Our Alumni

The University of Georgia Master of Social Work Master of Public Health Dual Degree program graduated its first cohort in December 2013.  Read on to learn what our graduates have accomplished and how they are moving forward in their professional careers! 

2016-2017 Academic Year Graduates

Jacqueline Tachman, MSW, MPH (May '17).  

Tachman at MPH Poster Day, May 2017.

Jackie is currently a Program Assistant at the Athens Community Council on Aging in the Home Delivered Meals Program.  Jackie graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Gerontology.  She completed her integrated field placement at the Athens Community Council on Aging, where she conducted needs assessments for clients at the Center for Active Living.  Jackie also assisted the Meals on Wheels staff with daily operations, including volunteer coordination, meal deliveries, and safety checks via phone.

Visit Jackie's LinkedIn profile.

Sylvia Ayieko, MSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Sylvia graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  Additionally, Sylvia was an HRSA grant recipient and earned a graduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Sylvia at MPH Poster Day, December 2016.

Sylvia completed an integrated field placement at Bethany Christian Services in Athens, GA. While at Bethany Christian Services she provided health services by training foster parents concerning trauma and worked with children with behavioral problems.

Sylvia looks forward to working with non-profit organizations in Eastern and Central Africa. 

View Sylvia’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Bowman at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Ashley Bowman, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Ashley is a Social Worker at East Central Regional Hospital.  Ashley graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  Additionally, Ashley earned a graduate certificate in Disaster Management.  Ashley completed an integrated field placement at Stepping Stones to Recovery in Augusta, GA.

Ashley is also a Licensed Master Social Worker.

View Ashley’s LinkedIn Profile.  

Foster at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Lisa Foster, MSW, MPH, CHES (Dec ’16) is a Clinical Specialist at Triad Health Project in Greensboro, NC where she provides supportive services and coordination of care to people living with HIV/AIDS.  Lisa graduated with an MSW, Community Empowerment and Program Development concentration; an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration; and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Lisa completed an integrated field placement at the JonCaring Foundation in Lebanon, Ghana and an integrated field placement at AIDS Athens in Athens, GA.  At both organizations she gained experience providing HIV testing and counseling, sexual health education, and supplemental case management.

Lisa is also a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. 

View Lisa’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Harwell at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Rachel Harwell, MSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Rachel is a Medical Social Worker at Emory University Hospital.  She graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and completed an integrated field placement at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

View Rachel’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Amber Hill, December 2016

Amber Hill, MSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Amber is a Case Manager at Piedmont Athens Regional where she supports multi-disciplinary collaborations as Piedmont moves toward a more integrated, patient-centered care model.  She graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.

Amber completed an integrated field placement at Piedmont Athens Regional in Athens.  While at Piedmont, she utilized interpersonal skills, effective and appropriate communication, negotiation and conflict management skills, creative problem solving, and critical thinking in order to apply social work expertise to navigate the healthcare system and foster patient-centered communication with all stakeholders.  Additionally, she learned to accurately assess a patient's social, physical, economic, and cultural environment in order to utilize available strengths and resources when creating a feasible and safe discharge plan. 

View Amber’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Packer at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Julia Packer, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Julia is a Clinical Specialist at Hillside, Inc., where she provides intensive in-home treatment and support services to families in which there is a risk for out-of-home placement of children.  Julia will be working primarily with the Intensive Family Intervention program and the Promoting Safe and Stable Families grant-funded program.  She graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  Julia was an HRSA grant recipient, allowing her to receive education specific to treating children, adolescents and transitional-age youth at risk of developing or who have developed a recognized behavioral health disorder.

Julia completed an integrated field placement at Hillside Inc. in Atlanta where she worked in the Community Intervention Program.  While at Hillside she worked with children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral health disorders who had been discharged from residential treatment, as well as youth in the foster care system.  Julia researched satisfaction surveys, the effectiveness of community based mental health services and stability of treatment foster care homes. Additionally, Julia provided in home mental health services to promote family preservation and maintaining stability in the community after hospitalizations.

