Dr. Jasmine Abrams, PhD, was one of three Yale faculty to receive a 2025 Spark Award from the Yale Institute of Global Health. Abrams was recognized for her work improving HIV prevention for Zambian girls. Other recipients of the Spark Award were Dr. Marwan Osman, PhD, a microbiologist and molecular epidemiologist with Yale School of Medicine, and Dr. Claudia Valeggia, PhD, a Yale professor of anthropology. Also, Abrams delivered this year's commencement address at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Abrams is an internationally recognized behavioral research scientist whose work centers on culturally grounded, community-led solutions to health challenges that disproportionately affect Black women and other underserved populations.
Awards and Honors December 2025
Dr. Oladimeji Aladelokun, PhD, received the American Association for Cancer Research Scholar-in-Training Award. Aladelokun, a postdoctoral associate in Dr. Caroline Johnson’s Lab, was honored for the abstract, “Novel Sex-Specific Metabolic Phenotypes in Early Onset Colorectal Cancer.”
The Black Genome Project founder Dr. Chelsey R. Carter, PhD, MPH, and her colleague Dr. Brett Maricque, PhD, were featured on the “Genetic Frontiers” podcast. The Black Genome Project uses impactful community-engaged methods to understand how the Black community in St. Louis views genetic testing and information.
Dr. Kai Chen, PhD, was named faculty director of the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health (CCCH). CCCH addresses the threat of climate change by using Yale's multidisciplinary expertise and global reach to train future leaders, provide a comprehensive educational program, and catalyze innovative research. Also, Chen was selected as a Kavli Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences, which is awarded to scientists under age 45 who have made contributions to science early in their career.
Dr. Xi Chen, PhD, was elected as an advisory committee member for the Ageing, Longevity and Health Initiative at the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU). The initiative seeks to promote healthy aging and address current inequities in aging. His research areas include healthy aging, the economics of cognitive aging, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, aging-related policies, and the impacts of environmental pollution and climate change on older adults. Also, he was appointed as a research associate for the National Bureau of Economic Research, recognized for his work on the economics of aging.
Dr. Linda DeGutis, DrPH ’94, MSN ’82, is board chair of Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility. The non-partisan organization is committed to elevating the voices and experiences of older people to drive meaningful change. It aims to protect families, schools, and communities through evidence-based strategies that emphasize safety, accountability, and prevention.
Dr. Mayur Desai, MPH ’94, PhD ’97, was selected as a 2025-2026 Faculty Fellow with the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning to engage in discussions on promoting equitable teaching practices and pedagogies.
Dr. Michaela Dinan, PhD, was the opening speaker in Hartford for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, the nation's largest breast cancer fundraiser walk. Also, Dinan participated in a plenary session on impactful research using cancer surveillance data at this year's North American Association of Central Registries Conference with Dr. Cary Gross, MD. And she was named a fellow in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program at Drexel University College of Medicine. ELAM prepares women for senior leadership roles in schools of medicine, dentistry, public health, and pharmacy.
Dr. Gary Ginsberg, PhD, was appointed to a three-year term on the National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors.
Dr. Gregg Gonsalves, PhD ’17, YC ’11, was named a fellow by the Infectious Disease Society of America. The fellowship recognizes distinguished clinicians and scientists whose contributions move the field forward. Gonsalves is an expert in policy modeling on infectious disease and substance use, as well as the intersection of public policy and health equity.
Dr. Nicola Hawley, PhD, presented Yale's 21st C. Davenport Cook Lecture in International Child Health on Oct. 22. Hawley's presentation was titled “Beyond the Body: Life Course Approaches to Physical and Mental Health in Pacific Youth and Families.” Hawley's talk focused on her many years of work on adolescent mental health in American Samoa. She also presented a lecture on “A Life Course Approach to Obesity and Diabetes Prevention Among Samoans” as part of the University of Hawaii Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health's 2025 Dean's Speaker Series.
Dr. Jeannette Ickovics, PhD, joined Yale President Maurie McInnis, PhD, in London for a For Humanity Illuminated (FHI) gathering. FHI is a live event series that invites speakers across Yale to engage the Yale community in conversations on how to expand our positive impacts.
Chandra Kelsey, MPH, CHES, was named to the board of directors of the Connecticut chapter of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). SOPHE is a nonprofit, independent professional association that represents a diverse membership of health promotion and health education professionals and students in the U.S. and several international countries.
Dr. Albert Ko, MD, is president-elect of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. His research interests include zoonotic diseases, infectious diseases, health equity, maternal and child health, and global health.
Dr. Sarah Lowe, PhD, was elected to the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) board of directors. The ISTSS includes psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, researchers, clergy, and others with an interest in studying and treating traumatic stress.
YSPH Community Impact Lab Director Jason Martinez, MS, completed New Haven's Community Leadership Program. Martinez also was elected to the board of directors of Loaves and Fishes serving the New Haven community.
Nelba Márquez-Greene, LMFT, was selected as an honoree at The Denise D'Ascenzo Foundation's 2025 Human Spirit Awards Dinner. Honorees are chosen for exhibiting courage, kindness, and resilience that brighten the path for others. She also was elected to the board of directors of 4-CT, a Connecticut nonprofit that partners with community-based organizations across the state to empower individuals in need of improving their lives.
Dr. Terika McCall, PhD, MPH, MBA, was selected as a panel speaker for SXSW EDU 2026. McCall’s panel discussion, Pride + Resilience: LGBTQ+ Youth in Online Spaces, will focus on the needs of subgroups within the LGBTQ+ community, such as those in rural communities, trans and gender expansive youths, and Indigenous and Black youths. The panel will also discuss strategies for conducting youth-engaged research and supporting LGBTQ+ communities.
