Shout Outs
By Office of the President | Oct 21, 2025
Chantal Littrean Named One of Five ACGME Excellence Awardees
We proudly celebrate Chantal Littrean, MPH, C-TAGME, Program Coordinator in the Department of Internal Medicine, on her selection as
one of only five outstanding program coordinators in the nation to receive the 2026
Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Award from the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Chosen from a highly competitive field of nominees nationwide, Chantal’s recognition reflects her exceptional leadership, organization, and unwavering commitment to the success of Downstate’s residency programs. Her nomination by Samy McFarlane, M.D., MPH, MBA, underscores the high esteem in which she is held by faculty, residents, and peers alike.
Chantal has been a member of staff at Downstate for over 20 years, and lead’s the institution’s largest residency program with over 200 trainees. During her tenure, her excellence extended beyond program administration; she also served as an executive member of the Residency Program Coordinator Forum (RPCF).
She was instrumental in the creation of a wellness toolkit for program coordination, actively participates in the planning and execution of both the RPCF annual education retreats and Downstate’s Annual Health Fair, and also mentors the coordinators.
Chantal will be honored at the 2026 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February 19–22, 2026, in San Diego, California, where she will be formally recognized among the nation’s leading professionals in graduate medical education.
Congratulations, Chantal, on this phenomenal achievement that emphasizes her excellence and to Downstate’s continued excellence in mentoring emerging leaders in medicine.
Dr. Lisa Merlin Named Among Nation’s Top Program Directors
Downstate congratulates Lisa Merlin, M.D., FAAN, FANA, Distinguished Professor and Program Director in the Department of Neurology, on
her selection as one of only ten outstanding program directors in the nation to receive
the 2026 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award from the Accreditation Council for
Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Chosen from a highly accomplished field of program directors nationwide, Dr. Merlin’s recognition reflects her exceptional leadership, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to the professional and personal development of Downstate’s neurology residents. Her nomination by Lisa S. Dresner, M.D., highlights her deep commitment to academic excellence, compassionate teaching, and the advancement of graduate medical education.
Dr. Merlin will be formally honored at the 2026 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February 19–22, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center and Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina in San Diego, California, where she will be recognized among the nation’s top educators in graduate medical training.
Congratulations on this prestigious national distinction, Dr. Merlin! We applaud your passion for mentoring the next generation of physicians and sustaining Downstate’s leadership in academic medicine.
Kudos to Dean Lori Escallier
We are happy to share that Lori Escallier, Ph.D., RN, CPNP-PC, FAAN, Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing, was re-elected as Chair of the Commission
on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Board of Commissioners, beginning her second
term on January 1, 2026.
With nearly four decades of experience in nursing education and leadership, Dr. Escallier has championed diversity, mentorship, and academic excellence. She has led multi-year, federally funded grant initiatives, supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to expand pathways and success for underrepresented nursing students.
Since joining Downstate in 2017, she has launched new academic programs, maintained strong NCLEX pass rates, and guided the College of Nursing to national recognition for its undergraduate and graduate programs. A Fellow of both the American Academy of Nursing and the New York Academy of Medicine, Dr. Escallier also co-authored the RWJF/AACN Transition to Practice Toolkit and developed the first model aligning CCNE standards with program evaluation.
Congratulations, Dean Escallier! Your leadership, scholarship, and vision continue to elevate Downstate and strengthen nursing education nationwide!
Congratulations to Downstate’s SUNY Research Leadership Academy Fellows
From Left to Right: Sabina Hirshfield, Ph.D., Roseann E. Peterson, Ph.D Suman Ghosh, M.D., MPA
We congratulate Sabina Hirshfield, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Roseann E. Peterson, Ph.D., Associate Professor and POP-GEM Lab Director, Institute for Genomics in Health, and Suman Ghosh, M.D., MPA, who were selected to join the SUNY Research Leadership Academy. Dr. Ghosh was also a Downstate Academy Fellow. This year-long faculty development program strengthens research communication and leadership skills across the SUNY system.
Led by Stony Brook University, the Academy brings together mid- and senior-level faculty in STEMM fields from across SUNY’s 64 campuses, through workshops and project-based learning, including training in the Alda Method as well as mentoring the next generation of STEMM scholars.