Julia is also a Licensed Master Social Worker.

View Julia's LinkedIn Profile. 

Parker at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Jessica Parker, LMSW, MPH, CHES (Dec ’16).  Jessica graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  Jesica completed an integrated field placement at the Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness, where she provided individual therapy, co-facilitated a DBT group, conducted intake assessments, collaboratively constructed treatment plans with clients, gathered epidemiological data and information regarding social determinants of health to inform the creation of a strategic plan, and applied for grant funding for the organization.  Additionally, she developed a client satisfaction survey shaped directly by client’s feedback, designed promotional materials for fundraising events, and attended outreach events on behalf of the organization.

Jessica looks forward to utilizing a transdisciplinary perspective to develop and implement creative ways to promote mental health and wellbeing at both the community and individual levels through preventative education, resource coordination, and therapeutic interventions.

Jessica is a Licensed Master Social Worker.  She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. 

View Julia’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Robinson at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Carolyn Robinson, MSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Carolyn is a Healthcare Program Consultant with the Georgia Department of Public Health.  She will evaluate measures for the state childhood obesity initiative and also evaluate work site wellness programs within the Georgia Department of Public Health.  Carolyn graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration. She completed an integrated field placement at Grady Behavioral Health in Atlanta, GA.

View Carolyn’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Schreckenberger at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Elaina Schreckenberger, MSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Elaina is a Public Benefits Enrollment Specialist at Catholic Charities Atlanta's Family Stabilization Program Office in Chamblee.  There she provides direct clients services in the form of intakes and screens for those who are interested in Public Benefits Assistance Programs (i.e., SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, etc.).  She makes referrals and provides case management to clients in the form of assistance in developing household budgets, employment referrals, and other services to help clients and their families move towards self-sufficiency.  She participates in community outreach to promote the Public Benefits program and maintains a database of clients who are served in the program. 

Elaina graduated with an MSW, Community Empowerment and Program Development concentration; an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration; and a graduate certificate in Global Health.  Elaina completed an integrated field placement at Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Services in Atlanta, GA.  While at Catholic Charities, Ms. Schreckenberger created a Mental Health Awareness Workshop for clients and developed instruments that can be used to evaluate their mental health in a way that can keep the conversation between client and case worker open.

View Elaina’s LinkedIn Profile. 

Smith at MPH Poster Day, December 2016

Tyler Smith, MSW, MPH (Dec ’16).  Tyler is a Research Professional in the Survey and Research Evaluation Unit at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia.  There he works primarily on issues surrounding juvenile justice, focusing on data collection, technical assistance and data reporting.  Prior to returning to the University of Georgia in 2014 to pursue graduate school, Tyler worked as a firefighter for three years.

Tyler graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  Additionally, Mr. Smith was an HRSA grant recipient.  Tyler completed integrated field placements at SummitRidge Hospital in Lawrenceville and at Advantage Behavioral Health in Athens.

View Tyler’s LinkedIn Profile. 

2015-2016 Academic Year Graduates

Breanna Miller, MSW, MPH (May '16).

Breanna Miller at MPH Poster Day, May 2016.

Breanna is a Clinical Counselor at Children's Home Society of Florida.  Breanna graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and a certificate in Nonprofit Management.  She completed an integrated field placement at Mercy Health Center in Athens.  While at Mercy, Breanna engaged in direct service practice with patients diagnosed with Hepatitis C, as well as assisted the clinic in an overhaul of the Social Service division.  In addition, Breanna utilized her leadership skills to assist in recruiting and training volunteers.  She also developed protocols for screening social service needs for patients and evaluation materials.

Visit Breanna's LinkedIn profile.     

