Alicia Y. Huff Vinyard, DO, Augusta, GA, appeared on The Dish, an Augusta-area television program, where she discussed her own breast cancer story and how it shapes how she treats her patients. Dr. Vinyard is a board-certified general surgeon and fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist at Georgia Cancer Center in Augusta.
2012
Michel A. Evans, DO, Danville, VA, joined Danville Regional Medical Center as an otolaryngologist. He specializes in sinus disease, hearing loss, balance disorders, voice and swallowing disorders and environmental allergies. Christie M. Hirsch, DO, Wilkesboro, NC, joined Wilkes Medical Center as a general surgeon. Dr. Hirsch is the hospital’s first female general surgeon. Robert Holzshu, DO, Chambersburg, PA, has joined Richards Orthopaedic Center and Sports Medicine in Chambersburg. Nicholas J. Madden, DO, Hollidaysburg, PA, was a 2017 recipient of the America College of Osteopathic Surgeons’ Resident Achievement Award. Kevin M. Miller, DO, Ambler, PA, joined the emergency service line specializing in emergency medicine at Doylestown Health. George J. Myers, DO, Bainbridge, GA, joined Memorial Hospital & Manor in Bainbridge as a surgeon. Melanie N. Schwer, MS/ PA, Riva, MD, was awarded the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Emergency Medicine from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She works at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore. Kena K. Shah, DO, Harrisburg, NC, was one of several female physicians who wrote Chronicles of Women in White Coats, a book that aims to give readers a peek into the personal and professional lives of female doctors and how they balance their careers with being mothers, wives, caregivers, daughters and more. Carly P. Whitehead, DO, Conshohocken, PA, joined the medical service line specializing in neurology in association with Doylestown Health Neurology.
THEA GALLAGHER, PSYD ’14 Finding a Meaningful Career in ExposureBased Therapy by Meghan McLaughlin
After dropping out of high school to become a professional ballet dancer, Thea Gallagher, PsyD ’14, Langhorne, PA, eventually exited the stage and returned to school to pursue a career with more longevity. “I’ve always loved talking to people and coming to understand their perspectives on life,” she says. “A career in clinical psychology seemed like the way to do that while also being challenging and rewarding.” In her current role as clinic director for the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Gallagher has found the role she longed for. One aspect she was not anticipating, however, was being recognized as an expert in anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD — something that puts her on television a few times each year. “I never expected that I’d have a career where I’m on the news, but I’m happy that I have those opportunities to spread awareness of anxiety disorders and to answer questions that may help people,” says Dr. Gallagher. Dr. Gallagher works closely with CTSA Director Edna Foa, PhD, named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2010 for her work treating PTSD using prolonged exposure therapy. Dr. Gallagher serves as a project coordinator under Dr. Foa’s supervision on a multi-site collaboration examining whether and how cognitive behavior therapy of exposure and response therapy can help patients with OCD. “Working closely with Dr. Foa every day has been the most influential experience of my career,” says Dr. Gallagher. “She is brilliant and has taught me so much.” Dr. Gallagher’s work with Dr. Foa is just one aspect of her role at the CTSA. An average day or week for Dr. Gallagher balances many different responsibilities, including seeing patients; supervising the CTSA’s practicum students and post-doctoral fellows and Perelman School of Medicine residents; writing journal articles and chapters; facilitating an OCD support group; and managing the clinic’s waitlist and budget. When she’s not at the CTSA, Dr. Gallagher sees patients in her private practice, The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Health LLC. “I enjoy that I have such diversity in what I do,” says Dr. Gallagher. “The balance of clinical, teaching, research, supervisory and administrative work is something that keeps me excited and motivated.” More importantly, Dr. Gallagher loves seeing the differences that the CTSA makes in the lives of its patients. “I love doing exposure-based therapy at the CTSA because it is creative, active and very effective in a short period of time,” Dr. Gallagher explains. “Many of our patients are highly motivated and brave. They allow themselves to be exposed to situations that make them anxious or fearful so that we can fight their anxiety, OCD and PTSD together.” With a curriculum rooted in cognitive behavior therapy and research, PCOM’s Clinical PsyD program provided Dr. Gallagher with the foundation to make such a difference in the treatment of anxiety disorders. “I’m most grateful for the emphasis that PCOM placed on scientific research and evidence-based practice,” she says. Kristen G. Dixon Yost, DO, Camp Hill, PA, joined the staff of Geisinger Holy Spirit Behavioral Health as a board-certified psychiatrist.
2013
Christine H. Cho, RES, Reading, PA, is a clinical instructor on staff at Reading Hospital. Adriana DiStanislao, MS/PA, Philadelphia, PA, joined Mount Nittany Physician Group Dermatology as a physician assistant. Lauren E. Giangiordano, MS/ Psy, Philadelphia, PA, joined Community Behavioral Health as a clinical care manager.
Scott D. Glassman, PsyD, Cherry Hill, NJ, associate director, MS in Mental Health Counseling, clinical associate professor, PCOM, started A Happier You, a six-week program at PCOM that teaches participants how to grow and maintain positive feelings. WHYY featured the program in a segment titled “Can a Class Teach Someone to Be Happier?” (November 27, 2017). Dr. Glassman also authored an article for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Q&A: How to Shake the Winter Blues” (December 19, 2017) and a segment for WHYY titled “What’s the Harm in Bleeding Green” (December 27, 2017).
Evan L. McClennen, DO, Mountain Top, PA, joined Geisinger Health System’s Wyoming Valley Medical Center as an obstetrician/gynecologist. Biagio Pacifico, RES, Bronx, NY, runs Pacifico Plastic Surgery, with offices in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Iselin, NJ, and Old Bridge, NJ. The practice was featured in an article in Digital Journal titled “Pacifico Plastic Surgery Continuing to Book Consultations for Breast Enhancement Procedures” (November 9, 2017). Richard J. Pearson, Jr., DO, Moultrie, GA, joined Colquitt DIGEST 2018
35