CATalyst - Summer 2020

SAVING LIVES CAN’T WAIT

OPIOID STRATEGY IS FASTTRACKED DUE TO COVID-19 [P. 9]

IN THIS ISSUE

CPH LEADERSHIP TEAM DEAN Donna Arnett PhD MSPH ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ADMINISTRATION Paula Arnett DrPH MBA ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH Teresa Waters PhD ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS Sarah Wackerbarth PhD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION Allison Elliott-Shannon MA

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GREAT TEACHER

STUDENTS & ALUMNI

DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY Shelley Ward MAGAZINE EDITOR Allison Elliott-Shannon MA

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DESIGNER Linda Kim

COVID-19 & SUICIDE

PHOTOGRAPHY Mark Cornelison & Pete Comparoni for UK Public Relations and Marketing PRINTER Copy Express, Lexington KY To request additional copies or for questions or comments, contact allison.elliott@uky.edu or write to: UK College of Public Health 111 Washington Avenue Suite 112 Lexington, KY 40536 Facebook @ukcph Twitter @ukcph Instagram @ukcph

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FACULTY NEWS

UNITED AGAINST INJUSTICE

cph.uky.edu

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HEALING COMMUNITIES

[ 2 ] UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | SUMMER 2020

Dear Friends and Alumni: What a long, strange trip it has been since our last issue of Catalyst. Six months ago, the University of Kentucky campus was bustling with life. From my office I could see students as they clustered together on sidewalks, en route to sit shoulder-by-shoulder in full classrooms and dining halls. At that moment, few of us could have predicted that the semester would end with remote course delivery, much less a virtual graduation ceremony. At least for now, the old ways of life are gone. But our dedication to our vision “to be the catalyst of positive change for population health” is stronger than ever.

In this magazine issue, we focus on our College’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am so proud of our faculty, staff, and students who have stepped forward to provide both expertise and “boots on the ground” to counter this global health crisis. In these pages you will learn a few of their stories—from Dr. Kathleen Winter, who has made herself freely available to educate the public through media interviews; to Dr. Keith Knapp, who has been tapped to lead Kentucky’s Long-Term Care Task Force; to recent graduate Brendan Mathews, who went a from volunteer contract tracer in March to leading Kentucky’s contact tracing operation by May. This issue also includes new research from Dr. Sabrina Brown on the intersection of COVID-19 and suicide risk, as well as an update on the HEALing Communities project to reduce opioid overdose deaths—and the fast-tracking of a key harm reduction strategy in the face of the pandemic. This is not a comprehensive list of everything happening in our College right now, but I hope you will get a sense of the breadth and depth of our leadership role in this crisis.

As we look toward the Fall semester, and the return of students to campus, universal mask-wearing and physical distancing will be the order of the day. We know that things will look different than in the past.

But I believe that one thing will not change—the willingness of our College community members to support one another as we move through these new challenges with resilience and heart.

With Best Wishes for Good Health,

Donna K. Arnett, PhD, MSPH Dean, UK College of Public Health

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 1 ]

FOCUS ON FACULTY

DR. MARTHA RIDDELL NAMED GREAT TEACHER “My own teaching philosophy is to help students achieve their potential.”

Dr. Martha Riddell was one of six University of Kentucky educators selected to receive a 2020 Great Teacher Award from the UK Alumni Association this Spring.

The Great Teacher Awards are special, as all recipients must be nominated by their students.

“It made it particularly meaningful and affirming at the same time, that what we are doing is helping students achieve,” said Riddell.

Riddell is an associate professor of Health Management and Policy, as well as long-time director of the Master of Health Administration program. As

program director she sees students in all stages of their education – from the decision to enroll, in the classroom, in internships, and as they transition to fellowship and jobs.

“In transitioning into grad school, [Dr. Riddell] was extremely instrumental and pivotal,” said Majd Jabbour (MHA 2020), who nominated Riddell for the Great Teacher Award. Jabbour said Riddell taught him to genuinely care about his classmates and colleagues.

“I hope to continue that message – to carry it with me wherever I go. Because I think it’s really important for me, as a future health care provider or administrator, to show that compassion to people,” said Jabbour.

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Teaching students and preparing them for their futures is not something Riddell takes lightly.

“It’s a very large responsibility.

Helping students find their calling, find their strengths for service is truly extraordinary,” said Riddell. “I’m biased, but I think they’re great. To quote Coach Cal, ‘I love my team.’”

By Grace Colville

FOCUS ON FACULTY

FACULTY & STAFF NEWS Dr. Erin Abner Epidemiology is using social media to educate the public about COVID-19 at https://www.facebook.com/erin.abner.

Professor Jennifer Daddysman Biostatistics received the 2020 “Golden Apple” Award from the UK Student Public Health Association.

Dr. Donna K. Arnett Epidemiology was recently named an Expertscape World Expert in Hypertension.

Ms. Victoria Garcia-Davis Migrant Outreach Program Director & Principal Investigator for the Migrant Outreach Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) grant, has been active in educating the Central Kentucky Hispanic community about COVID-19 prevention.

Mr. Elliot Bloomer Innovation in Population Health Center serves on the UK Staff Senate President’s Advisory Council.

Dr. Ty Borders Health Management & Policy wrote the editorial “Act now to stop COVID-19 in rural Kentucky” for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Dr. Heather Bush Biostatistics, Dr. Kathleen Winter Epidemiology, and Dr. Ann Coker College of Medicine/Epidemiology are part of the COVID-19 Unified Research Experts (CURE) Alliance team, led by Dr. Rebecca Dutch College of Medicine.

Dr. Kathryn Cardarelli Health, Behavior & Society has taken a leading role in restart planning for Fall 2020 in her capacity as senior assistant provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development.

Dr. Angela Carman Health, Behavior & Society was featured in an article on the Rural Health Information Hub’s Rural Monitor: “It’s Possible: Voluntary Accreditation for Rural Public Health Departments.”

Dr. Anna Goodman Hoover Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health is the subject of an investigator profile on the website of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Hoover was recently awarded a pilot grant from the NIEHS-funded UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) to develop a survey to assess Appalachian Kentuckians’ water-related environmental health literacy.

Dr. Keith Knapp Health Management and Policy is coordinating the Kentucky Long-Term Care Task Force for COVID-19.

Dr. Marc Kiviniemi Health, Behavior & Society and Dr. Ann Coker Epidemiology are leading the COVID-19 Prevention Survey, in partnership with the Wellness, Health, & You study.

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 3 ]

FOCUS ON FACULTY

FACULTY & STAFF NEWS Dr. Jennifer Redmond Knight’s Health Management and Policy work with the Kentucky Cancer Consortium has been highlighted by the GW Cancer Center for effective policy work on colorectal cancer screening in Kentucky.

Dr. Aaron Kruse-Diehr Health, Behavior & Society has been accepted to the National Cancer Institute’s 2020 Training Institute for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer.

Dr. Beth Lacy Epidemiology has been accepted to the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science KL2 Career Development Program.

Dr. Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa Health, Behavior & Society has been appointed to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education Academic Leadership Institute.

Dr. Caitlin Pope Gerontology has been accepted to the Butler-Williams Scholars Program sponsored by the National Institute on Aging.

[ 4 ] UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | SUMMER 2020

Dr. Martha Riddell Health Management & Policy was named a 2020 Great Teacher by the UK Alumni Assocation.

Dr. Jerod Stapleton Health, Behavior & Society has been appointed to the Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health.

Ms. Jennifer Stevens Student Engagement, Advising & Success is chair-elect of the UK Advising Network.

Dr. Kimberly I. Tumlin Epidemiology is leading the Equestrian Athlete (EqA) Initiative team’s outreach to community members regarding COVID-19’s impact on the equestrian community.

Dr. Svetla Slavova Biostatistics has been appointed to the editorial board of Injury Epidemiology.

Dr. Mark Swanson Health, Behavior & Society was appointed by Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton to fill the unexpired term of late Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council Representative for the 3rd District Jake Gibbs.

FOCUS ON FACULTY Dr. Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa, assistant professor of Health, Behavior & Society, and Dr. Kathryn M. Cardarelli, associate professor of Health, Behavior & Society, authored the commentary “Law Enforcement Violence and the Construction of a Just Society” for UKNow, the University of Kentucky’s news site. Read their commentary as well as the College of Public Health’s statement on racism as a public health issue at https://cph.uky.edu/diversity-and-inclusion.

Dr. Kathleen Winter, assistant professor of Epidemiology, has been actively involved in media outreach to educate the public about COVID-19.

Winter, who has been embedded with the Lexington-Fayette Co. Health Department since the pandemic reached Kentucky, has authored op-eds in the Lexington Herald-Leader, represented UK through state and national media interviews, and served as a major spokesperson for the importance of infection prevention and control through physical distancing, mask wearing, and contact tracing. Learn more about the College’s COVID-19 outreach at https://cph.uky. edu/covid-19-updates.

Dr. Erin Abner, associate professor of Epidemiology, has been named a University Research Professor for 2020-21. The purpose of the University Research Professorship program is to recognize and publicize research accomplishments of scholars across the full range of disciplines at UK. The award amount is $10,000 for one year, to be used to further the research, scholarship, and creative endeavors of the awardee.

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 5 ]

RESEARCH

COVID-19 AND SUICIDE: A “PERFECT STORM”?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the United States and Kentucky, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center is keeping a close eye on the convergence of multiple suicide factors in the state.

While many observers expected suicides to climb due to the pandemic, preliminary data in the peer-reviewed article “Suicide in the Time of COVID-19: A Perfect Storm” (The Journal of Rural Health, doi 10.1111/jrh.12458) show suicides in Kentucky for the weeks of March 1320 and March 20-27 were about 50% lower than the average of the previous seven years.

Dr. Sabrina Brown, principal investigator of Kentucky’s Violent Death Reporting System, and Dr. Donna L. Schuman, assistant professor, University of Kentucky College of Social Work, are the authors of the article. Their findings note that suicide rates historically decrease during the early phase — or honeymoon period — of a

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crisis, like after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“I was thinking through that,” said Brown, who also is an associate professor of Epidemiology in the UK College of Public Health. “This pandemic doesn’t technically fall under the category of disaster/terrorism but it certainly fits and can be applied in this case.”

Brown said the protective-effect messaging of “we need to come together” from many leaders, including Gov. Andy Beshear, was a key to early numbers dropping. She added the data from March 27-April 2 show that numbers continue to be lower than in past years.

However, Brown is worried the state could be entering the next phase, which is disillusionment.

She pointed to protests and politicians contradicting each other as early signs.

“We’re starting to break apart and fracture,”

RESEARCH Brown said. “This is only going to increase feelings that this situation is unending, that it’s out of control for a person already at-risk for suicidal behaviors. They might feel there are no answers and there are no solutions.”

The article notes that, with extended periods of social isolation from social distancing coupled with the extreme economic upheaval, the COVID-19 pandemic creates a “perfect storm” of conditions for suicide, necessitating week-toweek monitoring of suicide trends in Kentucky and the nation.

To read the peer-reviewed article “Suicide in the Time of COVID-19: A Perfect Storm,” visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ jrh.12458.

By Jonathan Greene

“In considering these second- and third-order public health priorities we should not undermine the primary goal of preventing the spread of COVID-19. We have to adjust and make sure that we’re in communication with people at-risk,” Brown said.

She said isolation is a known risk factor for suicidal behaviors, but there are ways to help.

“We need to do things to bring people together to make them feel like they’re in a community or a group,” Brown added.

This can include just sending a friendly communication to someone you might be concerned about, reaching out and talking to the person, or connecting them to a support system.

Dr. Sabrina Brown, Associate Professor of Epidemiology

The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, which is part of the UK College of Public Health, is a bona fide agent for the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH).

Brown said data are shared with the Suicide Prevention Coordinator at the Behavioral Prevention and Promotion Branch of KDPH, which uses the data to complete community level needs assessments within its 14 regional prevention centers. Additionally, the data is used to apply for federal grants that pertain to suicide prevention.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255 or more information can be found at https://suicidepreventionlifeline. org.

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 7 ]

UK HEALING COMMUNITIES STRATEGY FAST-TRACKED DUE TO COVID-19 Since the $87 million HEALing Communities Study was announced just over a year ago, the University of Kentucky and its community and state partners have been working diligently to lay the groundwork to get the project up and running.

The ambitious study is organized into six phases, beginning with basic preparations and leading into actual implementation and monitoring of various evidence-based strategies to reduce opioid deaths. The project is broken down into two waves of eight counties each, with each wave starting at different times. Project activities for the first wave of eight counties – Boyd, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Kenton and Madison, collectively known as WAVE 1 – is well underway.

RESEARCH The HEALing Communities Study timeline had been carefully set and was progressing as planned. And then, COVID-19 rapidly spread across the country. With many of Kentucky’s health care workers focusing their efforts on preparing for the virus, and other industries quickly moving to a work-from-home model, the HEAL team at first wasn’t sure if their community partners had the bandwidth to maintain the timeline of work on the grant. But when Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced the release of nonviolent medically vulnerable inmates and those with Class C or D felonies nearing the end of their sentences in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the correctional institutions, the team saw an urgent need to push the study forward by offering one initiative to communities ahead of schedule: the distribution of naloxone to individuals at highest risk for overdose, particularly those being released from local jails.

Within the study framework, each community involved in the project develops an action plan that involves picking which strategies they are able and willing to initiate in their area. Naloxone distribution in the criminal justice setting was an evidence-based practice that was always “on the menu,” as UK College of Public Health associate professor of Epidemiology Dr. April Young describes it, but had been in the plans to begin later this year.

In mid-March during a national call, Dr. Sharon Walsh, director of UK’s Center on Drug and Alcohol Research and principal investigator on UK’s HEAL grant, pitched the idea of fasttracking overdose education and naloxone in light of COVID-19; the national consortium agreed to develop a committee to take up the issue. Young led HEAL’s community engagement and continuum of care teams in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio to get approval to fast-track the initiative.

“The Kentucky team has always operated with a sense of urgency because we are mindful that lives are at stake,” Young said. “We’ve always worked to help our eager communities move as quickly as possible through the process outlined in the study protocol, but when COVID-19 hit, the goalpost moved. It was clear that the standard protocol wasn’t going to cut it if we were going to help those at highest need.”

“We really felt like it was a moral mandate,” Walsh said.

The team immediately began writing a plan, and Young says that within five hours of that call, they had completed a draft protocol. For the next week, researchers from the four states weighed in through a series of revised drafts and meetings [ 10 ] UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | SUMMER 2020

before agreement was reached and the plan was approved.

The risk of overdose is increased when people are released from a correctional facility – because they have gone for an extended length of time without using an opioid, their tolerance for the drug has decreased significantly. An attempt to use the same amount of opioid may lead to overdose or death. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, which means it blocks the effects of opioids and immediately reverses an overdose. “[The inmates] have been abstinent for some time, and then they’re being released back to the community at a time when everything is upside down,” said Dr. Trish Freeman, associate professor in the UK College of Pharmacy. “Their support structures are not necessarily going to be in place, so the risk of overdose is great.”

Once the strategy was approved for implementation, the team presented the option to community coalition members in each of the WAVE 1 counties, all of whom expressed initial

RESEARCH interest in providing overdose education and naloxone distribution in their jails.

“I think one of the driving forces for this was that our health care and first responders are already overburdened by COVID-19,” said Dr. Carrie Oser, professor in the UK College of Arts & Sciences. “We don’t want to see an increase in overdoses because this could lead to a loss of life, but also we don’t want to further strain those systems, and the jails have been really responsive to this concern.”

Senate Bill 192 (2015) allows healthcare providers to prescribe or dispense naloxone, directly or through a standing order, to any person or agency that is deemed capable of administering the drug in an emergency opioid overdose. Freeman and her colleagues developed a naloxone standing order agreement and Dr. Michelle Lofwall, professor of behavioral science and psychiatry in the UK College of Medicine, signed off on the standing order as the physician of record for all naloxone distributed to the jails.

Education about overdose and how to use the medication is required before the inmate is released – information both they and their family members need to know. Oser and other HEAL colleagues are working with each jail to figure out the best option to push out overdose education, trying to leverage existing resources when possible. Only two of the jails had overdose education formally implemented as a standard practice for the inmates, but it was only in their substance use treatment units, which serve a limited subset of people. Many of the jails use electronic tablets to provide educational programming and communication to the people who are incarcerated, so providing content digitally has been a priority. In partnership with the jails, Oser and colleagues have implemented overdose education strategies including a video, an interactive educational website training, and scaling up in-person training delivered by jail staff.

The first doses of naloxone were shipped to participating jails just 10 days after the national consortium’s approval of fast-tracking overdose education and naloxone distribution. So far, three counties are fully onboarded with the naloxone initiative in their jails with two – including Fayette County – to begin distribution next week.

However, the criminal justice setting is just one of several opportunities to get the life-saving medication to people who need it. The HEAL team is next working with the communities to get naloxone to other locations for distribution, including treatment facilities and syringe service programs.

Despite the wrenches the COVID-19 pandemic threw in their initial plans, the team says it’s a relief to launch one of the evidence-based practices they hope will save many Kentucky lives in this time of great community need, though they wish the effort could have been launched even earlier to reach even more people. However, they agree that ushering the protocol through approval by four states’ research teams and eight community coalitions then developing a rollout strategy consistent with state policy and jails’ needs in a matter of weeks is a major accomplishment.

Dr. April Young, Associate Professor of Epidemiology

“This is a big win for us to be able to execute this so quickly and serve so many people,” Oser said. “And it’s not just benefiting people who are getting out of jail. It’s also helping their family, friends and networks – the people they may be social distancing with at home – who may also be at risk for an opioid overdose. It’s not just serving one person. It’s serving the community.”

By Allison K. Perry

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 11 ]

STUDENTS AND ALUMNI From the DRC to UK, Student Finds her Mission in Public Health Daniela Nakinoja’s first-hand education in public health began early. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and spending some time in a displacement camp en route to a new home in South Africa, Daniela bore witness at a young age to many of the ills public health seeks to remedy; food insecurity, violence, disease, and deep health disparities.” After moving to Lexington with her family, Daniela enrolled at the University of Kentucky and found her way to a public health class. What she learned there resonated with her. “I finally got why things happen the way they do and why populations are affected more than others. In my first public health class I got so excited – I texted my mom to share with her what I had learned!” she said.

Now a rising sophomore in the Bachelor of Public Health program, Daniela credits her professors with helping her connect her life experiences with the principles of public health. Daniela plans to complete the 4+1 combined BPH/MPH program before pursuing medical school. Her ultimate goal is to give back to the global community. Meanwhile, as a College of Public Health student ambassador, Daniela has this advice for future students: “Have empathy and acknowledge that the experiences of others are real. Focus on what goes on beyond us…beyond our bubble.”

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MPH Grad Leads COVID-19 Contact Tracing for Kentucky The journey from graduation to a leadership position in Kentucky’s fight against COVID-19 was a short one for Brendan Mathews. After receiving his Master of Public Health degree in May 2020, the Bardstown, Ky., native immediately began a fulltime job as COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Tracking Staffing Lead, Contact Tracing State Coordinator, and Epidemiologist for the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Brendan was introduced to contact tracing while serving as a volunteer at the Lexington-Fayette Co. Health Department. Working alongside College of Public Health faculty, alumni, and fellow students, Brendan put to use skills learned through his MPH concentration in Health Behavior. “For contact tracing especially, there’s a lot of talking with people and assessing their health behaviors and risk,” he observed. Brendan believes his experience in contact tracing will be valuable as he pursues a career in health policy. “Policy makers don’t always have the experience of working directly in the field,” he said.

“I want to bring in data as well as experience in practice. Policy often sounds great on paper, but in practice isn’t so great.” This fall Brendan will attend the University of Cincinnati as a dual-degree student pursuing a JD alongside a PhD in epidemiology. His words of advice to students who may be considering a career in public health? “No matter what your interests are, a degree in Public Health is going to give you critical thinking skills and a broad lens through which to view the world. Every aspect of life influences health – law and policy, the environment, criminal justice…the program has afforded me amazing opportunities, and it is a knowledge base that I will value in the future.”

STUDENTS AND ALUMNI Time for Action: Health Colleges Unite Against Racial Injustice College of Public Health students, faculty, and staff participated in a peaceful rally on June 12, alongside peers from the UK Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Health Sciences, as well as UK President Eli Capilouto and Vice President for Diversity Dr. Sonja Feist-Price. To learn more about the College of Public Health’s ongoing response to racism and racial injustice, visit https://cph.uky.edu/diversity-and-inclusion.

Contact Tracing Volunteers Power COVID-19 Response As COVID-19 hit Kentucky this Spring, several students and recent alumni volunteered their time as contact tracers for the Lexington-Fayette Co. Health Department. Pictured: Abigail DeSantis (BPH 2019) on the job at LFCHD headquarters.DeSantis now works full time for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation National Electronic Disease Surveillance System.

New Chief Residents Congratulations to the new chief residents for the Occupational and Preventive Medicine Residency programs. Dr. Ankur Bhargava has been named Chief Resident for Preventive Medicine and Dr. Adrianne Deveira has been named Chief Resident for Occupational Medicine.

Both will serve for the 2020-21 academic year.

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 13 ]

ALUMNI UPDATES

DEAR COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY, I initially joined the University of Kentucky College of Public Health because I wanted to work with a community of professionals who care about the world around them. What I didn’t know was just how outstanding and impactful our alumni are. Whether it be on the frontlines of COVID-19, doing investigative research, leading health care organizations, or participating in community leadership to combat health disparities, you have all taught me what it means to live, learn, and do public health.

NOW SEEKING NOMINATIONS

While things didn’t go exactly as planned for the spring semester, we are still on track to unveil exciting opportunities for alumni engagement over the next few months— albeit in an online format. Be on the lookout for information regarding alumni meet-ups, College of Public Health Alumni Council elections, and the College of Public Health Legends & Leaders Awards.

Now, more than ever, is a great time to reconnect with the College of Public Health. Whether it be updating your alumni information, providing feedback about your alumni experience, or joining our LinkedIn Group, we are happy to hear from you.

Remember, you are always “at home” at the UK College of Public Health.

Sincerely,

Jillian Faith Senior Alumni Coordinator Jillian.Faith@uky.edu

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ALUMNI UPDATES

CLASS NOTES Leah Casanave (MPH 2010, DrPH 2013) Awarded Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) Traeger Award Brittany McClure (BPH 2019) Started new position as CST at University of Kentucky Robert Oakley (MHA 2009) Third child was Louisville’s first newborn of the year and decade Longford Nguyen (MHA 2011) Promoted to Associate Chief Operating Officer for United States Air Force Shannon Bowles Bland (PhD Gerontology 2013) Started new position as Life Guidance Director for Atria Senior Living Miranda VanHoozen (BPH 2018) Started new position as Cardiovascular Sales Specialist for Amplity Health Yusef Sayeed (MPH 2004) Started new position as Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Shana Davis (MPH 2012) Started new position as Regional Director of Ethics & Compliance at Walmart Tyler Gertz (MHA 2015) Promoted to Senior Planning Associate at Emory Healthcare Nathan Messenger (BPH 2017) Started new position as Admissions Advisor for MedQuest College Brandon Cofield (MPH 2015) Completed Texas A&M School of Law Residency Externship Program in Public Policy with Senator Diane Feinstein and received J.D. from Texas A&M. Won regional championship for American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition.