Lisbeth Cruz at the Tree House

Lisbeth (Lis) Cruz, MSW, MPH (Dec ’15).  Lis is Executive Director of Clubs de Niños y Niñas de Centro America (CNNCA) (Boys and Girls Clubs of Central America) and Co-Founder of GoDoMore, Inc.  In her work with these organizations, she hopes to reach and serve more youth and communities around the world with a focus on empowering families and communities, international justice, and equality for abused and underserved populations.

Lis graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and a certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy.  She completed an integrated field placement at The Tree House, where she combined her public health and social work education to support victims of abuse (physical, sexual, etc.).  There, she utilized her public health experience to develop a web-based community support center, with specific information and resources for continued client support.  Lis utilized her social work experience to assess children’s trauma and develop appropriate treatment plans for a positive social outcome.  Her work required her to serve as a liaison with the Department of Family and Children Services, law enforcement, and school and court Systems. 

Visit Lis' LinkedIn profile.

Ali Fitzsimmons at Loran Smith

Alexandra (Ali) Fitzsimmons, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’15) is a Health Educator at the Georgia Department of Public Health, where she works with teens and sexual health.  Prior to this position, Ali worked as an Oncology Social Worker at University Cancer and Blood Center located in Athens, in the radiation clinic.  There she provided case management and clinical intervention with patients who have cancer diagnoses.  She conducted biopsychosocial assessments, performed brief clinical interventions that addressed illness adjustment, and performed case management tasks.  Case management included assisting patients with accessing financial assistance, transportation, nutritional assistance, and referrals to other cancer support programs, such as those offered through the Loran Smith Center (i.e. individual and family counseling, yoga for cancer survivors, guided relaxation classes, etc.).

Ali graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated field placement at the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support.  Ali used her MSW/MPH education in her practice as she used clinical skills during outpatient counseling sessions, inpatient hospital visits, and as a co-facilitator.  She co-facilitated a nine-week Healing Grief Workshop for adults who lost a loved one.  During the summer, Ali devised and implemented a needs assessment and program evaluation of the Loran Smith Center’s cancer support services, which included the delivery and analysis of a paper-pencil survey instrument and conducting focus groups. 
Ali is also a Licensed Master Social Worker through the Association of Social Work Boards.

Mark Flanagan at Piedmont

Mark Flanagan, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’15).  Mark is an Oncology Social Worker at the Piedmont Fayette Hospital in Fayetteville, Georgia.  There he provides case management for outpatient cancer patients receiving medical and radiation therapy.  He helps remove barriers to treatment including financial, emotional, and social.  He also manages the distress screening system, a public health intervention which helps identify and provide services to patients with high levels of stress.

Mark graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration. He completed an integrated field placement at the Piedmont Cancer Center – Atlanta Campus.  Mark combined his social work and public health competencies to manage Piedmont’s Cancer Distress screen process, which helped identify patients with severe stress.  He used data tracking, statistical analyses, health education, leadership and collaborative skills, and health care system knowledge to evaluate and enhance the Cancer Distress Screen process and thereby help improve public health outcomes for Piedmont’s patients.  Mark used social work skills working with stressed patients identified from screening, including psychotherapy and mindfulness training, financial navigation, transportation assistance, and case management to provide a high quality, fully integrated patient treatment experience.

Mark is also a Licensed Master Social Worker through the Association of Social Work Boards.

Visit Mark's LinkedIn profile.

Amber Flanigan at Samaritan

Amber Flanigan, LMSW, MPH, CHES (Dec ’15).  Amber is a Social Work Case Manager through Palmetto Health's Celia Saxon Department which includes community health centers that provide free health and wellness services in neighborhoods in which there are people living at or below the poverty level and that have been affected by South Carolina's decision to not expand medicaid.  Amber provides psychosocial support and case management services.

Amber graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and a certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy.  She completed an integrated field placement at The Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness.  The Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness focuses on providing spiritually-sensitive counseling.  Amber developed a holistic wellness program as well as the “Good Mood Food” series to endorse the importance of nutrition in mental health and wellness.  Amber used her social work and public health education to provide counseling services for clients.

