Usha Mathur-Wagh ‘10 is a physician who specializes in Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS. She is an
Associate Professor of Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center (BIMC) and Albert Einstein School of Medicine. She and her colleagues were among the first to describe the clinical syndrome of AIDS in the early 80’s. For over 25 years she has been involved in HIV clinical care and research. As the Director of the Peter Krueger Clinic for HIV/AIDS at BIMC, she was the recipient of an NIH grant ($2.5 million) to study the Natural History of HIV infection in women, named WIHS (Women’s Interagency HIV Study). She served as the principal investigator of WIHS from 1993-2000 at her institution. Currently, in her first year at the EMPH program, she wants to advance her expertise in the area of public policy, particularly concerning HIV prevention and education. To that effect, she founded a program named YUVA, for youth aged 12-25, in an impoverished neighborhood of New Delhi, India, through a partnership with an NGO called Drishtikon. This program, now in it’s third year of existence, has over 1000 members. The main aim of YUVA is to provide HIV/AIDS education to vulnerable youth in a culturally sensitive manner. In addition, this program offers instruction in various skill- building activities for the participants. After graduating from the EMPH program, in addition to continuing her clinical work, Usha wants to expand and duplicate this pilot HIV prevention program in other communities here and abroad.
Kavita Kewalramani ’09 is an Internist who will be completing eight years as medical consultant for the New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services. She decided to pursue a Masters in Public Health to
hone her policy and leadership skills. She feels that the program at Columbia has taught her all about the management of health care that she did not learn in medical school or residency. She is confident that she can use this knowledge to provide viable solutions for our fragmented health care system. In addition, studying at Columbia has fulfilled her desire to experience “college life” in America, since her entire education has been in India. She is happy that this year her family will celebrate three graduations: her son graduates from high school and will be attending University of Pennsylvania this fall, her daughter graduates from middle school and will be moving on to high school, and Kavita graduates from the EMPH program this August. In addition, her youngest daughter who is eight will be “graduating” from third grade and going to the fourth grade!
Asha James ’10 A physician by training, Asha joined India’s elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) wh
ere only 50 of the more than 300,000 applicants are selected. As an IAS officer, Asha served in diverse positions in India including serving as the District Magistrate of South Delhi, and later as the Secretary of Health to the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India. Asha’s IAS experiences include conducting magisterial inquiries into suspected dowry deaths of women in Delhi, adjudicating civil cases involving land and water management in Delhi, running the Total Literacy Campaign of Udaipur District of Rajasthan, and helping the politically elected Council of Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh in formulating the state’s health policy. Asha relocated to the US because of her family and she is looking forward to gaining an in-depth exposure to the US health care system through her MPH experience at Columbia.
Michael Geiger is a District Manager for a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical. In this position he is responsible for nine pharmaceutical sales representatives who promote Johnson & Johnson’s products to healthcare providers. Prior to this position he spent five years as a Hospital Representative working with Medical Executive boards, P&T committees, sub committees and providers ensuring formulary placement and utilization of the company’s products throughout the hospital setting. Michael received his MBA in Finance from Fordham University. He chose to enter Columbia’s EMPH program to better understand the terrain of the healthcare environment in which he is operating. “You can have the best Sales or Marketing Strategy, but if it can not be executed due to environmental restrictions, the strategy is not worth the paper it is written on.” In addition to the degree itself, Michael has found the interaction with his colleagues a priceless experience. He is an avid skier, triathlete and had his Issues and Approaches in Health Policy and Management term paper published in the March 2009 issue of Pharmaceutical Representative, “What a National Healthcare System would mean for the Pharmaceutical Industry.”Preeti Tahiliani ‘09
Preeti is a Regional Finance Compliance Consultant at Anthem Blue Cross/WellPoint Inc., where she focuses on key finance compliance initiatives of the company. Preeti joined the EMPH program to compliment her strong finance skills with an in-depth knowledge of the health care industry. She felt this was key to progress in her current career in finance or to seek another avenue within the healthcare industry. It is incredible how much she has learned over the past 18 months. The knowledge gained from classroom discussions, group projects, lectures and even classroom breaks is just priceless. The bonds that classmates develop through this experience are ones that will last a lifetime. Preeti recently relocated to California and is able to still reap the benefits of the program, being that it is only once a month. She loves to travel, decorate, watch psychological thrillers and has quite an unhealthy addiction to Pinkberry.
