Jumping Students

In light of COVID-19 concerns, this year’s NPHW events will be offered online, or will be postponed or canceled. Please check this page regularly for updates. For more information about Hofstra University’s response to Coronavirus, visit Hofstra.edu/coronavirus.

National Public Health Week Event Series
April 2020

A collaborative initiative of the School of Health Professions and Human Services and Division of Student Affairs

 
American Public Health Association - APHA
National Public Health Week- Hofstra
 

HPHS SIGNATURE PROGRAMMING

Click each event for a full event description and for a link to register. In light of COVID-19 concerns, all National Public Health Week 2020 events will be offered online. Registrants will receive an email with a link to access an event.

April 2020

Health Professions Career and Internship Virtual Event

Description: Open only to current Hofstra students. The School of Health Professions and Human Services, The School of Business, and The Career Center, in collaboration with the Nassau-Queens Performing Provider System will bring Hofstra’s Handshake account an opportunity for students interested in working with or interning at health focused organizations. Students who are interested in seeking careers in the varied and interdisciplinary fields will benefit from this online opportunity. RSVP and event information forthcoming on Handshake.


Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Census 2020 Social Media Campaign

Description: Filling out the Census helps drive policymaking and can shape the future of our country. It is important for you and your community. And participating in the Census this year is one way YOU can help – especially amid current concerns surrounding COVID-19. April 1 is Census Day.

So, to observe this day and stress the importance of filling out the Census, Hofstra University has launched a 24-hour social media campaign encouraging all members of the Hofstra community to share where they will be counted in the 2020 Census. Participants are encouraged to post on Twitter and/or Instagram and use the hashtag #HofstraVotes. In addition to this hashtag, participants can use #Census2020 if they would like to join the greater Census conversation on social media.

*Make sure your social media accounts are PUBLIC before participating in this campaign so this important message can reach far and wide!

Some inspiration for your social posts:

  • Photos/Videos of you and/or your family filling out the Census
  • Photos/Videos of you in the place where YOU are being counted in the Census
  • Photos/Videos of you educating your friends and family on the importance of participating in the Census
  • Text: “I am being counted in XYZ state! #HofstraVotes #Census2020”
  • Some additional text ideas from The Health & Welfare Council of LI: “Be home. Be safe. Be counted. #HofstraVotes #Census2020” “Just 10 minutes impacts our region for the next 10 years. #HofstraVotes #Census2020”

*Additionally, you can add a temporary “I Count!” Facebook frame to your profile picture if you would like! Simply go to your Facebook profile, click the camera button at the bottom of your profile picture, select “add frame,” search “health & welfare council of long island,” and choose your favorite!

*This is a joint effort between Hofstra’s School of Health Professions and Human Services and the Office of University Relations at Hofstra to celebrate National Public Health Week and make sure members of the Hofstra community are represented and that their voices are heard.


Tuesday, April 7, 2020

1:00 – 2:00pm: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Public Health

Description: The panel will be led by Sustainability Expert, Dianna Rose, and will introduce leaders in various public health fields. Panelists will explain the dynamics and importance of public health services, why entrepreneurship within the industry is growing and where it's heading as we step into a new decade.
Shantay Carter's bio
Felicia Guerrier's bio
Alicia James's bio
Andrea Massop Ramos
Dianna Rose's bio

This event is co-sponsored by Hofstra University’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

RSVP


Wednesday, April 8, 2020

7:00-8:30pm: Delta Omega Public Health Career Panel

Description: Public health is a growing and diverse field that promises opportunities to work in a variety of settings. Although working in public health is an exciting concept, too many options can leave many students and graduates feeling overwhelmed about the job search process. This event allows attendees to listen, ask questions, and engage with public health professionals working across the core disciplines of public health. Our panel of distinguished public health practitioners will provide knowledge, advice, and tools that cannot be acquired through course work and textbooks. This is an opportunity you do not want to miss!

