People on the Move is a rundown of recent hirings, promotions, appointments and other notable movements by professionals in the state. If you’re interested in submitting an entry, please contact news@delawarebusinesstimes.com.
Modern Healthcare has named ChristianaCare President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2023.
The prestigious list honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential figures in the industry in terms of leadership and impact.
“On behalf of the board and ChristianaCare’s nearly 14,000 caregivers, I congratulate Dr. Nevin on this well-deserved recognition,” Nicholas Marsini, chair of the Health System Board of Directors of ChristianaCare, said. “It is a tribute to her leadership at ChristianaCare and her impact across the country. Dr. Nevin has made our organization a national model for how leading with love and excellence drives us to face head-on the industry’s most difficult and most pressing challenges.”
Dr. Nevin joined ChristianaCare in 2002 as chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine and became president and CEO in 2014. She has overseen the organization’s growth into a national leader in numerous areas, including quality and safety, caregiver well-being, health equity and value-based care. Locally, she has guided numerous expansions of ChristianaCare’s services and programs in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
“The 2023 honorees on our 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare reflect the providers, insurers, technology firms, government leaders, investors and others who have made oversized contributions to the industry in the past year,” Mary Ellen Podmolik, editor-in-chief of Modern Healthcare, said. “Our ranked list honors the C-suite decision-makers using their clout and influence to lead their organizations and make sweeping changes that affect patient care.”
Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS) announced Sean E. Moriarty, Ed. D. the executive director of the new Police Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST).
POST was created through House Bill 206 and signed into law in August to replace the Delaware Council on Police Training (COPT). Legislators, advocates, community members and law enforcement worked together to create the new commission.
With more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, he will lead the Commission in establishing hiring and training standards for Delaware police officers as well as overseeing significant allegations of police officer misconduct. In addition, he will advise the Delaware Police Accreditation Commission (DPAC), which is responsible for establishing policy and standards for police agencies, assisting agencies with standardization and accreditation, and issuing guidelines for local police oversight commissions or boards.
“Director Moriarty’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of law enforcement makes him best suited to lead this new commission at this time. His wealth of experience and leadership will undoubtedly make a positive impact in his new role. I look forward to his continued contributions to our law enforcement community,” Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Nathaniel McQueen Jr. said.
Moriarty, who recently retired from the State Police as a Major, focused significant time and effort on education, policy development, community engagement, and police professionalization during his career. He held various positions during his career including Director of Training for the DSP Training Academy and Administrator for COPT. In this capacity, he oversaw all aspects of recruitment, in-service, firearms, canine, and elective training. This included revising the entire training curriculum and enhancing instructor development.
“The Delaware Police Officer Standards and Training and the Police Accreditation Commissions will play a significant role in collaborating and assisting law enforcement agencies towards greater professionalization, standardization, and accountability. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our citizens in this new role,” Executive Director Moriarty said.
He holds a Doctorate of Education in innovation and leadership, a Master of Science in criminal justice, a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice, and he is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
Jimmy Strusowski was awarded the Young Professional of the Year award at ABC Delaware.
He states, “the award to me was to explain the difference ABC made in my career by getting involved and giving my part to the association to try and better it. This gave me a platform to thank my mentors as well as encourage others to get involved in the construction workforce. ABC Delaware defines the award as person chosen based on strong leadership skills, strong teamwork and a strong sense of integrity. The person selected will also have rendered outstanding service to ABC Delaware, their company and their community. As for me, I made the switch from casino marketing and advertising to the HVAC trade at Seiberlich Trane about 8 years ago. I am now a Service Account Manager handing my clients day to day needs as well as providing peace of mind on their HVAC equipment.”
In his role as a service account manager, Strusowski oversees HVAC preventive maintenance. The team provides service agreements on HVAC Equipment and provide proposals for routine repairs we find while doing maintenance. “This role also includes assisting clients in developing an asset replacement plan for HVAC units and BAS systems. I also have the opportunity to provide Energy Projects that focus on reducing energy consumption, sourcing renewable energy, and utilizing environmentally friendly refrigerants to achieve our clients energy initiatives. I am tasked with developing relationships with multiple buying influences throughout our clients companies,” Strusowski said.
Bayhealth announced the addition of board-certified vascular surgeon Luiz Araujo, MD, to its team of heart and vascular specialists.
“We’re proud to bring another talented vascular surgeon to our community,” Bayhealth Senior Director of Operations for the Cardiovascular Service Line Ben Collins said. “At Bayhealth we have steadily grown our team and offerings to provide the most advanced heart and vascular care in central and southern Delaware. For treatment of blood vessel problems such as peripheral arterial disease, or more complex endovascular, or minimally invasive procedures, patients can get the care they need close to home at Bayhealth. The community is in great hands with Dr. Araujo and our specialty team.”
Dr. Araujo earned his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went on to complete both an internship and residency in general surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He then completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
Before joining Bayhealth, Dr. Araujo worked for Vascular Specialists of Delaware and operated at Christiana Hospital, Wilmington Hospital and St. Francis Hospitals in northern Delaware. He holds board certifications from the American Board of Surgery in general and vascular surgery.
The Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC) awarded Bayhealth Family Medicine Physician and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware Family Medicine Residency Program Director Brintha Vasagar, MD, MPH, FAAFP, with a Mid-Career Faculty Achievement Award. This national award annually recognizes a single graduate medical education faculty who has demonstrated significant contributions to family medicine and primary care and was presented at the FMEC 2023 Annual Meeting in October in Providence, Rhode Island.