Dr. Hirshfield has pioneered online and biomedical self-sampling strategies that inform interventions aimed at improving health among sexual and gender minority populations. Her two decades of NIH-funded research and mentorship have advanced digital health methods to reduce stigma and support behavioral health.
Dr. Peterson is a statistical geneticist whose research examines the genetic and environmental factors that influence psychiatric disorders. She directs Downstate’s Training in Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity program, and contributes to international collaborations focused on equitable precision psychiatry.
Dr. Ghosh, a graduate of Downstate’s College of Medicine, specializes in neonatal/pediatric neurocritical care, cerebral palsy, spasticity, and brain injury. His research interests focus on neurodevelopmental outcomes and biomarkers for brain injury in neonates and children.
We extend our pride to Drs. Hirshfield, Peterson, and Ghosh on this accomplishment.Their participation reflects Downstate’s growing leadership in advancing inclusive, interdisciplinary research across the SUNY system.
Downstate To Join the SUNY Brain Institute
Downstate is proud to be among the SUNY campuses selected to participate in the newly
launched SUNY Brain Institute, a multi-campus initiative backed by a $10 million state investment to expand neuroscience
research across New York.
Announced by Governor Kathy Hochul on October 10, the SUNY Brain Institute will unite more than 600 neuroscience researchers from SUNY campuses, including Binghamton, Albany, Buffalo, Stony Brook, Upstate, and Downstate, through shared equipment, research infrastructure, and collaborative projects.
The funding, provided through the 2025–26 State Budget, will accelerate discovery in areas such as brain aging, stroke, mental health, neurodegenerative diseases, and neurotechnology.
Celebrating Organ Donor Heroes & Healthcare Champions
During the recent Donor Hero Appreciation Week, Downstate joined LiveOnNY to honor the unmatched generosity of organ donor heroes and their families, and to thank the healthcare teams who promote donor registration and support the donation process. Just one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, and improve the lives of 50 to 75 more through tissue donation.
Special thanks to Shani L. Audain, MBA, PMP®, Community & Government Affairs Liaison at LiveOnNY, for her leadership in outreach, registering new donors, and coordinating with hospital partners; Betty Jung, RN, of the Center for Community Health Promotion & Wellness at Downstate, for her efforts to educate, recruit, and support donor awareness within our institution; and Tania McDonald, MPH-candidate, Joan Erhunmwunsee, RN, DNP-candidate, and Jemima Asamoah, RN, DNP-candidate, for their valuable contributions in organizing and executing community engagement initiatives around donor registration.
Because of efforts like these, more New Yorkers receive the gift of life. We are proud of Downstate’s role in this mission, which allows us to continue promoting donor registration, providing compassionate care, and celebrating those who give life in the face of loss.
Bureau of Brooklyn Neighborhood Health Fall Festival — Downstate Midwifery Outreach
Downstate’s OB/GYN / Midwifery team made a strong showing at the Bureau of Brooklyn
Neighborhood Health Fall Festival. Under the leadership of Gladys Christophe, a Certified Nurse Midwife and Nurse Practitioner who has directed Downstate’s Midwifery
Service since 2003, the team engaged with community members, offered perinatal and
postnatal education, and promoted the maternal health services.
Gladys and her colleagues represented Downstate with professionalism, warmth, and commitment. Their presence reinforced our mission of serving the community’s maternal health needs, and their outreach helps build trust and connection. We extend sincere thanks to Gladys and the midwifery team for their continued dedication and for bringing Downstate into community spaces to promote health, wellness, and maternal care.
Downstate and Breast Cancer Awareness Events
Celebration at Kings Plaza
On October 4, Downstate joined the American Cancer Society and Kings Plaza Shopping
Center for a Breast Cancer Awareness Celebration in its Center Court. The event featured
music, giveaways, and health information to support early detection and treatment.
Downstate medical experts met with shoppers and community members to answer questions
and share resources for screenings. The afternoon also included tributes and performances
honoring survivors and families affected by breast cancer.
Fringe Pilates Event
Downstate participated in Teasers for Tatas (TFT), a Breast Cancer Awareness Month event hosted by Fringe Pilates. The evening brought community members together for a 60-minute open-level Pilates session, followed by conversation and resource sharing. Downstate and LaSante Health Center provided on-site education about breast cancer prevention, screening, and local care options.
Proceeds supported the African American Breast Cancer Alliance (AABCA), which advances outreach and support for women of color affected by breast cancer.