2023 Institute for Higher Education Academy - Tuesday

Rachael Dombrowski, PhD, MPH, designs, implements and evaluates multilevel interventions to advance social justice and improve community health. Dr. Dombrowski is a faculty member of California State University San Marcos where she conducts community-based participatory research, including program development and evaluation within the Midwest and nation-wide. Dr. Dombrowski serves as an evaluator for the Best Food Forward school-based nutrition supports intervention, and recently conducted an assessment of over 300 grocery stores for the Great Grocer Project. Prior to working in academia, Dr. Dombrowski spent over 10 years directing and evaluating several multilevel interventions focused on policy, systems and environmental change within schools, communities, hospitals and corner stores in suburban Cook County and Chicago, Illinois. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago (PhD) and the University of Michigan (MPH). She has worked in the public health field for over 15 years.

Dr. Seraphine Pitt Barnes currently serves as a health scientist in the CDC’s Division of Population Health, Healthy Schools Branch. Seraphine designs and conducts cross-cutting school-based evaluation research. She also oversees the school health evaluation activities of the Healthy Schools Program (1801) and provides evaluation technical assistance to grantees and a variety of partners with the goal of improving nutrition, physical activity, and managing chronic health conditions in schools. Seraphine also serves as the lead for the School Health Index. Dr. Pitt Barnes earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in Public Health from the University of South Florida.

Leigh Szucs, Ph.D., CHES is a Health Scientist in the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) at the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Her research focuses on implementation and evaluation of school-based health education programs, specifically sexuality education to prevent STIs, including HIV, and unintended pregnancy. Through this work, Leigh also provides technical and capability building assistance to school districts and NGOs, using evidence-informed strategies that address adolescent sexual health outcomes, and protective factors to support the social, emotional, and learning needs of youth. Leigh earned a Master of Education in Health Education at Texas State University and PhD in Health Education at Texas A&M University.

LCDR Mpofu was commissioned as a Scientist officer in the U.S. Public Health Service and joined CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in 2012. She completed her PhD in Health Behavior and Health Education with a focus in Epidemiology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and has an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. While at CDC, she has worked as an Epidemiologist in the Division of Reproductive Health and Office of Minority Health and Health Equity. She currently serves as Team Lead for Scientific Support and Innovation in the Division of Adolescent and School Health in the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention at CDC.

Lloyd Kolbe is Emeritus Professor at Indiana University School of Public Health. He conducts health policy research and development to improve the health and education of young people in the U.S. and other nations; has held senior appointments within private-sector, academic, and federal government agencies; and served from 1985-2003 as founding director of CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health.

Dr. Brieah Hudson is a native of Jackson, Ms. She is a product of the Jackson Public School District. Dr. Hudson received her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Science from University of Southern Mississippi. She received her Master’s Degree and Doctorate in Public Health from Jackson State University. Dr. Hudson worked for the MS Department of Health for 14 years as well as an adjunct professor for Walden and Jackson State University. She has joined Jackson State University as a full time Assistant Professor & the Health Education Program Coordinator since 2021 in the College of Education and Human Development Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department.

Mrs. Jackie Dipzinski graduated with a BS in Health Science from SUNY Brockport and an Ed.M in Education from The University at Buffalo. Mrs. Dipzinski joined the Department of Public Health and Health Education at SUNY College at Brockport as a full-time faculty member in August 2018. In this role she teaches courses in health education teaching methods, health communication, principals and philosophies of health education, experiential in health education, assessment and evaluation in health education, research methods in health education, foundations of school health and safe and healthy relationships. Mrs. Dipzinski also serves as the Coordinator of the School Health Education program since August 2018. She also serves as Field Placement Coordinator. In 2019, she published an article titled "Using Standards-Based Rubrics to Facilitate Online Peer Assessment, Response, and Reflection" with TOPR. Prior to joining the faculty at SUNY Brockport, Mrs. Dipzinski taught and coordinated health for grades 6-8 at the East Irondequoit Central School District for 15.5 years. During the last 10 years of her time at East Irondequoit, she also served at the Coordinator and Elective Teacher for AVID. She is a National Trainer for AVID's Culturally Relevant Teaching (2018-2021) for educators. She also served as a American Red Cross Instructor from 2003-2013.

Dr. Knutson has been a faculty professor of Health Education and Physical Education at MSUM since Fall of 2012. Prior to MSUM she had invested 6 additional years in Higher Ed: one (1) year at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH and five (5) years at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN. She also has taught 17 years in the K-12 system. She received her undergrad in Health and Physical Education from the University of Minnesota Morris. She has a Master's in Administrative Leadership and Administration (SCSU), a Master's in Health and Physical Education with DAPE (SCSU) and received her PhD from Capella University in Post-Secondary and Adult Education. She now devotes her time to teacher preparation programs for Health Education and Physical Education. She is currently a MN SHAPE Board Member for Higher Ed Division and has previously served 9 years on the MN SHAPE Board in various capacities.