public health faculty

College announces instructional faculty promotions and Faculty Emeritus

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:57:33 +0000

College announces instructional faculty promotions and Faculty Emeritus Mary Cunningham Fri, 04/19/2024 - 10:57

The College takes pride in acknowledging teaching excellence, leadership, dedication to research, and commitment to student success through promotions and tenure. We are delighted to highlight the promotions and achievements of the following instructional faculty members:

Instructional Faculty Promoted to Professor

Caroline Sutter, School of Nursing
John Cantiello, Health Administration and Policy

Faculty Emeritus

Michael Wolf-Branigin, Social Work

"Our faculty members continue to set the standard for excellence in teaching, research, and leadership. Their contributions to our academic community are invaluable, and we congratulate them on their well-deserved promotions," said Cathy Tompkins, associate dean for faculty and staff affairs.

New titles and tenure are effective from June 10, 2024. (Tenure-track faculty promotions are announced in May.)

Topics

public health faculty

CPH awards

College of Public Health interprofessional team uses Institute for a Sustainable Earth Inaugural Network Catalyst Grant to increase access to health services in underserved communities

Taylor Thomas — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 13:18:46 +0000

College of Public Health interprofessional team uses Institute for a Sustainable Earth Inaugural Network Catalyst Grant to increase access to health services in underserved communities Taylor Thomas Tue, 04/16/2024 - 09:18

In This Story

Y. Alicia Hong, PhD

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Ali Weinstein, PhD

Siddhartha Sikdar

Professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy Y. Alicia Hong, with a team of interdisciplinary research colleagues across Mason, was awarded the inaugural Network Catalyst Grants for 2023-2024. The $10,000 grant is being used to establish a sustainable community-academic-government partnership called “Empowering Communities and Building Resiliency via Active Coalition and Education” (EMBRACE). Guided by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 objectives to achieve and maintain the health of people across the globe, EMBRACE intends to increase access to health services in underserved communities.

The project is built upon Stronger Partnership, Stronger Community (Stronger2), an existing community outreach and capacity-building initiative made possible through a multi-million-dollar grant awarded to the Fairfax County Health Department from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH). Through the Stronger2 collaboration, EMBRACE has established connections with 12 community-based organizations that represent Black and Hispanic communities in the Northern Virginia area. In addition, the team has gained nine state and district government partners.

“Researchers develop innovative public health interventions and evaluate them rigorously. However, adoption of these programs in communities, especially in underserved minority communities, has been limited. A strong need exists for disseminating evidence-based public health programs in underserved communities,” said Hong, who is serving as the lead academic partner. “We are focused on reducing disparities in prevalence and mortality of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes that affect racial and ethnic minorities the most.”

The EMBRACE Project team is comprised of Mason experts Ali Weinstein (Global and Community Health), Amira Roess (Global and Community Health), and Siddhartha Sikdar (Bioengineering), The team is utilizing the grant money to formalize EMBRACE partnerships, conduct community needs assessments, receive input from community public health programs, and secure additional funding beyond Mason to further the EMBRACE mission.

“Mason’s faculty are uniquely positioned to lead efforts to address gaps in research. With their interdisciplinary expertise and a dedication to advancing health equity, EMBRACE will serve as a foundation for innovative and applied research, integrative learning, and sustainable community services, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all,” Dr. Hong said.

After being awarded the grant, the transdisciplinary EMBRACE team officially began strategic planning in July 2023 and hosted the first EMBRACE Workshop the following month on August 29. 55 individuals participated in this event, including 15 Mason faculty and researchers. The team has since submitted two additional grant applications and intends to host more workshops before the EMBRACE project ends.

Congratulations to Dr. Hong and the EMBRACE Team.

ISE’s mission is to connect members of the Mason community with one another and other experts, policymakers, businesses and organizations, fostering collaborations that can more effectively address the world’s pressing sustainability and resilience challenges. Network Catalyst Grants will be awarded each year to cultivate partnership networks beyond the university, resulting in productive avenues for applied research that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Learn more about the ISE Network Catalyst Grants website here.

