Congratulations to the recipients of the 21st Annual School of Health Technology and Management Outstanding Alumni Awards.
These awards are presented each year to outstanding alumni based on scholarly achievement, community service and dedication to the School and the honorees' chosen profession. The School of Health Technology and Management is very proud of its alumni's exceptional achievements.
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Angela Cirami |
While studying exercise and sports science at Penn State University, Angela discovered occupational therapy during one of her required internships and knew this was a career she wanted to pursue. She decided to finish her degree and then obtained a second bachelors, in occupational therapy, at Stony Brook University. Angela’s OT career started in a sub-acute facility, Huntington Hills Center in Melville; where she developed an interest in stroke patients. After approximately 4 years there, she decided to pursue an opportunity at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in NYC, particularly in the area of acute inpatient rehabilitation. Once rotating to the traumatic brain injury unit, Angela knew this was where she wanted to focus her efforts. She has remained at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, currently called NYU Langone Medical Center Rusk Rehab at Hospital for Joint Diseases, for 11 years. Currently, Angela is the Program Manager for the Occupational Therapy Department at NYU Langone Rehab. In the past, she was also the Inpatient OT supervisor for the Orthopedic and Neurological Rehabilitation Units at the same hospital. In addition, Angela continues to serve as an adjunct professor/clinical instructor for local universities. |
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Azad Gucwa |
After graduation from Stony Brook, Ms. Gucwa started her career as a microbiologist at Mercy Medical Center and later worked as a cytogenetic technologist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. She obtained her Ph.D., in Genetics from Stony Brook University and in 2011, she joined the faculty of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Long Island University at Post. An active participant of the Department, she serves as a member of the CLS advisory committee, and as the program's Clinical Liaison. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she is actively engaged in research, and has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals. She enjoys mentoring students in her lab, where her primary research focus includes the overexpression of Ack1, a kinase involved in several types of metastatic cancers, and interruptions of various endocytic pathways. Dr. Gucwa is also an active member of several professional societies, and has had her work presented at the American Society for Cell Biology and the Metropolitan Association of College and University Biologists annual meetings. She also serves as a board member for the New York Chapter of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Scientists, and is a consultant for the American Society for Clinical Pathology/PEPFAR Center for Global Outreach. |
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Stanislav Kozin |
Stanislav Kozin has earned two degrees from Stony Brook University, a BS in Health Sciences in 2008 and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree in 2012. He currently works as a PT in the Spinal Cord Injury Unit at the prestigious Helen Hayes Hospital, part of the New York - Presbyterian Health Care System. Stan was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus by Adapted Aquatics, a program he minored in as an undergraduate at Stony Brook, and one in which he served as the Assistant to the Director from 2005 through 2012. During his work in the Adaptive Aquatics Program, Stan became certified as a CPR instructor for both the American Red Cross and American Heart Association, and was awarded the Presidential Undergraduate Recognition Award for Leadership in 2008 and a Community Service Award in 2012. |
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Carmen McCoy |
Carmen McCoy is a graduate from the inaugural class of the BS in Health Science major. Shortly after graduation, she began her career in health informatics at Stony Brook University Hospital. Upon graduation, Ms. McCoy rose to the position of Assistant Director of Training for the electronic medical record system at Stony Brook University Hospital where she became a primary resource to develop and execute key training programs. Ms. McCoy went on to earn a Masters degree from Stony Brook University and an advanced graduate certificate in Management Information Systems. She also had the distinction of participating in a Kellogg Foundation funded community-based telemedicine project conducted in Riverhead, NY. She has been an invited presenter on emerging health informatics topics and is a current member of the American Society for Training and Development. In August 2014, Ms. McCoy assumed the role of Associate Director of the newly created Masters degree program in Applied Health Informatics offered at Stony Brook’s Southampton Campus. |
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Christina Panetta |
Christina Panetta graduated from Stony Brook University with a BS in Physical Therapy in 1985 and began her career at the Brunswick Rehabilitation Center. She worked closely with patients recovering from spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations and burns. Christina went on to open her own physical therapy clinic, Panetta Physical Therapy, and never strayed from her calling to help those in need. In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina left many parishes throughout Louisiana and Mississippi in ruins, Christina immediately took action working with local law enforcement to provide medical care and aid. After the 2011 earthquake in Haiti, Christina felt compelled to help those that were injured, and went to assist distraught families at the state hospital in Port Au Prince. Christina successfully cared for and brought home to the U.S. a young woman who had sustained a double amputation due to the earthquake, along with her eleven month old baby who was suffering from malnutrition. During the course of the next three years, Christina continued to provide medical care and aide to the people of Haiti. Recognizing the overwhelming need for physical therapists in this region, Christina collaborated with Richard Johnson,Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at Stony Brook University. Due to her initiative, on October 6, 2014, the first class of PT students set to gradaute with a MS in Physical Therapy began their course of study in Haiti. |
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Richard Pope |
Rick Pope is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants who received his Bachelors of Health Science degree/PA certificate from Stony Brook University in 1980. He obtained a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska in 2007. In his clinical career he has practiced medicine in pediatrics, family medicine, geriatrics, and emergency medicine. In 1988 he started his career in rheumatology where he has stayed ever since and currently works at Danbury Hospital. Mr. Pope was the founding President of the Society of Physician Assistants in Rheumatology and currently serves as the President of the Association of Family Practice Physician Assistants. In addition, he is the President of the CT PA Foundation and serves on the editorial Board for the National Osteoporosis Foundation for clinical updates. He is a member of the CT Academy of PAs and Allied Rheumatology Health Professionals, an arm of the American College of Rheumatology. He is a guest lecturer at Mass College of Pharmacy and Stony Brook University. He serves in adjunct professor at New York Institute of Technology, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Bridgeport in CT. He served on the principal faculty of Quinnipiac University in 2007/2008 and continues to teach today. He has served as a clinical preceptor for over 28 years and has been recognized as a clinical preceptor by the AAPA and Physician Assistant Education Association. |
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Alison Rowe |
Alison Rowe is the Nurse Manager and Interim Associate Director of Nursing for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital. She manages well over 200 nursing staff caring for an average of 90,000 patients annually. She attended Radford University in Virginia, where she earned her BS degree in Nursing in 2001. Shortly afterwards, she joined Stony Brook University as a T&RI to the Emergency Department. Alison was promoted to the position of ED Nurse Educator in 2005, and has filled the Interim Nurse Manager roles of the Medical Intensive Care Unit for over two years and the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program for almost one year. She has also been an invited speaker at the National Patient Safety Congress. In 2007, Alison completed the MS degree in Health Care Policy and Management from Stony Brook University. During her graduate studies, she earned a Certified in Emergency Nurse certification, as well as certification as an Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor. Alison maintains these certifications today, as well as Basic Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification. |
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Bernadette White |
After graduating from Stony Brook with a BS in Cardiorespiratory Sciences in 1984, Bernadette immediately began work as a respiratory therapist at Smithtown General Hospital. In 1988, she began her long career at Mather Hospital as a respiratory therapist. More recently, Bernadette has worked as both a pulmonary function and polysomnographic technologist at Mather Hospital. After several years as a scoring technician in the Sleep Disorders Center, Bernadette was promoted to lead technologist, and now serves as the Assistant Director responsible for management of this facility. Since 2002, Bernadette has been an outstanding clinical instructor for Stony Brook's Respiratory Care Program’s Polysomnography Specialty option and currently coordinates the clinical instruction of students at her facility. She was inducted as a faculty member in the Lambda Beta Honor Society and serves on the program’s advisory committee. Bernadette recently received her MS degree in Health Care Policy and Management from Stony Brook and was inducted into the Alpha Eta Honor Society. In December 2014, she will be receiving the Sleep Specialty Practitioner of the Year Award from the American Association for Respiratory Care at the International Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada. |
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Barima Yeboah |
Barima graduated from Stony Brook University in 2001 with a Bachelors in Multidisciplinary Studies, and in 2006 with Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training. He is currently working on finishing his Masters of Sports Management Degree. Mr. Yeboah, joined the College of Mount Saint Vincent Athletics Program as Head Athletic Trainer after being certified in July of 2006. In addition to his responsibilities as head athletic trainer, in 2008 he was named Assistant Director of Athletics where he was tasked with ensuring that the college was in compliance with NCAA and Skyline Conference regulations. In 2010 he was named Associate Director of Athletics at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, assisting with the operation of all 15 NCAA sports programs at the College. In addition, Barima was named Director of Intramurals during Spring 2013 and revitalized a struggling intramural program. As Head Athletic Trainer, Barima still oversees the Sports Medicine program with over 200 student athletes at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and he continues to mentor and supervise over 20 students in the Sports Medicine Student Assistant program he developed. |
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To see the names of Previous Award Recipients, Click Here |
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