January 24, 2017

Leon F. Vinci, DHA, CNHP adjunct faculty in Health Sciences Administration, was selected as national Technical Adviser for Climate Change with theNational Environmental Health Association (NEHA) for 2016 - 2017. 

NEHA is an international organization with over 5,000 members with the mission “To advance the environmental health professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all.” NEHA is recognized as having achieved an established standard of excellence known as the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian credential.

As the Climate Change technical advisor, Vinci will review and provide guidance to the NEHA Annual Educational Conference concerning presentations and research in the field of Climate Change and its intersection with human health.



CNHP second-year DPT students won the 2016-17 VCU-Marquette Challenge’s November “Challenge of the Month!” The VCU-Marquette Challenge is a national competition between physical therapy schools to raise money for the Foundation for Physical Therapy for PT research. For this year's Marquette Challenge, CNHP DPT students created a variety of prints from stamps that were carved into linoleum blocks. Images were related to movement and PT as well as their hometown cities. Their prize is a Whole Foods gift card to share.



The John and Jinnie Chapel ACHIEVE Center and Dragon Lounge opened on January 18 as the culmination of several years of work by CNHP professor Nyree Dardarian, MS, RD, LDN ‘06. This space is a “hang-out” for student-athletes where they can take advantage of the fueling station. The station extends access to nourishment before and after practice and gives athletes an opportunity to meet and interact with the Dragon’s sports dietitian (and alumna), Andrea Grasso Irvine, MS, RD, LDN ‘13 and Drexel nutrition sciences interns. 



Roberta Waite, EdD, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, ANEF, professor and assistant dean of Academic Integration and Evaluation of Community Programs, doctoral nursing department, participated at the Independence Blue Cross Foundation and American Academy of Nursing. The topic of the January 11 panel discussion, moderated by CNHP’s Professor and Dean Emerita Gloria Donnelly, PhD, RN, FAAN, FCPP was “Registered Nurses: Partners in Transforming Primary Care: A Critical Conversation.” 

Waite addressed using practices and positive outcomes of nurse-led health centers to enhance curricula and reconfigure clinical experiences for nursing programs. She also spoke to how these centers might partner with acute care settings to integrate efforts and focus even more acutely on social determinants of health.

Judging by the questions Donnelly prepared for the panel, a big focus was on evolving primary care delivery and how the nursing profession might contribute to the next ten years, what that looks like for the job market, for improving care experiences and reducing per capita costs.

Maggie O'Neil, PhD, PT, MPH, ’99, associate professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Paul Diefenbach, PhD, associate professor, Digital Media Department, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, were invited to present at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Special Needs Consortium on January 17, 2016.

A common theme for the event was the use of technology in working with children with special needs and their families. O’Neil and Diefenbach presented and PSNC participants tried their customized games to promote active recreation, health, fitness and fun children with special needs.

A study which CNHP Creative Arts Therapies faculty Girija Kaimal, EdD, MCAT ‘01 conducted about the effects of creativity in reducing cortisol was cited in Reader’s Digest Canada. Kaimal was also featured in HERe adding her expertise about using art therapy to help stave off employee burnout. 

Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili, PhD, an associate professor in doctoral nursing and nutrition sciences was featured on Fox29 News about a new treatment for chronic wounds.

Paul Nolan, MCAT, MT-BC, LPC , ’82, adjunct faculty and former director of the music therapy program, was featured on Newsworks about making resolutions for the New Year that actually work.

Chair of the nutrition sciences program Stella Volpe, PhD, RD, LDN, FACSM and vice chair and director of doctorate physical therapy program Kevin Gard ‘92 were interviewed about staying healthy during the winter months for Philly.com.

Stephen F. Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, MHum, MCHES, clinical professor of health services administration drafted an opinion piece in PennLive about the banning of e-cigarettes.

Nancy Gerber, PhD, MCAT ’77, associate clinical professor and the director of the doctoral creative art therapies program, was interviewed by Philly.com about coloring being a respite from the crazy, fast-paced lives we lead.