Lauren Doodian, MPH
Liz Isakson, MD, FAAP
Cheryl Keshner
Mary Hallowell
Kevin Keenan, MPH
Abena Appiah-Kubi, MD, MPH

RSVP Interprofessionalevents.org


Wednesday, April 15, 2020

5:00 – 7:00pm: The State of H.O.P.E. (Healthcare Opportunities and Policy Exchange) presents: Closing the Gap on Health Emergencies

Description: This panel discussion, facilitated by Hon. Kemp Hannon, will feature speakers with expertise on the roles of government, academic, and the private sector and their specific roles during a public health emergency. Panelists will share their views on how professionals from these industries work together during a time of crisis to address the needs of the public. An emphasis on navigating the development and practice of policy during public health emergencies will be a focus of this event.
RSVP Interprofessionalevents.org

Moderator: Hon. Kemp Hannon
Speaker: Anthony Santella, DrPH
Speaker: Jacqueline Moline, MD
Speaker: Joshua Moskovitz, MD


Friday, April 17, 2020

12:00 – 2:00pm: Birth Equity Concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Description: This virtual panel discussion will analyze the challenges COVID-19 has placed on maintaining birth equity. A number of topics will be addressed, including the impact of physical isolation and scarcity of healthcare resources on expectant mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Additionally, the implications of recent changes in the availability of perinatal services will be considered. Three experts in the field of perinatal health will provide insight about the nature of these challenges and their influence on perinatal mental, emotional, and physical health. This event will also share information about perinatal resources currently available, and how to go about accessing these resources.
RSVP Interprofessionalevents.org

Birth Equity and COVID-19: Questions and Concerns
Moderated by: Martine Hackett, Ph.D., MPH, Director of Public Health Programs at Hofstra University and co-founder of Birth Justice Warriors

Featuring:
Dr. Tosin Odunsi
Te-Ana Souffrant, MHA
Takiya Sakina Ballard, LM, CNM, IBCLC


Tuesday, April 21, 2020

4:30 – 6:20pm: Aging Café

Description: Engage in conversations and interactive activities that address the unavoidable: Aging. Attendees will observe multiple stations that cover a variety of topics to expand their understanding of aging in a supportive environment, develop skills to promote healthy aging and learn about the resources and initiatives that exist for the older population.
RSVP Interprofessionalevents.org


Thursday, April 23, 2020

4:30 – 6:20pm: Grand Annual Audiology Debate: Pros and Cons of Tele-Audiology

Description: Tele-health is the use of technology to diagnose and sometimes treat health conditions remotely. This topic has seen increasing interest in recent years from both professionals and patients alike. Advantages of using tele-health include instant communication with professionals and the ability to reach remote/rural areas with less access to healthcare facilities. Challenges to implementation include non-uniform protocols of administration and possibility of misuse by untrained staff. This student-led debate, relevant to the NPHW 2020 theme of ‘Looking back, moving forward’, will explore both sides of this important and timely topic.
RSVP Interprofessionalevents.org

Panelist: Bopanna Ballachanda, PhD
Panelist: Christina Callahan, Au.D.
Panelist: Dawn Cotter-Jenkins, MA
Facilitator: Aniruddha K. Deshpande, PhD, CCC-A

While attending a virtual Hofstra National Public Health Week please share on social media and use the hashtag #HofNPHW20


 
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Special thanks to our sponsors

GOLD Sponsor
Henry Schein Inc.

SILVER Sponsor
Gilead Sciences Inc.
Parker Jewish Institute for Healthcare and Rehabilitation

Lauren Doodian, MPH
Lauren Doodian holds a BS in Health Science from Sacred Heart University and an MPH with Distinction from Hofstra University. Lauren has written multiple graduate and undergraduate papers in palliative care and geriatrics, one of which received Honorable Mention for the 2018 Retirement Research Foundation's Master's Student Research Award at the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo. She is currently completing a Payment & Policy fellowship at the Center to Advance Palliative Care. Her main interests include the promotion of healthy aging, as well as health policy, research, and analysis.

Liz Isakson, MD, FAAP
Dr. Isakson is the Executive Director of Docs for Tots. She is a pediatrician and public health practitioner with decades of experience with Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) and the New York Zero-to-Three Network (NYZTT). Her passion and support for early childhood systems integration (health, education, family) stems from her exposure to the short- and long-term human outcomes of an under-funded and misaligned system for families with young children.

