Shout Outs

By Office of the President | May 6, 2025

Health Informatics Program Earns Accreditation Scholarship

Health Informatics Scholarship In March 2025, our Health Informatics Program in the School of Health Professions secured a CAHIIM/AMIA Accreditation Scholarship.

Only four programs across the country received this recognition. The scholarship, valued at over $16,300, covers costs associated with the program’s effort to obtain accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) provided the funding.

This support allows the program to continue aligning its curriculum with industry standards in health informatics education. Students enrolled in accredited programs may gain advantages such as improved employment opportunities, access to professional certifications, and training that reflects up-to-date healthcare data practices.

Congratulations to the Health Informatics Program’s faculty, staff, and students for earning this national recognition and advancing the pursuit of academic excellence.

Dr. Smith-Bellille Speaks at Ross Med Day

Left to Right: Jameela J. Yusuff, M.D., MPH, Teresa Y. Smith-Bellille, M.D., MSEd, FACEP, and Seeth Vivek, M.D., DLFAPA

Thank you to Teresa Y. Smith-Bellille, M.D., MSEd, FACEP, for your thoughtful and encouraging words at Ross Med Day at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. The Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) students were inspired by your honesty, insight, and strong support for their growth.

Your leadership helped create an environment where student research and passion were celebrated, reminding us how important caring and committed educators are to the future of healthcare.

We extend special thanks to Jameela J. Yusuff, M.D., MPH, former Chief Medical Officer at UHD and now Chief Medical Officer at St. John’s Episcopal, and Seeth Vivek, M.D., DLFAPA, Associate Dean for Clinical Sciences, Professor, and chairman, Department of Psychiatry, Ross University School of Medicine, for helping to make this event possible and for their commitment to student success.

Ross Med Day shows how powerful mentorship, leadership, and community can be when they come together.

Dr. Blackstock Gives Love to Downstate

Left to Right: Nia Smith, Gabe Rodriguez, Dawn S. Walker, MPA, Alishia Goodridge, MBA, Stephanie DiBrienza (not pictured).

Downstate staff joined 2025 AAMC Government, Institutional & Alumni Affairs (GIA) Conference in New Orleans, represented by a team that included Stephanie DiBrienza, Executive Director of the College of Medicine Alumni Association; Alishia Goodridge, MBA, Assistant Vice President of Government & Community Relations; Gabe Rodriguez, Executive Director of Development for Research; Nia Smith, Development Coordinator in the Office of the Senior Vice President of Research; and Dawn S. Walker, MPA, Vice President of Communications & Marketing.

Left to Right: Dawn S. Walker, MPA, Lisa McBride, Ph.D., Uché Blackstock, M.D., Alishia Goodridge, MBA.

Over several days, the conference brought together professionals from across academic medicine to exchange ideas and strengthen institutional collaboration.

One of the most notable moments occurred during the Literary Luncheon, where Uché Blackstock, M.D., founder, and CEO of Advancing Health Equity and author of the New York Times bestseller Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine, shared her personal story and emphasized the need to address structural inequities in healthcare.

In a moment of pride and connection, Dr. Blackstock gave a special shoutout to Downstate, which holds deep personal and professional meaning, recognizing its significance in her life and career. Her late mother, Dr. Dale Blackstock, completed her training at Downstate and later joined the faculty, where she was known for her mentorship, compassion, and dedication to patients and students. Dr. Blackstock’s acknowledgment served as a reminder of her mother’s legacy and Downstate’s historic role in training generations of Black physicians and advancing equity in medicine.

Her words reaffirmed why our work matters in communications, advancement, research, and community partnership. Downstate’s presence in these national conversations reflects our legacy and our future.

Marathoner. Mentor. Medicine Leader.

Ricardo Bianchi A well-deserved shoutout to Riccardo Bianchi, Ph.D., who completed his third Boston Marathon on Patriots Day, finishing with an impressive time of 3:33:36. As the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon, Boston is one that runners must qualify for through previous performance. Dr. Bianchi earned his place with determination, resilience, and speed.

Training for the 26.2 miles he would run through enthusiastic crowds and ideal weather conditions is a significant achievement, especially while still managing his responsibilities as Associate Dean of Foundations of Medicine and Associate Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology. His approach to self-care, discipline, and endurance reflects the same values he upholds in medical education, setting a strong example for students and colleagues alike.

Congratulations, Dr. Bianchi, on crossing the finish line and setting the pace for excellence in every aspect of your work and life.

Shaping Policy, Advancing Care

We congratulate and thank Enitza George, M.D., MBA, MSAI, for her dedicated service on the Downstate Community Advisory Board (DCAB). Appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul, Dr. George played a key role in advising on developing a fiscally responsible, community-centered plan to ensure the long-term financial health and sustainability of SUNY Downstate. Her contributions helped shape recommendations tied to the strategic use of $750 million in capital investment to strengthen Downstate’s ability to deliver exceptional medical education and healthcare for years.

In addition, Dr. George’s recent selection to the STFM Artificial Intelligence Task Force reflects her forward-thinking commitment to compassionate innovation. She helped launch this national initiative at the STFM Annual Spring Conference in Salt Lake City. For the next two years (through December of 2026), she will work alongside other leaders to ensure AI in family medicine advances ethically and remains centered on human care.

Dr. George returned to Downstate as Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine last July, serving as Chief Population Health Officer at UHD and Associate Professor of Clinical Family and Community Medicine. Her return marks a continuation of her long-standing connection to the institution—she completed her family medicine residency at Downstate, also serving as Chief Resident and Medical Director of Suite B.

We are grateful for Dr. George’s impactful service to the DCAB; her dedication to healthcare excellence and equity remains central to our mission and future.

Downstate’s Healthcare Heroes

Left to Right: Breanna Watson, MSPH, Teresa Smith-Bellille, M.D., Jeffrey Birnbaum,M.D., and Marilyn Fraser, M.D.

Congratulations to Dr. Teresa Y. Smith-Bellille, Dr. Jeffrey Birnbaum, and Dr. Marilyn Fraser on being named Schneps Media Healthcare Heroes. Each was honored for their exceptional leadership and lasting contributions to healthcare in Brooklyn and beyond. Pictured with them is the deputy executive director, HEAT Program, Breanna Watson, MSPH, CHES, CLC.

Dr. Smith was recognized for her influential work in medical education and mentorship. Dr. Birnbaum received honors for his advocacy and care for LGBTQ+ youth through the HEAT Program. Dr. Fraser was acknowledged for her commitment to maternal health equity and efforts to expand access to quality care.

Together, they exemplify Downstate’s mission to advance health, equity, and education through dedicated service and leadership.