Several faculty members recently served as the school’s first Teaching Mentor Team, a program overseen by Lisa Casanova, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences and the SPH’s Faculty Development Associate, that supports new instructors. Faculty that supported Clinical Assistant Professor Yu Wang in fall 2024 were:

• Jacque-Corey Cormier, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences
• Kevin Maloney, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences
• Christine Stauber, Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences; and
• Barbara Yankey, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences

April Ballard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was quoted in articles in Filter, WSB-TV, MSN and WSB Radio that highlighted a study she authored on the link between the opioid epidemic and rural homelessness.

Michael Eriksen, Regents’ Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, and Ashli Owen-Smith, Associate Professor in HPBS, were featured in a WABE story on the how the Prevention Research Center is working to address social isolation and loneliness. Eriksen was also quoted in a My Texas Daily article on the costs associated with smoking.

Xiangming Fang, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in stories in CNN, The Telegraph and Yahoo News that highlighted a study he co-authored that estimates that one in 12 children worldwide have been subjected to online child sexual exploitation or abuse.

Amanda Gilmore, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Director of the National Center for Sexual Violence Prevention, was recognized for recognized for her technology innovations for mental health and violence prevention among women through the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2025 Health Care Champions Award.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Healthbeat article on limits to immunizations offered by county health agencies.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been selected as a reviewer for the HIV/AIDS Special Emphasis Panel for National Institutes of Health.

Assistant Professor April Ballard and Distinguished University Professor Shannon Self-Brown and, co-leads of the Center on Health and Homelessness, discussed the center on WABE’s “Closer Look” with Rose Scott.

Xiangming Fang, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was an invited guest at the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Columbia. Dr. Fang’s work supported some of the WHO reports that were presented at the meeting.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was quoted in a Healthbeat article on the potential impact of the 2024 election on public health funding, services and science.

Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been named a Fellow of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT). This fellowship is a recognition of contributions to the field of nicotine and tobacco research and service to the Society.

Carlos Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Dean for Belonging and Placemaking, attended the 17th European Public Health Conference 2024 and the 2 day presession Conferência de Saúde Pública da Lusofonia, whose aim was to strengthen cooperation in public health between the nine Member States of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).

Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a WSB-TV story on the expansion of the iQuit Mindfully smoking cessation tool.

Michelle Quintero, Bilingual Behavior Specialist in the Center for Leadership in Disability, was recognized at the Mental Health First Aid Summit in St. Louis this year for being a top MHFA instructor and teaching the most First Aiders in Georgia.

Molly Tucker, Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, was selected as one of the members of the 2024-25 Executive Leadership Academy for Women (ELAW). This cohort-based leadership development program seeks to empower current and emerging leaders on the Georgia State staff.

The Center for Leadership in Disability has named two new Assistant Directors:

• Molly Tucker, who has taken on the role of Principal Investigator for numerous federal grants, state department contracts, and other funded programs within CLD over the past year; and
• Raynell Washington, who began independently leading the Georgia Association of Infant Mental Health (GA-AIMH) initiative in August 2023 and is now the Principal Investigator for all GA-AIMH contracts.

April Ballard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, and Shannon Self-Brown, Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, were quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article on the launch of the Center on Health and Homelessness.

Roby Greenwald, Associate Professor and interim Chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences, was quoted in a Healthbeat article on potential health risks associated with the BioLab fire.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Healthbeat article that examined the frequency with which the Georgia Board of Public Health meets.

Carlos Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Dean for Belonging and Placemaking, delivered a talk and webinar on “Embracing Change and Well-being of LGBTQ+ Communities” hosted by the Hispanic Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence at the Universidad Central del Caribe in Puerto Rico. He also coordinated the nation’s first Portuguese Speaking Community Health Forum at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass.

Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, received a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand the iQuit Mindfully smoking cessation tool. Michael Eriksen is co-principal investigator on the project, and additional SPH faculty and staff supporting the project are Distinguished University Professor Shannon Self-Brown and Prevention Research Center Community Engagement Specialist Mary Helen O’Connor.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article that discussed the advantages of injectable prevention drugs but emphasized that they do not cure people living with HIV. She was also quoted in a Pschreg article on a study she authored that examined financial challenges impacting health and education of international students in Georgia.

