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Public Health Faculty & Staff
The mission of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS) is to enhance, expand, and enrich learning opportunities in public health through student-centered operations.
By maintaining strong partnerships with other UNE colleges, CGPS is best able to utilize UNE faculty expertise while maintaining a strong student focus. Our dedicated Public Health faculty members may have appointments in other UNE colleges and/or be affiliated with other respected institutions.
Each faculty member is a respected member in the field of Public Health. Our expert faculty are essential to the success of UNE Online and to the continued success of our students.
Interested in becoming a UNE Public Health Adjunct Faculty Member? Learn how to submit your resume
Academic Leadership
Academic Administration
Adjunct Faculty
The list below appears in alphabetical order by last name. Click on the arrow to expand biographical information.
Public Health
DHA
Capella University School of Health Sciences
MS, Community Health Nursing
Boston University School of Nursing
BS, Nursing
University of Southern Maine School of Nursing
My introduction to public health was as a community health nurse in the rural state of Maine. After practicing for several years, I returned to school, pursuing a master’s degree in community health nursing at Boston University. I continued a career in community health until circumstances led me in the direction of a 30+ year-career in hospital administration. Because of this career path, my work took me to the states of Utah, Washington, California, Texas and Maine. Throughout what would generally be considered a hospital CEO career, I selected employment opportunities that allowed me to be active in public health initiatives in communities where I worked and lived. It has always been important to me in my administrative roles to seek ways where the hospital or health system I was responsible for could be involved in public health and community wellness initiatives.
I am a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives and a member of the American Public Health Association. I am active in legislative initiatives impacting the overall health and wellness of my community.
I have recently completed my doctoral dissertation, a qualitative phenomenological study, entitled, “CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTH SYSTEM-SPONSORED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AS THEY RELATE TO THE CAREER ADVANCEMENT OF PHYSICIAN LEADERS”.
I am currently preparing two manuscripts, based on my dissertation research, to submit for possible publication.
Public Health
DrPH
University of Texas School of Public Health
MPH
University of Texas School of Public Health
MBBS
Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
- Community Health Practice
- Maternal and Child Health
- Adolescent Health
- Epidemiology
My background is in clinical medicine. I practiced medicine in Nigeria for about 8 years before getting my MPH in 2012 and my DrPH in 2016 – both from the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston. My research interests are maternal and child health, and adolescent health. As a resident in pediatrics I was initially interested in neonatal health, and malnutrition in children aged less than 5 years, but as I transitioned into public health and completed a fellowship in maternal and child health, my interests broadened to include adolescents. Most of my research on adolescent health has focused on juvenile justice-involved youth with particular reference to mental health, sexual health, and substance use.
Scientific Conference Presentations
- Balogun, T., & Walley, S. (2021, October). Assessing social capital in Southern Maine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented at the American Public Health Association Conference. Denver, CO.
- Balogun, T. & Richie-Zavaleta, A. (2021, October). Overseeing virtual applied practice experience projects: A new normal for public health agencies? Presented at the American Public Health Association Conference. Denver, CO.
- Adelaiye, H., Balogun, T., Garba, M., & Abdulkadir, I. (2021, October). Grant funding and the research productivity of Nigerian pediatricians and residents. Presented at the American Public Health Association Conference. Denver, CO.
- Balogun, T., Soma, T., & O’Brien, L. (2020, October). Tobacco use among Maine youth: Perceptions and self-efficacy of healthcare providers on prevention efforts. Presented at the American Public Health Association Conference. San Francisco, CA (Virtual).
- Balogun, T. (2020, October). Creating final products and demonstrating competencies: Preceptors’ experiences with mentoring online MPH students. Presented at the American Public Health Association Conference. San Francisco, CA (Virtual).
- Kilgore, S., Brezault, T., & Balogun, T. (2020, October). COVID-19 in Pictures: Assessing the Impact of the Outbreak using a Multi-State Approach. Presented at the Maine Public Health Association Conference. Portland, ME (Virtual).
- Balogun, T. B., & Beyda, R. (2017). Detained Latino youth: A Need for Connection to Community Resources. Presented at the American Public Health Association Conference. Atlanta, GA. November 2017.
