MPH Executive Committee
This committee reviews long-range plans for student enrollment, faculty recruitment, and financial planning in accordance with (1) CEPH accreditation criteria, (2) UVa regulations and (c) the Program’s values, mission and goals. The Executive Committee takes the place of the former Strategic Planning committee and the Faculty Advisory Committee. The committee meets weekly and has the following responsibilities:
Bring together overall planning responsibilities while keeping abreast of developments in public health practice and public health education.
Evaluate all general academic and program policies, including student public health competencies, class sizes, admission and enrollment policies, and field placement sites and culminating
experience projects.
Monitor student issues regarding admission and degree completion. Respond to special student circumstances such as performance issues. Function as the Self-Study Workgroup.
Review creative opportunities to work with other schools and departments in the University to enrich public health research and teaching in the MPH Program.
Committee members are Ruth Gaare Bernheim (the committee coordinator), Armando Bolmey, Paige Hornsby, Jeanita Richardson, Aaron Pannone and Tracey Brookman.
Community Advisory Committee
This committee, composed of representatives of several community health organizations, program faculty, and student representatives, provides significant guidance to the MPH Program to help strengthen the educational program in ways that benefit the community. This committee meets each semester and has the following responsibilities:
Recommend policies and courses that will prepare students for the public health workforce and recommend ways for the MPH program to serve the local, state, and national public health agencies.
Provide leadership in the educational mission of the MPH Program and review the Annual Report. Explore ways for students and faculty to impact community health, provide service to the
community, and enable students to succeed in field placements.
The committee chair is Lilian Peake, Director of TJHD of VDH, and the committee coordinator is Paige Hornsby. Please see Table 1.5.c. for full committee membership.
Table 1.5.c.: MPH Program Community Advisory Committee First Name Last Name Affiliation
Armando Bolmey Executive Director , Department of Public Health Sciences
Lisa Christianson Elson Student Health Center
Cheryl Cooper Chief Operating Officer, Jefferson Area Board for the Aging
Elizabeth Davies Epidemiologist, Thomas Jefferson Health District
First Name Last Name Affiliation
Gretchen Ellis Director, Charlottesville/Albemarle Commission on Children and Families
Warren Grupe Board of Directors for the International Center for the Health Sciences,
the Westhaven Clinic and Charlottesville Health Access
Paige Hornsby Assistant Director for Field Placements and Culminating Experiences,
Department of Public Health Sciences
Marcus Martin Vice President for Diversity and Equity , University of Virginia
Nancy McLaren Co-Medical Director of UVa Teen Health, Department of Pediatrics
Lilian Peake District Director, TJHD, VDH
Karen Rifkin Research and Grants Coordinator, Region Ten Community Services Board
Katrina Salmons Planned Parenthood Health Systems
Edward Strickler, Jr Programs Coordinator Institute of Law, Psychiatry & Public Policy; Developments in Mental Health Law
Mary Sullivan Community Educator, UVa Teen Health Center
Erika Viccellio Executive Director, Charlottesville Free Clinic
Karen Waters Executive Director, Quality Community Council
Peggy Whitehead Managing Director, Blue Ridge Medical Center
Barbara Yager Nutrition Program Coordinator, TJHD
Faculty Curriculum Committee
This committee rigorously evaluates MPH courses and the MPH program of study, working with MPH course faculty to ensure the curriculum meets the changing needs of public health practice. This committee meets each semester, and as needed, and has the following responsibilities:
Review all proposals for new courses, including syllabi and course readings.
Provide creative intellectual ideas about new courses and potential field placements, based on their involvement in specialized areas of public health.
Committee Members are Ruth Gaare Bernheim (the committee coordinator), and all of the faculty who teach courses in the MPH program. A special Faculty Curriculum Subcommittee meets with student representatives to elicit student feedback and ideas. Please see the faculty list, below, for the current committee membership.
Teaching Faculty List:
R. Bernheim, W. Cohn, C. Engelhard, E. McGarvey, J. Richardson, G. Stukenborg, N. Botchwey, T. Wanchek, A. Bolmey, R. Allen, T. Leonard, L. Shepherd, D. Cattell-Gordon, E. Merwyn, M. Riley, J. Childress , J. Eby, W. Knaus, J. Lyman, A. Pannone, K. Wells, P. Hornsby, J. Learmonth, D. Bonds, J. Harrison, T. Guterbock, J. Lee, R. Dillingham, A. Mills.
Admissions Committee
This committee reviews and makes recommendations regarding the policy and procedure of student recruitment and admissions. This committee meets each semester and has the following responsibilities:
Review MPH applications to select a diverse and qualified study body.
Conduct recruitment activities such as meeting with interested students, reaching out to students and undergraduate programs and placing program advertisements.
Committee members are Tracey Brookman (the committee coordinator), Carolyn Engelhard, Ruth Gaare Bernheim, Jeanita Richardson, and student representation.
Program Evaluation Committee
This committee plans continuous measurement of MPH process and outcomes. This committee meets each semester and has the following responsibilities:
Develop evaluation questions and targets, review the draft evaluation report, make recommendations and release the report to the MPH Executive Committee. Respond to suggestions made by alumni and students.
Make recommendations on the measurement of competencies and course evaluations.
Committee Members are Jeanita Richardson (the committee coordinator), Ruth Gaare Bernheim, Wendy Cohn, Aaron Pannone, Wendy Novicoff, Elizabeth McGarvey, Paige Hornsby and student representation. The Continuing Education Committee (ad hoc)
This ad-hoc committee recommends outreach, reviews needs assessment data and is informed by the Community Advisory Committee. This committee coordinates the MPH Program’s workforce development efforts, meets monthly on average, and has the following responsibilities:
Plan, conduct and review the educational needs of the workforce.
Utilize needs assessment data to inform the development of educational programs. Work with leaders and managers of public health practice.
Committee members are Aaron Pannone (the committee coordinator), Jeanita Richardson, Tammy Eberly, Cecilia Barbosa, Lilian Peake, Michael Royster, and student representation.
1.5.d. Identification of program faculty who hold membership on university committees, through which faculty