School of Health Services Administration Faculty

Biography

Dr. Timothy S. Novak is the Dean of the LECOM School of Health Services Administration, which includes four master’s programs and one doctorate degree. Dr. Novak’s areas of graduate instruction include: healthcare financial and organizational management, biostatistics, and leadership communications & professionalism. Tim has served as a board member of the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation since 2015, working to expand and enhance the regional business community. He is the co-author of the 4 Circles of Good Business, published in November 2006. A former board member and treasurer of the CEO Council, Inc., a national organization of public company officers and directors providing information, advice, and counsel to the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and council membership on business ethics, accountability, and policy. Dr. Novak served as chief executive officer for two fully reporting publicly traded companies engaged in acquiring and developing innovative healthcare safety, diagnostics, and wellness products. Working directly with physician leadership, he helped direct development of new ancillary services, supervised financial reporting, and coordinated all operational aspects of a 100-member OB/GYN management services organization (MSO) with annual revenue exceeding $75,000,000. Dr. Novak has managed the medical credentialing and contracting for a 1,400-member independent physicians association (IPA) serving 500,000+ patients through 13 major hospital systems and 23 payers in Louisville, Kentucky. He served as business-launch competition panel judge for the TIME (The Integration of Management and Engineering) and International Nano Technology Forum at Case Western Reserve. Drug-Free Manatee named Dr. Novak the Champion of Prevention Awardee for the Higher Education Sector in November 2017 in recognition of the campus-wide Addiction Prevention Education for all faculty and students at LECOM’s Interprofessional Research Day on April 20, 2017. He recently presented research on the convergence of U.S. Graduate Medical Education (GME) to a single accreditation system in June 2020, at the 2019 AACOM Educating Leaders Conference in Washington D.C. and American College of Healthcare Trustees 2018 Health Innovation by the Sea Conference in Pacific Grove, California. Other areas of research include medical student’s aptitude for business curriculum and the healthcare system’s organizational development.

Biography

Dr. Don Henderson serves as the Director of the LECOM Doctor of Healthcare Administration program in Bradenton. He has previous experience teaching at the both the graduate and undergraduate level in the field of healthcare administration. Prior to joining LECOM, Dr. Henderson served as a hospital executive for over 30 years advancing community health and wellness. His leadership roles included service as both a hospital CEO and regional health system Vice President. He has extensive experience in health systems governance, operations, leadership, organizational team building, strategic planning, business development, physician relations, medical practice development, ambulatory services, managed care, quality improvement, fundraising, advocacy, compliance, and government relations. His community volunteer roles have included service on the boards of numerous local charities including the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, United Way, hospice, economic development organizations, and the Florida Hospital Association. More recently, he served as a Florida Regent (elected representative) to the national Congress of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He is also a Fellow of that organization (FACHE). Dr. Henderson’s extensive healthcare industry experience, formal education, coupled with strong desire to train the next generation of leaders, offers our LECOM DHA students an amazing scholar-practitioner to mentor their success.

Biography

Dr. Thompson has been in the field of behavioral health for almost 30 years as a clinician, administrator, and educator. She holds a master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Missouri and a doctorate degree from Saint Louis University in Education/Medical Family Therapy.

Dr. Thompson has served in leadership in a variety of healthcare settings in the private and public sectors, and as a policy leader in state government. Dr. Thompson was a gubernatorial appointee under three governors in Missouri to serve as Director of Senior and Disability Services, overseeing all services provided to vulnerable adults, and as committee member on the Personal Independence Committee, the Perinatal Substance Abuse Committee, and the Long -Term Care Task Force in Missouri. Dr. Thompson is also very active in advocacy, having authored two bills signed into law.

One is the Elder Protection Act in Missouri in 2001, the second, the Title Protection Act for professional counselors in Pennsylvania in 2018. Dr. Thompson also worked on a team to guide Hong Kong and the Country of Turkey in their adoption of the ASCA model for school guidance programs. She currently serves as the CEO of Drug-Free Manatee, and adjuncts at New York University and Florida Gulf Coast University in addition to courses taught at LECOM.