Diana Frame ‘09
Diana Frame is a freelance consultant working to improve clinical trials planning, with a focus on cancer treatment and prevention. Her favorite problems involve finding rigorous ways to use existing data (such as published literature, registries, and medical records). Diana is in her second year in the EMPH program and is enjoying the camaraderie among her fellow students as well as the thought-provoking classes. She loves cooking and run-on sentences. Her favorite EMPH lunch is Saturday’s plantains, rice and beans, and chicken.
Paul ‘10 Paul is in his first year at the program. In his short tenure as the Medical Director of the Hospitalist Program as well as an Associate Program Director for the medical residency training program at Columbia University Medical Center, he has witnessed dramatic changes in the delivery of in-patient care. He takes pride in the mission of both programs to provide care to the underserved 
community of Washington Heights, but they now confront significant challenges associated with the changing hospital environment, including the lost work force due to residency work hour restrictions, the chronic over-crowding in the emergency room, and the constant pressure to increase hospital through-put. He is excited to find in the EMPH program the formal but practical training that will help address these problems. He finds that the best part of the program is his classmates that represent an impressive array of real-world experiences and backgrounds. He looks forward to seeing the class go on to make a difference in our healthcare system. His other job is working as a Team Physician for the team which he has followed throughout childhood, the New York Yankees.
Nuno Santo ‘09 Nuno Santo, currently in his second year at EMPH, prefers to be called Nunu. He works at the Management Science Division at Pfizer, engaging in Worldwide Pharmaceutical Operations. His background is in Business and Economics. He decided to pursue the EMPH program so that he could “dive deep into the health care industry.” He thinks he has learned a lot from the program, especially from his class mates who are from all sectors of the health care industry. He is impressed with the weekend intensive format which allows him to digest the information and use it in the real world. He loves to travel and joined his class for a trip to Cuba earlier this year. He finds listening to “world” music invigorating.
Ruth Mumo Muinde ‘10 Ruth is in her first year at the program and prefers to be called Mumo. She decided to take on the challenge of joining the program in order to understand how the private and public sector can work collaboratively to deliver, finance, and improve access to health care services. This knowledge will help her as Practice Consultant in Pharma Solutions at Wolters Kluwer Health. She majored in Economics with a concentration in Management and Microbiology. So far, she likes the great student composition of the class. Her hobbies include traveling, listening to music, watching TV and cooking. For details on her choice of music and TV programs, you may want to ask her personally during class breaks.
Jeffrey Schwartz, MD ‘09 Jeff is in the second year of the EMPH program at Columbia University. Known as Jeffrey by his classmates and colleagues he is the Chief Operations Officer of Sports Science Medical Management, a multi specialty medical practice with six office locations. In addition he received a Certificate in Healthcare Delivery Management through Cornell University and the SC Johnson Graduate School of Management (2002). “I was in private practice for over twenty years and I witnessed a revolution in the delivery of office based medical care. My first return to school allowed me to take information learned in the classroom and apply it directly to my day to day responsibilities of running a group. I believe the course work at the Mailman School of Public health will allow me to expand my ability in terms of leading a major organization. I find the structure of the EMPH program most conducive to a rapid education and the interaction with so many different professionals gives me access to a diverse fund of knowledge that is unique to any learning experience I have ever been involved in.” He and his wife Ingrid enjoy living by the beach during the summer as well as skiing and snowboarding with their four sons during the winter.