Topics

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

interdisciplinary

Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE)

grants

public health faculty

Underserved Populations

Community Engagement

HAP faculty members Sanja Avramovic and John Cantiello honored with teaching awards by Stearns Center

Mary Cunningham — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 16:45:32 +0000

HAP faculty members Sanja Avramovic and John Cantiello honored with teaching awards by Stearns Center Mary Cunningham Thu, 04/13/2023 - 12:45

In This Story

Sanja Avramovic, PhD

John Cantiello, PhD

The College of Public Health congratulates Sanja Avramovic for receiving a Teaching Excellence Award from the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning and John Cantiello for being recognized as an Online Teacher of Distinction by the Stearns Center.

“Drs. Avramovic and Cantiello are examples of teaching excellence, and what we strive for in the College of Public Health. I’m delighted to see them receiving the recognition they deserve from the Stearns Center for their excellence, innovation, dedication, and expertise,” said Dean Melissa Perry.

Sanja Avramovic

The Teaching Excellence Award recognizes the significant work that faculty members devote to course planning and preparation; support of student engagement and learning; curriculum development; and innovative teaching, advising, and undergraduate and graduate mentoring.

“Receiving the Teaching Excellence Award reinforces my belief that hard work and dedication can truly pay off. Since I began my career at Mason, I have had the opportunity to teach students from diverse backgrounds. I strongly believe that students learn in different ways, and an instructor needs to be aware and willing to accommodate different learning styles. This realization has shaped my philosophy of teaching and mentoring,” said Avramovic, assistant professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy (HAP).

“As a professor, my first and foremost goal is to help all students achieve success in learning and achieving their goals. While the meaning of success is different for different people, for the majority of students I’ve taught, their notion of success incorporates some notion of preparing for success later in life and building their careers. Because of this, I now incorporate aspects of career development into my teaching. I have also been mindful of this as it relates to serving as a career and research mentor to students as well as a course-teaching faculty,” continued Avramovic.

John Cantiello

A Teacher of Distinction is a faculty member who has been a finalist for the Teaching Excellence Award, and who is recognized across campus for exceptional teaching and commitment to teaching-related activities.

“I'm deeply appreciative to be recognized for my online teaching efforts and for the opportunity I’ve had to help build our online academic programs. I'm excited to continue to refine my courses as our department broadens our range of online offerings to cater to the growing needs of our diverse student community. Just as in health care, accessibility is important in education. I'm glad Mason is working to make education accessible to so many,” said Cantiello, associate professor in HAP.

Topics

College of Public Health

public health faculty

HAP Faculty

HAP News

Health Administration and Policy faculty appointed to two Virginia state-wide initiatives focused on well-being for health care professionals

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:49:23 +0000

Health Administration and Policy faculty appointed to two Virginia state-wide initiatives focused on well-being for health care professionals Mary Cunningham Mon, 03/13/2023 - 09:49

In This Story

Debora Goetz Goldberg, PhD, MHA, MBA

As a leading expert in health care workforce resiliency and well-being, Debora Goldberg, associate professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy, was appointed to two Virginia state-wide mental health initiatives: ALL IN: Virginia's Caregivers Initiative Steering Committee and the Clinician Retention and Well-Being Collaborative Committee of the Virginia Taskforce for Primary Care. Goldberg is currently leading Mason’s Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program, as part of a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) cooperative agreement.

“Estimates of burnout, stress, and anxiety among providers and other health care professionals skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic, which has led to shortages of health care providers and increased mental health conditions and substance use disorders. This was an existing issue that became worse during the pandemic as health care providers experienced increased exposure to traumatic events, such as the deaths of patients,” said Goldberg. “It is essential that the Virginia health care community come together to address the issue of clinician retention and well-being by identifying promising interventions, and committing to jointly supporting our clinicians and care teams as they carry out their important work.”