“One of my greatest pleasures in education is helping students find and nurture their passion and mentor an identity of life-long learning dedicated to systems change.”

Biography

Professor Runo has been a leader in the medical devices industry at Abbott Laboratories with a career spanning over three decades. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of Health Services Administration (MHSA) program.

Transitioning to academia, she brought a wealth of practical experience and industry insights into her role as a professor. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that real-world experience is invaluable in preparing students for successful careers in healthcare administration. As Director, Ms. Runo strives to create a curriculum in which courses are known for their dynamic and interactive approach, incorporating case studies, industry projects, and guest lectures from leading healthcare professionals.

Her commitment to research has been extensive through the LECOM Bradenton Inter-professional Research Day annual event. Since 2016, she has coordinated the event with over 1.000 research projects pr4esented in the health & wellness space.

As the Director of the MHSA program, she was committed to preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders. Ms. Runo’s understanding of the healthcare landscape, combined with her hands-on experience in research, medical device development, compliance, quality and manufacturing, provides students with a unique and invaluable perspective.

As of June 2025, Teri was promoted to an Associate Professor of Health Services Administration.

Biography

As a doctor of osteopathic medicine and passionate patient advocate, Dr. Bottaro supports a holistic and compassionate approach to his patients’ health and wellness. Dedicating much of his practice to education on the safety, effectiveness, and diverse applications of medical cannabis, he has provided thousands of patients in Florida with cannabis assessments. Dr. Bottaro also has conducted groundbreaking research on the efficacy of cannabinoid-based treatment and its beneficial outcomes with multiple publications pending. Dr. Bottaro completed a dual bachelors degree in biochemistry and cellular physiology from Fairfield University and Franciscan University of Steubenville. He then continued his education at Duke University and Lake Erie College of Medicine, graduating with dual degrees in a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration, later finishing a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s of Public Health.

Biography

Dr. Gennuso was instrumental in the creation of LECOM’s Masters of Science in Biomedical Ethics (MSBE) Program and served as program director. After a successful career in organizational ethics and change management where technology was the catalyst for the change, Dr. Gennuso had the opportunity to be the first student in Duquesne’s Bioethics Doctorate Program to come from a business background. With the skills developed throughout her career in technology and organizational leadership, she began to address the problem of limited, accessible information pertaining to patient rights and compliance for frontline clinicians – when and where they need it most – at the bedside. Her organization, the Institute of Consultative Bioethics (ICBioethics), was founded in 2011. ICBioethics was built around the vision of creating a technology solution to a problem that affects everyone: how can we incorporate ethics effectively into daily health care in such a way that informs and protects organizations, practitioners, and patients alike? After working with LECOM for several years, Dr. Gennuso was asked to develop the Master of Science Program in Biomedical Ethics, launched in 2018. She joined LECOM as the assistant program director and associate professor. This program’s applied ethics education strives to move learners beyond knowledge acquisition and skills development to behavioral changes that result in a higher level of professionalism and the delivery of top-quality, patient-centered care.

Biography

Pamela Arroyo currently serves as Program Director, Campus Programs and Recruitment Events at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). UPMC is a $10 billion, 60,000 employee integrated health care and delivery system. As a leader within talent acquisition at UPMC, she is responsible for the recruitment, development, retention and engagement of young professionals. Her role involves implementing an employment brand strategy on college campuses and national events, overseeing interviewing and selection, linking program development strategy to successful behaviors, and managing internal partnerships.

Pamela has held a variety of human resources related positions at UPMC; she has supported operations within the corporate and insurance services divisions along with the UPMC Cancer Centers. She is a recipient of UPMC’s Award for Excellence in Service, and was named the UPMC Center for Inclusion Employee Partnership Council Representative of the Year in 2012. In addition to her role at UPMC, she is also an adjunct faculty member at the University Of Pittsburgh Graduate School Of Public Health and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Graduate Studies.

Pamela graduated from Carlow University with a bachelor’s degree in Business/Communications and later obtained a master’s degree in Professional Leadership. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Carlow University Alumni Association and Get Involved! Inc. She is a One Young World ambassador and volunteers her time with the United Way, Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day, Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh Promise.

