Distinguished Professor Anthony Miller, Ph.D., returned in August as director of the Division of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies after serving as the Chief Policy & Research Officer at the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) in Washington, D.C. At PAEA, he provided oversight for research, government relations, and the professional consulting service. Prior to his service with PAEA, Dr. Miller founded and directed the Division of Assistant Studies at Shenandoah from 2000-2012 and continued to teach at the university as a distinguished professor/adjunct faculty member. Miller succeeds Rachel Carlson, Ed.D., under whose directorship the PA program repeatedly received high national rankings. Dr. Carlson will remain a part-time faculty member as she fulfills her new role as the director of Advanced Practice Clinician Services at Valley Health. Carlson will remain invaluable to the PA program, the School of Health Professions and the university in facilitating the growing and strengthening collaborations between Valley Health and Shenandoah.
Miller, also an avid cook, saw his recent “boot camp” experience at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) recently featured by CIA online in the article, “The Zen of Cooking.”
Michelle Gamber, DrPH, joined the faculty in August as the founding director of the university’s graduate programs in public health. Dr. Gamber came from ICF International, where among other duties, she was responsible for managing surveys as part of the Demographic and Health Survey Program. Prior to working with ICF International, she worked for USAID as a technical expert for reproductive health and family planning in the Office of Population and Reproductive Health and in the Office of Food for Peace as a gender expert. While holding a wide range of positions in global public health and development, she also maintained a teaching appointment at the University of Arizona. She has considerable experience in training and mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students in public health, and in developing and delivering both on-line and face-to-face courses. Her research and teaching interests include maternal and child health, reproductive health, global health and development, food security and nutrition. Her doctoral degree in public health is in maternal and child health. She also holds an Master of Public Health in epidemiology, a medical anthropology certificate and a university teaching certificate from the University of Arizona, as well as a master’s degree in anthropology from Western Michigan University.
In June, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Cathy Shanholtz, O.T.D., was named director of the Division of Occupational Therapy after the successful conclusion of a national search. She served with distinction as the interim director of the division for six months, and prior to that as the program’s Northern Virginia site coordinator and director of clinical education & experiential learning. “She has agreed to lead the division forward at a time of transformative change for all our health professions’ programs as we increase our focus on interprofessional education and affordable care,” said School of Health Professions Dean Timothy Ford, Ph.D. In addition, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Autumn O’Hara, M.S., accepted the position of director of clinical education & experiential learning.