Newsmakers: March 2016

Natalie McGill

Allukian one of founding officers of new fluoridation society

APHA member Myron Allukian, DDS, MPH, is one of four officers of the American Fluoridation Society. Founded in January, the group of health professionals and science advocates aim to educate the public about the public health benefits of community water fluoridation and dispel myths.

Bratberg receives pharmacy association excellence award

APHA member Jeffrey Bratberg, PharmD, BCPS, in March received the Generation Rx Award of Excellence from the American Pharmacists Association. Bratberg, a clinical professor at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy, received the award during the association’s annual meeting in Baltimore for his work in substance abuse education.

Li named chief analytics officer of South Carolina health sciences group

APHA member Xiaoming Li, PhD, in January was named the chief analytics officer of Health Sciences South Carolina. Li is a professor in the Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. Li previously served as a professor and director of Wayne State University’s Pediatric Prevention Research Center in Detroit.

Ogedegbe receives New York school’s faculty award

APHA member Olugbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH, MS, FACP, in February received New York University’s 2015-2016 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Faculty Award for his mentorship of future health professionals. Ogedegbe is vice dean of New York University’s College of Global Public Health and director of NYU’s Center for Healthful Behavior Change in the School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health.

Apel receives American Speech-Language-Hearing Association award

Kenn Apel, PhD, in November received the Honors of the Association award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Apel, who received the honor during the association’s annual conference in Denver, is the professor and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders within the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health.

Houry receives Florida college network’s faculty award

Cecile Houry, PhD, in November received the Engaged Scholarship Faculty Award under the state university system category from Florida Campus Compact. Houry is a lead on communications, marketing and social media, as well as continuing and professional education, for Florida International University’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health.

Levine named new editor-in-chief of orthopedic journal

William Levine, MD, in January was named the new editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Levine previously served as the journal’s deputy editor from 2007 to 2014. He is also the chief orthopedic surgeon at New York-Presbyterian-Columbia University Medical Center as well as the chair of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons’ Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

Lewin named Georgia school’s executive vice president for health affairs

Jonathan Lewin, MD, in February began his appointment as executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University in Atlanta. Lewin previously served in leadership at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University, including his work as senior vice president for integrated health care delivery and professor and chair of the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science. Lewin will also serve as president and CEO of Emory Healthcare, chair of Emory Healthcare’s Board of Directors and as executive director for Emory’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center.

Rangarajan named managing director at research group

Anu Rangarajan, PhD, in January was named managing director of Mathematica Policy Research’s international research division. Rangarajan, who has worked at Mathematica for more than 25 years, will be tasked with managing research projects spanning subjects such as agriculture and education in developing countries.

Florida area medical center receives Joint Commission award

Parrish Medical Center in January was named the first U.S. hospital to receive an integrated care certification via the Joint Commission’s Hospital Accreditation Program. The medical center, located in Titusville, Florida, was recognized for its excellence in care transition, information sharing and other characteristics of quality integrated health care.