Biography

Dr. Joshua Barnett has served as county health administrator to two counties in Florida (Manatee and Pinellas), managing safety-net health services provided to low-income and uninsured adults in Florida for the past seven years and CEO of a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Clearwater, FL overseeing site-based operations, mobile medical services, street medicine, and the federal requirements of leading a multi-site patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Prior to this, he was a clinical and policy consultant to the State of Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and the United States Department of Justice. With over 14 years of cumulative experience in state, county, and non-profit public health administration, his administrative work is primarily focused on the administration of public-sector health services; strategies for population-based service planning, assessment, and policy; the integration of primary and behavioral health services; opioid overdose epidemiology; and, health system evaluation. His areas of research include health services research, health policy, and community engagement methods for collaborative health systems.

He is also an adjunct instructor of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida and has served on boards throughout the Mid-Atlantic area and Florida’s Suncoast Region focusing primarily on public awareness related to health care policy, improving mental health and substance use disorder screenings and grief awareness. Dr. Barnett serves as Project Director for a variety of federally-funded grant programs including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Bureau of Justice Assistance (USDOJ/BJA), and others.

Biography

Dr. Melissa Berdell received her Doctor of Healthcare Ethics from Duquesne University in 2016. While at Duquesne University, she completed an ethics residency program at UPMC Mercy Hospital and completed a clinical internship at Value Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania. Prior to pursuing her interests in healthcare, Dr. Berdell went to school and worked in auditing and fraud investigations. Dr. Berdell has an MS in the Administration of Criminal Justice from Point Park University and a BA in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

In addition to her education, Dr. Berdell is a Certified Fraud Examiner and an Accredited Healthcare Fraud Investigator. She is currently the Director of Fraud, Waste and Abuse for Gateway Health in Pittsburgh, PA.

Biography

Bonnie W. Brown, Ph.D. is an applied behavioral health researcher with experience in public education, child and family studies, public and population health studies, and substance abuse. Her research and evaluation studies focus on behavioral health strategies for those struggling with mental illness and community-based interventions that support vulnerable populations. Most recently, Dr. Brown has focused on the community-based service and interventions aimed at supporting children and their families impacted by the opioid use epidemic, particularly those involved in the child welfare system of Florida. She is an experience professor and has been teaching at the University level since 2011. Dr. Brown is also a trainer in mental health and is passionate about raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health issues.

Dr. Brown is currently a research professor and evaluator for the Louis de la Parte, Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida. She has previously been the lead epidemiologist for the Manatee County Substance Abuse Prevention Collation and conducted research for federally supported grants focused on reducing substance use in disparate populations. Additionally, she is a native of the Suncoast area in Florida, and was previously a public-school educator, she is invested in her community, and dedicated to working to improve the lives and wellbeing of its citizens, particularly children and individuals with foster care experience.

Biography

Dr. Janene Culumber is an Adjunct Professor in the LECOM School of Graduate Studies. Professor Culumber’s areas of graduate instruction include: economic analysis and application in decision making in LECOM’s Masters in Health Services Administration program. She is the author of a discussion case titled Physician EMR Adoption in an Academic Setting, which is published in the Muma Case Review and Journal of Information Technology Education. In addition, Janene currently serves as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI), an orthopaedic practice with ten locations serving Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Manatee counties. In her role as CFO, she provides strategic and fiscal leadership to both the physician practice and to the physician owned surgery center. She is accountable for all functions of financial planning and budgeting, patient financial services, accounting, treasury, business analytics, supply chain, managed care contract negotiations, information technology, human resources, and corporate compliance and risk management. In addition, Janene has served as the Chair of the Supervisory Committee of the USF Federal Credit Union since 2016 and has served as a member of the Committee since 2012. Prior to working as CFO for FOI, she held the position of Senior Vice President and CFO of Moffitt Cancer Center where she worked for over 13 years.

