Author: iharrell

NSU Names Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for NSU Health

richard james

Richard James, former chief development officer for HCA Healthcare’s East Florida Division, has been named NSU’s chief strategy and operations officer for NSU Health, effective Jan. 2, 2024.

Richard James

“James will join Vice President for Clinical Operations Leonard Pounds and the NSU Health leadership team as they continue to partner with deans, providers and researchers to pursue this exciting new vision for NSU Health as a preeminent, university-affiliated health care system that offers a new standard of health care to its patients and the community,” said NSU President George Hanbury. “With Dr. Harry Moon now serving as the university’s president-elect, as well as our current executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) for the university, it was important for us to bring in a health care expert like Rick James to replace Dr. Moon’s former role as COO of NSU Health.”

“As NSU Health’s new chief strategy and operations officer, Rick will be in charge of developing and managing NSU Health’s growth and oversight, from integration of operations to exploring opportunities at regional locations to expanding clinical partnerships and new health care specialty offerings,” Dr. Moon said.

James was a key member of HCA Healthcare’s executive leadership team. He was responsible for driving business growth in a region spanning Vero Beach to Miami, including 14 hospitals, 12 ambulatory surgery centers, 98 physician practices with 400 physicians and 60 urgent care clinics with 22,000 employees and $5 billion-plus in revenue.

“I look forward to collaborating with the academic and research communities to achieve a path to preeminence for NSU Health in the years ahead, seeing it become a high-quality, self-sustaining health care system,” James said. “Working together, I believe we can further elevate NSU’s clinical operations to fuel future growth, enabling us to attract the most talented and highest quality providers, and deliver the best care for our patients.”

NSU Health has provided 20-plus years of care delivered by a nationally recognized faculty and researchers in eight health care colleges and programs, offering accessible patient-centered care. NSU Health’s services include medical, dental, vision, family therapy, hearing, mental health, occupational and physical therapy, speech-language pathology and a community pharmacy.

Posted 01/14/24

 

Fischler Grad is First Black Woman to Serve in School’s Faculty Senate

Latonya Peterson, Ed.D.

Latonya Peterson, Ed.D., a Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate, is the first black woman to serve in the faculty senate at Baker University.

She was recently elected for a second term to the two-year position. Peterson learned she made history shortly after she had been elected for her first term.

She said she received an email that said, “Thanks for making history” and when she inquired about it, she learned she was the first black woman in that role.

“It means a lot because it means I’m breaking barriers,” Peterson said.

The overall senate is made up of nine members, but Peterson is the only minority. There also only two other women serving as well.

Members of the faculty senate have a host of duties, including making recommendations regarding admissions criteria, degree requirements, new majors and more, serving as the policy body for programs and courses through the School of Professional and Graduate Studies and much more.

Peterson said her last term went well and the senate was able to accomplish a lot. One area they looked at was recruitment and making it easier for students to transfer to the school.

“We did vote on making it easier to transfer, you know, making sure we accept certain transfer credits, because the students have done the work and it shouldn’t be that hard for them to transfer,” she said.

Peterson said she hopes to build upon her previous success during this next term.

Peterson graduated from NSU with her M.S. in Criminal Justice, and her Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership. In addition to serving on the Faculty Senate at Baker University, she also teaches there as an adjunct professor with the Criminal Justice Program and the Master of Business Administration Program. Peterson is also a full-time Criminal Justice professor at American InterContinental University.

Congratulations Latonya Peterson! Fins up to you for making history!

Posted 01/14/24

Endodontics Department Gets Domestic Access to Care Grant

Dr. Yehuda Benjamin

NSU’s College of Dental Medicine’s Department of Endodontics has been honored as a 2023 Domestic Access to Care Grant awardee.

This grant, facilitated by the Foundation for Endodontics and U.S. Endo Partners, enables the university to provide critical endodontic care to Ukrainian refugees in South Florida, many of whom face barriers such as unemployment, language challenges, and ineligibility for Medicaid.

This project was led by Dr. Yehuda Benjamin, interim chair and director of post-graduate endodontics that exemplifies our commitment to serving those in dire need of dental care. We are proud to be a part of this humanitarian effort, making a real difference in the lives of those we serve.

The Foundation for Endodontics’ and U.S. Endo Partners’ Domestic Access to Care Program aids endodontic specialists in providing access to free endodontic care to underserved patients within the United States. The Foundation believes every endodontist has the capacity to make a significant difference and is proud to empower specialists to serve patients and spread goodwill.

For more information, see this link.

Posted 01/14/24

Honors, Law Alum Uses Law to Fight Cyber Fraud

John Paul, J.D.