April Ballard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was featured in two NPR Network stories, on the importance of treating vuleralbe populations with dignity. (Story, Interview)

Matt Hayat, Professor and Chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences, delivered an invited epidemiology seminar at the University of Georgia College of Public Health titled, “Misuses and Abuses of Statistical Significance.”

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in two articles in Healthbeat Atlanta, one on rising rates of COVID-19 and another on vaccine cost barriers.

Karen Nielsen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, received a GSU CETLOE mini-grant that will support the development of training materials for the effective and ethical use of artificial intelligence in biostatistics learning and research.

April Ballard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was quoted in a Prism article on the health consequences of poor water access among children who are unhoused.

Gerardo Chowell, Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, co-authored an article in the American Journal of Public Health on the connection between public health and political partisanship in the United States.

Joshua Cohen and Spenser Norris, IDEAL Program Project Managers, were quoted in a Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities article on the program’s role in providing academic enrichment, community engagement and career development in creative media for students with intellectual disabilities.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an Associated Press article on the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program that was published widely, including in the Washington Post and ABC News.

Gail Rodriguez, Communications Manager for the Center for Leadership in Disability, received the Graphic Design USA Inhouse Design award for the 2023 Babies Can’t Wait Conference Program.

Sheryl Strasser, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a MarketWatch guide on preventing the financial abuse of older adults.

Carlos Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Dean for Belonging and Placemaking, shared his expertise on behavioral health disparities among Latine LGBTQ+ individuals during a June 17 panel discussion co-sponsored by the Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity.

Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in a Knowable Magazine Q&A on cigarette warning labels and the future of vaping.

Shannon Self-Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, received the Society for Prevention Research 2024 Friend of the Early Career Preventionist Network (ECPN) Award in recognition of her support of early career activities.

Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was awarded a $100,000 Collaborative Cancer Research Seed Grant from the Georgia Cancer Research Fund for a project titled “Pilot Study of Mobile Health Messaging to Facilitate Lung Cancer Screening among Priority Populations.”

Two School of Public Health faculty members in the Department of Population Health Sciences were recently promoted:

• Christine Stauber has been promoted to Professor
• Scott Weaver has been promoted to Research Professor

Two School of Public Health faculty members have been named to new administrative appointments:

• Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been named Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• Erin Vinoski Thomas, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been named interim Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability.

Two School of Public Health faculty members recently received institutional recognitions:

• Shannon Self-Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was named Distinguished University Professor.
• Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, received the Outstanding Faculty Award.

Jalayne Arias, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Medical Xpress article about a study she recently authored examining perceptions of benefits and risks of data sharing in dementia research.

April Ballard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, delivered a Currents of Public Health webinar titled “From Taboo to Essential: Unveiling and Addressing Period Poverty in the United States.”

Xiangming Fang, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in Medical Xpress and Asian Voice articles on a study he recently authored that found that childhood verbal abuse by adults costs society an estimated $300 billion a year globally.

Rodney Lyn, Dean and Professor, was named to the 2025 Class of Leadership Atlanta and featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle along with the other participants in the program. He also was a panelist in a Women in Global Health Georgia webinar that featured deans from schools of public health across Georgia for a conversation that touched on their career paths, how their institution is enabling a future workforce in global public health and key challenges for the public health workforce.

Shannon Self-Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, will be a featured speaker at a May 22 webinar hosted by the National Cancer Institute titled “New Directions in Implementation Science: Integrating Multiple Interventions.”

Jalayne Arias, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a MarketWatch story on the financial implications of a dementia diagnosis.

Roby Greenwald, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was quoted inHealthDay and Futurity and several other media outlets following the publication of a study in which he and his colleagues found that trees and bushes planted near highways can significantly reduce air pollution from motor vehicles.