Amber is a Licensed Master Social Worker through the Association of Social Work Boards and a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. 

Visit Amber's LinkedIn profile.

Liz Franchot

Elizabeth (Liz) Franchot, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’15).  Liz is a Case Manager at Ridgeview Institute in Smyrna, Georgia and a Yoga Teacher in Decatur, Georgia.  

Liz graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration. Liz completed an integrated field placement at Ridgeview Institute, an organization focused on helping patients and their families with addiction and mental health issues.  Liz used her public health education to integrate micro and macro approaches into the field of patient care.  She developed health education materials about comorbid chronic disease for both patients and providers.  She also applied her social work education to facilitate individual patient counseling, recovery groups, and support groups.

Liz is a Licensed Master Social Worker through the Association of Social Work Boards. 

Visit Liz's LinkedIn profile.

Lauren Reed at The Cottage

Lauren E. Reed, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’15) is the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention District Coordinator in the Northeast Health District.  In this role, Lauren works with families to ensure early detection of hearing loss, and, for families who receive a diagnosis, provide case management and support to families during this sometimes overwhelming process.  Lauren also captures data in the state surveillance system to ensure that early detection and intervention is taking place in her district.  She will also be teaching health education classes about car seat safety.

Previously, Lauren served as Safe Dates Program Coordinator, Contract Family Advocate, and Contract Victim's Assistance Program Counselor at The Cottage Sexual Assault & Children’s Advocacy Center, where she also completed an integrated field placement.  In her placement, Lauren combined her social work and public health skills to collaborate on revisions to local child abuse response protocols, develop new marketing materials, such as brochures for children and adult services, and advocate during forensic medical exams.  Lauren also facilitated the Safe Dates program, a dating violence prevention group.  She also worked directly with the Executive Director to coordinate the annual Board Retreat.

Lauren graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and is also a Licensed Master Social Worker.

Visit Lauren's LinkedIn profile.

2014-2015 Academic Year Graduates

LaFrance presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day April 2015.

Alicia Keen LaFrance, MSW, MPH (May '15).  Alicia is an Analyst II at the University of California, San Francisco where she is involved in analytic, reporting, and dissemination activities on a variety of projects regarding health insurance benefits and the health care workforce.  More specifically, activities will include investigating public health impacts of proposed health policy as requested from the California State Legislature, contributing to policy recommendations, participating in data collection and analysis, and contributing to the development of new projects.

Alicia graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and a certificate in Nonprofit Management.  She completed an integrated public health and social work field placement at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.  Her clinical social work activities included providing supportive counseling to families of children with a cancer diagnosis and utilizing palliative care skills to help families cope with grief and loss.  Alicia worked as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide holistic care and conducted psychosocial assessments of families with a child newly diagnosed with cancer.  She also participated in a research protocol for a mental health distress screening and intervention of caregivers of oncology patients.  Her public health activities included developing and delivering a workshop session for the hospital social work department on public health theories of behavior, supporting community-based child maltreatment recognition training programs by conducting literature reviews and data analyses to inform future programmatic steps and bolster funding opportunities, and conducting needs assessments from hospital and state-level data to inform hospital-based and community-facing child maltreatment prevention programs.

Visit Alicia's LinkedIn profile.

Motlagh presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day April 2015.

Audry Motlagh, LGSW, MPH (May '15).  Audry is a Social Worker II, School Based Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.  In this role, she assesses, treats, and provides for the mental health needs of children, adolescents, and their families on an outpatient basis.  She uses her MPH to assist in implementing prevention programs.  Audry also continues research with her colleagues at the University of Georgia.

Audry graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and a certificate in Nonprofit Management.  She completed an integrated public health and social work field placement at Mercy Health Center in Athens, which, through a community of volunteers, provides quality, whole-person healthcare in a Christ-centered environment to their underserved neighbors.

Audry is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in the state of Maryland.

Visit Audry's LinkedIn profile.