- Junaidi, M., Ettinger, D., & Balogun, T.B.(2017). Community Efforts to address Depression in a Rural Community in Maine. Presented at the Maine Public Health Association Conference. Portland, ME. October 2017.
- Balogun, T. B.,Troisi, C., Swartz, M. D., Lloyd, L., & Beyda, R. “For drug and alcohol use I would talk to mom”: A Mixed Methods study of Detained Youth. Presented at the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Conference. New Orleans, LA. March 2017.
Perinatal health, under-five morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent health.
Public Health
DrPH, Epidemiology
East Tennessee State University
MPH, Epidemiology
San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health
BS, Community Health Education
University of Maine at Farmington
BA, Business Economics
University of Maine at Farmington
HIV Care service utilization differences among US and Foreign Born populations in Maine. Differences between parent perception and actual weight status of their children. Effectiveness of legislation that restricts smoking in vehicles containing children.
Public Health
JD
University of New Hampshire School of Law
MS, Health Policy
University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service
BA, Romance Languages
University of Chicago
I am currently evaluating a Reframing Aging culture change initiative in Maine. The project is an effort to bring greater awareness to ageism in our society and its harmful impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of older people. We are using a Diffusion of Innovations Theory approach to this work.
Public Health
PhD, Disaster Science and Management
University of Delaware
MPH
Drexel University School of Public Health
BA, History
La Salle University
Disaster resilience and health equity go hand in hand. Raised in south Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina had a significant impact on my worldview. I watched Hurricane Katrina unfold and shine a light on structural inequities in the United States. Racial and ethnic minorities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged experienced a disproportionate impact of the storm’s destruction and adverse health consequences. Seeing the impact of Hurricane Katrina at home set me on a path to study public health and disasters with the goal of understanding and reducing health disparities in disaster impacted communities in the US particularly in Gulf communities. My current research focuses on understanding disparities in post-disaster health and well-being. Much of my work focuses on the Gulf Coast, however it is essential to examine diverse hazard types, scale events, and geographic contexts to better understand how to achieve recovery, health, and well-being following disasters. My goal is to translate my research into tangible, sustainable benefits for minority and socio-economically disadvantaged communities experiencing disaster.
My current research projects examine the influence of community social institutions on household disaster recovery, the role of preparedness in disaster experience and outcomes, and stress and food insecurity during long-term disaster recovery. I study a variety of disaster events including Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, and the 2013 Moore, OK tornadoes. My methodological approach is primarily quantitative including epidemiology and spatial analysis.
Applied Nutrition, Public Health
DrPH, Social and Behavioral Sciences
Boston University
2016
MSPH, Health Policy and Administration
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2000
BA, Biology and Women’s Studies
Gettysburg College
1998
I have a strong interest in improving the health, particularly chronic disease status, of populations across the lifespan. Much of my work has focused on the area of physical activity promotion. I have been fortunate to work in a variety of settings: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state health departments, and within small communities. I have been working as an independent consultant for 10 years and enjoy the variety of projects this allows me to work on. I enjoy teaching in the UNE GPPH, and to learn about the varied interests of my students. In my free time I enjoy walking, reading, traveling, camping, and spending time with my husband and daughters.
I am currently part of an evaluation team looking at the effectiveness of multiple statewide efforts to improve chronic disease status within a statewide population. I also develop communication materials for a national-level workplace cardiovascular disease prevention effort.
I am currently part of an evaluation team looking at the effectiveness of multiple statewide efforts to improve chronic disease status within a statewide population.
Jennifer Gunderman, M.P.H.
Assistant Lecturer
(207) 221-4620
On Campus, Linnell Hall 109 - Portland Campus
Public Health
MPH, Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology
Emory University
BS, Health Policy and Management
Providence College
I came into public health by failing organic chemistry as an undergraduate at Providence College. My goal was to be a physician but soon realized that my skill and passion belonged elsewhere. Luckily my college has a public health major, and the rest is history. My background includes being a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, working with the state of Maine health department as an infectious disease epidemiologist, providing technical assistance to Caribbean countries on HIV surveillance, and even owning an organic farm. I live in Belfast, Maine with my 3 children where we enjoy being outdoors as much as possible.
