FACULTY PROFILES

The Master of Public Health in Public Health Informatics and the Public Health Informatics certificate program are two of the many programs offered by the highly ranked, accredited UIC School of Public Health. Our faculty possesses an in depth understanding of the knowledge and skills needed to plan, specify, and manage the implementation of public health information system projects.

Edward K. Mensah, Program Director
Susan J. Altfeld
Craig A. Beam
John R. Bing-Canar
Michael D. Cailas
Jerrilyn A. Cambron
Kevin G. Croke
Claire Dixon-Lee
Edward A. Garay
Michael D. Matters
Sridhar R. Papagari Sangareddy
Greer W. Stevenson
Daniel Swartzman
Herman D. Tolentino
Bernard J. Turnock
Elaine Zacharakis Loumbas

Edward K. Mensah Program Director, Public Health Informatics Associate Professor, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

Post Doctoral Research Associate, University of Chicago, 1980-1983
PhD, Economics, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, 1980
MPhil, Agricultural Economics (Operations Research), University of Ibadan, Nigeria, 1977
Certificate in Fortran Programming, Department of Physics, University of Ghana, 1975
BS, Agricultural Economics, University of Ghana, 1974
Advanced Level Certificate (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics), St. John’s School, Ghana, 1970

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• American Public Health Association, Chairperson of the Educational and Research Committee of the Health Informatics and Information Technology Special Program Interest Group
  
• State of Illinois Health Information Exchange Advisory Board
• Institute of Medicine Chicago (IOMC), Fellow
• African-American Hypertension Control Registry (AAHCR), Co-Developer
• American Medical Informatics Association
• American Economic Association

Course(s) Taught

HPA 465 – Health Information and Decision Support Systems
HPA 494 – Overview of Public Health Informatics Methods
HPA 494 – Public Health Information Systems Evaluation and Project Management
HPA 494 – Survey of Public Health Information Systems
HPA 563 – Web-Based Public Health Information Systems

Professional Interests

• Evaluation of healthcare technologies and information systems
• Economic evaluation of health promotion programs and services
• Healthcare workforce capacity building

Contact Information

757 SPH-PI, MC 923
1603 West Taylor Street
Chicago, Illinois 60612
email: dehasnem@uic.edu
phone: 312-996-3001

Top of Page

Susan J. Altfeld

Clinical Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences

Academic Background

PhD, Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1995
MSW, University of Chicago, 1979
BALAS, Social Sciences, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 1975

Course(s) Taught

CHSC 401 – Behavioral Sciences in Public Health

Professional Interests

• Health promotion and disease prevention
• Domestic violence interventions, primary care interventions and caregiver support

Top of Page

Craig A. Beam Professor, Biostatistics

Academic Background

PhD, Statistics, Iowa State University, 1989
MAS, Statistics, Iowa State University, 1983
BS, Mathematical Science (Statistics), University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, 1981

Course(s) Taught

BSTT 400 – Biostatistics 1

Professional Interests

• Biostatistical consulting
• Support for biomedical research

Top of Page

John R. Bing-Canar

Environmental Scientist, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Academic Background

PhD, of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1997
MS, Tufts University, 1986
BA, Kalamazoo College, 1983

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• US EPA Special Accomplishment Recognition Award, nine-time winner
• Fully Integrated Environmental Location Decision Support (FIELDS), leading expert
• GIS Superior Accomplishment Recognition Award-USEPA Region 5
• Regional Science Award (National Notable Achievement Award)
• Delta Omega Honors Society

Course(s) Taught

HPA 494 – Overview of Public Health Informatics Methods
HPA 564 – Geographic Information Systems Applications in Public Health

Professional Interests

• Geospatial databases
• Development of web-based courses

Top of Page

Michael D. Cailas Director, Environmental Health Informatics Associate Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Academic Background

PhD, Environmental Engineering, McGill University, 1991
MS, Hydraulic Engineering, National Polytechnic University of Athens 

Course(s) Taught

EOHS 400 – Principles of Environmental Health Sciences
HPA 494 – Overview of Public Health Informatics Methods
HPA 564 – Geographic Information System Applications in Public Health
HPA 565 – Data Mining in Public Health

Professional Interests

• Environmental risk management
• Public health data mining
• Cost benefit analysis
• Water quality monitoring network design
• Development of web-based courses and programs

Top of Page

Jerrilyn A. Cambron Adjunct Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Academic Background

PhD, Epidemiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2005
MPH, Epidemiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1999
DC, National College of Chiropractic, 1979

Course(s) Taught

EPID 400 – Principles of Epidemiology

Top of Page

Kevin G. Croke Online Program Co-Developer, Public Health Informatics Professor Emeritus, Public Health Management

Academic Background

PhD, Industrial Organization (Operations Research), Northwestern University

Professional Honors and Affiliations

Chicago Department of Health Emergency Management and Business Continuity Project, Primary Investigator 

Course(s) Taught

Professional Interests

• Health information systems analysis and design
• Health and environmental economics

Top of Page

Claire Dixon-Lee Vice President of Education and Accreditation, American Health Information Management Association Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), Vice President for Education
• AHIMA Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Informatics Management, Executive Director
• AHIMA Work Force Study Professional Advisory Committee, Past-Chairperson
• Joint Healthcare Technology Alliance, Past-Chairperson

