December 2, 2021

The People of Purpose project recognizes and celebrates the College of Nursing and Health Professions students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners who exemplify our core values of health equity and purpose and demonstrate an abiding sense of caring, commitment and service to the Drexel community, Philadelphia and/or the world. The reasons given for the nominations of these individuals and teams, which this year included students from Dornsife School of Public Health and College of Arts and Sciences, are compelling and explain how their lives and their work represent the core values that lie at the heart of the College.

Today, we are most pleased to announce our third cohort of People of Purpose. They are listed below by name, and, if alumni or current student, degree, graduation year and program. When you read their stories, you will learn about the work they do and the impact they make.

Our individual People of Purpose are:

• Laura Baehr, PhD ’22, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Sheetal Bahirat, MSCAS '20 and Zuri Masud, MSFS '19, Food and Hospitality Management
• Veronica Carey, PhD, Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Associate Clinical Professor, Counseling and Family Therapy
• Melanie Cataldi, BS ’98, Nutrition and Food Science
• Lisa Chiarello, PhD, Professor, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Sen. Maria Collett, BSN ’09, Undergraduate Nursing
• Jonathan Deutsch, PhD, Professor and Director of the Drexel Food Lab, Food and Hospitality Management
• Noel Goodstadt, PT, DPT, Associate Clinical Professor, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Holly Hagy, BSN ’15, Undergraduate Nursing
• Rani Hanna, MHS ‘18 and Sara Jamil Hanna, MHS ’18, Physician Assistant
• Nary Kith, MFT '07, Counseling and Family Therapy
• Hanna Lee, MA '21, Creative Arts Therapies
• Kimberly McClellan, EdD ’18, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Lynette Medley, BS '97, Mental Health Technology
• Gwen Moriarty, BSN '22, Undergraduate Nursing
• Shel Myers, MFT '22, Counseling and Family Therapy
• Sharrona Pearl, PhD, Associate Teaching Professor, Health Administration
• Arun Ramakrishnan, PhD, Director of Research Labs
• Michele Rattigan, MA ’96, DHSc ’24, Associate Clinical Professor, Creative Arts Therapies
• Jeff Ryan, MPT '87, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Helen Teng, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Lena Ward, BS ’18, MHS ’19, Clinical Instructor, Physician Assistant
• Ebony White, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Counseling and Family Therapy
• KC Wuebbling, MA ’16, Creative Arts Therapies

Our People of Purpose teams are:

CNHP IT Department

• Jack Cordivari, IT Support Specialist
• Robert H. Feenan, College IT and AV Manager
• James Lipczynski, IT Support Specialist II
• Aila Luneau, AV Systems Specialist
• George M. Merritt, III, IT Support Specialist
• Chip Myers, IT Director Marc Scott, IT Support Specialist
• Steve Surgalski, AV Support Specialist
• Brian Thomas, Systems Administrator COVID

Case Investigation Team

• Nina Kulkarni, MPH, COVID Testing/Vaccine Site Manager
• Bhargavi Sahu, Student, Dornsife School of Public Health

COVID Contact Tracing Team

• Katie Anderson, Student, Dornsife School of Public Health
• Anthony M. Angelow, PhD, Chair, Advanced Practice Nursing; Assistant Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Erica Chang, Student, Undergraduate Nursing
• Leah Condon, Student, College of Arts and Sciences
• Theresa Fay-Hillier, DrPH, Associate Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Kimberly McClellan, EdD ’18, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Kymberlee Montgomery, DNP, Senior Associate Dean of Nursing & Student Affairs; Chief Academic Nursing Officer
• Kate J. Morse, PhD, Assistant Dean for Experiential Learning and Innovation; Associate Clinical Professor
• Jenny Ni, Student, College of Arts and Sciences
• Mikaela Perez, COVID Contact Tracing Assistant Manager; Student, Dornsife School of Public Health
• Susan Solecki, DrPH, Associate Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Helen L. Teng, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing

COVID Testing Team

• Helena Aklilu, Student, Health Sciences
• Saznin Chowdhury, Student, Health Sciences
• Ferne M. Cohen, EdD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Nurse Anesthesia
• Jennifer Cummings, MSN, Assistant Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Stephen Gambescia, PhD, Clinical Professor, Health Administration
• Ann McDonough Madden, MHS, Associate Clinical Professor, Physician Assistant
• Kimberly McClellan, EdD ’18, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Jennifer Olszewski, EdD, Chair, Accelerated Career Entry Nursing; Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Alis Kotler Panzera, DrNP, Assistant Dean of Student Services; Associate Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Jordan Perez, Student, Undergraduate Nursing
• Genevieve M. Porrecca, MSN, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Helen L. Teng, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing

COVID Vaccination Team

• Adrian S. Banning, DHSc '20, Associate Clinical Professor, Physician Assistant
• Linda M. Celia, DNP, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Ferne M. Cohen, EdD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Nurse Anesthesia
• Jennifer Cummings, MSN, Assistant Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Ellen D. Feld, MD, Clinical Professor, Physician Assistant
• Stephen Gambescia, PhD, Clinical Professor, Health Administration
• Maryann Godshall, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Dana Kemery, EdD, Director of Innovative Course Design and Technological Infusion; Associate Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Kimberly McClellan, EdD ’18, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Kymberlee Montgomery, DNP, Senior Associate Dean of Nursing & Student Affairs; Chief Academic Nursing Officer
• Kate J. Morse, PhD, Assistant Dean for Experiential Learning and Innovation; Associate Clinical Professor
• Jennifer Olszewski, EdD, Chair, Accelerated Career Entry Nursing; Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Alis Kotler Panzera, DrNP, Assistant Dean of Student Services; Associate Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Anna Pohuly, Executive Assistant II
• Genevieve M. Porrecca, MSN, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Lori Ruskin, MSN, Assistant Professor, Graduate Nursing
• Deanna Lynn Schaffer, PhD, Director of Recruitment, Retention and Alumni Engagement; Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Helen L. Teng, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Undergraduate Nursing
• Janet Zimmerman, MS, Assistant Clinical Professor, Graduate Nursing

This cohort represents a wide range of CNHP professions, programs and roles and includes students, faculty, professional staff, advisors, alumni and interprofessional teams from across the University. Collectively, this group of nearly 80 people embodies how we learn, teach and collaborate, provide exceptional care, serve our communities and contribute new knowledge that advances health equity and social justice.

Please join in congratulating our newest “People of Purpose.”