Joelle Pettus, MSW, MPH, CPH, CHES (May '15).  Joelle is a Research Coordinator for the Infant and Toddler Community Outreach Department at the Marcus Autism Center through Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.  In this role, Joelle is developing, initiating, and supporting clinical studies with infants and toddlers to assess the early signs and symptoms of autism, researching such methods and practices, and coordinating families and assisting with their needs.

Joelle graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration, and a certificate in Nonprofit Management.  She completed an integrated public health and social work field placement at Athens Regional Medical Center.  There, she performed patient navigation and gained hands-on clinical social practice skills while conducting a research project on workplace wellness that incorporated theories, perspectives, and fundamentals of both degrees. 

Joelle is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners and a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. 

Visit Joelle's LinkedIn profile.

Demmitt presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day December 2014.

Hannah Demmitt, LMSW, MPH (Dec '14).  Hannah is Program Coordinator at Great Starts in Knoxville, Tennessee, a structured living program that offers integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment services to recovering pregnant and parenting women.  The program utilizes evidence-based practices for co-occurring treatment.  The program's goal is to strengthen the mother-child bond through comprehensive services for mothers and specialized care for their children.  Prior to taking the Program Coordinator position, Hannah worked as an Infant Child Intervention Specialist, where she worked with mothers and babies in the area of infant mental health and bonding (therapy), psycho-education, and resource linkage, developmental assessments, and advocacy with the Department of Children's Services and juvenile court.  As a Program Coordinator, Hannah will be moving from a clinical focus to a more public health focus, supervising around 10 people (therapists, case managers, milieu staff), ensuring the program is running on a daily basis, and working with community partners.

Hannah graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated public health and social work field placement at The Tree House, an organization working to strengthen communities by reducing the occurrence and impact of child abuse through counseling, educating, supporting, and nurturing children and families.  There, she utilized public health skills to launch a community social marketing campaign against child abuse and assisted in the implementation of a new community-based program.  She utilized her social work skills to complete forensic interviews and provided individual counseling to children using trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

Hannah is a Licensed Master Social Worker through the Association of Social Work Boards.

View Hannah's LinkedIn profile.

Karki presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day December 2014.

Prashikshya Karki, MA, MSW, MPH (Dec ’14).  Prashikshya graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated public health and social work placement at Advantage Behavioral Health where she assisted in evaluation, quality improvement, and conducting needs assessments and other clinical activities in a drug court project, as well as participated in individual and group therapy sessions.

Prashikshya is interested in mental health promotion and reduction of comorbidities and interactions between mental and physical (ill) health. 

Visit Prashikshya's LinkedIn profile.

Middlebrook presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day December 2014.

Melissa Middlebrook, MSW, MPH (Dec ’14).  Melissa is currently employed as an HIV Early Intervention Specialist at Coastal Horizons Center, Inc. in Wilmington, North Carolina.  Coastal Horizons provides a continuum of professional services for prevention, crisis intervention, sexual assault victims, criminal justice alternatives, and treatment of substance use and mental health disorders.

Melissa graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated field placement at AIDS Athens where she assisted agency social workers in clinical case management and supportive services for clients and their families infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.  She also assisted with testing and prevention outreach throughout the community and collaborated with the local HIV clinic to conduct a social network testing strategy to identify new positives to link to care. 

Visit Melissa's LinkedIn profile.

Mwaura presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day December 2014.

Mumbi Mwaura, LMSW, MPH (Dec '14).  Mumbi is a Program Coordinator at The University of Georgia School of Social Work where she coordinates graduate recruitment and continuing education.  Prior to this position, Mumbi worked as a contract Clinician at Project Family, LLC, provided evidence-based counseling to children and adolescents with a mental health diagnosis.  She also worked as a Recruiter at the University of Georgia Graduate School where she recruited graduate students both domestically and internationally, with a special emphasis on students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.  She has also worked as a Community Organizer with the Direct Action and Research Training Center, Inc. in Dayton, Florida where she helped build power for justice by building relationships of trust among clergy and lay leaders from diverse backgrounds, deepened their participation in the work of their congregation's justice ministry, trained them in basic community organizing skills, and engaged them in research of viable solutions to community problems.