Applied Nutrition
ScD, Biomedical Computing
Harvard School of Public Health
MS, Biostatistics
Harvard School of Public Health
MS, Epidemiology
Harvard School of Public Health
BS, Mathematics
University of Massachusetts
Anne Hunt received her masters and doctoral degrees from Harvard School of Public Health, where she taught for twelve years before leaving to start a small medical consulting company. In recent years, she has also served as adjunct faculty at UNE. Her research has been primarily in public health nutrition and medical genetics.
Currently studying the prevalence of birth defects, dysmorphology, and developmental disabilities in children exposed to anti-epileptic drugs in utero. Also involved in several studies related to better addressing the needs of the disabled during Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Applied Nutrition, Public Health
MSPH, Human Nutrition
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
BA, Psychology
Cornell University
PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology
Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Micaela Karlsen, PhD, serves as Director of the Lifestyle Medicine Economic Research Consortium from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the Lifestyle Medicine Institute, as well as co-investigator on the Adhering to Dietary Approaches for Personal Taste (ADAPT) Study from Tufts University. She is the author of A Plant-Based Life and a contributor to the New York Times bestseller Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, Micaela created and maintains PlantBasedResearch.org, an online library of original, peer-reviewed research studies relevant to plant-based nutrition, as well as SustainableDiet.com, a 3-month transition program for supporting successful and permanent transitions to plant-based diets. Her expertise is in dietary patterns, plant-based nutrition and nutritional adequacy, and predictors of successful behavior change. She holds a PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and a Masters degree in Human Nutrition from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Applied Nutrition, Public Health
MS, Public Policy
University of Massachusetts, Boston
MS, Policy, Planning and Management
University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service
BA, Liberal Studies
University of Maine
Mary Krebs is a health policy analyst engaged in research through UMass Boston’s Public Policy PhD Program, and as a consultant to George Mason University’s MEDx health app evaluation project. She is the founder of HealthTech Analytics LLC, a health-related technologies research firm with a specific focus on usability and the digital delivery of health care. Her work has a theoretical emphasis on models of engagement for ehealth + mHealth technologies, as well as an explicit focus for developing standards for health-related apps.
Prior to doctoral studies, Mary spent 15+ years in the business sector and 3+ years in the nonprofit sector, engaged in government relations and research analysis. She served as the Deputy Director for the Maine chapter of a national nonprofit, and has lobbied the Maine State Legislature on behalf of healthcare professionals on social justice policy issues.
In addition to earning a Master’s of Public Policy and Management at USM’s Muskie School, she earned a Master’s of Science in Policy, and is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Mary was chosen to serve as a 2011 Maine Policy Scholar alongside previous Governor, and now Senator Angus King, and earned the McCormack Policy Fellowship award in 2014. Further education includes professional training at MIT and graduate certificates in government management, performance evaluation, and nonprofit management.
Public Health
DNP, Nursing Administration
Northeastern University
MSN, Nursing Administration
Regis University
BSN
Loretto Heights College
Collaborative teaching is an important value. While a single person can play a pivotal role in the transformation of an organization, no one person can enact change or maintain excellence without the shared contributions of other colleagues and students. Developing and maintaining relationships to enable collaboration are probably the most important role anyone in education must master to be successful. Successful teachers should have the ability to understand the complexities and ambiguities of intra and interpersonal dynamics in order to foster implementation of meaningful change.
Public Health
MD, University of Arizona College of Medicine
MPH, University of New England
MEd, Secondary Education
Arizona State University
BA, Biology
Occidental College
Community assessment, program planning and evaluation, research methods, family medicine, rural health, institutional review board, hospital community health, community health workers
Public Health
PhD, Epidemiology
University of Iowa
MPH, Epidemiology
Missouri State University
BS, Biology
Truman State University
I have extensive experience in research study design, protocol development and implementation as well as statistical analysis. The research projects I have led have been highly interdisciplinary (teams included physicians, sociologists, anthropologists, community developers, and others) and utilized a community-engaged research approach where community members partner with academic researchers on research studies from the start. I prioritize training junior researchers and have mentored fellows and medical, graduate and college students, providing support throughout their research projects, from drafting aims to publication, with an emphasis on statistical analysis.
