WINTER 2020 Generosity of the Gangarosas
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Dean Curran |
We celebrated the leadership and philanthropy of Eugene Gangarosa and his wife, Rose, with a recent reception to unveil the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health. Following the Hubert Department of Global Health and the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, this is the third department within Emory University to be named.
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Unveiling the new department name (l-r): Paige Tolbert, Bill Foege, Jim Curran, Rose Gangarosa, Gene Gangarosa |
The impact Gene and Rose have had was evident at the celebration. Family, friends, students, faculty, and two Franciscan priests came to toast the Gangarosas. Attendees included Charles Hatcher, Bill Foege, and President Claire Sterk.
Gene began teaching in Emory’s Master of Community Health Program (the precursor of the MPH program) in 1975 when it was first established by Emory. As director of the MPH program from 1983-1990, he worked to build the MPH program, and paved the way for the founding of Emory’s first new school in 72 years in 1990. Gene continues to teach the occasional class at Rollins in his role as emeritus professor and is actively involved with the Center for Global Safe WASH, which he founded.
During his service in World War II, he worked to rebuild water and sanitation systems in Italy. His interest in medicine and enteric pathogens took him to Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, where his intestinal biopsy studies are credited with the widespread adoption of rehydration therapy, which has dramatically influenced the standard operating procedure for treating cholera and saves approximately 1 million children a year. His various public health roles have included serving as director of the University of Maryland’s Pakistan Medical Research Center, working in various leadership positions at the CDC including leading the Epidemic Intelligence Service, and serving as dean of public health at the American University of Beirut.
The Gangarosas’ many gifts to the Rollins include the school’s first global field experience fund, three endowed distinguished professorships, a scholarship fund, and an unrestricted endowment for the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health.
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Paige Tolbert |
We are currently searching for a new chair for this department, as Paige Tolbert, O. Wayne Rollins Chair in Environmental Health, is retiring on March 2. Paige came to Rollins in 1993, fresh from her postdoc at Harvard. She became interim chair of the department in 2005 and was named chair in 2007.
During her tenure, the department of environmental health has more than tripled in size to 21 faculty members. It established a doctoral program, expanded its masters enrollment and set up state-of-the-art laboratory facilities with the opening of the Claudia Nance Rollins Building. The department also added numerous centers and initiatives, including (but not limited to): the Southeastern Center for Air Pollution and Epidemiology; HERCULES Exposome Research Center; Climate@Emory; the HAPIN multinational cook stove trial; a GEOHealth Hub; and the Center for Children’s Health, the Environment, the Microbiome and Metabolomics (C-CHEM2).
The new chair will build on Paige’s outstanding work, helped in large measure by the astounding generosity of the Gangarosas.
Welcome to a pioneering researcher
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Joellen Schildkraut |
In January, Joellen Schildkraut joined our faculty as professor of epidemiology. A leader in women’s cancer research, Joellen leads three consortia studying ovarian cancer prevention and outcomes in the U.S. and abroad, including a consortium of research on ovarian cancer in African American women. She is particularly interested in ovarian cancer mortality disparities.
Joellen came to us from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Please join me in giving her a warm welcome.
Closer to 100&Change
Our entry in the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change competition—Destination Zero—has advanced to the Top 100. The competition is for a single $100 million grant to help solve one of the world's most critical social challenges. Destination Zero, led by Venkat Narayan, aims at lowering rates of hypertension and diabetes in India and could ultimately impact 100 million people (or more). Watch a brief video and review the project’s web page to get a sense for the scope and scale of the proposed project.
In addition to remaining in the competition for the top prize, being in the top 100 gains Destination Zero a spot in the Bold Solutions Network, designed to provide an innovative approach to identifying the most effective, enduring solutions aligned with donors’ philanthropic goals and to help top applicants gain visibility and funding from a wide array of funders.
Godfrey Oakley and Vijaya Kancherla are on a team led by Nutrition International that also advanced to the top 100. Their submission is titled “Impacting Generations: The Transformative Power of Large-Scale Food Fortification.” The project proposes to support countries with the highest burden of anemia and birth defects to implement large-scale food fortification with two micronutrients—iron and folic acid.
Loss of a friend and supporter
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Lawrence P. and Anne Estes Klamon |
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of a dear friend, Lawrence P. Klamon. Larry died on December 27, 2019, at age 82 from a rare blood cancer. He and his wife, Ann Estes Klamon, have been incredibly generous and loyal friends to our school, including serving as chair to our Dean’s Council and leading our fundraising efforts in Campaign Emory. The stunning event space on the eighth floor of the Claudia Nance Rollins Building is named in their honor.
Larry was a lawyer and businessman, working with Fuqua Industries for much of his career, rising to president and CEO. In retirement, he was engaged with numerous civic, educational, and health organizations, including service as president to the Rotary Club of Atlanta and vice chair of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. We will miss Larry and always be grateful for his generosity and friendship.