Mumbi graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated public health and social work placement at Clarke County Early Head Start/Head Start where she provided education, support, and training to parents whose children had chronic illnesses and assisted children and parents in meeting their health and family goals.

Mumbi is a Licensed Master Social Worker through the Association of Social Work Boards.

Visit Mumbi's LinkedIn profile.

Vaughn (Ryder) presenting her capstone work at MPH Poster Day December 2014.

Kelly Vaughn Ryder, MSW, MPH, CPH, CHES (Dec ’14).  Kelly is Co-Founder and Lead Developer at Craft & Code, LLC, which provides coding and development services in the Atlanta area.  Previously, Kelly was a Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) – Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development (DSEPD) Public Health Informatics Program where she helped design, develop, and evaluate a web-based and mobile user interface for the Information System for Mobile Immersive Learning Environment (I-SMILE) project.  The I-SMILE project supports the learning needs of fellows in applied training programs through by delivering a personalized, just-in-time curriculum.

Kelly graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration and completed an integrated field placement at Athens Regional Medical Center.

Kelly is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners and a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. 

View Kelly’s LinkedIn profile.

2013-2014 Academic Year Graduates

 

From left to right.  Top row:  Alethea Chiappone (Dec '13), Leah Klein (May '14), Matt Ottenweller (Dec '13).  Bottom row:  Ciera Schoonover (Dec '13), Kate Binkow (May '14), Rebecca Dallas (Dec '13), and Ilana Olin (Dec '13).

Binkow Boyd presenting her work at MPH Poster Day, May 2014.

Katherine Binkow Boyd, LSWAIC, MPH, CPH (May ’14).  Katherine is a Federal Investigator with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity where she investigates cases of housing discrimination in the Pacific Northwest.  Previously, Katherine participated in the Presidential Management Fellowship Program through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management where she was placed with the HUD in the Northwest Office of Native American Programs in Seattle, Washington.

Prior to that, Katherine worked as a Social Worker at Calvin Court, Presbyterian Homes of Georgia, where she also completed an integrated social work and public health field placement. During her field placement, she:

• Developed and implemented a nutrition education program for seniors (using Theory of Reasoned Action and Behavioral Intention, Transtheoretical Model, and social marketing principles)
• Completed a research study addressing seniors’ attitudes about hospice and palliative care
• Developed and co-led a grief group for seniors (a combination of processing and psycho-education)

Katherine graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners and is licensed as an associate independent clinical social worker (LSWAIC) in Washington state.

View Katherine's LinkedIn Profile.

Chiappone presenting her work at MPH Poster Day, Dec. 2013.

Alethea Chiappone, MSW, MPH, CPH (Dec ’13).  In Fall 2015, Alethea began the PhD program in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she works closely with the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition in Omaha.

Prior to beginning the PhD Program, Alethea worked as Evaluations Manager at HEARTS for Families, a non-profit organization that provides tools, training and education to support parents, families and communities.  Alethea coordinated evaluation activities for the organization's public health and social work related programs.  Prior to that position, Alethea worked as a Research Professional III at the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government where she provided statewide evaluation training and technical assistance to Georgia Strategic Prevention System (GASPS) providers across Georgia as they implemented evidence-based strategies to address underage and binge drinking for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities' Office of Prevention Services and Programs' GASPS alcohol prevention project.

Alethea graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated social work and public health field placement in The Respect Program at Emory University’s Office of Health Promotion where she:

• Developed, implemented and evaluated the social marketing campaign “Ask. Don’t Assume”, which aimed to reduce freshman student’s adherence to rape myths and increase the frequency of when consent is obtained
• Developed a resource guide for survivors of sexual violence
• Conducted crisis intervention consultations for survivors of sexual violence
• Developed, disseminated and evaluated training for faculty and staff addressing how to respond to sexual violence
• Conducted psycho education consultations for students addressing sexual violence
• Reviewed literature on bystander intervention, rape myths, and sexual violence on college campuses 

Alethea is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.  

