Mary K. Madsen Receives ACHE Regent’s Award
May 17, 2007
Mary K. Madsen, Ph.D., R.N., FAAMR, Professor in the College of Health Sciences (CHS) Department of Health Sciences, Health Care Administration & Informatics, recently received the American College of Healthcare Executives Senior Level Healthcare Executives Regent’s Award.

The Award recognizes ACHE affiliates who are experienced in the field and have significantly contributed toward the advancement of healthcare management excellence and the achievements of the goals of ACHE.

Affiliates are evaluated on leadership ability, innovated and creative management, executive capability in developing their own organization and promoting its growth and stature in the community, contribution to the development of others in the healthcare profession, leadership in local or state hospital and health association activities, participation in civic/community activities and projects and participation in ACHE activities and interest in assisting ACHE in achieving its objectives.

“Dr. Madsen has faithfully served as educator, advisor and mentor to UWM’s healthcare administration students and plays a significant role in the development of strong, visionary future leaders for our healthcare organizations,” said Barbara L. Knutzen, FACHE, and ACHE’s Regent at Large for District 3 who presented the Award. “This is a tremendously important contribution to the success of America’s healthcare in the decades ahead.”

The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of 30,000 healthcare executives who lead the nation’s hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. ACHE is known for its prestigious credentialing and educational programs and its annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership, which draws more than 4,000 participants each year. ACHE is also known for publishing professional journals, ground-breaking research and career development and public policy programs.

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The UWM College of Health Sciences offers the largest number of health-related degree programs in Wisconsin, training its graduates for high-demand careers. Many of the College's six undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs are nationally recognized and have achieved the highest accreditation awards possible. The College's faculty conducts state-of-the-art research attracting a record number of federal research grants. During its 31-year history, the College’s research and health sciences education has contributed significantly to improving quality of life.  ...
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College Honors its Partners, Colleagues and Students
May 31, 2007
Small photo: Jim Lemerond, Columbia St. Mary’s School of Radiologic Technology and Cindy Brown, CHS

Large photo: left to right, Jeff Schmidt, Kristi Vandenbush and Marci Reynolds (winners of the Lia Erin Schmidt Memorial Scholarship) and Marlene Schmidt

On Friday, May 11th, emcees Kimberly Kane (Member of the CHS Advisory Board and health care recruiter for Novo Recruiting) and Shari Azinger (CHS Student and Co-Chair of the Black and Gold Advisory Committee), with the assistance of members of the Black & Gold Committee, hosted the 32nd annual College of Health Sciences Awards and Recognition Ceremony.

Dean Randall S. Lambrecht hosted the event which is an opportunity for partners, faculty, staff and students of the college to come together and celebrate each others’ accomplishments. The law firm of Reinhart Boerner Van Dueren SC was a sponsor.

The celebratory evening ended with the announcement of several awardees whose identities are always a closely guarded secret. This year’s winners are: Sherri L. Sieff (Clinical Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders) - Byoung Kim Teaching Excellence Award; Scott J. Strath (Assistant Professor, Human Movement Sciences) - Dean’s Research Award; Brad Bonczkiewicz and Keith E. Emmons (Enderis Technical Support) - Dean’s Award for Outstanding Service; and Kimber Gerber (1st Place), Alexis Cogswell (2nd Place) and Nadina Snow Hill (3rd Place) - Scientific Research Symposium Awards.

Community Partnership Awards were given to Columbia St. Mary’s School of Radiologic Technology; UW Hospital & Clinics School of Diagnostic Medical Sonography; UW Hospital & Clinics School of Radiologic Technology; and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – St. Joseph School of Radiologic Technology.

Holly Majeski won the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Scholarships were awarded to Kelly Wildenberg - Victoria A. Lenichek Memorial Scholarship; Kamaldeen Muili - Molly Yeffeth Krain & Irwin Amrani Memorial Scholarship; Sabrin Rizk - Curative Memorial Scholarship; Kyami Cronin, Brittney Poth, Lisa Ring and Simeona Todorova - Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare Scholarship; Dorian Anderson, Michelle Bracy, Erick Hall, Calvin Mai, Christopher Miller, Melynda Torres and Rachel Wallace - Froedtert Minority Scholars Award; Jason Rakita - College of Health Sciences New Transfer Student Scholarship; Ashley Amick - Clinical Laboratory Sciences Alumni Scholarship; Kristina DeSmet - Quantum Devices Scholarship; Ashley Amick - Victor A. Baylon Scholarship; Bronwyn Mutchler - College of Health Sciences New Freshman Student Scholarship; Joseph McBeth and Kelly Wildenberg - Department of Human Movement Sciences Faculty/Alumni Scholarship; Joseph McBeth - College of Health Sciences Student Scholarship; Shara Terrill and Simeona Todorova - Leslie A. Blide Memorial Scholarship; Angela Berwick - Jean Jesse Scholarship; Marcie Reynolds and Kristi Vandenbush - Lia Erin Schmidt Memorial Scholarship; Shannon Gatewood - Dean Hanus Scholarship; Ryan Mueller - Melissa Tikofsky Memorial Scholarship; Heidi Fleming - Catherine Zimmer Scholarship; and Eileen Haebig - Dean's Advisory Board Scholarship.

