student. The very least I can do is provide support to help future students share the same experience.” Sean Patterson (MHA, 2009) Chief Operating Officer, St. Mark’s Hospital, Hospital Corporation of America
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