View Alethea's LinkedIn Profile.

Dallas at her field placement site.

Rebecca Dallas, LMSW, MPH (Dec ’13).   Rebecca is an Emergency Department Social Worker at Tampa General Hospital.  Tampa General is a level one trauma center, children's medical center, and heart transplant center for central Florida.  In this role, Rebecca assists patients in crisis through many experiences including traumas, mental health issues, ED discharges, adult and child abuse situations, etc.  She notes, "It's hard work but I enjoy the fast paced environment and feel fortunate to be doing meaningful work."

Previously, Rebecca was a Child and Family Therapist at Pathways Transition Programs, Inc., a private mental health services provider for children and their families.  Based in Decatur, Georgia, Pathways offers assessment and therapy services for children, adolescents, adults, and families, and their services are both therapeutic and psycho-educational, fostering and supporting change and growth through healing the wounds of trauma and life challenges, as well as training and skill development to enhance coping skills and build resilience.

Rebecca graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated social work and public health field placement in the Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence at Grady Health Systems where she:

• Conducted a literature review and analysis of data for a Cancer Center Needs Assessment 
• Identified potential strategies and resources that hospital and social work staff could utilize to promote public health objectives with patients including educational and nutritional activities
• Completed evidence-based research on a distress screening tool and co-developed an implementation plan for this screening tool following the Commission on Cancer and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines
• Co-led a breast cancer support group, including planning and utilizing public health and educational issues as monthly topics
• Provided crisis intervention counseling
• Facilitated communication between patients and medical team and advocating for patients as needed

Rebecca is a Licensed Master Social Worker in the State of Georgia through the Association of Social Work Boards.

View Rebecca's LinkedIn Profile.

Klein presenting her work at MPH Poster Day, May 2014.

Leah Klein, LMSW, MPH (May '14).  Leah is Social Services Director at Pepper Hill Nursing Center.  Pepper Hill is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center providing short and long term rehabilitation services.  Leah completed a social work placement at Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services in Augusta, where she applied both social work and public health skills.  In addition to providing individual and group therapy and crisis intervention services, Leah applied public health expertise through community outreach and by providing prevention education to children, teens, and adults.

Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services participates in the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential (G-CAPP) initiative funded by the Centers for Disease Control, which is charged with lowering the rate of teen pregnancy and STI contraction in Richmond County. As part of the G-CAPP, Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services implemented an evidence-based curriculum, FOCUS, to teach young soldiers at Fort Gordon about reducing risk behaviors and developing health relationships.  Leah was a FOCUS facilitator, and managed data and evaluative materials for G-CAPP.

Leah's public health capstone project applied organizational change theory to create a training module for Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services' sexual assault advocates.  Leah also completed a public health placement at the Health Promotion Department, East Central Public Health District, where she supported the health district's Center's for Disease Control Change Tool Assessment.

Leah graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She is also a Licensed Master Social Worker in the State of Georgia through the Association of Social Work Boards.

View Leah's LinkedIn Profile.

Olin McCarthy presenting her work at MPH Poster Day, Dec. 2013.

Ilana Olin McCarthy, MSW, MPH, CPH (Dec ’13).  Ilana is a Health Scientist at the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  As a Health Scientist on the Workforce Development and Capacity Building team, she analyzes the results of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey for the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP).  This survey is distributed annually to all federal employees in order to gauge employee satisfaction, perceived potential for professional growth, the impact of leaders, and work-life balance opportunities.  Based on the results of this survey, NCHHSTP will adjust and create programs, policies, and action plans to address low-scoring variables.