Biography

Dave Emrhein is the Administrative Director of Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official (DIO) at WellSpan Health, a five-hospital system located in York, PA. He is responsible for Graduate Medical Education for 160 residents in seven residency training programs and 15 fellows in six fellowship programs. He also oversees the undergraduate medical education in which 600 medical students rotate through York Hospital per year, mostly from four affiliated medical schools. In addition, Dave is responsible for the Continuing Medical Education that offers over 600 individual CME events across the WellSpan Health system. Dave has been involved with medical ethics at WellSpan York Hospital since 1994. He is a member of the WellSpan York Hospital Bioethics Committee and the WellSpan Institutional Review Board.

Dave earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Akron, his Masters in Education from Morehead State University and his Masters of Arts in Applied and Professional Ethics from the University of Maryland. Currently, He also has faculty appointments in the Department of Humanities at Penn State University College of Medicine and in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Biography

Julie K. Freeman is LECOM’s Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine. In addition to her legal responsibilities at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Ms. Freeman facilitates Problem-Based Learning groups at LECOM at Seton Hill, directs the Health Care Management and Medical Jurisprudence courses for all COM locations and for the School of Podiatric Medicine, is course director of the law and ethics course for the Master’s program in Health Services Administration, and participates in teaching Spirituality, Medicine, and Ethics. Prior to joining LECOM in 2008, Ms. Freeman was chief law clerk to a justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Earlier in her career, she was in the private practice of law, was a clerk at the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, and worked in the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning. Ms. Freeman has served on the Board of the Greensburg Community Development Corporation and was a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Higher Education Law. She is presently the Secretary/Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Education Law Section.

Biography

Pamela Goldman, DO, MHSA, FACOI is a board-certified Internist and hospital medicine specialist. She is the Associate Chair of the Division of Hospital Medicine and is currently the Interim Chair of the Division of Hospital Medicine for the Einstein Physician Practice.

She works as an academic hospitalist and clinical faculty in an ACGME internal medicine residency program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has appointments as adjunct faculty at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Graduate Studies Capstone Project and clinical faculty for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from LECOM-Erie Medical School and M.H.S.A degree from the LECOM School of Graduate Studies.

Dr. Goldman serves on the Board of Trustees and Executive Board of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) and has a professional interest and expertise in the business of medicine as well as wellness and preventative medicine.

Biography

Dr. Robert (Rob) Hammond is a practitioner-scholar and go-to-market expert with over 30 years of global leadership experience in enterprise strategy, product management, sales, and engineering. He has been at the epicenter of innovation throughout his career, working with both start-ups and mature companies. He has worked at some of the world’s most iconic global companies including Microsoft, Motorola, Sprint, and General Dynamics. Dr. Hammond is the author of “Avoiding the Carnage: A Guidebook through Sales Transformation” and academic publications in sales, sales education, corporate strategy, and emotional artificial intelligence / affective computing. Today, Dr. Hammond is the Director of the Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation at the University of South Florida. In addition to his role as the center’s director, he oversees the sales program and teaches strategy in the doctorate program. Dr. Hammond is also the managing partner of RH Insights LLC, a business strategy and personal development firm, a corporate board member, and a member of the National Academy of Inventors and the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers. Dr. Hammond holds five patents.

Biography

Dr. Elizabeth Kerns is a business executive with over three decades of experience in information technology leadership, healthcare consulting, academic teaching and research. She was recently Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Lakeland Regional Health, a large community hospital and network of ambulatory clinics serving central Florida. In that role, she participated in strategic planning for the health system and was responsible for all aspects of the planning and delivery of Information Systems and Technology, Supply Chain Management, Biomedical Engineering, Health Information Management, Medical Coding, Clinical Documentation Improvement, and Safety Institute Emergency Preparedness.

Dr. Kerns is now founder and principal at Elan Advisory, an IT and business consulting firm that specializes in a wide range of IT, leadership and management consulting services for C-suite healthcare executives. Her prior work experience includes IT professional and leadership roles with General Motors and Mobil Oil in the U.S. and overseas.

