Accomplishments, Event Highlights, Stories, and Video Features

We had over 600 students graduate this year with a degree from the College of Health Professions. I am excited to see us continue to grow and deliver quality professionals to our communities and beyond. Commencement 2023 was a well-attended, exciting day for everyone. Thank you to all that helped make it a success. As we look towards next year, feedback on the day’s operations will be sought in the coming weeks by the University via the Faculty Councils and other governance structures to give to the Commencement 2024 team. We are hopeful to invite an honorary speaker on behalf of CHP and welcome your suggestions and connections for someone who is a leader nationally or internationally in healthcare or health equity, or a relevant political leader, one where we might have or be able to leverage a Pace connection.

There are some exciting changes coming up and I would like to highlight a few of them. Joshua Mendelsohn has been appointed to his new role as program director of the new Master's in Public Health (MPH), which was recently approved by NYSED. The expansion of the Center for Excellence in Healthcare Simulation in 161 William Street will continue as planned this summer, even as Patty Myers and team, NYC programs, faculty, and staff are having to pivot to Pleasantville and temporary space due to the building closure for general use.

I would also like to formally recognize and thank Gerrie Colombraro, associate dean, administration, for more than four decades of service to Pace, CHP, and LSN. Gerrie is still with us through Labor Day with vacation from August 14. If you are on campus, please take a moment to stop by and thank her, recognizing her many contributions, including serving as interim dean.

Marcus C. Tye, Ph.D. [he/him]

Visit the College of Health Professions Awards Ceremony webpage for a list of all 2023 recipients.

Congratulations to all faculty on their recent accomplishments! Visit the CHP Faculty Directory to connect with any member of faculty.

Lakeisha N. Nicholls, DNS, associate professor, Nursing, co-authored, Socialization of Master's-Prepared Novice Nurse Faculty: Their Lived Experiences in Nursing Education Perspectives, the official research journal of the National League for Nursing. 

Sethu Karthikeyan, PhD, associate professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, co-authored Shape and Taste of Words May Make Them Easier to Learn and Remember, appearing in the January/February 2023 issue of the ASHA Leader, the official magazine of the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association.

She also collaborated with teams affiliated with the Behavioral Endocrinology and Evolution Lab (Penn State University) and the Evolutionary Psychology Lab (SUNY, New Paltz), to publish the article Articulatory Effects on Perceptions of Men’s Status and Attractiveness in Scientific Reports.

Andréa Sonenberg, PhD, WHNP, CNM-BC, FNAP, FNYAM, professor, Nursing, co-authored Maternity Care Deserts in the US. Her commentary was featured on the home page of JAMA Health Forum.

Catherine Finlayson, PhD, RN, OCN, associate professor, Nursing, co-authored, Factors Associated with Antimicrobial Use at the End-Of-Life Among Hospitalized Cancer Patients, in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and Awareness of Disease Status Among Patients With Cancer in Cancer Nursing.

Christen Cooper, EdD, MS, RDN, assistant professor, Nutrition and Dietetics, co-authored with Angela Northrup, adjunct Nursing; and Pace alumna Michelle Iannacchino, Understanding Attitudes and Practices of Low-Income Caregivers Toward Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Preschool-Aged Children in European Society of Medicine, as well as co-authored The future of software-controlled cooking in npj Science of Food, which was picked up by the Associated Press and featured on several websites, including Australian Manufacturing and CNN Health.

Ellayne Ganzfried, MS, clinical associate professor and director of the Speech, Language, Hearing Center, served as co-chair for the National Academies of Practice (NAP) Annual Forum held March 31-April 1 in Washington, DC.

associate professor and chair, Communication Sciences and Disorders, was inducted as Professional Member in the Speech-Language Pathology Academy of the National Academies of Practice (NAP).

Ana B. Amaya, DrPH, MPH, associate professor, Health Science, was elected as treasurer of Health Systems Global (HSG) for 2022-2024 and was a speaker on the panel, Racism in Global Health: Difficult Conversations at the World Health Summit Regional Meeting, Washington, DC, April 13.

Belinda Anderson, PhD, MA(Ed), LAc, associate dean and professor, Health Science, presented Treating post-COVID healthcare challenges with acupuncture at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium in New York City on February 23 at the Hilton Midtown to discuss the usefulness of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for post-COVID conditions. On March 21 she was the guest speaker on Qiological Podcast Episode 296, Considering Long Covid, Research and Practice.

Joanne Singleton, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, professor, Nursing, was featured on The Healthcare Association of New York State's website and newsletter, Montefiore Nyack Hospital emphasizes culturally competent care with service animal staff training.

Amy Kantor, MA, MS, CCC-SLP, clinical externship manager and clinical supervisor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, was inducted as Professional Members in the Speech-Language Pathology Academy of the National Academies of Practice (NAP).

CHP faculty and staff attended the Annual Fundraiser and Recognition Gala in Queens, March 24, for Promoting Health in Haiti to help support nurse practitioners in Haiti.

assistant professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, became a professional member of the National Academies of Practice and had several speaking engagements this semester.