Course(s) Taught

Professional Interests

• Data privacy and confidentiality concerns
• Public health and health informatics workforce development

Top of Page

Edward A. Garay Director, Instructional Technology Lab Assistant Director, UIC Academic Computing and Communications Center Instructor, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

BS, Computer Science/Industrial Engineering, University Illinois at Chicago, 1982

Course(s) Taught

HPA 465 – Health Information and Decision Support Systems

Professional Interests

• Infocentric systems
• Mobile and ubiquitous computing

Top of Page

Michael D. Matters

Senior Health Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Health Policy  and Administration

Academic Background

Fellowship, Public Health Informatics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004
MPH, Public Health Informatics, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2004
PhD, Sociology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1994
MA, Sociology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1988
BA, Sociology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1983

Course(s) Taught

HPA 465 – Health Information and Decision Support Systems

Top of Page

Sridhar R. Papagari Sangareddy Public Health Informatics Fellow, SISB/GID/NCIRD Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Lecturer, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

PhD Candidate, Management Information Science, University of Illinois at Chicago
MS, Management Information Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2004
MS, Computer and Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2001
BE, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Osmania University, India, 1998

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• Public Health Informatics Fellowship, CDC, Atlanta, 2008-present
• Certificate of Excellence in Network Support, UIC Department of Disability and Human Development, 2002

Course(s) Taught

HPA 463 – Web-Based Public Health Information Systems

Professional Interests

• Design and development of web-based surveillance systems

Top of Page

Greer W. Stevenson Clinical Assistant Professor, Biomedical and Health Information Sciences

Academic Background

PhD, Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2007
MPH, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1995
MBA, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1994

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• American Medical Informatics Association

Course(s) Taught

BHIS 517 – Health Care Information Security
HPA 494 – Management of Communication Systems for Public Health Applications

Professional Interests

• Systems analysis and design
• Communication networks
• Informatics security

Top of Page

Daniel Swartzman Associate Division Director, Health Policy and Administration Program Director, MPH in Health Policy and Administration Program Director, Public Health Management Certificate Associate Program Director, Masters in Healthcare Administration Associate Professor, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

MPH, Environmental Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1978
JD, Northwestern University, 1975
BA, Sociology, University of Washington at Seattle, 1972

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• Partner, DiVincenzo Schoenfield Swartzman
• Fellow, UIC Honors College
• Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, 1985, 1993, 2002
• Teaching Recognition Award, 1997 and 2003 (UIC Council on Excellence in Teaching and Learning)
• ASPH/Pfizer Public Health Academy of Distinguished Teachers
• Faculty Advisor, School of Public Health Alumni Association
• Review of manuscripts, Journal of Environmental Justice, 2008 to present
• Review of manuscripts, Environmental Health Perspectives, 2002 to present

Course(s) Taught

HPA 400 – Principles of Management in Public Health
HPA 402 – Social Ethics and Public Health
HPA 431 – Law and Public Health

Professional Interests

• Public health ethics
• Public health management
• Environmental law and policy

Top of Page

Herman D. Tolentino

Director, Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

Fellowship, Public Health Informatics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007
Fellowship, Medical Informatics, University of Washington, 1998
Residency, Anesthesiology, University of the Philippines, 1990
MD, University of the Philippines, 1985
BS, Biology, University of the Philippines, 1981

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• Stockholm Challenge, Finalist
• APEC Digital Opportunity Center (Taiwan), Top 3 e-Government projects
• Asia-Pacific Association for Medical Informatics (APAMI), former Philippine Representative
• American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
• International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS)
• European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI)

Course(s) Taught

HPA 494 – Survey of Public Health Information Systems

Professional Interests

• Health information systems analysis and design
• Health and environmental economics
• Surveillance systems, ontologies and knowledge management
• Social networks and collaborations
• Simulation games in health, telemedicine, distributed information systems, and natural language

Top of Page

Bernard J. Turnock Director, Illinois Public Health Preparedness Center Program Director and Clinical Professor, Community Health Sciences

Academic Background

MD, Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1973
MPH, Maternal and Child Health, University of California at  Berkeley, 1976
BS, Biology, Boston College, 1969

Professional Honors and Affiliations

• National Faculty Honors, 2008
  
• ASPH/Pfizer Faculty Award for Excellence in Academic Public Health Practice, 2008
• American Public Health Association’s Award for Excellence in Health Planning and Practice
• American Public Health Association’s Award for Excellence in Health Administration
• Illinois Department of Public Health, former Director
• Chicago Department of Health, former Deputy and Acting Commissioner
• Illinois State Board of Health, former member
• Illinois Public Health Association, former president

Course(s) Taught

CHSC 400 – Public Health Concepts and Practice

Professional Interests

• Capacity building
• Public health performance measurement
• Workforce leadership development

Top of Page

Elaine Zacharakis Loumbas

Corporate Counsel, Baxter Healthcare Corporation

Lecturer, Health Policy and Administration

Academic Background

JD, Notre Dame
BS, Industrial Engineering, Columbia University

Course(s) Taught

HPA 485 – Legal and Ethical Issues in Public Health Informatics

Professional Interests

• Intellectual property, computer contracts and licensing agreements

Top of Page