Alumni Notes

Greetings Alumni! This section of the SPH website is all about you! Your classmates want to hear about all your professional and personal accomplishments.

Another method we are using to better communicate with you and your classmates is through our E-newsletter. So let us know your e-mail address and all your friends e-mail addresses as well.

Looking forward to seeing you at a Alumni Event,

Palak Raval-Nelson '02, President of the SPH Alumni Association

1998

Gary Fishbein is the Senior Medical Director of Oncology, Medical and Scientific Affairs for PharmaNet, Inc. in Blue Bell, PA. PharmaNet coordinates clinical research studies in conjunction with pharmaceutical, biotech, and device manufacturing companies.

Kristine Shields is Associate Director of Clinical Risk Management and Safety Surveillance at Merck & Co. Her older son is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, her daughter is a student at the National Massage Therapy Institute, and her younger son is a junior at LaSalle High School.

Andrew Wittenberg & Martha (Eberhardt) Wittenberg write: "Martha and I always like to hear from SPH folks. Martha and I had a wonderful time at the SPH, met through the program and eventually got married. We are living in Venice, CA. Martha is doing a Family Practice medical residency in Long Beach and I am doing and Emergency Medicine residency at county-USC. We have a 20-month-old son named Jack."

1999

Sabine Eustache now lives in Florida, but continues her work with the School of Public Health as an adjunct professor recently participating in the self-study for accreditation. Her daughter is seven years old.

2000

Nathan Crawford is a Public Health Advisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Flavius Lilly is the Vice President of Operations at Hanover Hospital in Hanover, PA.

Sonia Ratnaparkhi is the Director for Healthcare Compliance and Education for Health Partners in Philadelphia, coordinating a team of six with direct oversight of MCO accreditation process, quality/credentialing audit process, EPSDT outreach/services, and health education.

2001

Jon Cass is the Director of Community Projects for the SPH, coordinating the school’s interaction with all CMBP and Practicum sites. He and his wife reside in the Fox Chase neighborhood of Philadelphia.

John Dobson is Director of Product Development for DataBay Resources in Pittsburgh, PA. John is also serving as the Vice President of the Alumni Association.

Eric Gertner is the Medical Director of oncology at Lehigh Valley Hospital. He and his wife have two sons, ages five and seven.

2002

Carmina Valle: "This fall I am starting a Ph.D. program in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health." 


2003

Monica Cheriyan took the MCAT this past summer and is studying biochemistry in preparation for applying to medical school. Since her summer move to Ohio, she has spent her free time getting reacquainted with Cleveland.

Mardelle Ann (Bautista) Gustilo resides on the island of Oahu and is employed as an Epidemiologist by the Hawaii State Department of Health for the Immunization Branch. "Enjoying paradise with my loving husband & beautiful daughter (who just made 1 year)!"

Nilani Jayatilaka was commissioned in June 2008 as a Captain in the United States Air Force. "After graduating from Commissioned Officer Training in September, I am now serving as the Public Health Officer at McChord AFB, WA."

LaTonia Peters is the Coordinator of the MPH Program at the University of Louisville’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences, coordinating the curriculum, aiding faculty in course development, coordinating practicum experiences and serving as liaison to the local health department. She is working on a DrPH at the University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health.

Michelle Teti is the Project Coordinator for the Protect and Respect program at SPH, a sexual risk reduction program for women living with HIV/AIDS. She is also a recent graduate of the school’s DrPH program. Her dissertation research involved her work with Protect and Respect, and the way violence hinders women’s efforts to have safer sex.

2004

Mary-Leah Albano writes: "Currently I am working on a HIV-prevention research project through Syracuse University at The Monroe County Health Department, STD clinic, in Rochester, NY. In the fall, I will be moving to Toronto to attend The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine."

Jennifer Breaux recently earned her PhD from Drexel's School of Public Health, and currently works with the GROW Project, a program focused on failure-to-thrive in children from birth to 3 years of age. The Project includes clinical care, research and advocacy.

Shiryl Mathai is the Coordinator of Health Education for the Hanover Hospital System, which he finds challenging since the Hospital acts as the local health department.


2005

Holly Cummings writes "I graduated from University of Louisville School of Medicine in 2009 and am excited to be back in Philadelphia, doing my residency in OB/Gyn at Pennsylvania Hospital."

Jacqueline Matuza writes "I was named Volunteer of the Quarter of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in March [2007]. In April I began a new job as Project Coordinator, APPS (Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and Services) for Planned Parenthood NYC in the Bronx location. In June I was named Volunteer of the Year of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic."

Jennifer L. Sinibaldi writes "I am a Senior Analyst in Healthcare System Preparedness at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the state and territorial public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia. ASTHO's members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy, and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice. For more information, please visit their website."


2006

Andrew Tanner resides in Sparks, NV. As a Presidential Management Fellow, Andrew is the Occupational Health and Safety Officer for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, at 6.3 million acres, the largest National Forest in the lower 48 States. The Forest covers most of the mountains in Nevada, a portion of Eastern California and has a workforce of 350 professional and seasonal employees. The occupational exposures of this group include a unique blend of challenges from wildland firefighting to long-distance driving. Andrew is excited to take on these challenges and develop leadership skills in the PMF program.

2007

Pamela Kohal writes: "This fall I will be starting the Ph.D. program in Public and Community Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin."

Jamilia Sherls writes: "Greetings from Atlanta! My poster presented in the Workforce and Policy segment of the CDC Cancer Conference won 2nd prize! It was titled 'Navigating Pennsylvania Cancer Patients Program: A Chart Review of Oncology Patient Disparities Among Urban and Rural Populations.' I want to thank Drexel for a great learning experience that helped me design, carry-out, and present a successful research project."

2009

John Donovan accepted the Research and Evaluation of Suicide Prevention Strategies Fellowship at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. 

Romi Pierce writes: "As of September 1st, I will be working as a Project Manager of a community-based organization that operates on the Harlem Children's Zone (http://www.hcz.org/) model. My organization, called IMPACT (www.impactstl.org), is in its second year of operation and I will be in charge of ensuring the programs are fully operational, guiding some aspects of the evaluation process, managing grants and grant bidding processes...It truly is the PERFECT job for me!"

Please stay connected……..Remember to let us know what you are doing and when you move. We want to stay in touch with you. Please complete the form below.