Cheryl Keshner
Cheryl Keshner is a longtime advocate and activist for Long Island's underserved communities, including immigrants, those homeless or living in poverty, ex-offenders, people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors and others. She is currently a Senior Paralegal/Community Advocate with the Empire Justice Center, where she assists low income community members with a variety of legal problems, helps them access public benefits, and conducts bilingual community outreach and trainings. Cheryl actively works with other community partners to improve law enforcement practices and policies, especially those that involve engaging with immigrant communities. She is the coordinator of the Long Island Language Advocates Coalition (LILAC), a coalition of individuals and organizations working to attain equal access to programs and services, such as healthcare, social services, education and justice through the courts, for non-native English speakers. The coalition was successful in obtaining passage of executive orders in both Nassau and Suffolk counties mandating county agencies to provide comprehensive language access for all services.

Mary Hallowell
Mary Hallowell helps coordinate the Long Island Complete Count Committee through the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, working to ensure that every Long Islander knows about the importance of the 2020 Census and is ready to respond this spring and summer. She is passionate about civic engagement and building a more equitable future for Long Island.

Kevin Keenan, MPH
I started my career in Environmental Health and Safety at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Cold Spring Harbor, New York.  After 6 years there, I started at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the EHS department and then more specifically the Emergency Management department where I have been the last 2 years.  I oversee aspects of the Emergency Management program for over 24,000 Employees, 32 Ambulatory, non-ambulatory and in-patient facilities as well as the safety and well being of over 1,000 daily patients.

Abena Appiah-Kubi, MD, MPH
As a Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, I specialize in caring for children with Sickle cell disease (SCD), a genetic disorder of red blood cells.  There are estimated to be about 100,000 people affected with SCD here in the United States, and millions world-wide, making it a significant public health problem.  At Cohen Children's Medical Center (CCMC), we treat more than 500 children with sickle cell disease.  Children with SCD can have severe pain in their bones, called vaso-occlusive crises, serious life threatening infections, and strokes.  I want to be involved in using appropriate research to improve patient care, decreasing morbidity and mortality in patients with SCD and hemoglobinopathies as a whole.

Kevan Abrahams

abrahams

Kevan Abrahams, of Freeport, has represented the First Legislative District in the Nassau County Legislature since 2002. Now in his eighth year at the helm of the Legislature’s Minority (Democratic) Caucus, Abrahams is a seasoned lawmaker whose steady leadership and community-focused, consensus-building approach to government is widely respected. During the last 18 years, Abrahams has prioritized open space preservation through the Environmental Open Space Bond Act program; home affordability through the creation of partial tax exemptions for first-time homebuyers; and increasing opportunities for minority- and woman-owned business enterprises.

Throughout his tenure, Minority Leader Abrahams has kept an especially sharp focus on issues impacting the health and welfare of young people and has fought to maintaining adequate County funding for social service, youth, community health and senior programs. In addition, he sponsored legislation to mandate background checks for hotel employees that have access to guest rooms and require youth organizations and agencies that enter contracts with the County to provide child abuse recognition training to its adult employees and volunteers.

As the leader of the Caucus, Minority Leader Abrahams guided his colleagues through bruising battles to expose and reform an entrenched culture of corruption that has cost Nassau taxpayers untold millions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse. Among the key outcomes of this advocacy was the creation of an Independent Office of the Inspector General to oversee the County’s procurement process. Minority Leader Abrahams is married and has two children.

Kimberly Seals Allers

seals allers

Kimberly Seals Allers is an award-winning journalist, author and a nationally recognized media commentator, consultant and advocate for breastfeeding and infant health. A former writer at FORTUNE, Wall Street reporter for The New York Post and senior editor at Essence magazine, Kimberly is widely considered a leading voice in the counterculture movement in infant feeding. Last year, her online commentaries on the social, economic, structural and racial complexities of maternal and child health issues received over 10 million page views. Kimberly’s fifth book, The Big Let Down—How Big Business, Medicine and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding, was released by St. Martin’s Press in January to high acclaim. Her unique mix of on-the-ground experience and international journalistic expertise and strategic communication acumen makes her a highly sought after consultant and commentator.