New grants
Jeffrey Koplan, Advancing National Public Health Institutes Globally to Strengthen Public Health, CDC, $3.8 million, September 30, 2019 – September 29, 2024
Thomas Clasen, Household Air Pollution and Health: A Multi-country LPG Intervention Trial, NIH National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, $2.95 million, continuation
Michelle Kegler, Emory Prevention Research Center, CDC, $1.75 million, September 30, 2019 - September 29, 2024
Patrick Sullivan, The UNC/Emory Center for Innovative Technology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, $1.4 million, June 1, 2019 – May 31, 2020
Jessica Sales, Implementing Trauma Informed Care in HIV Primary Care in the Southeast, NIH National Institute of Mental Health, $760,000, September 23, 2019 – September 22, 2020
Neel Gandhi, The Role of Casual Contact and Migration in XDR TB Transmission in South Africa, NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, $710,000, continuation
Karen Levy, Gut Microbiome, Enteric Infections and Child Growth Across a Rural Urban Gradient, NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, $680,000, continuation
Kelli Komro, Community Randomized Trial in the Cherokee Nation, NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse, $680,000, September 30, 2019 – August 31, 2020
Shakira Suglia, Social Stress Epigenetics and Cardio-Metabolic Health Among Latinos, NIH National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, $670,000, continuation
Tene Lewis, Social Stressors and Atherosclerosis in African-American Women with Lupus, NIH National Institute of Arthritis Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, $660,000, continuation
Rollins faculty have received many other grants for research and training between September 1, 2019 – February 1, 2020 View the complete list.
Appointments and Promotions
Faculty Promotions
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Alvaro Alonso, Professor, Epidemiology
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Karen Andes, Associate Research Professor, Global Health
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Cam Escoffery, Professor, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Veronika Fedirko, Associate Professor, Epidemiology
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Ying Guo, Professor, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
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Kelli Hall, Associate Professor, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Carmen Marsit, Associate Dean of Research, Dean’s Office
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Eric Nehl, Associate Professor, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Tianwei Yu, Professor, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
New Faculty
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Anke Huels, Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
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Ajay Pillarisetti, Assistant Professor, Environmental Health
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Joellen Schildkraut, Professor, Epidemiology
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Liuhua Shi, Assistant Professor, Environmental Health
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Ronald Valdiserri, Professor, Epidemiology
Post Doctoral Fellows
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Marta Diez Valcarce, Global Health
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Tamala Gondwe, Epidemiology
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Alicia Kraay, Epidemiology
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Jennifer Stowell, Environmental Health
Staff Promotions
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Elizabeth Adam, Senior Data Analyst, Epidemiology
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Jennifer Tenley Black, Programs Associate Director, Student Services
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Cherita Clendinen, Clinical Research Coordinator II, Epidemiology
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Cameron Van England, Research Projects Associate Director, Epidemiology
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Megan Fields, Program & Research Manager, Epidemiology
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Chandni Jaggi, Data Analyst, Epidemiology
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Elizabeth Bixby Kefeli, Pre-Award Manager, Research Administration
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Loree Mincey, Clinical Research Coordinator III, Epidemiology
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Shade Owolabi, Research Project Coordinator Supervisor, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Sarah Ann Piper, Programs Associate Director, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Leah Powell, Research Project Coordinator Supervisor, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Tara Redd, Programs Associate Director, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Keriann Conway Roy, Lead Public Health Program Associate, Global Health Institute
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Navit Salzberg, Research Projects Associate Director, Global Health Institute
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Mallory Stasko, Lead Public Health Program Associate, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Meghan Sullivan, Academic Programs Senior Associate Director, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Ariadne Swichtenberg, Academic Programs Senior Associate Director, Environmental Health
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Ebunoluwa Thorpe, PPre-Award II Research Administrator, Research Administration
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Ralph Valenzuela Jr., Fulfillment Services Coordinator, Fulfillment Services
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Deepthi Vijayan, Application Development Analyst IV, Information Services
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Heqiong Wang, Senior Biostatistician, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
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Yuke Wang, Senior Biostatistician, Global Health
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Taylor Wimbly, Senior Public Health Program Associate, Epidemiology
New Staff
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Muna Ainashe, Senior Financial Analyst, Global Health Institute
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Samantha Almozara, Post Award III Research Administrator, Research Administration
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Nadina Alvarado Rosales, Instruction Content Developer, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Jasmine Barnes, Clinical Research Coordinator I, Epidemiology
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Noni Afia Bourne, Student Academic Services Administration, Epidemiology
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Marie Deveaux, Communications Specialist, Global Health Institute
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Betsy Dewey, Program Coordinator, Global Health Institute
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Farah Dharamshi, Student Academic Services Administration, Epidemiology
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Emily Driggers, Clinical Research Coordinator I, Epidemiology
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Sarah Elkogali, Biostatistician, Epidemiology
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Malendie Gaines, Clinical Research Coordinator II, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Hannah Higgins, Administrative Assistant, Global Health
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Sarah Johnson, Program Coordinator, Epidemiology
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Jazlyn Jones, Secretary, Global Health
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Dorie Josma, Public Health Program Associate, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Sean Kelly, Research Technical Specialist, Environmental Health
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Adrian King, Public Health Program Associate, Global Health
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Tiarra Lewis, Human Resources Division Director, Human Resources
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Bethany Livingston, Research Project Coordinator Supervisor, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Christiana Mensah, Business Analyst I, Career Development
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Archna Patel, Public Health Program Associate, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
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Aaron Prince, Senior Research Interviewer, Epidemiology
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Courtney Tucker, Pre-Award II Research Administrator, Research Administration
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Tegveer Uppal, Public Health Program Associate, Global Health
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Jingchao Zhang, Cloud Solutions Engineer III, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
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Amandine Zoonekyndt-Ballart, Project Coordinator, Global Health Institute
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