CHS Student Research Grant Award winners are Tara Brown, Alexis Cogswell, Katie Cruise, Kristina DeSmet, Sandeep Gopalakrishnan, Nandina Snow Hill and Cynthia Opansky (Fall 2006) and Getachew Abate, Paul Alexander, Katie Clancy, Nickolas Davis, Eileen Haebig, and Carrie Truebenbach (Spring 2007.)

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The UWM College of Health Sciences offers the largest number of health-related degree programs in Wisconsin, training its graduates for high-demand careers. Many of the College's six undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs are nationally recognized and have achieved the highest accreditation awards possible. The College's faculty conducts state-of-the-art research attracting a record number of federal research grants. During its 31-year history, the College’s research and health sciences education has contributed significantly to improving quality of life.  ...
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CHS Faculty Receive $100,000 Grant from Helen Bader Foundation
June 06, 2007
Two College of Health Sciences’ faculty recently received a $100,000 grant from the Helen Bader Foundation to support a project on creating an integrated database for young children with disabilities in Milwaukee County.

Paula M. Rhyner, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Timothy Patrick, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Health Sciences are co-investigators for a project titled “Early Childhood Integrated Database System (ECIDS) Phase 2: Standardizing the Data for Birth to 3 Programs in Milwaukee County.”

The ECIDS project (together with community partners Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, City of Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee Center for Independence) addresses the need for improved collection, storage and sharing of information about young children with disabilities. This can help facilitate their access to primary and preventive services, promote their improved identification and enhance the coordination of care and case management.

In particular, the ECIDS project addresses the compelling need for standardized coding schemes to represent data collected for children receiving services through Milwaukee County early intervention (Birth to 3) programs. Standardized coding schemes for the representation of Birth to 3 services data are needed to ensure program efficacy in disability services options, meet federal requirements for individualized programs for children and families and allow examination of data in aggregate form for reporting, surveillance, and quality measurement purposes.

“Thanks to the added support from the Foundation, our faculty will be able to pursue their important work.” said Dean Randall S. Lambrecht. “This new database system has the potential to benefit thousands of children.”

The ECIDS will include a central database, an online referral tool, a case management tool, an Individual Family Service Plan tool and outcome measurement and reporting tools for early intervention programs in Milwaukee County and the state of Wisconsin.

The project will improve the delivery of early intervention services for young children by (1) allowing for accurate/reliable determination of prevalence and rate trends for children with disabilities; (2) fostering efficient, integrated service delivery for these children; (3) facilitating the tracking of successes, costs and benefits of these services; and (4) supporting evaluation and improvement of services.

Service providers and client families from selected early intervention programs will participate in ECIDS implementation and provide feedback for evaluation, which will focus on data collection and data reporting. Team leaders will also work closely with the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) to ensure system compatibility and security.

The Helen Bader Foundation, Inc. supports innovative projects and programs that advance the well-being of people and promote successful relationships with their families and communities. The Foundation strives to be a philanthropic leader in improving the quality of life of the diverse communities in which it works. It awards an average of $11 million per year in grants, totaling more than $147 million in grants since it was established in 1992.

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The UWM College of Health Sciences offers the largest number of health-related degree programs in Wisconsin, training its graduates for high-demand careers. Many of the College's six undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs are nationally recognized and have achieved the highest accreditation awards possible. The College's faculty conducts state-of-the-art research attracting a record number of federal research grants. During its 31-year history, the College’s research and health sciences education has contributed significantly to improving quality of life.  ...
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College “Friends” Honored at UWM Commencement
June 06, 2007
Front page photo: William D. Petasnik and UWM Chancellor, Carlos E. Santiago

Right photo: left to right, CHS Dean, Randall S. Lambrecht, Gregory Banaszynski and UWM Chancellor, Carlos E. Santiago

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Commencement on May 20th took on a special meaning for the College of Health Sciences (CHS) as three “friends” were honored.