Farquhar Honors College alum John Paul, J.D., is a lawyer on the leading edge of cyber fraud prosecution. Joining the ranks of the Office of the Florida Attorney General’s Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit as a senior assistant statewide prosecutor, Paul is dedicated to bringing justice to victims of cyber fraud.

Created by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit investigates and prosecutes cyber fraud cases across Florida. As technology rapidly advances, cyber fraud becomes increasingly common as scamming methods rise.

“The vision. . . to help victims of cyber fraud, especially elderly victims who sometimes lose their life savings through cyber fraud scams, really resonates with me,” said Paul. “Helping to recover these funds, prosecute those who violate the law and bring them to justice, and disrupt the criminal networks are all really rewarding.”

Paul graduated from NSU in 2006 with a B.A. in Legal Studies and 2009 with his J.D. from the Shepard Broad College of Law. Since graduating, he has worked in prosecution and law enforcement for nearly 15 years.

“The [Honors College] gave me a well-rounded education that included a focus on interdisciplinary learning,” said Paul. “Having exposure to many subject areas is a tool that I use every day. My cases involved an intersection of law, cyber security, IT infrastructure, finance, business, psychology, and even medicine, just to name a few.”

Posted 01/14/24

Education Alum Named Finalist for STEAM Educator of Year

A Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate has been named a finalist for STEAM Educator of the Year for Women in Technology.

Marquita Blades

Marquita Blades graduated from NSU with her doctorate in Instructional Leadership. After working as a teacher for 16 years, she began her own education consulting business. She also teaches classes at NSU as an adjunct professor.

However, Blades said that it wasn’t until she left the K-12 classroom that she finally began to win awards for her work, and most recently, her dedication to education earned her a nomination as STEAM Educator of the Year.

“It felt a little bit unbelievable,” Blades said. “It really felt like that after 20-plus years in the game, I am finally getting my just-rewards, and finally having my dedication validated in the broader community, and it’s not just within the education community, it’s in the broader STEM community.”

Blades was nominated by a friend and colleague for the recognition.

“She said, Well, I think that you’ll be a great fit for this, I think you’d have a good chance of being recognized.’”

The colleague’s hunch proved to be correct, as Blades made it to the final round, something that she has heard is unheard of for a first-time nominee.

The event was held in October in Atlanta, and the overall award was given to Dr. Hannah Oldham. However, the acknowledgment has propelled Dr. Blades to continue working in the field and to amplify her voice.

“When I got recognized by the Women in Technology, it just empowered me to become more vocal about the technology work that I am doing,” she said.

Blades works as a consultant training teachers on various aspects of STEM education. She also conducts a seminar called the 50 Best Tech Tools and Strategies for Increasing Science Engagement. She also recently developed and launched an AI tools for a science teachers training.

“I’ve been working to advocate for the presence of K through 12 science educators to become more vocal and more seen in the legislative community, but this — being recognized in this way by the Women in Technology — it has given me a bigger platform and a bigger voice to do more of that.”

Congratulations Marquita Blades on all your hard work!

Posted 01/14/24

Honors Students Spread Health Literacy Awareness

Pediatric HEROES, a student-run organization at NSU, is on a mission to improve health literacy across campus. Led by Farquhar Honors College students, the club recently launched a research initiative that encourages its members to create monthly infographics to raise awareness and promote understanding of pediatric health.

“It’s crucial and beneficial for young healthcare learners to both teach and learn about medicine simultaneously, helping them adapt to this field effectively,” said Brianna Lacasse, an honors student who started the infographic initiative. “This initiative gives them a chance to share their discoveries and develop skills to address health issues.”

Students have already created infographics highlighting conditions ranging from sickle cell disease to mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Pediatric HEROES, which stands for Health Education, Research, Outreach, Empowerment, and Support, is filled with aspiring healthcare professionals passionate about educating people on children’s health and careers in pediatrics. The club provides volunteer opportunities, events, and workshops to allow members to gain knowledge and experience.

See more Pediatric HEROES infographics.

Posted 01/14/24

Farquhar Honors Students Walk to Raise Suicide Awareness

This past fall semester, students in the Farquhar Honors College mental health course participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Out of the Darkness walk to bring awareness to suicide prevention and mental health issues. Hosted at NSU, the community walk provided support and hope to survivors, families, friends, and advocates.

The honors team consisted of 29 walkers led by Christi Navarro, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Public Health at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, and included students from Navarro’s honors Exploring Population Mental Health and Wellbeing course and students and faculty from across NSU. Together, they helped combat the prevailing stigma surrounding suicide and raised $190 to support the AFSP’s mission of saving lives from suicide.