All IN: Caring for Virginia's Caregivers initiative seeks to help Virginia hospitals and health systems create work environments that make members feel valued and supported. The initiative is a collaboration between the Virginia Health and Hospital Association, the Medical Society of Virginia, the Virginia Nurses Association, and the ALL IN: Well-Being First for Healthcare Coalition.

The Clinician Retention and Well-Being Collaborative Committee of the Virginia Taskforce for Primary Care aims to improve the well-being and retention of the clinician members of Virginia's health care teams. The taskforce will address the distress caused by pandemic-related patient care with a focus on strengthening the support structures for both individuals and organizations.

Learn more about the progress of Mason's Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program here.

Topics

Public Health

public health faculty

Gimm Appointed to Virginia Public Health Association Board

Mary Cunningham — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:25:05 +0000

Gimm Appointed to Virginia Public Health Association Board Mary Cunningham Wed, 02/15/2023 - 13:25

In This Story

Gilbert Gimm, PhD

Gilbert Gimm, associate professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy, was appointed to the Virginia Public Health Association (VPHA) Board of Directors. Gimm is one of eight new members and was also elected to serve as treasurer of the Board for a three-year term beginning on January 20, 2023.

Gimm has research experience in disability and aging, program evaluations, and health care payment reforms. Currently, Gimm is a co-investigator on a five-year Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) and examines rural-urban disparities in preventive service use among adults with disabilities. He is also a co-investigator on a CDC grant to evaluate sustainable financing models to support community health workers and build community resilience in Virginia.

“Dr. Gimm’s expertise in health policy for vulnerable populations and supporting community health workers to build resilient communities make him a great representative to the VPHA Board. He will be able to inform policy discussions about a variety of health care topics,” said PJ Maddox, chair of the Department of Health Administration and Policy in the College of Public Health.

VPHA is a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the public’s health for all Virginians by strengthening public health practice and promoting sound public health policy through public health research, rigorous policy analysis, and robust advocacy. VPHA works with organizations and institutions that seek to advance public health in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Topics

Public Health

HAP Faculty

Public health leadership

public health faculty

Patrice Winter, PT, DPT, MHA, FAAOMPT

admin_alpha — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 23:27:01 +0000

Patrice Winter, PT, DPT, MHA, FAAOMPT admin_alpha Tue, 10/20/2015 - 19:27

Professor, Public Health

Contact Information

Email: pwinter@gmu.edu

Phone: 703-993-5036
Building: Peterson Hall
Room 5605

CV

Download Patrice Winter curriculum vitae (CV) here.

Biography

Dr. Winter is an assistant professor at George Mason University in the Department of Global and Community Health where she teaches curriculum related to community health, healthy living and aging well. She is Coordinator for the Masters of Public Health Practicum and Undergraduate Internship programs placing students regionally as well as internationally. Dr. Winter is affiliate faculty with the Center for the Study of Chronic Illness and Disability at George Mason. She was the Life Planning/Eldercare Coordinator at Mason from 2007-2014. She continues to be actively involved in health promotion programs across the university. Patrice is a practicing physical therapist with over 40 years of experience. She was a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association for nearly 20 years and is currently a frequently requested member of Mason Speakers. The summer of 2016 Patrice was appointed to the Human Services Council of Fairfax County where she is chair of the Innovation Committee.

Honors and Awards

Scott Sullivan Leadership Award, 2002, Virginia Physical Therapy Association

Affiliations

Member

American Public Health Association
Member, 1990-2015

American Physical Therapy Association
Member

Virginia Physical Therapy Association
Fellow, American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists

American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapist

Degrees

tDPT, Physical Therapy, Shenandoah University
MS, Health Systems Management/Executive Management, George Mason University
MS, Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Institute of Graduate Health Science
BS, Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia