Class Acts – Fall 2023

  • Adam Andersen, DPT, MBA

    As director of SPH’s MHA program, Adam was named SPH’s 2022-23 Bernard H. Baum Golden Apple Award winner, recognizing outstanding graduate level teaching and service.

  • Kendall Anderson, MS '19

    Kendall Anderson, MS in Environmental and Occupational Health ‘19, has been serving as the clinical diagnostic testing team lead at the Chicago Department of Public Health, using laboratory-based surveillance to respond to major public health threats.

  • Sanjib Basu, PhD

    Sanjib Basu, PhD, was named a UIC Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics by the university.

  • Hannah Bonecutter, MPH '21

    Hannah Bonecutter, MPH in Health Policy and Administration ‘21, earned a Presidential Management Fellowship with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Enterprise Integration.

  • Frank Borgers, PhD

    Frank Borgers, PhD, clinical assistant professor of health policy and administration, was honored by UIC’s Teaching Recognition Program for a demonstrated long-term commitment to teaching excellence.

  • Trevia Brooks

    Trevia Brooks, DrPH student, was awarded the André Gilmore Stanley scholarship, named in honor of the former DrPH student and FDA policy analyst. Trevia’s research focuses on qualitative approaches to address gun violence.

  • Anu Cheemarla, MHA '23

    Anu Cheemarla, Master of Healthcare Administration ’23, was hired as an administrative fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, a one- year project-based experience at the nation’s top-ranked pediatric academic medical center.

  • Stacey Cunningham

    Stacey Cunningham, DrPH student, was awarded the André Gilmore Stanley scholarship, named in honor of the former DrPH student and FDA policy analyst. Stacey’s research explores systemic and structural racism and bias in hospitals and maternal morbidity inequities.

  • Onyinye Enyia Daniel, PhD '15

    Onyinye Enyia Daniel, PhD in Public Health Informatics ’15, was named one of Chief Data Officer Magazine’s Global Data Power Women for her role as vice president of data and analytics strategy at Highmark Health.

  • Jillian Doss-Walker, DrPH '22

    Jillian Doss-Walker, DrPH ’22, was part of a team who received a CDC global health honor award for their response to the public health emergency of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in southern Africa.

  • Dorothy Foulkes, MS '22

    Dorothy Foulkes, MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences ‘22, is serving as a molecular surveillance manager of quality assurance and laboratory liaison with the Chicago Department of Public Health Disease Control Bureau, where she oversees laboratory-based surveillance programs.

  • Shanta Ghosh

    Shanta Ghosh, PhD in Biostatistics student, was the recipient of the 2023 American Statistical Association Biopharmaceutical Section student scholarship award.

  • Arizay Guzman, BA '22

    Arizay Guzman, BA ’22, was accepted to the CDC’s Public Health Associate Program and is currently working with the Johnson County Public Health Department in Iowa focusing on community health assessments and improvement plans.

  • Tynetta Hill-Muhammad

    Tynetta Hill-Muhammad, MPH in CHS student, is serving as the Chicago chapter organizer for Black Youth Project 100, a member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people.

  • Marjorie Kersten, MPH '22

    Marjorie Kersten, MPH ’22, PhD in CHS student, is an evaluation consultant for Chicago Grows Food and a board member for Esperanza Health Center, which provides accessible health services across Chicago’s south and west sides.

  • Kara Herrera and Casey Luc

    Kara Herrera and Casey Luc, PhD in Epidemiology students, along with Jeffrey Lyang, MPH in Epidemiology ‘23, Colin Korban, MPH in Epidemiology ‘20 and Irina Tabidze, MPH in Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology ‘02, published new research in The Lancet on co-occurring sexually transmitted infections among monkeypox cases in Chicago to guide prevention efforts.

  • Melissa Korniejczuk, MPH '23

    Melissa Korniejczuk, MPH in Health Policy and Administration ’23, was named a 2023 Presidential Management Fellowship finalist, for a two-year training and leadership development program at a United States government agency.

  • Sandra Morales-Mirque

    Sandra Morales-Mirque, MPH in CHS student, is a board member for the Co-op Ed Center and participated in Mayor Lightfoot’s task force for wealth building in Chicago.

  • Stuart Robinson

    Stuart Robinson, assistant director of academic services in the division of community health sciences, earned UIC’s Award of Merit, a university- wide honor presented to staff members who exhibit service, commitment and dedication.

  • Temiloluwa Sodipe, BS ’23

    Temiloluwa Sodipe, BS ’23, earned the 2023 Public Health Promise Award, given to an outstanding graduating undergraduate student deemed by faculty and peers to show the greatest potential for future contributions to public health.

  • Michele Rodriguez Taylor

    Michele Rodriguez Taylor, assistant director of internship programs and employer outreach, earned UIC’s Rising Star Award, for early career dedication and quality of performance.

  • Arshia Wajid, MPH '01

    Arshia Wajid, MPH in Health Policy and Administration ‘01, was honored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of the top 15 women faith leaders in health.

  • Tayler Whittler

    Tayler Whittler, DrPH student, is a volunteer with Mother Lab, a Boston-based maternal health and health equity research lab, where she has investigated how maternal stress and depression impact breastfeeding.

  • Tooka Zokaie

    Tooka Zokaie, DrPH student, was featured on Crooked Media’s podcast “America Dissected,” discussing fluoridation and addressing misinformation with public health programs.

  • Laurel Berman, PhD '05, MS '02

    Laurel Berman, PhD ‘05, MS ‘02, adjunct assistant professor, earned the SPH 2022-23 Silver Circle Award for excellence in teaching in the School’s undergraduate programs.

  • Jeni Hebert-Beirne, PhD '08, MPH '95

    Jeni Hebert-Beirne, PhD ’08, MPH ’95, associate professor of community health sciences, was recognized by UIC with its Community Engagement Award.

  • Hannah Matzke, PhD ’23, MS ’16

    Hannah Matzke, PhD ’23 and MS ’16 in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, accepted a new position at the Chicago Department of Public Health’s Community Health Bureau as the lead epidemiologist for the Healthy Chicago Survey.

  • Mark Rosenblatt, MD, EMHA ’20

    Mark Rosenblatt, MD, EMHA ’20, was named the interim chief executive officer of UI Health.

  • Kristine Zimmerman, PhD '19, MPH '03

    Kristine Zimmerman, PhD ’19, MPH ’03, visiting clinical assistant professor of community health sciences, published new research on implementing cardiovascular disease risk-reduction interventions in rural churches.