Biography

Dr. Novak is currently serving as the Prevention Director with the Manatee County’s Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition in Bradenton, FL. She works with youth and the most vulnerable populations in Manatee County to help build a strong, resilient, and healthy community through various education and prevention initiatives. Natalie oversees Drug Free Manatee’s substance abuse prevention initiatives, grant writing, bookkeeping, and coordinates community coalition meetings. Natalie is passionate about empowering people through education to make healthy decisions to create successful and fulfilling lives for themselves and for those around them. Her mission is to serve as a catalyst of positive change for youth in the community and inspire them to seek their highest self. After graduating from Lakewood Ranch High School in 2013, she was recruited by The University of South Florida (USF) as a two- sport division 1 athlete in cross country and track & field. While an undergraduate, she worked with youth at the YMCA. She received her Bachelor of Art degree in mass communications with a concentration in broadcast news in 2017. She then continued directly to graduate education earning her Master of Science in Biomedical Ethics (MSBE 2020) and Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA 2023) at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). Her dissertation research centered around the understanding and integration of the a Biomedical Ethicist role into the healthcare continuum. Dr. Novak works as a life-coach and mentor to young athletes and adults alike to help them pursue a life of fulfillment and positive choices. As a member of the Lakewood Ranch High School Florida State Championship 4 x 800 meter relay team, Natalie developed a strong work ethic and goal focus. She is passionate about wellness, and helping others achieve their goals and dreams. Dr. Novak aspires to pioneer a new age of well-being working to solidify ethics as a foundational element in healthcare organizational structures.

Biography

Dr. Sanchez-Gonzalez is currently the Vice President for Medical & Scientific Affairs at QHSLab, Inc., where he leads the integration of digital medicine tools and innovative assessments to enhance patient care. With over 18 years of experience in academia and industry, he has made significant contributions to medical education and research.

Previously, Dr. Sanchez-Gonzalez served as the Director of Clinical Research and Continuing Medical Education programs at Larkin Community Hospital (LCH) System, one of the largest teaching hospitals for Osteopathic Physicians in the nation. He developed a program to educate medical residents in research as part of their graduate medical education experience, mentoring over 300 residents in more than 30 specialties. Under his leadership, the team produced over 175 scientific abstracts, papers, and presentations annually.

Dr. Sanchez-Gonzalez has extensive teaching experience at various academic levels, including pre-medical, graduate, and postgraduate medical education. His research interests encompass quality improvement (lean six sigma black belt), patient outcomes, physician burnout, and behavioral cardiovascular medicine. He explores how psychological and psychiatric risk factors influence cardiac autonomic and hemodynamic modulation. He aims to develop comprehensive interventions integrating pharmacotherapy, exercise training, and behavioral treatments digital medicine to ameliorate cardiovascular and psychological risk factors in clinical populations. He has also trained postdoctoral fellows and graduate students in their research projects, theses, and dissertations.

Biography

Dr. Magon Saunders presently serves as a Program Development Consultant in the federal public health system where she provides technical assistance and support to State and territorial public health departments. Dr. Saunders also provides subject matter expertise to federal grantees in the areas of health systems improvement, public health policy, health equity, and clinical-community linkages. She has worked in the field of public health for over 30 years serving in various leadership capacities not only in the United States, but in the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica. Additionally, Dr. Saunders owns and operates a private nutrition consulting company in Atlanta, GA, and leads her team’s efforts to provide medical nutrition therapy, self-management trainings, conferences, and other consultation services to disparate populations.

Prior to joining the federal public health system in 2007, she served as the Program Director for the Georgia Diabetes Prevention & Control and Drive for Sight Programs at the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH). While at the GDPH, Dr. Saunders assessed Georgia’s capacity to address diabetes, and used the findings of the assessment to develop Georgia’s first diabetes strategic plan. A tireless community volunteer, Dr. Saunders works at the national, state, and local levels with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and is the recent Past Chair of the ADA’s National African American Initiatives. Dr. Saunders is a recipient of the 2006 Georgia Governor’s Community Services Award and a proud author of several books, and an upcoming health care provider course on Forgiveness and Health in African American Patients.