Carlos Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, delivered a webinar titled “Supporting LBTQ+ Immigrants” for the LBBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity Center of Excellence, which is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Lia Scott, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was among 25 researchers nationwide selected for the Rising Scholars: Breast Cancer program, a partnership between Nature Portfolio and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation that provides early career researchers with additional resources for professional development and career preparedness.

Jalayne Arias, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in several media outlets following the publication of a study that quantified the financial burden that dementia care places on older adults and their families. Her work was featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, McKnights Senior Living, UPI, WUGA and U.S. News and World Report, among other outlets.

Zongshuan Duan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was featured in several media outlets following the publication of a study that found that people who receive coupons for e-cigarettes are more than 1.5 times more likely to begin using them and less likely to quit. His work was featured in the UPI news service, Futurity, HealthDay News and Legal Reader.

Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution opinion piece on youth vaping. Her review article examining the state of warning labels on cannabis, tobacco and opioid medications was featured in Legal Reader.

Erin Vinoski Thomas, Co-Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was recently quoted in an article in the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities’ Making A Difference magazine. The article summarizes a recent report illuminating racial disparities in Georgia's waiting list for home and community based services waivers.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, authored an article for 360info.org on why stigma remains the biggest challenge in the fight against HIV. The article was republished in several additional online outlets.

Lisa Casanova, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, has been named Faculty Development Associate for the School of Public Health. In this role, she will lead the implementation the SPH’s faculty mentoring program, manage resources for faculty development, and contribute to key faculty initiatives outlined in the Vision 2027 Strategic Plan and the COACHE II Action Plan.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in articles on Medicaid expansion in the Associated Press,  Georgia Recorder and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also quoted in a Georgia Recorder article on the state’s first reported case of measles since 2020.

Erin Vinoski Thomas, Co-Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has received a 2023-2024 Innovative Teaching Award from the Association of Teachers in Maternal and Child Health (ATMCH). With collaborators Emily Graybill from Rutgers University and Michael Kramer and Eve Rose from Emory University, she will develop an educational offering for ATMCH members titled “Health Equity in a System of Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs.”

Mary Helen O’Connor, Deputy Director of the Prevention Research Center, and Ashli Owen-Smith, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, were quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article on an expansion of mental health support for refugees, immigrants and migrants they are leading. They were also featured in a Mental Health Weekly article (A subscription is required to access the online version, but a PDF is available upon request by contacting Sam Fahmy at [email protected]).

Sheryl Strasser, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in a WalletHub Q&A on elder abuse.

Jyll Walsh, Assistant Director of Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, was named to Georgia State University’s 2024 Class of the 40 Under 40. Walsh, who earned her MPH and her DrPH from the SPH, and the other honorees will be recognized at a March 22 ceremony and reception at the Georgia State Convocation Center.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director    in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in an ORISE Featurecast in which she discussed her work as a clinical professor, taking students to Ghana to study public health issues and how public health issues in one part of the world impact people everywhere.

Zongshuan Duan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, participated in the 2023 Tobacco Policy and Responsible Retailing Conference, organized by the National Association of Attorneys General in Tempe, Arizona. During the event, he delivered an oral presentation titled "Cigarette Coupon Receipt and Smoking Relapse by Duration of Smoking Abstinence."

Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was presented with the Office of International Initiatives Faculty Award for Global Engagement – Research & Scholarship during the International Education Week awards ceremony.

Dennis Reidy, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Yahoo News article on adolescent relationship abuse.

Gail Rodriguez, Communications Manager for the Center for Leadership in Disability, was featured in Graphic Design USA magazine in a section on designers doing social good.

Christine Stauber, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, will deliver a webinar on her work on wastewater-based epidemiology for the Research Coordination Network for Wastewater Surveillance on Friday, December 1, at 11 a.m. REGISTER HERE

Dan Whitaker, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Associate Dean for Research, and Xiangming Fang, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, are collaborating with researchers at Emory University on a national implementation trial targeting male undergraduates in Vietnam aimed at preventing sexual violence.