As a communications consultant, Kimberly works with health-related forprofit companies and non-profit organizations to research communication methods and tactics, and develop impactful messaging campaigns and communication strategies. She has worked in a consultant capacity with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Medela USA, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Harlem Hospital, among others.

On the ground, Kimberly has led innovative community-based projects in the southeast, Detroit and Philadelphia that explore the impact of "first food deserts"—communities that severely lack or have inaccessible resources to support mothers who choose to breastfeed—and examining how to transform these areas into more breastfeeding supportive environments. Kimberly most recently served project director of the First Food Friendly Community Initiative (3FCI), an innovative pilot project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, designed to understand the impact of "place" as a social determinant of breastfeeding success and to engage multiple stakeholders to create a national accreditation for breastfeeding friendly communities.

In 2011, Kimberly was named an IATP Food and Community Fellow, working on integrating the first food and the good food movements. She currently leads nationwide workshops for health care professionals on cultural competency in breastfeeding support and is a prominent speaker on communitybased strategies to reduce the racial disparities in breastfeeding and infant mortality rates.

Kimberly has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, Anderson Cooper, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Fox News and featured in various international and national media outlets, including The Guardian (U.K.), U.S. News & World Report, Essence, Black Enterprise, Pregnancy and in various online media properties. A Queens, N.Y. native, Kimberly is a graduate of New York University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. A divorced mother of two, she lives in Long Island with her children.

Panelist: Shantay Carter, creator of Women Of Integrity Inc.

Shantay Carter

When it comes to Shantay Carter, helping others is more than just a job—it’s her passion and her purpose. From her daily work as a dedicated nurse to her ambitions as founder of Women Of Integrity Inc., the New York-area native has an extensive history of letting her caring nature guide her path.

Influenced strongly by the superwoman role models in her family, Shantay decided to dive head first into the nursing field. After spending years selflessly volunteering as a candy striper while in high school, she headed to Binghamton University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. In 2000, she began working at Binghamton General Hospital as a registered nurse and in 2002, Shantay continued her career at North Shore-LIJ Health Systems. Where she currently works as an Orthopedic/Bariatric nurse on a medical/surgical floor.

After noticing the lack of guidance for young girls in the Long Island area, Shantay decided to create her non-profit, Women Of Integrity Inc. The ten-year-old organization has already made huge strides in its mission to “empower and educate women of all ages and ethnicities” and its signature event is its prom dress drive, dress giveaway, and makeover project that is executed each year.“I believe that what you put out in life, you get back,” explains Shantay. “So, if you put out positivity, then you will get back positivity—it’s our job to give back in any way we can.”

Shantay modestly holds a number of accomplishments and honors for her work including being a Wholeness of Life Award winner at North Shore University Hospital in 2012 and a NSLIJ Health System 2013 President's Award nominee. In 2014, Shantay was honored as a Making A Difference Award honoree and a semi-finalist in P&G’s My Black is Beautiful Ambassador Search. More recently, in 2015, she received the Darby Foundation’s Community Service Award and a Community Service Award from the Hempstead Chamber Of Commerce. In 2017, she was a 2017 Woman Of Power Honoree from the Caribbean Business Connections Organization. In 2019, she was a Long Island Diversity In Business Award Honoree. She is also the Best-Selling Author of Destined For Greatness Book and Destined For Greatness Journal. Shantay currently lives in Hempstead, NY and when she’s not helping patients or out making teen girls feel amazing, you can find her enjoying music, art, baking…or flashing her award-winning smile. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Panelist: Felicia Guerrier

Felicia Guerrier

Felicia’s background as a clinically trained social worker, traumatic brain injury nurse, educator, and former combat medic in the US army give her multiple lenses to use as a therapist, life and love coach. Her desire to have more representation for people of color in mental health counseling and her efforts to disrupt the school to prison pipeline led her to become the Community School Director at the Dr. Betty Shabazz School in Brownsville New York where she spent the last four years working with underserved low-income children of color in New York City public schools and as a member of the diversity, equity and inclusion council at Partnership with Children. In her advocacy for mental health and social justice, Felicia is also a member of Seachange Collective. A women-owned collective that builds the capacity of people who do social justice work, through trainings, strategy development and coaching. Felicia is also the founder and president of Alabaster Consulting, a holistic wellness firm specializing in mental health, holistic corporate wellness, and professional development training in social-emotional education, historical trauma, self-love and self-care. Felicia received her undergraduate degree from Adelphi University, in New York and her graduate degree from Columbia University in New York City.