Dr. Bhramar Mukherjee, PhD, gave the Philip S. Brachman Memorial Lecture at the University of Michigan's Summer Session in Epidemiology. Mukherjee spoke about “Unveiling Bias: A Statistician's Quest for Data Equity in Health Research.” Also, she was elected a fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS). IMS fellowships recognize exceptional research and professional achievements in the fields of statistics and probability.
Dr. Chima Ndumele, PhD, MPH, participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The panel discussed proposed work requirements and their impact on assessing and maintaining safety net benefits in the U.S.
Dr. Ijeoma Opara, PhD, MPH, received the Excellence in Interdisciplinary Studies Impact Award at Women in Wellness: Celebrating Leaders in Mental Health for her outstanding work with youth in Paterson, New Jersey and other communities in the state.
Dr. A. David Paltiel, PhD, MBA, was an invited guest at the Choose Europe for Science event at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Paltiel was among the international experts and policymakers who participated in a panel discussion entitled “Defending Europe's Future: The Battle for Academic Freedom and Global Research Impact.”
Dr. Sunil Parikh, MD, MPH, was one of three recipients of the 2025 Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) Pilot Projects in HIV Research Program. This award funds Parikh's pilot project focused on detangling the interactions of HIV, G6PD deficiency, and diabetes in a malaria endemic setting.
Dr. Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, PhD, was invited by the International Journal for Equity in Health to co-edit a special issue, “Migration and its Effects on Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition.” Also, he was jointly appointed by the Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Children's Fund, and the World Health Organization as a member of the newly established UN Expert Group on Food Security and Nutrition data and statistics. And he was honored as a Class of 2025 Distinguished Fellow of by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Also honored was Dr. Debbie Humphries, PhD, MPH, MA. She was honored as an Excellence in Nutrition Fellow of ASN, a new category recognizing professionals who have distinguished themselves through ongoing contributions to the field of nutrition.
Kurt Petschke received the 2025 YSPH Staff Award for Outstanding Service. He is a research and project coordinator at YSPH and the Public Health Modeling Unit (PHMU). He is also the program manager for the Inclusion Body Myositis Registry at Yale (IBMR). He oversees the IBMR including maintaining the IBM Registry, IBM Personalized Index Calculator, and outreach activities. He is also the project coordinator on several research grants and other research projects for A. David Paltiel, Gregg Gonsalves, Joshua Warren, and Jody Sindelar. He also provides additional support and expertise as needed to other faculty, researchers, and students in the PHMU.
Dr. Virginia Pitzer, ScD, was named co-editor-in-chief of the journal PLOS Computational Biology.
Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, was a keynote speaker at the 2025 Remembrance Conference hosted by the University of Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Ranney highlighted the critical roles that medical professionals have in gun violence prevention efforts and emphasized that gun violence should be understood as a public health issue. She also participated in several events at the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Leaders Forum and served as moderator of a fireside chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci, MD. Ranney also gave the 2025 Annual Lecture of the Medical Library Associates on “Gun violence as a public health problem: What we know, and where we are going.”
Dr. Yusuf Ransome, MPH, DrPH, spoke at the Harvard Kennedy School's Black Policy Conference, which provides a critical space for meaningful dialogue, actionable solutions, and community-driven change to address challenges and opportunities facing Black communities. Ransome's work explores the intersections of health equity, spirituality, and data-driven policy.
Dr. Jason L. Schwartz, PhD, and Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, have been appointed to a new Connecticut Department of Public Health advisory committee. The committee will advise the department's commissioner, Dr. Manisha Juthani, MD, on matters related to vaccines and other public health issues.
Dr. Donna Spiegelman, ScD, presented at this year's International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science in Kigali, Rwanda, considered the world's most influential meeting on HIV research. Spiegelman presented on how the Learn-As-You-Go clinical trial model developed at YSPH optimizes public health interventions for real-world implementation.
Dr. Jeffrey Townsend, PhD, was recognized for his “outstanding guidance and visionary leadership” as a chair of the Cancer Evolution Working Group of the American Association for Cancer Research. Townsend was one of the founding leaders of the group and has served as a member of its leadership team for four years.
Dr. Michael Wininger, PhD, was honored with a star on the Yaliewood Walk of Fame. Wininger received the star for his biostatistics primer, a fully online, asynchronous course that prepares incoming MPH students for their academic courses at Yale.
Kaakpema Yelpaala, MPH ’06, spoke at the 2025 Healthcare Leadership Conference in Lagos, Nigeria. The conference is Nigeria's foremost platform for uniting health care leaders, policymakers, and innovators to drive impactful transformation across the health sector.
Dr. Hongyu Zhao, PhD, was named a fellow of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB). The ICBS fellows program recognizes excellence in computational biology, honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions through leadership, research, and service.
Dr. Yize Zhao, PhD, received the IMS Thelma and Marvin Zelen Emerging Women Leaders in Data Science Award in recognition of her fundamental contributions to analytical methods and applications in medical imaging, neuroscience, psychiatry, and mental health.
Dr. Anne Zink, MD, was appointed to the steering committee for the Vaccine Integrity Project, a new initiative that seeks to safeguard vaccine use in the U.S. Zink served as the chief medical officer for Alaska from 2018 to 2024 and is nationally recognized for implementing data-driven health care solutions and advocating for health improvements at local, territorial, state, and national levels.