FACULTY
Brooke Ellison, PhD, MPP (Program Co-Director)
Curriculum Vitae
Brooke Ellison is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University, and Director of Education and Ethics at the Stony Brook Stem Cell Facility. Dr. Ellison received her undergraduate degree in cognitive neuroscience from Harvard University in 2000, followed by her Master Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2004. After running for New York State Senate in 2006, Dr. Ellison completed her PhD in Sociology from Stony Brook University in 2012. A policy and ethics expert in stem cell research for over 15 years, Dr. Ellison’s primary research interest focuses on the ethics and societal impacts of emerging technologies and scientific advancement. From 2007-2014, Brooke served on the Empire State Stem Cell Board, which designed New York State’s stem cell policy.
As a faculty member at Stony Brook University, Dr. Ellison also serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Leadership Development, to empower underserved communities. As a result of her work in the stem cell field, in 2011, Dr. Ellison was granted an honorary degree from Rutgers University, and, in 2014, was chosen to be a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a position through which she as discussed the importance and ethics of stem cell research and emerging technologies, speaking at the 2016 annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Through a research project entitled, Inclusive Future, Dr. Ellison has also focused attention on challenges experienced by people with disabilities, and how these can be alleviated through policy and technological advancement.
At age 11, Dr. Ellison was in an accident that left her paralyzed from her neck down and dependent on a ventilator. The experiences she has undergone since that time have served as the basis of the work in which she has been involved as well as the causes she has embraced. In 2002, Dr. Ellison published a memoir, Miracles Happen, which was made into a movie, The Brooke Ellison Story, directed by Christopher Reeve.
Publications:
Ellison, B. & J. Meliker. (2011). Assessing the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome in egg donation: Implications for stem cell research. The American Journal of Bioethics, 11(9); 22-30.
ISSN: 1526-5161 print / 1536-0075 online
DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2011.593683
Ellison, B. (2011). Communicating hope: the bridge between science and the future it creates. Cell Stem Cell, 8; 616-617.
New York, Hudson Street Press (2011)
336 pp., ISBN: 978-1-59463-078-1
DOI 10.1016/j.stem.2011.05.006
Ellison, B. (2014). Community Engagement: An Important Addition To the Medical Curriculum. American Journal of Bioethics. Vol. 14:23-24.
DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2014.900145
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2014.900145
Ellison, B. 2014. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer: A Call to Reevaluate Stem Cell Research Policies. Journal of Stem Cells Research, Reviews, And Reports. 1(3):5.
Christine Pitocco (Program Co-Director)
Dr. Christine Pitocco
is a Research Professor at Stony Brook in the College of Business. She teaches Information Systems in Management and Operations Management. Prior to teaching at Stony Brook’s College of Business, Dr. Pitocco worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Bachelor of Health Science Program, Clinical Laboratory Science Program, and Master of Science in Healthcare Policy and Management at Stony Brook University. She earned a PhD in Information Studies and Technology from LIU C.W. Post. She gained her clinical expertise while she was the evening supervisor of the Blood Bank at University Hospital Stony Brook. Prior to joining Stony Brook she was the day supervisor in the Immunochemistry Department at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre.
Dr. Alan Cooper
Dr. Alan Cooper practiced Family Medicine on Route 25A in Setauket from the time he finished his residency at Stony Brook in June of 1982 until he retired from private practice in September of 2004. He received a Bachelor of Management Engineering at Rensselaer Poly, Inst and an MD from New York Medical College. After closing his medical practice he taught at a Caribbean medical school for one year and then returned to Stony Brook to obtain a Masters of Public Health. He has been teaching in Stony Brook’s School of Health Technology and Management since completing the MPH in 2011.
Dr. Cooper is currently teaching the following courses: Pathophysiology HAN424 , Epidemiology HAN452, Health Care Delivery Systems (HAS531) as well as a short series of lectures as part of the Medicine in the Community and Society for 1st and 2nd year medical students.
Dr. Cooper lives in Setauket with his wife Livia. The couple enjoy frequent visits from their 4 grandchildren (plus one on the way) the oldest of whom is 4!
STAFF
Noelle Kabanakis, MPA (Program Administrator)
Noelle Kabanakis is an Adjunct Professor and Clinical Contracts Coordinator at Stony Brook in the School of Health Technology Management. She joined the School in 2016 and oversees the Clinical Contracts within the School and is responsible for the administrative oversight of the Advanced Certificate in Health Care Management. She holds a Masters degree in Health Care Administration from Long Island University and brings an extensive experience in Health Administration, Patient Advocacy, Contracting, Customer Service and Project Management.
Erica Hackley (Program Administrator)
Erica earned her Bachelor's of Science in Business Management from Ithaca College and her Master's of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook. She joined the College of Business in 2007 where she is responsible for the administrative oversight of the business graduate programs.
