2025, Issue I
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1960s
Ferdinand Ofodile, ‘64 ‘68 MD, clinical professor emeritus of Plastic Surgery at Columbia University, recently published the book Changing Perceptions, Changing Lives: The Improbable Journey of a Black Plastic Surgeon, “A compelling account of the struggle to redefine Black beauty through research, thereby, changing the notion — the old maxim — that to be considered beautiful one has to look Caucasian.”
1970s
Elliot G. Levy, ’71 MD, has co-authored a new book, Live To 120: A Proven Protocol For Baby Boomers. Levy, who specialized in endocrinology for 30 years and served as a clinical professor of Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is recognized for his expertise in treating thyroid conditions.
Leo A. Gordon, ’73 MD, recently published the editorial “Ten Commandments of Grand Rounds” in the November 2024 issue of General Surgery News. The editorial is a set of rules according to Gordon to which grand rounds speakers should adhere. Gordon formulated these “commandments” after attending and delivering grand rounds for over 50 years.
Mark Nolan Hill, ’77 MD, FACS, an ensign Navy veteran and surgeon, was selected as the medical guardian for the 117th Veterans Honor Flight from Chicago to Washington, D.C. This included 116 WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans as well as Hill’s favorite surgical professor from Feinberg, Stuart Poticha, MD, a Vietnam Army captain and MASH chief of surgery. This was their first meeting since the 1970s.
1980s
Lydia Pleotis Howell, ’79, ’81 MD, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Academic Pathology (AAPath) at its 2024 annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Honored for her service to academic pathology, including 13 years as a department chair, Howell was also recognized for her contributions to cytopathology and women’s career development.
Silvia Sara Canetto, ’87 PhD, was elected fellow of the Society for General Psychology in recognition of her outstanding and sustained interdisciplinary contributions to understanding historical, societal, and cultural processes in individual and social life. A division of the American Psychological Association, the Society for General Psychology was established in 1945. Canetto is a professor of psychology at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, Colorado, and an affiliate professor in the Colorado School of Public Health.
1990s
Debra L. Isaac, MD, ’91 ’92 GME, has received the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Women in Cardiovascular Medicine/Science Mentorship Award for her outstanding leadership and commitment to mentoring future cardiovascular professionals.
Sheila K. Gujrathi ’92 ’96 MD, recently gave a TEDx talk, available on YouTube, sharing valuable insights from her career in medicine. In her talk, she emphasizes the need for women to find supportive role models that reflect their aspirations, arguing that such “mirrors” are crucial for breaking barriers and achieving success in leadership roles.
2000s
Christina “CJ” L. Jenkins, ’00 MD, has been appointed to the board of directors of Medical Solutions, a healthcare staffing company. Jenkins has served as a board member, C-suite adviser, and healthcare venture capital investor focusing on improving health outcomes through technology. She has supported growth strategies for organizations ranging from startups to billion-dollar companies.
Diana Farid Leppert, ’00 MD, is celebrating several achievements in children’s literature. Her picture book, The Light of Home: A story of family, creativity, and belonging, published by Orchard Books, was released in September 2024. It tells the poignant story of leaving a familiar home and finding belonging through creativity. In December, Little Bee Books published her board book Already All the Love, which “celebrates everything a new baby is in the moment — already able, strong, and brave — and what they could grow to be.”
Arthur Walaszek ’93 ’97 MD, ’02 GME, has been appointed associate dean for Faculty Affairs and Development at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Since 2015, he has served as the vice chair for Education and Faculty Development in the Department of Psychiatry.
Jeremy S. Frank, ’04 MD, was selected as the head team physician for the U.S. Olympic wrestling teams. An orthopaedic surgeon at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, Frank was appointed head physician for both the men’s and women’s wrestling teams at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Erica E. Marsh, MD, ’08 MS, GME, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, honoring her significant contributions to reproductive health and disparities research.
2010s
Brian W. Patterson, ’09 MD, MPH, ’13 GME, has been appointed as the inaugural physician administrative director of Clinical Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) Health. In this role, Patterson will provide leadership and oversight for AI initiatives at UW Health, including generative AI and large language models.
Wajeeh R. Bakhsh, MD, ’21 GME, recently joined the Franciscan Physician Network in Chesterton and Michigan City, Indiana as an orthopaedic spine surgeon. Bakhsh’s clinical interests include treating disc herniations, neck, low, and mid-back pain, spinal stenosis, spinal cord compression and injury, nerve compression, scoliosis, and sacroiliitis.
Kathryn Brito, ’15 DPT, has been honored as an emerging leader by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and APTA Acute Care.
Johanna Melo-Cardenas, ’18 PhD, received the 2024 Fellow Achievement Award from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for her contributions to blood cancer research. She was honored at the LLS Research Awards & Networking Event on December 8 in San Diego during the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition. Melo-Cardenas, assistant professor of Pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, is researching the factors that cause inflammation in blood cells, a key driver of cancer development. The LLS recognizes researchers whose innovative work has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with blood cancer through this award.
2020s
Nalini Tata, ’21 MD, a neurosurgery resident at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has been appointed to the 2024–2025 class of White House Fellows. Established in 1964, this prestigious program provides exceptional young leaders with firsthand experience in the federal government. [photo: Tata.jpg]
Sushma Kola, MD, ’23 GME, has been appointed director of Integrative Neurosciences for Allegheny Health Network. In this role she will lead initiatives to enhance patient care through an integrative approach that combines traditional medical practices with complementary therapies, drawing on her multidisciplinary expertise in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
