Two well-known Public Health faculty will lead the department this semester, with plans to boost research and experiential learning, integrate academics more fully into The Collaboratory and increase programs to align with professional opportunities.
Dr. Allison Burton-Chase and Dr. Margaret Doll (pictured above) will co-direct the Public Health Program. Dr. Burton-Chase has been on the faculty for over a decade, and Dr. Doll since 2019.
Dr. Burton-Chase (known on campus as “ABC”) joined ACPHS in August 2013 and was charged, in part, with helping to build an accredited bachelor’s program in public health. She was one of two faculty members to lead that accreditation process and has played a vital role in the program’s leadership over the last eight years.
She has previously held positions at MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Duke University Medical Center and the Durham VA Medical Center. Her research focuses on the behavioral aspects of hereditary cancer syndromes, with a specific focus on patient-provider relationships and advance care planning in individuals with Lynch syndrome. Outside of ACPHS, she is the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Society of Preventive Oncology and also the President of the Board of Directors for Bethlehem Children's School.
Working with students is the best part of her job, Dr. Burton-Chase said.
“The students in this program are so dedicated and consistently impress me with their thoughtfulness and empathy,” she said. “It is truly inspiring to see how much our students grow and change during their time at ACPHS. By the time they are seniors, they are truly ready to go on to a full-time job or a graduate/professional school, where they can impress those classmates, colleagues, and faculty with their critical thinking, communication, and public health practice skills."
Dr. Doll joined the College in January 2019. She has previously held positions at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and at the Public Health Agency of Canada. She maintains an active research profile with students focused on the evaluation of vaccine programs, and her methodological work has been recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. At ACPHS, she has served as the Faculty Advisor to the ACPHS student-led Public Health Association and has worked to establish the Epsilon Phi Chapter of the Delta Omega National Public Health Honorary Society at ACPHS.
“Every day I am inspired by our public health students,” Dr. Doll said. “Whether they are seeking a career in public health, medicine, or research, their passion for improving the health of people locally and beyond shines through in their efforts in and out of the classroom.”
The Public Health Program co-directors are among faculty filling positions this semester. The following faculty have taken on interim responsibilities in Spring 2024, including:
- Assistant Professor Dr. Megan Veselov will serve as interim director of professional affairs through the end of the academic year. Her duties will focus on execution of the PhIT portfolio, stewardship over the professionalism code and related violations.
- Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice Dr. Darren Grabe will serve as interim director of continuing education and professional development. His duties will focus on leadership of the College’s continuing education program and management of the continuing education staff.