Panelist: Alicia James, visionary and President of The P.A.M Project (Preserve A Mom)

Alicia James

Alicia James is a social entrepreneur, a cause-related marketing consultant, renowned workshop facilitator and business coach. She is a member of Community Coalition of Mental Health in Harlem and Association of Fundraising Professionals. Alicia's life mission is to continuously cultivate positive change for women and girls addressing health disparities in communities of color. She knows from firsthand experience that the real work in creating positive change is through community engagement. Alicia supports and continues to dedicate herself to advocating for gender and health equity. After 20 years of nonprofit programming, business development and marketing consulting, Ms. James made the decision to launch her purpose vision: a business model designed to educate, empower and advocate for mothers. Ms. James is the visionary and President of The P.A.M Project (Preserve A Mom), a social enterprise agency, which advocates and promotes the importance of maternal mental wellness and addressing stigma in communities of color

Moderator: Dianna Rose, Sustainability expert, social entrepreneur and business owner of Jars of Delight and Her Sustainable Life

Dianna Rose

Dianna holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from Hofstra University and is the culinary creative owner behind Jars of Delight, the first innovative zero-waste, mason jar catering company based in Queens, NY.

Jars of Delight creates a simple and nutritious Caribbean-fusion style menu served in the unique presentation and convenience of the classic mason jar. At the company’s core, is its mission of social and environmental impact, which is accomplished through zero-food waste and zero packaging waste commitments. Their innovative solution is to partner with businesses and organizations to recover edible surplus food from events they cater to be donated to Queens citizens suffering from food insecurity. Food that cannot be donated for consumption (ie: produce scraps) are collected and donated to local community gardens as compost, reducing GHGs [greenhouse gases] by avoiding methane emissions from food waste decomposing in a landfill and creating renewable energy which offsets emissions from fossil fuels. The mason jars are recycled and reused, while all catering utensils are derived from bamboo sealed with beeswax which is compostable, creating their core zero-waste brand.

Dianna’s most recent project, Her Sustainable Life, is a resourceful educational and informational platform tasked with building awareness on the topic of sustainability within communities that face socio-economic disparities. The goal and endeavor are to create a lasting social impact toward a better future through low impact living.

When she’s not making jars or delivering delight to her weekly meal prep customers or studying, Dianna is enjoying time with her two sons, family and church family.

Moderator: Hon. Kemp Hannon

Kemp Hannon

Kemp Hannon was a member of the New York State Senate, (R, C, I) from Nassau County from 1989 to 2018.

Hannon chaired the New York State Senate Health Committee for nearly two decades. He chaired numerous task forces, civic programs, and charitable endeavors. Hannon is regarded as the spearheading force behind both the reauthorization of the Health Care Reform Act and the development of New York's Assisted Living Program. Additionally, he helped the state enact several popular health programs, including Child Health Plus, Healthy New York, Family Health Plus, the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Program, early intervention efforts, concussion management and insurance coverage for autism, prostate and breast cancer screenings.

Additional initiatives included Rape Victims Bill of Rights (and funding comprehensive testing of rape kits). Hannon has been the leader for key laws on whooping cough vaccinations and a mandate to require patients be offered Hepatitis C testing. Senator Hannon was a leader and prime sponsor of the landmark "I-STOP" law to curb opioid prescription drug use and to monitor controlled substance dispensing activity and patterns. He oversaw the law on electronic prescribing of medications.

In 2018, Hannon authored the Clean Water Infrastructure Act – a $2.5 billion investment in drinking water infrastructure, clean water infrastructure, and water quality protection across New York, a result of exhaustive hearings upstate and on Long Island. The act created NY's Water Council, whose recent actions have created precedented standards for water quality in the United States.

Hannon graduated from Chaminade High School (1963), Boston College (1967), and Fordham University School of Law (1970). He was Special Counsel to the law firm Farrell Fritz, P.C., ending the association on January 31, 2017. Hannon resides in Garden City, New York with his wife Bronwyn. They have twin daughters, Alexandra and Madeleine.