Two School of Public Health of faculty members—Shannon Self-Brown and Dan Whitaker—were named inaugural recipients of the Ignite Research Partnership Award for their leadership of the National SafeCare Training and Research Center within the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development. Ignite Awards are sponsored by the Office of Research, and winners will be honored at an awards ceremony on November 2.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, participated in a panel discussion as part of the 2023 STEM Diversity Summit sponsored by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) program.

Carlos A. O. Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has been named to the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Gail Rodriguez, Communications Manager for the Center for Leadership in Disability, won Graphic Design USA’s 60^th Anniversary In-house Design Awards for her work on the program for the Georgia Association for Infant Mental Health: Birth to Five Kick-Off. The competition showcases in-house design excellence at corporations, non-profits, and institutions. This year, there were 5,000+ entries across all media.

Erin Vinoski Thomas, Interim Co-Director of CLD and Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was awarded a $166,000 grant from the Public Health National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability. With the funding, CLD will partner with the LIFE Center for Independent Living in Savannah to address at least one health priority for people with mobility disabilities in the Savannah area.

Michael Eriksen, Regents’ Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences  and former and founding Dean of the School of Public Health, was quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article on rising rates of COVID-19 infections.

Amanda Gilmore, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an article in The Messenger article that emphasized that how someone acts immediately after a sexual assault is not indicative of whether an assault occurred. In addition, a study she co-authored on preventing revictimization among recent survivors of sexual violence was highlighted in the NIH’s Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Connector Monthly Newsletter.

Roby Greenwald, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, is one of several GSU faculty members part of a multidisciplinary team funded by the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation’s 2023 Community Research Grant. The researchers will will explore the current environment and potential for a multimodal system integrating walking, biking, scooters and other micromobility devices, public transit and motor vehicles.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article examining the potential relationship between the lifting of pandemic restrictions and tourism in Georgia.

Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, delivered a Currents of Public Health webinar titled "Expanding the Reach of Mindfulness for Health Promotion.

Christine Stauber, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, received a grant from the NIH through Fogarty International Center to work on Environmental and Sanitation Improvements with mHealth. The project is in collaboration with Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, Anu Bourgeois, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Cassandra White, Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology,  as well as Federico Costa and Mitermeyer Reis from Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Instituto Goncalo Moniz in Salvador, Brazil and Joe Brown, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The researchers received R21 funding of approximately $400,000, but a phased R33 award is possible to bring the potential total to $1.1 million.

Jalayne Arias, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Scientific American article on the challenges the criminal justice system faces when people with dementia commit crimes. Her research was also mentioned in an Axios Atlanta article on Alzheimer’s disease hotspots in Atlanta.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in Morehouse School of Medicine’s Women in Academia Report as well as the CDC’s ORISE website in conjunction with her receipt of the 2023 ASPPH Early Career Teaching Excellence Award. She also gave an invited presentation on Global Health Emergencies at the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines.

Roby Greenwald, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was featured in an Associated Press article on the push for more walkable communities that appeared in a number of publications.

Harry Heiman, Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an Associated Press article on Georgia’s Medicaid program work requirement that appeared widely in media outlets across the nation.

Carlos A. O. Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, participated in a Bystander Intervention Leadership Train the Trainer Workshop. The workshop is part of the ADVANCE-IMPACT (Intersectionality and Mentoring in the Professoriate for Advancement, Community and Transformation) project, which is administered by the Provost’s Office in collaboration with Florida International University and supported by the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE Program. He was also named an Associate Editor for the Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association.

Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, received the Faculty Award for Global Engagement – Research & Scholarship from the Office of International Initiatives.

Dennis Reidy, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, appeared on Houston Public Media’s Town Square to discuss violence in America.

Lia Scott, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was recently appointed to the Associate Editorial Board of “Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy,” a peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Shannon Self-Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was one of 12 principal investigators nationwide to be featured on the National Cancer Institute’s page that highlights best practices in grant applications.

Christine Stauber, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Sciences, was one of 17 GSU faculty members to receive internal grant funding this fiscal year through the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development. Her project focuses on mental and environmental health in urban Salvador, Brazil.