William D. Petasnik
Honorary Doctorate in Health Sciences

CHS Advisory Board Member, William Petasnik, President/CEO of Froedert Hospital and Health System, received an Honorary Doctorate in Health Sciences. It is only the second time in the 32-year history of CHS that an honorary doctorate has been awarded. Petasnik is an active Dean’s Advisory Board member and staunch supporter of UWM and the College.

Petasnick believes that a health care system is a social agency, and as such it has a greater mission of combining patient care, teaching, research and community service. This is reflected in many ways, among them: through Froedtert’s connection with the Medical College of Wisconsin, Petasnick has helped turn a local health care facility into a regional academic medical center relied on for its state-of-the-art patient treatments in a teaching environment; in working toward greater transparency and continuous improvement, he was a founding sponsor of the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality; and as a co-founder of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership Inc., he seeks to address the shortage of primary-care and urgent-care facilities in Milwaukee’s lower-income neighborhoods, aggressively pursue grants and private funds and coordinate new collaborations.

His direct contributions to the College have been numerous and significant. Among others he has helped direct key support for scholarships and paid internships, especially for students of color, and sponsorship of its “Critical Knowledge in Health Care” speaker series.

In the coming year, the United States will come to more fully appreciate Petasnick’s leadership when he serves as the National Chairman of the American Hospital Association (AHA.)

Gregory Banaszynski
UWM Distinguished Alumnus Award in the Field of Health Sciences

Another CHS “friend” honored at the Commencement Ceremony was Gregory Banaszynski, President and CEO, SynergyHealth Inc. in Washington County, who received a UWM Distinguished Alumnus Award. Banaszynski earned his Bachelor’s of Business Administration from UWM and has been involved with the College for many years as a Member of the Dean’s Advisory Board.

Banaszynski is often consulted for his knowledge and expertise in emerging health care technology. He has been the leader of several large non- and for-profit health care providers and hospital systems since 1977. From 2001 to 2006 he served as President and CEO of Fort Healthcare of Fort Atkinson, Wis. Banaszynski’s accomplishments at Fort Healthcare include leading a $40 million hospital expansion and renovation, and the development of the first partnered regional cancer care center with the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

As CHS Advisory Board Member, Banaszynski has taken the lead in raising corporate funds for student scholarships and has helped raise more than $100,000 towards scholarships. Through SynergyHealth Inc. he has been instrumental in securing internship opportunities for students in the Health Care Administration program.

Steven Riley Le Moine
UWM Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award

Also singled out for achievement and service was Steven Riley Le Moine, Director of Cardiovascular Services, Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center in Dearborn, MI., who received a UWM GOLD Award.

Le Moine, a CHS graduate in Health Care Administration (B.S. 2000), has given back as a student and as a professional while fast-tracking his career. As an undergraduate, Le Moine was Student Chapter President of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, conducting research on stroke rehabilitation under the mentorship of CHS Professor Mary K. Madsen. He also led two Habitat for Humanity alternative spring break trips and traveled to Thailand with the UWM chapter of the Burma Refugee Relief Coalition.

Le Moine received his Master of Health Administration and a Certificate in Information Systems in 2004 from Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus. He then worked at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver.

His dedication to community service continues. Le Moine is active in Habitat for Humanity, meets with groups of undergraduate students and speaks about his graduate school experience to students considering an advanced degree.

During the Commencement Ceremony, 175 CHS students received their Baccalaureate Degrees variously in Clinical Lab Sciences, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Care Administration, Kinesiology, Occupational Therapy and Therapeutic Recreation. An additional 25 students proudly received their Master of Science.

Dean Randall S. Lambrecht lauded all for their achievements, “Commencement is always a special time. We congratulate all of our graduates and wish them well as they pursue their careers. We also thank our “friends” who so deservedly were honored. Their ties to the College have benefited us in so many ways and we are grateful to them.”

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The UWM College of Health Sciences offers the largest number of health-related degree programs in Wisconsin, training its graduates for high-demand careers. Many of the College's six undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs are nationally recognized and have achieved the highest accreditation awards possible. The College's faculty conducts state-of-the-art research attracting a record number of federal research grants. During its 31-year history, the College’s research and health sciences education has contributed significantly to improving quality of life.  ...
Read More