Hannon served in the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1989. In 1989, he was elected to the New York State Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John R. Dunne, due to Dunne's appointment as an Assistant Attorney General in the US Justice Department. Hannon represented the 6th State Senate District, which spanned the central part of Nassau County, with Franklin Square on the west and Farmingdale on the east.

On November 6, 2018, after having served 29 years in the New York State Senate, Hannon was unexpectedly defeated in his re-election bid by Democratic challenger Kevin Thomas.

Speaker: Anthony Santella, DrPH

Anthony Santella

Dr. Anthony Santella is an Associate Professor of Public Health at Hofstra University. He is a public health scientist specializing in infectious disease prevention and control and has interests in HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and emerging illnesses like coronavirus (COVID-19). He serves in leadership positions with the Long Island Ryan White HIV Planning Council, the American Public Health Association, and is on the Board of Directors of The HIV League, a nonprofit organization which provides college scholarships to people living with HIV/AIDS. He also serves on the editorial board of the journal Plos One. His research helps improve the health and well-being of several vulnerable communities including people who are living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS, gender and sexual minorities, justice-involved persons, people who are homeless, and those impacted by emerging infectious diseases like COVID-1. His research has been funded by both state and federal government agencies. Dr. Santella earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Emory University, a Doctor of Public Health in Health Systems Management from Tulane University, and an Advanced Certificate in Health Professions Pedagogy and Leadership from Hofstra University. He is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist.

Speaker: Jacqueline Moline, MD

Jacqueline Moline, MD

Jacqueline M. Moline, M.D., M.Sc. is an Occupational Medicine specialist and Professor of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention and Internal Medicine at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. She obtained her medical degree from the Pritzker School of Medicine of the University of Chicago. She completed residencies in Internal Medicine at Yale University and Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she obtained her Masters of Science degree. She is the former Director of the NIOSH funded New York/New Jersey Education and Research Center in Occupational Safety and Health.

After 19 years on the faculty at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, she joined Northwell Health as the founding Chairperson of the Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention. Dr. Moline continues to maintain a clinical practice, focusing on patients with occupational exposures, and has had a particular interest in asbestos exposed individuals. Since 2001, many of Dr. Moline's endeavors have been centered on the medical evaluation and treatment of World Trade Center (WTC) responders. While at Mount Sinai she directed the WTC health program, which she now runs at Northwell Health in Queens, NY. In 2010, Dr. Moline was the recipient of the Kehoe Award of Merit from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine for significant contributions to research in the field of occupational and environmental medicine and she has received numerous awards for her service to WTC responders.

Speaker: Joshua Moskovitz, MD

Joshua Moskovitz, MD

Joshua Moskovitz is an Emergency Physician and Associate Director of Operations at Jacobi Medical Center’s Emergency Department in the Bronx. He has extensive experience and varying rolls in the intersections of Emergency Medicine, Public Health, and Business Management. His expertise includes Emergency Medical Services, Disaster Management, Patient Safety and Mentorship and Education of future leaders in healthcare. As a previous course director at Hofstra’s School of Public Health, he taught five semesters of a graduate student course on Critical Decisions in Public Health Emergencies. A national leader and speaker he has been recognized for his roles in education, mentorship, advocacy, operational efficiency, and quality improvement.

Takiya Sakina Ballard, LM, CNM, IBCLC

Takiya Sakina Ballard, LM, CNM, IBCLC

Takiya Sakina Ballard is a Licensed Certified Nurse Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Clinical Educator with over 17 years of midwifery experience, including home birth. Takiya has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Syracuse University and a Masters in Midwifery at New York University. She has worked as a nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital and Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut, and worked with the Amish and Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania, caring for them in both a freestanding birth center, a local community hospital, and in client homes. Takiya is the owner of Sakina Midwifery Service in Hempstead, NY.