“Having the walk located at NSU and getting the NSU community involved reminds us that mental health challenges can affect us all, and we can all have a part in preventing suicide,” said Navarro. “One of the most moving parts of this event is the honors beads which we all wear to show our personal connection to the cause, as well as connecting with others [who] understand our experiences. There are ten different colored beads, [each representing different connections to the cause]. Before we walk, they call out the individual colors and ask us to raise our beads in support. It is a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles.”

Learn more about the AFSP Out of the Darkness walk.

Posted 01/14/24

Honors College Hosts Data Visualization Competition

Data visualization is important now more than ever. With large amounts of information at our fingertips at all times, data visualization is lucrative for making information more accessible to all. To help students hone this skill, the Farquhar Honors College hosted a Data Visualization Competition over the summer that prompted students to transform an existing class assignment into an interactive visual narrative for public viewing.

The top three winners received a cash prize. In first place, receiving $300, was Shweta Shah for her project “Empowering Women’s Breast Health with Racial Inclusivity.” In second place, receiving $200, was Corinne Renshaw for her project “Anthropogenic Influences on the Biscayne Aquifer.” In third place, receiving $100, was Ruthie Fogel for her project “Artemis: NASA’s Return to the Moon.”

All projects were created using ArcGIS StoryMaps, a free and easy-to-use digital storytelling web platform, which allowed students to break down complex ideas into easily understandable parts with compelling visual aids. Contestants were judged based on creativity, innovation, rhetorical effectiveness, and proficiency.

“[Through] this project, I learned the real-world implications and applications of assignments done in the classroom,” said first-place winner Shweta Shah, whose project focused on educating racial minority groups about an amendment to the Mammography Standards Quality Act that may lead to earlier breast cancer detection and lower mortality rates. “For many of my public health classes, we are required to create PowerPoints that only the professor sees. However, many of these assignments contain critical information that the public also needs to be informed about. … This project allowed me to create a multi-media resource [for] patients.”

The competition welcomed projects from all disciplines as data visualization is an important tool for any field. Projects focused on subjects ranging from environmental science to mental health.

“I am thankful [to] the Honors College for creating this opportunity for their students to apply and present their research in a new and innovative way while [emphasizing] that learning does not necessarily always occur in a classroom!” said third-place winner Ruthie Fogel, whose project focused on the importance of NASA’s mission to return to the moon. “The ways in which we present our ideas to the world are ever evolving and now has never been a more perfect opportunity. . . to learn something exciting!”

View project gallery.

Posted 01/17/24

Chenworth Named Veteran Champion of Year in Higher Ed

Matthew Chenworth, NSU’s senior director of military affairs, was recently selected as one of the 2023 Veteran Champions of the Year in Higher Education.

Presented by Military Friendly, the 2023 Veteran Champions of the Year in Higher Education (VCOY-EDU) list honors champions who advocate for our nation’s veterans in higher education.

The VCOY-EDU list was published in the October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine, a national print and digital publication that has been connecting service members, veterans and their families to civilian career, education, and business ownership opportunities since 2001.

Posted 01/14/24

NSU to Screen Award-Winning Original Documentary Film

NSU will screen the award-winning documentary “State of Rodeo” on Jan. 31 at the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center. The film showing will start at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion.

“State of Rodeo” is an hourlong television documentary focusing on the rich tradition of Rodeo and Ranching in the State that started it all. Rodeos began as celebrations of Cowboy life within rural farming communities, whereby local Cowboys and Cowgirls could gather with friends and family to highlight the unique skills learned on the farm. 2021 marks five hundred years of cattle and horse farming within the State of Florida when Ponce De Leon brought the first herds from Spain to the new world and the territory of La Florida.

This is a history that presents a rich multicultural fabric of cultures and influences that ultimately blends into a tapestry of American pride. Rodeo comes from the Spanish rodear meaning to go around and that is where this story begins, over and through the various backwaters and by ways where the sport is still thriving, from Ocala to Okeechobee to Davie. It is a special bond that connects one and all to the Rodeo family.

“State of Rodeo” is produced by the Emmy-winning production team of Scott Barnett and Johanna Vega, who have combined their talents to produce hundreds of broadcast commercials, documentaries and digital content including the nationally syndicated, award winning TV show Kid Stew produced with South Florida PBS and bestselling author James Patterson. Their company Fuxion has also produced advertising content for clients including Winn Dixie, the Pork Board, Take Me Fishing and VISITFLORIDA.

Posted 01/14/24

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