Karina Manz (MPH 2019) Started new position as Biomedical Data Science Assistant at UK College of Public Health Ly’Anna Wright (MPH 2019) Started new position as Claims Service Specialist at Allstate Sierra Dantzler (MPH 2015) Started new position as Program Manager of Project DAWN at Ohio Department of Health John Rucker (MHA 2014) Promoted to System Vice President of Strategy at Health First

Eboneka Coleman (MPH 2015) Promoted to Senior Analyst of Chronic Disease Prevention at Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Cody Ingram (BPH 2017) Started new position as Operations and Preparation Assistant for Army National Guard of Florida Jerika Durham (BPH 2019) Started new position as Lab Technician at University of Kentucky Kori Otero (BPH 2017) Completed MPH at Brown University and is working on research funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the University of Virginia Akosua Boateng (BPH 2019) Started new position as Operations Administrator at Cotiviti Andrea Jarvis (MHA 2000) Started new position as Program Director of Speciality Drug Strategies for IngenioRx Halle Garrett (BPH 2019) Started new position as Government Relations Representative at Frost Brown Todd Kara Ward (MHA 2018) Started new position as Associate Administrator at BarnesJewish Hospital Aaron Heffley (MHA 2018) Started new position as Practice Manager at Hospital for Special Surgery Chris Gayer (PhD Gerontology 2013) Started new position as Director of Product Management at Flatiron Health Lauren Seaton (MHA 2018) Started new position as Program Analyst at Ascension Joshua Volpenheim (MHA 2016) Started new position as Revenue Cycle Operations Analyst for Catholic Health Initiatives Susan Jacobs (MHA 2014) Started new position as Inspection Specialist at College of American Pathologists

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ALUMNI UPDATES

CLASS NOTES Maya McDoom (MPH 2007) Research paper was selected as Paper of the Year for the American Journal of Public Health

Faith Watrous (BPH 2019) Started new position as A/R Clerical Specialist at Bolder Healthcare Solutions

Benjamin Minnis (MHA 2007) Started new position as Manager at VMG Health

Sarah Bounse (MPH 2012) Started new position as Program Manager at Vanderbilt University Medical Center Office of Health Equity

Amy Klawitter (MPH 2013) Started new position as Lead Project Manager for Social Health Practice at Kaiser Permanente Aletha Bernard (MHA 2010) Given award for service to Board of Directors by United Way of the Bluegrass Tiphani Baker (BPH 2016) Started new position as Health Educator at Lake Cumberland District Health Department Ethan Cardwell (MPH 2018) Accepted to doctoral program at University of Melbourne - School of Population & Global Health

Courtney Toms Levenson (BPH 2017) Started new position as HealthCare Safety Specialist at University of Kentucky Dia Obonyo (MPH 2011) Started new position as Prevention Coordinator and Co-Infection Specialist at Kentucky Department for Public Health Amita Rastogi (MHA 1997) Started new position as Vice President of Commercial Lines and Medical Director of Episodes of Care at Signify Health Kathryn Rutland (MPH 2008) Started new position as Physician at LifeSpring Behavioral Health

Lori Kelley (MHA 1999) Started new position as Provider Contracting Professional at Humana

Lazarus Eze (MPH 2013) Started new position as Founder and Director at Testrogen InnovationHub

Regina Washington (DrPH 2007) Started new position as Vice President and Chief of Staff at International Association of Providers of AIDS Care

Kirk Strack (MHA 1996) Started new position as Chief Financial Officer at University of Louisville Health