My current research focuses primarily on designing and testing interventions to connect people to community resources that help them manage their health. These interventions are primarily information-based (e.g., information about local food pantries) and focus both on diseases and social conditions like food insecurity.
Public Health
PhD, Community and Public Health
University of Maryland, College Park
MA, Health Education
University of Maryland, College Park
BS, Health Education
University of Maryland, College Park
Sabrina Matoff-Stepp is a public health teacher/mentor with demonstrated commitment and calling to give back to underserved communities. Her 32-year career in the Federal sector included leadership positions in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, where she worked as a Senior Advisor (2020-2022) on collaborative projects with the National Academy of Medicine and the National Cancer Institute.
She also served as Director, Office of Women’s Health (2005-2020), overseeing the first whole-of-agency strategy to address intimate partner violence through program and policy. Between 2010 and 2015, Sabrina played a critical role with the Text4baby program, which provides pregnant women and new mothers with free, evidence-based health-related text messages.
In 2009, Sabrina was selected as one of 20 Our Bodies, Ourselves Women’s Health Heroes from over 100 nominations in 12 countries. She has a Ph.D. in community and public health from University of Maryland, College Park, and has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Sabrina volunteers for Manna Food Center, a non-profit organization serving food insecure families in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Food insecurity for underserved populations; sex and gender disparities for chronic health conditions; public-private partnership building; health equity; maternal mortality.
Public Health
ScD, Work Environment
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
MS, Mechanical Engineering
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
BS, Mechanical Engineering
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
The intersection of engineering and public health is not often considered but is very important in preventing serious injury and illness.
Machine Guarding and Safety, Cultural Issues in Manufacturing as it Affects Safety.
Public Health
PhD, Biostatistics
Harvard University
BS, Engineering Physics
Colorado School of Mines
BS, Applied and Computational Mathematics
Colorado School of Mines
Liam O’Brien’s expertise is broadly in the areas of biostatistics and epidemiology. He provides a wide array of biostatistical support for researchers in the medical and public health fields. His statistical methodological interests are in longitudinal data particularly as they relate to applications in psychiatric epidemiology and maternal and child health. Liam also has an interest in psychometric applications and methods.
Liam received his doctoral degree in biostatistics from the Harvard School of Public Health. He also holds bachelor of science degrees in engineering physics and mathematical sciences from the Colorado School of Mines. His primary appointment is Associate Professor of Statistics at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Liam’s collaborative research career began in neuroimaging in 2000, when he served as a project biostatistician for the Massachusetts Mental Health Centers program in schizophrenia. He has since continued collaborative research with autism researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. He began working in the public health field in Maine in 2003, consulting for the Maine Center for Public Health. Since then he has worked on a wide variety of projects in collaboration with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Muskie School of Public Policy, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, the Maine-Dartmouth Rural Residency Program, the University of Southern Maine, and the University of New England.
I currently work on projects involving the evaluation of public health interventions. I also am researching methods for permutation- or randomization-based testing when standard hypothesis testing assumptions are not met.
Healthcare Administration, Health Informatics, Public Health
Ed.D. Higher Education Leadership, Concentration in Program Evaluation
University of Rochester
M.S., Health Systems Administration
Rochester Institute of Technology
B.A, Community Medicine
University of Rochester
Working in public health offeres opportunities to conduct research, get involved in public policy, and work with people. Working in the health fiels is rewarding as one is able to improve the health of groups of people. Given my education and work experience, I evaluate healh programs providing stakeholders with important information to aid their decision making efforts.
Public Health
MPH, Health Management and Policy, Global Health
University of Michigan School of Public Health
BA, Political Science, Medical Anthropology
University of Michigan
My public health training was focused on health management and policy, global health, and program evaluation, and most of my professional experience has been in program evaluation and health service research. My program evaluation experience has enabled me to help stakeholders working on statewide, regional, and local public health programs understand how their efforts are impacting population health, and consider how that impact can be maximized. In my current position at Eastern Maine Medical Center, I am also working closely with clinicians and system administrators to design, fund, and implement health service and implementation-oriented studies.