Biography

Professor Sabrina Fayaz serves as the Director of the LECOM Master of Science in Medical Cannabinoid Therapeutics (MCT) program. She brings extensive experience and expertise to her role, having spent seven years in retail dispensary operations within both medical and recreational cannabis markets across multiple states, including Nevada, Maryland, and Florida. This experience has given her a deep understanding of the complexities of the retail cannabis industry.

Ms. Fayaz is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she earned a Master’s in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Complementary and Alternative Healthcare from the University of Arizona. Her academic background is grounded in evidence-based therapeutics, systems integration, and cannabis policy, providing her with a multidisciplinary perspective on the rapidly evolving cannabis landscape.

Active in public policy discussions, Ms. Fayaz has participated in initiatives through the MCST Student Association and the S3 Collective. Notably, she provided public comments on docket number 2024-11137, addressing proposed changes to cannabis scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act. Her insights into toxicology, the potential for abuse, and the therapeutic applications of cannabis demonstrate her commitment to advancing the field through science and advocacy.

Ms. Fayaz is passionate about cannabinoid therapy and is dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding cannabis. She focuses on educating future leaders and empowering individuals who choose cannabis as a form of alternative health. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and engages in boating and kayaking. Nature serves as an inspiration for her efforts to normalize cannabinoid therapy as a viable modality of alternative healthcare.

Biography

Dr. Rathod serves as an adjunct faculty member of Master of Science in Medical Cannabinoid Therapeutics (MCT) program at LECOM, where he brings leadership experience in healthcare operations, pharmacy management, and health system integration. He holds a Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA) degree from LECOM, where his dissertation explored the organizational and policy-related factors influencing the adoption of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) in the U.S. healthcare system.

In his current role as Market Director of Pharmacy, Dr. Rathod oversees multi-site clinical and operational pharmacy services, leading strategic initiatives in regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and interdisciplinary collaboration. His professional experience spans healthcare delivery, production-level pharmaceutical operations, and enterprise-level policy implementation.

Dr. Rathod is passionate about translating real-world healthcare challenges into dynamic learning opportunities. His teaching emphasizes applied learning, systems thinking, and leadership development for future healthcare professionals. His academic interests include healthcare interoperability, health policy, organizational change, and performance measurement in complex care environments.

Biography

Professor Saige Petzen began working for Trulieve in 2018 first as a Patient Consultant and then promoted to Community Educator in 2019. Saige was one of the first patients in the Florida MMJ program at the age of 17 and has been devoted to efficacy education since finding relief with medical cannabis herself.  She is a passionate advocate, educator, and professional and is always looking for new ways to get involved in the community.

In 2022, she reconnected with Trulieve curating working relationships with medical professionals and community partners to normalize the use of medical cannabis and provide product and industry knowledge to those looking to find natural relief. Ms. Petzen was a member of the inaugural class of the Master of Science in Medical Cannabinoid Therapeutics (MS MCT) at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s School of Health Services Administration and graduated in May 2024.  She continues expand her experience and impact by becoming a LECOM SHSA faculty member focused on the medical cannabis industry . Saige is a Saint Petersburg native and enjoys being in the sun and spending time with her two Beagles in her free time!

Biography

Paige Alitz, Ph.D. is a behavioral health professional with over 10 years of experience in public health, epidemiology, child and family studies, data analysis, and mental health and substance abuse prevention. Dr. Alitz’s field work began in global health, traveling to Nicaragua and Haiti with volunteer teams to provide medical and pharmaceutical services as well as public health infrastructure like clean water and nutrition education to youth. After returning to the U.S. and completing her Master of Public Health program, Dr. Alitz served as a research consultant with a Florida home visiting evaluation team examining the effects of stress and burnout among home visitors, and the experiences of immigrant families served by home visiting programs. During her subsequent doctoral program, Dr. Alitz’s research focused on the outcomes of two different types of drug courts in Hillsborough County, FL, and whether mobile crisis response teams could reduce the criminalization of mental health crises in Florida. Dr. Alitz is currently a Project Officer with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. She oversees the programmatic requirements for Florida grant recipients funded by SAMHSA’s programs in HIV prevention and harm reduction, and the first responders – comprehensive addiction and recovery act.