New Paltz Women's Leadership Summit, March 29 SUNY New Paltz

Let's Talk About Microaggressions in Clinical and Educational Encounters, 2023 Professional Development Conference, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, March 31

Empowering Clinicians: Supporting Clients Who Speak African American English, Bilingual Language and Literacy Investigative and Networking Group (BLLiNGG), NYU, March 23

Utilizing a Cultural Humility Lens: Reflect, Respect, and Respond, international keynote speaker for Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) 2023, May 2023

The 2023 Wellbeing Fair was held February 10 on all three campuses with many CHP programs and clubs hosting tables. At Pleasantville, President Krislov, students, faculty, and staff signed the Okanagan Charter, an internationally recognized initiative that will mark Pace as a Health-Promoting University.

CHP students, led by Winifred Connerton, PhD, CNM, FACNM, associate professor, Nursing, and Marie Lourdes Charles, EdD, RN-BC, FNYAM, assistant professor, Nursing, completed a study abroad trip to Costa Rica. They visited a local clinic providing primary care and learned about services for children in need, toured a hospital including a maternity ward, and explored the forest nightlife and met exotic animals.

Occupational Therapy students Alexandria Glover, Emily Egazarian, and Danielle Langdon completing their Level I fieldwork assignments, working with dogs who provide independence to their handlers. Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) is an important part of OT and Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities is an important resource for independence!

Stephanie Allen, PhD, MSN, associate professor, Nursing, and faculty advisor for the Pace Chapter of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) accompanied 8 students to the Nursing Student Association of New York State (NSANYS) 71st Annual Convention, Feb. 11 in Manhattan. CHP student and NSNA Chapter President Michelle Novominski was one of five winners of the Jennifer Whalen Scholarship, representing students who demonstrate promise of future professional contributions to the nursing profession.

A celebratory event was held February 10 to congratulate the Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital PA Program for winning the statewide Challenge Bowl competition last October at the New York State Society of Physician Assistants (NYSSPA) CME Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY. Members of the team include Cassie Sterbens, Megan LaStella, and Sam Dao. Elijah A.J. Salzer, DMSc, PA-C, NYSAFE, C-EFM, clinical professor, Physician Assistant Studies, is their faculty advisor and coach.

Philadelphia, PA, March 22-24

Pace University PhD in Nursing students Cohorts IV, V, VI and PhD in Nursing faculty.

2023 Peer Reviewed Doctoral Papers, 2nd Place winning submission, Barriers and Facilitators to Early Palliative Care Access and Delivery for Women of Color with Metastatic Breast Cancer: Clinical and Community Stakeholder Perspectives.

Sharon Wexler, PhD, RN, FNGNA and Lin Drury, PhD

Peer Reviewed Posters

Presented two posters, Outcomes Following Liver Transplantation of the Alcohol Associated Liver Disease Recipient and The Experience of the Alcoholic-Associated Liver Disease Organ Transplant Recipient Following Liver Transplantation.

Sharon Wexler, PhD, RN, FNGNA and Lin Drury, PhD

Communication Sciences and Disorders faculty Ellayne Ganzfried, MS, clinical associate professor and director of the Speech, Language, and Hearing Center, and Kyomi Gregory-Martin, PhD, CCC-SLP,

assistant professor, and alumna Brittany Steinfeld '21 attended the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) Convention in Washington D.C., April 20-22. Ellayne and Brittany were presenters and Kyomi serves on the NBASLH Board of Directors.

Jean O’Connor, MSN, RN, CPAN, skills/simulation coordinator and Liz Berro, MA, RN, PNP, CHSE, clinical assistant professor, got to try out a new Virtual Reality Nursing simulation program, demonstrated by representatives from Laerdal Medical. The program, vrClinicals for Nursing, is a unique, VR solution that engages students with a realistic, busy hospital environment. We are looking forward to piloting it in the lab and an additional education tool!

Pace student presenters, faculty, staff, and community partners from Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College participated in the Women's Health Equity and Justice Internship/Civic Engagement Capstone Course, at the Westchester Medical Center on May 16.

John Laerdal, chief product officer of Laerdal Medical in Norway, and his associate Marta Radmann visited the Center for Excellence in Healthcare Simulation on March 24. During his trip to the US from Norway he asked to visit laboratories that were doing state of the art simulations for student’s from a variety of backgrounds. Laerdal Corporation chose Pace, along with Vassar and Mount Sinai. He said, “Pace is above the 90 percentile of Nursing program in the country in content and innovation.”

Laerdal Medical is a pioneer in simulation for medical training and is the creator of the Resusci Anne doll (1960) which is the gold standard in CPR training and still used extensively around the globe. Visit The Girl from the River Seine to learn the story behind the design of Resusci Anne's face.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders, MS program at Pace University is now accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association through 2028!

President

Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens

Independent board director and advisor serving the pharmaceutical and technology industries

Senior Medical Director

UnitedHealthcare

February 28, 2023

A discussion on the New York Times bestseller, Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community, featuring an introduction from Lady Gaga.

A discussion on ergonomics in school and the workplace.

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