Two SPH faculty members and one recent alum have been appointed to Task Forces for the Blueprint to 2033 Strategic Plan:

• Rodney Lyn, Dean and Professor, is a Task Force Champion on the Innovating Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Task Force
• Carlos A. O. Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences and the SPH’s Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is serving on the Identity, Belonging and Placemaking Task Force
• Angelique Willis (MPH 2023), who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Geography, is serving on the Beyond College to Career Task Force

Faculty Promotions
Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences:

• Jacque-Corey Cormier has been promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
• Erin Vinoski Thomas has been promoted to Research Associate Professor

Department of Population Health Sciences:

• Roby Greenwald has been promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Adrienne King has been promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
• Ruiyan Luo has been promoted to Professor
• Barbara Yankey has been promoted to Clinical Associate Professor

Faculty Leadership Appointments
Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences:

• Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah has been named the department’s inaugural Director of the BSPH Program
• Ashli Owen-Smith has been named the department’s inaugural Director of the MPH Program
• Amanda Gilmore will continue to serve as the department’s Director of the Ph.D. Program
• Harry Heiman will continue to serve as the SPH’s Director of the DrPH Program

Department of Population Health Sciences:

• Roby Greenwald has been named the inaugural Director of the department's MPH Program and the SPH's Graduate Certificate Program
• Adrienne King has been named the department’s inaugural director of the BSPH Program
• Christine Stauber will continue to serve as the department's Associate Chair and Ph.D. Program Director

School of Public Health:

• Sarah McCool, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been appointed the SPH’s inaugural Director of Global Health Initiatives

Staff Promotions

Kelsey Francis has been promoted to Academic Administrative Specialist in the Office of Academic Affairs

Jalayne Arias, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Neurology Today, article on the role of genetic testing in clinical decision-making for physicians considering prescribing the newly approved treatment lecanemab to patients with  Alzheimer’s disease.

Barbara Beckford, Administrative Specialist, was honored with the SPH’s Excellence in Initiative and Perseverance Award.

Samantha Chin, Adjunct Instructor, was honored with the SPH’s Outstanding Part-Time Instructor Award for the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was profiled in Diverse Issues in Higher Education in conjunction with her recognition as the winner of the 2023 ASPPH Early Career Teaching Excellence Award.

Marcus Cooper, Facilities and Events Specialist, was honored with the SPH’s MVP Staff Award.

Jacque-Corey Cormier, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was honored with the SPH’s 2023 Excellence in Instruction Award.

Monique Folston, Business Manager II, was honored with the SPH’s Difference Maker Award for Creativity and Ingenuity.

Sarah McCool, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, and Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, recently graduated from the Leadership Academy for Women Faculty program, an eight-month cohort-based experience for women faculty members at Georgia State University.

Terri Pigott, Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences with a joint appointment in the College of Education & Human Development, was honored with the SPH’s Exceptional Service Award. She was also featured in a video created by the American Educational Research Association in recognition of her being named a 2023 AERA Fellow.

Dennis Reidy, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was honored with the SPH’s 2023 Excellence in Research Award.

Richard Rothenberg, Regents’ Professor Emeritus in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article on the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Laura Salazar, Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been awarded a Georgia State University Distinguished University Professorship. This honor is bestowed to exemplary faculty members for their research, instructional and service contributions.  No more than 5% of the university’s tenured faculty may hold this title.

Gina Sample, Interim Director of Academic Effectiveness and Academic Assessment Manager, was honored with the SPH’s Outstanding Team Player Award.

Anne Marie Schipani-McLaughlin, Research Scientist in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, highlighted a recent first-authored study on the role of social media in college sexual violence prevention in an invited blog post for Sage Perspectives.

Maya Sternberg, Postdoctoral Research Associate, was honored with the SPH’s Outstanding Part-Time Instructor Award for the Department of Population Health Sciences.

Scott Weaver, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was recognized with the Georgia State University Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Achievement Award.

Erin Weeks, Research Associate in the National SafeCare Training and Research Center, recently graduated from the Executive Leadership Academy for Women (ELAW), which is sponsored by the Office of Faculty Affairs and the Advancement of Women Council. The cohort-based program focuses on key leadership competencies in areas such as strategic leadership, executive communication and diversity to help advance female staff into senior leadership positions.