Some of the things I am currently working on include an ongoing health service study looking at strategies to improve antibiotic stewardship in outpatient settings, and a study focused on the effectiveness of a primary care food security screening and referral model for connecting people experiencing food insecurity with local food resources. I am also working on evaluations of a home health tele-monitoring program, and a program designed to expand access to self-management education for patients with chronic disease.
Public Health
PhD, Community Health Education
Walden University
MS, Public Health
Walden University
MS, Biology
Georgia State University
BS, Biology
University of Georgia
My professional experience expands over fifteen years of scientific research, eight years of quality management in public health, five years of community health education, and two years as an online adjunct professor. I have conducted research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies (USDA and EPA) and academic institutions. My professional objective is to promote health education through disease prevention in order to increase the overall health and well-being of the public. My personal interests are with HIV/AIDS and STD research, education, and prevention, adolescent health and wellness, quality management as well as program development, implementation, and evaluation. I am also a certified coach with the John Maxwell Team, where I aid youth and college students with their personal growth and leadership development to equip, inspire, and empower them to reach their full potential.
The Association Between Online Risk Behaviors and Real Life Behaviors Among Adolescents.
Public Health
DrPH
New York Medical College, School of Health Sciences and Practice, Department of Health Policy and Management,
2013
MBS
The University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
2008
MPH
Morgan State University
2004
BA, Biology and Psychology
Loyola University Maryland
2002
I have a multidisciplinary perspective that is informed by my time working as a researcher at Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health, as a Medical Writer in the Pharmaceutical Industry, and as a grant writer for health system clients.
My other professional experiences involved assisting the Deputy Regional Health Secretary (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, New York) implementing nutrition and obesity prevention efforts for the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiatives in New York City (2011), lobbying and writing policy position papers as a Fellow on Capitol Hill (2012), and joining a team of facilitators for a federally funded youth risk-prevention program in New York City (2012-2013).
Public Health
DrPH, Community Health and Prevention
Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health
MASP, Master of Arts in Sociological Practices
California State University, San Marcos
MAIPS, Master of Arts in International Peace Studies and Conflict Management
Universidad Para La Paz, Costa Rica
BA, Sociology
California State University, San Marcos
My journey into public health began when conducting an exploratory research project in San Diego, CA, which delved into the issue of human trafficking. Its finding pointed to the fact that in order create effective evidence-based preventive strategies to social perils, I needed tools from the field of public health. Today, public health along with human rights and sociological approaches, continue to deepen my understanding of how to partner in the prevention and intervention of complex social challenges such as gender violence and child abuse. Additionally, the field of public health has clarified for me the great need for advocacy and policy in order to create social change. Although social injustice continues to surface all around us, we have great tools to begin fighting these complexities. Together, we can create social change and achieve the wellbeing of our communities and society at large!
My dissertation focuses on the intersection of sex trafficking survivors’ experience in healthcare settings and their recommendations for better identification protocols within the United States. Currently, within an academic research-based hospital, I am involved in the training and evaluation of a healthcare provider pilot whose goals are to increase awareness and introduce protocols for the identification of potential victims of human trafficking in their emergency department.
Maria Rinaldi, MS, MPH, PhD
Teaching Online
Public Health
PhD, Behavioral Science
Georgia State University
MPH, Behavioral Science
Emory University
BA, Psychology
Spelman College
I have worked in various capacities in the field of public health including direct service provision, training, and research — all towards the goal of advancing the knowledge base and service availability for children and families across the globe. My work focuses on mixed methods approaches to understanding the mechanisms through which adverse life experiences impact trajectories for children, adolescents, and families, with a specific focus on promoting resilience and coping. I am currently a research fellow, with a joint appointment in the departments of epidemiology and social and behavioral sciences, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I work on several projects investigating trauma epidemiology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk and resilience, behavioral epidemiology, and behavioral epigenetics. Upon completing my PhD, I completed a one year Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development postdoctoral research fellowship, in the department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where I investigated key factors related to religious coping with violence exposure (including IPV) among war exposed adults, as a part of a prospective longitudinal/intergenerational study of war-affected youth in Sierra Leone.