Maya Craig-Lauer (BPH 2016) Started new position as Public Health Emergency Preparedness Planner at County of San Luis Obispo

Briana Crawford (BPH 2017) Started new position as Data Analyst for Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services

Alyssa Bromagen (BPH 2018) Started new position as Biological Scientist at Florida Department of Health Polk County

Carrie Kefalas (MPH 2012) Started new position as Head of Clinical Trial Risk Management for Global Drug Development at Bristol Myers Squibb

Zachary Salmons (BPH 2019) Started new position as Healthcare Navigator for Southeast Community Mental Health Center

Jasie Logsdon (MPH 2003) Started new position as Tuberculosis Controller at Virginia Department of Health

Bryan Lindsay (MHA 2013) Formed and opened The Restoracy of Whitestown, a skilled nursing home in Indiana

Holly Poynter (MPH 2014) Started new position as Public Information Officer at Arizona Department of Health Services

Millie Batalo (MHA 2000) Started new position as Territory Business Leader at Zealand Pharma

Robin Schildknecht Huffman (MHA 2012) Started new position as Director of Patient Experience at University of Cincinnati Health

Meredith Scott (MHA 2015) Started new position as Senior Pharmacy Contracting Professional at Humana Pharmacy, Inc.

Stephen Carrick (MHA 2015) Started new position as Strategist at UT Southwestern Medical Center

Jia Kangbai (MPH 2016) Published research article “sociodemographic and clinical determinants of in-facility case fatality rate for 938 adult ebola patients treated at Sierra Leone Ebola treatment center� in BMC Infectious Diseases.

Morgan Floyd Delattre (MPH 2015) Started new position as Executive Assistant for The Council of State Governments

Ellen Lycan (DrPH 2013) Started new position as Public Health Analyst at CDC Foundation Andrew Bruenderman (MHA 2013) Started new position as Executive Director at Bridgemoor Transitional Care

[ 16 ] UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | SUMMER 2020

Christine Johnson (BPH 2019) Started a new position as Clinical Research Coordinator at Norton Healthcare

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Send class notes to Jillian.Faith@uky.edu.

PHILANTHROPY

DEAR FRIENDS OF CPH, As the University of Kentucky has confronted the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been particularly struck by the resilience of our College of Public Health students.

Uprooted from their lives on campus mid-semester, they have continued to thrive academically, to support each other, and to work for the greater good of their communities.

On top of their academic work, many of our students have been engaged in volunteer work for local health departments and health care organizations. Demonstrating remarkable determination, these young people are putting aside their own concerns to help others through this difficult time. Many of them are doing so despite significant personal and family financial hardships related to the pandemic.

Did you know that there are two ways you can directly support these hard-working students? The first is through a gift of any size to support scholarships in the College of Public Health. As part of UK’s Leveraging Economic Affordability for Developing Success (LEADS) program, our College is able to provide direct tuition support to students with unmet financial need. Gifts may be directed to the Master of Health Administration Scholarship Fund (supports MHA students) or the College of Public Health Scholarship Fund (supports students in all programs).

The second is through a gift to the College of Public Health Student Emergency Fund. This fund covers onetime expenses that are critical to student success, such as replacing a broken pair of eyeglasses or covering an unexpected medical bill. Research shows that many students who leave school do so because of relatively modest gaps between their financial needs and available resources. By bridging that gap, we can ensure that these future health leaders are able to complete their education and pay it forward by serving others.

We depend on you, our friends and supporters, for the critical funding that enables us to support our students. May we count on you to help us ensure the future of our talented students? Gifts of any size are appreciated, but we also want to learn about why you choose to support this College and its study body.

Sincerely,

Shelley Ward Director of Philanthropy Shelley.ward@uky.edu 859.323.4551

Thank you for your ongoing support of the College of Public Health. With your help, we can lead the way to a brighter tomorrow for our students and the world.

SUMMER 2020 | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH | [ 17 ]