Shannon Self-Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was recognized with the inaugural Georgia State University Mentoring Excellence Award.

Erin Vinoski-Thomas, Research Assistant Professor and the Associate Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, was honored with the SPH’s Exceptional Mentorship Award.

Jalayne Arias, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was awarded a five-year, $2.8 million National Institute of Aging R01 grant, “Identifying barriers to optimizing data sharing and accelerate discovery in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia research.” Her co-investigators include Karen Nielsen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, presented several School of Public Health faculty, staff, alumni and units with MeTa Series Champion Awards at MeTa 10, which was held on March 9. The recipients are:

• Barbara Beckford, Administrative Specialist, Finance, Best in MeTa Series Set up and Logistics Award
• Karem Bera, PC Systems Specialist, Lead, Best in MeTa Series Set up and Logistics Award
• Warren Bunyan, PC Systems Specialist, Intermediate, Best in MeTa Series Set up and Logistics Award
• Jake Coldiron, BSPH 2022, Best in MeTa Series Leadership Award
• Marcus Cooper, Facilities and Events Specialist, Best in MeTa Series Set up and Logistics Award
• Michael Eriksen, Regents’ Professor, Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, Best in Vision and Sponsorship Award
• Sam Fahmy, Director of Communications, Best in MeTa Series Publicity Award
• Gerrell Johnson, Administrative Specialist, Managerial, Best in MeTa Series Support Award
• Jonathan Key, Graduate Advisor, Best in MeTa Series Publicity Award
• Denise Gouveia, Director, Office of Academic Assistance, Best in MeTa Series Support Award
• Phillip Karaya, BSPH 2019, Best in MeTa Series Leadership Award
• Rodney Lyn, Dean and Professor, Best in MeTa Series Support Award
• Shaochieh Ou, College Technology Manager, Best in MeTa Series Set up and Logistics Award
• Lynette Reid, Graduate Recruitment Manager, Best in MeTa Series Support Award
• Shannon Self-Brown, Chair, Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, Best in Attendance and Dedication to
   MeTa Series Award
• Souvann St. John-Brown, Administrative Specialist, Best in MeTa Series Set up and Logistics Award
• William Thacker, College Administrative Officer, Best in MeTa Series Support Award

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah was also featured in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education after receiving the ASPPH Early Career Teaching Excellence Award. In addition, she served as a first-round judge for the Emory Global Health Institute’s 2023 Emory Morningside Global Health Case Competition. The team that she and her partner chose won the entire competition.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Policy Genius article on physicians who charge patients directly rather than accepting insurance.

Carlos A. O. Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, was awarded a U.S. Department of States’ Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs professional travel grant. This summer he will travel to Pernambuco, Brazil to work with community members to develop an action plan regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA), inclusive economic growth, and leadership capacity building. He also recently delivered a Currents of Public Health webinar titled “Latest JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) Developments at the School of Public Health.”

Terri Piggot, Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences with a joint appointment in the College of Education & Human Development, was one of 24 faculty members nationwide selected as a 2023 American Educational Research Association Fellow. She also recently delivered a Currents of Public Health webinar titled, “Systematic Reviews in Public Health: Understanding the Evidence.”

Dennis Reidy, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, and Laura Salazar, Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, were quoted in several articles in relation to a study they co-authored on rates of sexual assault among women STEM majors. The study was featured in Inside Higher Ed, Diverse Issues in Higher Education and Futurity.

John Steward, Senior Academic Professional Emeritus in the Department of Population Health Sciences, was elected to the GSU Emeriti Association Coordinating Board, which is the organization’s governing board, for a three-year term.

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, has been honored with the 2023 ASPPH Early Career Teaching Excellence Award. The honor is given to one faculty member each year from among the 138 member institutions in the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in a Fox 5 Atlanta story on economic pressures facing primary care physicians and an 11Alive story on flu and RSV.