Mental health, intimate partner violence, and the transition to parenthood among former child soldiers in post-conflict Sierra Leone.
Coping with Concentrated Adversity: Examining the role of religiosity and the intimate partner relationships in coping with war-related trauma among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone.
Exploring epigenetic markers of environmental stress and trauma in the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Applied Nutrition, Public Health
PhD, Food and Nutrition Sciences
University of Maine
MS, Food Science and Human Nutrition
University of Maine
BS, Human Nutrition and Foods
University of Maine
BA, Zoology
University of Maine
Joanna Fichthorn Rosebush PhD, RD, LD has worked in the field of nutrition for over fifteen years. Dr. Rosebush has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Maine and Husson University and has conducted continuing education seminars for healthcare professionals. Dr. Rosebush has conducted nutrition and wellness seminars for employees of various local businesses, including hospitals and gyms. She worked as a licensed provider for a web-based nutrition and wellness consulting company and has appeared as a nutrition expert in a weekly series for a local media outlet. She serves as an Advisory Board Member for Cura Weight Loss. Her extensive experience in clinical nutrition has led to a greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of making wellness a part of everyday life to reduce the risk of chronic health conditions and is employed by the University of Maine System as the Manager of Health Improvement.
Dr. Rosebush earned a Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition Sciences with a special skill requirement in physiology from the University of Maine. Her undergraduate programs of study include a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology and Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Maine. She is a Registered, Licensed Dietitian and has been an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics since 1995. In 2006 she was awarded the Maine Dietetic Association Emerging Dietetic Leader of the Year. She is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Applied Nutrition, Public Health
DCN
Maryland University of Integrative Health
MSACN
New York Chiropractic College
MPH
University of New England
MBA, Leadership
St. Joseph’s College
BS, Health Science
University of Southern Maine
Leanne Skehan has been a course facilitator at UNE for over eight years and has taught a variety of courses in the field of public health and nutrition. Leanne received her Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition degree at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She also has Masters degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition (MSACN) from New York Chiropractic College, Masters of Public Health (MPH) from the University of New England and her Masters of Business Administration from Saint Joseph’s College.
Leanne works at Tufts Health Plan in the Department of Population Health and Wellness (Watertown, MA). She leads a team with a focus on managing disease management programs and vendors. Leanne’s prior places of employment include the Healthy Community Coalition (Farmington, ME) and the Women, Infants, and Children Program (Auburn, ME).
Leanne’s research interests include developing effective health and wellness related programs that promote behavior change in populations. Other research interests include inflammation, the microbiome, pre-diabetes, eating disorders, how the social determinants of health impact nutrition and overall health.
Leanne lives in Farmingdale, Maine. Outside of work and school she enjoys running, reading, and spending time with family, especially her eight-year-old nephew.
Increasing engagement in health plan disease management programs.
Public Health
PhD, Epidemiology
Walden University
BS, Biology, Minor in Chemistry
Howard University
For several years, I worked as a Senior Research Scientist (Molecular Biologist/Geneticist) at Emory University School of Medicine My research areas included neurodegenerative disorders, breast cancer, and cervical cancer as they relate to mitochondrial mutations. My cervical cancer research led to studying HPV which sparked my initial interest in Public Health. I went on to use my molecular biology skills to develop assays for several potential bioterrorism threat agents at the CDC, while building public health experience. I have enjoyed my work in epidemiology in various areas at the CDC.
My current research interests surround the resurgence of vaccine preventable diseases, future epidemiologic trends, and potential outbreak implications.
Kathleen Welch, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor, HIV Prevention/Services Evaluator for the Louisiana Office of Public Health
(504) 301-1912
Teaching Online
Public Health
PhD, International Health, Sociology and Epidemiology
Tulane University
MPH
Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
MA, Education
The Ohio State University
BA, Russian Language and Literature
The Ohio State University
My career in public health started when I worked for CARE in Moscow, Russia, where I led a survey team to conduct nutritional surveys on the elderly, pregnant women and children under two. I continued my education at Tulane University in New Orleans where I obtained an MPH and PhD. I have an interdisciplinary PhD in global health, sociology and epidemiology. I am also an Adjunct Professor for the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. I am very excited to be an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Association where I work as an advocate to promote increased funding and research for this disease.
Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment, the use of humor and the arts in promoting mental health and reducing substance use.
Public Health
PhD, Occupational and Environmental Health
University of Iowa
2016
MPH, Health Policy and Management
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
2010
BA, Community Planning
University of Massachusetts, Boston
I am a public health professional with approximately 10 years of experience managing and evaluating public health and injury prevention programs, with service in both local and state government. I have worked on a variety of federally funded injury and violence prevention programs, including New York State’s Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program and Core State Violence and Injury Prevention Program (Core SVIPP), and the University of Iowa’s Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Program. I have particular interest in evaluating primary prevention strategies for injury and violence, including sexual violence, intimate partner violence, suicide, and non-suicidal self-injury. I am also broadly interested in college health and occupational health, recognizing that school or work settings can contribute tremendously to health outcomes. Finally, I am committed to translating research to practice in the public health setting, recognizing the dynamic, reciprocal relationship between effective practice and meaningful research.
I am currently principal investigator on a CDC-funded research project evaluating the effectiveness of a strengths-based curriculum with at-risk boys in western New York. The impact of the program on a number of outcomes will be examined, including sexual assault perpetration, bystander behavior, attitudes related to gender roles and acceptability of sexual violence, interpersonal relationships, and youth-adult connectedness. Factors that may impact the implementation of the program will also be assessed, and results will be used to inform future work within New York State and nationally. This grant award period is 09/16 – 09/20.
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/fundedprograms/Research_Awards.html
Public Health
PhD, Human Development, Specialization in Developmental Science
University of Maryland
MSW, Specialization in Rural Social Work Practice
Eastern Washington University
BA, Psychology, Minor in Applied Statistics
University of Michigan
I have 15 years of experience working on community-based and academic data projects in human development and public health, including research and evaluation projects that intersect with Epidemiology, Child and Human Development, and other areas of Social Science research. In addition to work on longitudinal research projects, I have used observational, quantitative, and qualitative cross-sectional studies to inform community prevention and intervention efforts. I am currently working in health promotion, disease prevention, and health literacy, as well as studying the prevalence of birth defects, dysmorphology, and developmental disabilities in children exposed to anti-epileptic drugs in utero. I am also involved in several studies related to better addressing the needs of the disabled during Emergency Preparedness and Response.
My current research involves constructing epidemiology-focused health profiles for community populations. I am also working on a community-based participatory research study involving diabetes prevention, an oral health intervention project, and several large-scale evaluations of community wellness programs.
Public Health
MD
University of Vermont College of Medicine
MPH
University of Southern Maine
BS, Physical Marine Science, Minors in Chemistry and Pre-Medical Studies
University of Maine Orono
As a physician with a Master of Public Health degree I am interested in teaching a wide variety of topics. These include social and behavioral health issues across the nation. Also, I enjoy remaining up-to-date about the environmental factors that we can change to improve public health. I like investigating the rigor of patient safety and quality assurance in healthcare organizations. In addition, I am very intrigued by the history and current conduction of ethical research, spurred by my time spent as a member of an institutional review board (IRB).
Public Health
JD
Maine Law
MPPM
USM, Muskie School of Public Service
Professor Zamboni is currently the Regional Ombudsman for Long-Term Care Program in Maine; in this position, he oversees long-term care facilities in Southern Maine, educates the Maine Legislature and general public about elder issues and responds to complaints about healthcare facilities. The Ombudsman for Long-Term Care is a position created by the federal government and supported by all 50 states. Professor Zamboni also works on the Maine Medical Malpractice Screening Panel and the Maine Financial Abuse Specialist Team. He volunteers his time with various boards and committees around the State including the Portland Zoning Board of Appeals and the Deaf Senior Housing Committee.
Elder Abuse and Neglect, Financial Exploitation of Dependents, Power of Attorney/Guardianship and Abuse Issues.
If you have any questions about the coursework or the program requirements, please speak to one of our enrollment counselors at the email or phone number below.