Te-Ana Souffrant, MHA

Te-Ana Souffrant, MHA

Te-Ana Souffrant is a wife and mother of 3 small boys (ages 7, 5 and 2) and a Certified Full Spectrum labor, birth and postpartum hypno doula in New York. As a Doula, she provides unbiased emotional, physical, mental and sometimes spiritual support through education and physical touch. Te-Ana helps to equip parents with the tools they need to understand their pregnancy and post partum journeys, their rights and to use their voices to advocate for themselves so that they can be involved in their birthing/post partum experience.

Te-Ana has a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Hofstra University, and is the founder/CEO of The Arch App, a web-based application that connects birthing people, parents and families, to alternative care options and individualized support.

Dr. Tosin Odunsi

Dr. Tosin Odunsi

Dr. Tosin Odunsi is an Obstetrics & Gynecology physician in Kirkland, Washington. After graduating from Cornell University in 2008, she went on to complete her Masters in Public Health (MPH) at Thomas Jefferson University in 2012. She earned her medical degree from Meharry Medical College in 2014. Dr. Odunsi is a life motivator, is passionate about diversity in medicine, and is an advocate for those training to become physicians.

Panelist: Bopanna Ballachanda, PhD

Bopanna Ballachanda

Internationally known for his publications in scientific and professional journals, Dr. Bopanna Ballachanda taught at Purdue University and the University of New Mexico prior to joining Texas Tech. He has lectured and conducted workshops on cerumen impaction and clinical management, and spearheaded the first cerumen management workshop in 1992. The founder of Premier Hearing Centers in the southwest United States, Dr. Ballachanda holds a doctoral degree in auditory neurophysiology from the University of Texas-Dallas, and memberships in many professional and scientific societies. He currently lectures at industry events and sets up teleaudiology and telecare for private practitioners.

Panelist: Christina Callahan, Au.D.

Christina Callahan

Christina Callahan, Au.D. is the Head of Clinical Audiology at Lively Hearing. She has played an integral role in developing and managing a teleaudiology platform allowing for success of a remote service model, and scaling a remote team of Audiologists. Prior to Lively, Dr. Callahan served as the Northeast Education & Training Audiologist for Starkey Hearing Technologies, blending industry knowledge with a wealth of clinical experience in diagnostic testing, hearing technology, and aural rehabilitation in both hospital and private practice settings. Christina's interest lies in optimizing a remote platform that allows Audiologists to be service driven, rather than product driven, in light of a changing industry to improve transparency, accessibility, and affordability in hearing health care.

Panelist: Dawn Cotter-Jenkins, MA

Dawn Cotter-Jenkins

Dawn Cotter-Jenkins graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics in 1991. She obtained her Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from New York University in 1997. She is currently a Clinical Speech Supervisor in the master’s program at Adelphi University's Hy Weinberg Speech and Hearing Center in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. There she has established the Telepractice Practicum and Research Suite and has created the course, Introduction to Telepractice for Speech-Language Pathology. She continues expanding her specialty skills in the area of telepractice for remote speech and language service provision and telesupervision. In 2013 she was appointed to serve on New State Office of Professions- Education Department, Licensing Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. She was appointed to Media Strategy Committee of the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2017. In her private practice, World Class Speech Service, Ms. Cotter-Jenkins specializes as a speech-language trainer in the areas of professional voice use, public speaking and accent modification.

Facilitator: Aniruddha K. Deshpande, PhD, CCC-A

Aniruddha K. Deshpande

Dr. Deshpande is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at Hofstra University. He completed his PhD at the University of Cincinnati and his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa. His research interests include tinnitus, hyperacusis, amplification, noise induced hearing loss, hearing conservation, and how technology plays a role in these conditions. His current research focuses on investigating the effectiveness of physiological and psycho-acoustic approaches for the assessment and management of tinnitus in different populations. He directs research projects at his lab - The Hear-Ring Lab. His research has been supported through intramural and extramural funding. Dr. Deshpande has authored several publications, presentations, and book chapters. He is a recipient of prestigious honors and awards such as the ASHFoundation scholarship, ASHA’s Lessons for Success and SRTA, University of Cincinnati’s All University Honor of Exemplary Scholarship in the Life Sciences, and Starkey’s William F. Austin scholarship. Dr. Deshpande has been nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award for demonstrating high standards of teaching and exemplary performance in and out of the classroom.