Vincent Santana ‘10 Vincent is in his first year at the program and prefers to be called Vinny. He is an Administrative Manager of Research Operations at the GH Sergievsky Center and the Taub Institute at Columbia University. His academic background is in Finance & Economics and has an MBA in Management although most of his work experience is in Clinical Research, having coordinated several international studies. He decided to pursue his EMPH in order to get a more theoretical understanding of health care issues. What drew him to the program was access to experienced classmates and the faculty. When not working or studying he coaches soccer, basketball and baseball for his son and daughter. His interests include reading, cultural history, surnames, traveling, anything Dominican and anything regarding Washington Heights. As a former DJ he loves all music but enjoys Merengue and R&B most. He is also a Columbia lifer; he was born at Babies Hospital and has worked at Columbia since 1989.
Lisa Lewis ‘09 Lisa is a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist in her second year of the program. She came to the EMPH program to better understand the political, legal, economic, and administrative issues that surround physicians and patients today and in the future. Health care in the United States is transforming rapidly, and Lisa believes that our EMPH program provides leading edge information that she hopes to bring back to her community. The intensive weekend format works perfect for Lisa’s commute from Denver, Colorado and her work schedule, because she is still ‘taking call” in her practice. Lisa enjoys the great outdoors of Colorado – hiking, road or mountain biking, downhill or cross-country skiing with her family.
Here is a picture of Lisa with some of her pets in CO.
Eduardo Antonio ‘10 Everybody knows me as Eddie (only the bill collectors call me Eduardo). I am a PA (Physician Assistant), and my specialty is Emergency Medicine (@ 14 years). I am currently employed in the Emergency Department by Columbia University. I was appointed Team Leader in developing our fast track (with the aid of a private consulting company) in our Allen campus. Our basic goal was to coordinate with the different departments (Radiology, Nursing, Laboratory, and Registration) a formula that would provide efficiency in patient care in our ED (Emergency Department). As a result we have tremendously decreased our patient waiting time for evaluation at least 2 folds and have increased our volume accordingly.
I have always wanted to go further in terms of ED management / administration and with cost effectiveness, without compromising patient care. I learned about this program through my colleagues who are ED MD’s at Columbia. And this is the reason for me being here, to absorb as much information I can. I have never taken a single business/economics class in my entire career, not until this program. But the professors and the professional diversity in my class amazes me and this what motivates and feeds my passion in learning more about this extremely important issue of Administration and Policy in Public Health.
Dina Pagnotta’09 Dina Pagnotta is a physical therapist and Director of the NYUHJD Musculoskeletal Rehab Network. She is a second year EMPH student. She was inspired to pursue a MPH after returning from a volunteer experience in Peru and was left questioning her role in the implementation of change in our health care system. Since beginning the program in September of 2007, it has been a whirlwind of exams, papers, and group projects while attempting to maintain some semblance of life. And here in lies the beauty of the EMPH program. Although extremely intense, all of the students maintain a healthy balance of life and school. The professors are fantastic but the students even more so. The best aspect of the program is what she has learned from her fellow classmates who reign from a plethora of backgrounds. She loves running, photography and people.
Robert Fliegel ‘10
Robert Fliegel, who prefers to be called Bob, is the Chief Financial Officer of a Community Health Center in New York. In fact, he has spent 25 years working at NYC Community Health Centers. He wishes to let you know that he has done all of his education at night school while working during the day. This includes his CPA and Certificate in Financial Planning. He chose to do an EMPH because the next level of advancement for him in the health care field would be that of CEO and this can only happen with a Masters in Public Health. He is grateful for all the wonderful people he has met in the EMPH program. As a Boy Scout leader for 11 years, he has always preached to the boys that, “You will never soar with eagles if you hang around with turkeys!” He believes that in the EMPH program, he is soaring with eagles! He is a father of four and his hobbies include sailing on “Joy Sea” his 26 feet sailboat and tinkering with vintage cars.
This page is compiled by Kavita Kewalramani, MD, EMPH ‘09
For detailed networking and updating profiles accessible to fellow classmates and alumni goto the EMPH Intranet.