Prior to that, Ilana worked as a contracted Communication Specialist, Evaluation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where she conducted program evaluation on the Ebola Communication Team in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine.  This division leads CDC’s response efforts for the Ebola response in West Africa.  Ilana's team led border health communication messages, training, and evaluation which included Ebola-specific messaging and the design of and execution of enhanced entry screening at ports of entry.  Previously, Ilana worked as a Health Promotion Specialist at Healthways where she provided corporate wellness education and programs to recipients of Georgia's State Health Benefit Plan.

Ilana graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated social work and public health field placement in the Fuqua Center for Late-Life Depression where she:

• Designed and conducted an “Exercise and Aging” study with residents at the Wesley Woods Towers, with the main variables of interest being physical activity level, lower extremity strength, gait, balance, and mental health variables including depressive and anxious symptoms, and quality of life. 
• Developed a new activity, chair yoga, which she taught weekly to residents. They focused on improving breath control, balance, mindfulness, and meditation. She found that residents mentioned reductions in arthritis pain, improved ability to relax and be mindful in daily experiences, and improved balance
• Co-facilitated an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) support group with patients diagnosed with MCI, AD, or another form of dementia.  She interlaced public health and social work principles throughout this support group
• Conducted a literature review and draft introduction for an article on the importance of housing stability on mental and physical health in elders with severe and persistent mental illness. This directly related to a grant the Center received to provide in-home geriatric psychiatry services to low-income elders in public housing.

Ilana is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

View Ilana's LinkedIn Profile.

Ottenweller at his placement site.

Matthew Ottenweller, LMSW, MPH (Dec’13).  Matthew graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  He completed an integrated social work and public health field placement at Families First where he:

• Provided individual, group, couples, and family psychotherapy
• Implemented a more formalized client-centered feedback mechanism for the organization’s counseling program to be able to effectively monitor and respond to client’s perspectives of treatment progress 
• Used public health and social work training and models to evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s programs, including their counseling program 
• Enhanced the organization’s data collection, entry, and analysis processes 
• Participated in preparation of grant applications for social service programs 
• Developed an implementation plan for the creation of a more thorough and integrated client intake process

Matthew is a Licensed Master Social Worker in the State of Georgia through the Association of Social Work Boards.

Schoonover presenting her work at MPH Poster Day Dec. 2013.

Ciera Schoonover (Pauley), MSW, MPH (Dec ’13).  Ciera began the PhD Clinical Psychology Program at Central Michigan University in Fall 2014.   Ciera works with a professor who disseminates Parent Child Interaction Therapy locally, nationally, and internationally.  She says, "They gave me a lot of feedback about how much they loved the dual degree.  I definitely attribute my acceptance to the program to the dual degree!  I'm very excited to see where this takes me, and to utilize my social work and public health skills along the way."

Ciera graduated with an MSW, Clinical Practice concentration and an MPH, Health Promotion and Behavior concentration.  She completed an integrated social work and public health field placement at the The Tree House, Inc. where she:

• Provided individual Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to clients
• Co-facilitated a group for children who were sexually abused
• Helped organize and implement a week-long day camp for teenage girls who were sexually abused (Survivors of Abuse Rock, SOAR Camp).  She also created, administered, and interpreted an assessment of SOAR Camp.
• Conducted intake and typed synopses of forensic interviews
• Served as an advocate for Tree House clients who received Sexual Assault Nurses Examinations (SANE)
• Helped organize and coordinate the Primal Rush race and obstacle course benefiting The Tree House
• Conducted an organizational needs assessment of the Tree House
• Assisted in finding and completing grant applications for Tree House funding
• Advocated for clients during court proceedings

View Ciera's LinkedIn Profile.

Aline Talmage, MSW, MPH.  Aline was the first UGA student to graduate with a MSW (Clinical) and an MPH (Health Promotion and Behavior),  with a certificate in global health.  Although Aline pursued these degrees prior to the official start of the MSW MPH dual degree program, we still honor her hard work in pursuing an MSW MPH and helping to create the MSW MPH program we have today.

View Aline's LinkedIn Profile.