Jidong Huang, Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in a Georgia Recorder article on proposals to increase tobacco taxes in Georgia.

Rodney Lyn, Dean and Professor, was featured in an Atlanta Business Chronicle article on health disparities (subscription required).

Carlos A. O. Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, was quoted in a U.S. News and World Report article on how to be an ally for racial diversity at work.

Jacque-Corey Cormier, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was profiled in the “Rising Stars” section of VoyageATL.

Harry Heiman, Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in an 11 Alive News story on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He was also featured in an Augusta Chronicle article on the proposed merger between Augusta University Health System and Wellstar Health System. (Subscription required to access article).

Rodney Lyn, Dean and Professor, participated in a panel discussion on COVID-19 and the disparities it illuminated for Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Political Rewind.

Ashli Owen-Smith, Associate Professor of in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story highlighting how the Prevention Research Center is supporting the mental health needs of refugees.

Shannon Self-Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article on a precipitous rise in child homicides that she and study co-author Rebecca F. Wilson documented in a recent JAMA Pediatrics study. Data from Altmetric shows that, to date, the study has been cited in 132 news stories from 100 outlets.

Mark Crenshaw, Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, has been elected to serve as a member-at-large on the Association of University Centers on Disabilities board. AUCD is a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs.

Kimberley Freire, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, delivered a Currents of Public Health webinar titled, “Use It or Lose It: The Power of Utilization-Focused Evaluation to Move Data to Action.” VIEW RECORDING

Emily Graybill, Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was selected by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the CDC to represent Georgia as a Children's Mental Health Champion for the 2022-2023 cycle.

Ashli Owen-Smith, Associate Professor of in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in a Georgia State Research Magazine story on the Prevention Research Center.

Terri Pigott, Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, received the Leonard E. Gibbs Award from the Campbell Collaboration’s Social Welfare Coordinating Group for a paper in Campbell Systematic Reviews that she co-authored titled “Multisystemic Therapy® for social, emotional, and behavioural problems in youth age 10 to 17: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.”

Two School of Public Health faculty members participated in a Great American Smokeout webinar hosted by Employee Development and Wellness Services titled, “All the Things You Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask: A Conversation about Vapes, Tobacco, Exploitation, Stress and Social Justice.”

• Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences; and
• Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences

Susie Ramisetty-Mikler, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences and the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, participated in a November symposium and panel discussion webinar hosted by Al Muthanna University in Baghdad, Iraq titled “Public Health Surveillance: Who Needs it and Who is Responsible.”

Christine Stauber, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, gave a talk on her career to a lunch session at the Water and Health Conference at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in October.

Mark Crenshaw, Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, has been elected to serve as a member-at-large on the Association of University Centers on Disabilities board. AUCD is a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs.

Kimberley Freire, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, delivered a Currents of Public Health webinar titled, “Use It or Lose It: The Power of Utilization-Focused Evaluation to Move Data to Action.” VIEW RECORDING

Emily Graybill, Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was selected by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the CDC to represent Georgia as a Children's Mental Health Champion for the 2022-2023 cycle.

Ashli Owen-Smith, Associate Professor of in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, was featured in a Georgia State Research Magazine story on the Prevention Research Center.

Terri Pigott, Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, received the Leonard E. Gibbs Award from the Campbell Collaboration’s Social Welfare Coordinating Group for a paper in Campbell Systematic Reviews that she co-authored titled “Multisystemic Therapy® for social, emotional, and behavioral problems in youth age 10 to 17: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.”

Two School of Public Health faculty members participated in a Great American Smokeout webinar hosted by Employee Development and Wellness Services titled, “All the Things You Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask: A Conversation about Vapes, Tobacco, Exploitation, Stress and Social Justice.”

• Lucy Popova, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences; and
• Claire Spears, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences

Susie Ramisetty-Mikler, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences and the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, participated in a November symposium and panel discussion webinar hosted by Al Muthanna University in Baghdad, Iraq titled “Public Health Surveillance: Who Needs it and Who is Responsible.”

Christine Stauber, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, gave a talk on her career to a lunch session at the Water and Health Conference at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in October.