Bayhealth has been a teaching hospital since 2021 when it welcomed its first class of family medicine and internal medicine residents. Dr. Vasagar is the founding director of the program and has been instrumental in launching Graduate Medical Education at Bayhealth and a robust family medicine residency. She co-led the successful application for a large Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant to support startup of new residencies that support rural communities. The family medicine residency program is comprised of three classes and a total of 21 resident doctors who are receiving advanced, hands-on training to be the best physicians they can be.
In the letter nominating Dr. Vasagar for this faculty achievement award, she was described as a rising star in family medicine nationally. “Dr. Vasagar has changed the landscape of medical education in the state of Delaware. As one of only four states in the country without a medical school, Delaware struggles with recruiting physicians to practice in the state. The residency program and practice she has built are serving a critical need in our region,” said her nominator.
Dr. Vasagar applied her extensive public health background and residency leadership experience in creating a program here in Delaware that empowers physicians to be leaders and advocates for their patients and cultivates innovation in improving health.
This included creation of the Bayhealth Family Medicine, Dover practice where the residents see patients and offer an additional 30,000 primary care visits to our community each year. It integrates elements that she considers vital to our community’s health, including addressing social determinants of health, addiction and mental health. A mental health counselor was embedded in the practice with the goal of decreasing the stigma of seeking mental healthcare. The residency also provides addiction medicine training, including medication assisted therapy, to prepare young physicians to address the opioid crisis.
Beebe Medical Group announced Clara Higgins, DO, FACOS, has rejoined its medical staff and team of expert surgeons.
Dr. Higgins was in private practice in Lewes from 2002 to 2016 when she established her initial affiliation with Beebe Healthcare’s Medical Staff. During that time, with a focus on general, trauma, and breast surgical care, Dr. Higgins treated more than 16,000 patients in Sussex County.
“After living in Tennessee for six years, I am incredibly grateful to be living and practicing once again in Sussex County – a place that has always been near and dear to my heart,” Dr. Higgins said. “It’s an exciting time to be part of Beebe Healthcare. The organization is committing to continuously growing its programs and services in line with community needs. I am proud to be here, and to have an opportunity to be part of that growth.”
Prior to rejoining Beebe, Dr. Higgins worked at Hawkins County Memorial Hospital in Tennessee, serving as the organization’s only general surgeon. She has also worked in private practice with connections to multiple hospitals in the Philadelphia area and served as Director of Medical Education at Parkview Hospital in Philadelphia.
Dr. Higgins is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she also completed a clinical internship and residency, with concentration on general surgery. She was appointed Chief Surgical Resident for the last year of her training. Dr. Higgins is board certified in osteopathic general surgery and is a Fellow and active member of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. Additionally, she is a member of the American Osteopathic Association.
In her free time, Dr. Higgins enjoys playing pickleball with her friends and neighbors and working in her garden. She and her wife, Kelli, are parents to two fur babies – their dog, Lucy Lou, and their cat, Ricky Bobby.
Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, a hospitality firm, announced the appointment of a new management team.
Brandon Fredericks, an acclaimed professional chef with over seven years of culinary experience, is joining Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen as the corporate chef. Most recently, Fredericks was executive chef at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant. Known for successfully balancing quality and profitability, he will lead the culinary team in crafting innovative menus that continue to drive Grain forward while maintaining the highest standards of quality and flavor.
Jesse Payne, an accomplished leader in the hospitality industry, is overseeing the customer facing aspects of the business. With a proven track record of managing multiple stores as director of operations for T.G.I. Fridays Franchisee, he will led Grain operations.
As the Controller, Les Antalffy will bring financial experience and strategic oversight to Grain. With a background in budgeting and cost controls, Antalffy will play a crucial role in ensuring the financial health and stability of the organization.
“After eight years of rapid growth to six locations, we are excited to have such a strong team in place to maximize the potential of all of these restaurants to profitably serve their communities.” Grain’s co-founder, Jim O’Donoghue, said.
“With this leadership team, we feel that we have all the pieces in place to achieve our vision of being that quality third place for so many people. It will be great to see how Grain continues to evolve under this team’s guidance.” Grain’s co-founder, Lee Mikles, said.
Marlene A. Saunders has been appointed to the Delaware State University Board of Trustees for a six-year term. Saunders’ relationship with her alma mater began more than 50 years ago when she enrolled as an undergraduate at then-Delaware State College, where she earned a 1967 Bachelor of Arts Degree. She followed that up by earning a 1972 Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Work.
After working in the social work field for a number of years, Saunders began her DSC teaching career in 1985 as a social work faculty member. She later completed a Doctor of Social Work in 2001. Her full-time faculty service continued at DSU until her retirement in 2014. Saunders also taught as an adjunct between 2014 and 2020.
A licensed social worker in the State of Delaware, Saunders is well-known among that professional community throughout the state and beyond. She has received the 2007 Service Provider Award from the Delaware Department of Corrections, the 2008 Social Worker of the Year Award from the Delaware Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and the Humanitarian Award from the Wilmington Chapter of the NAACP. In 2021, the National Association of Social Workers recognized her as a Social Work Pioneer.
Beth Kirker and Sulakshmi Vaid received the 2023 Transform Mid-Atlantic (TMA) award.
Kirker, director of career services, is the 2023 recipient of the Transformational Leadership Award for her outstanding contributions to the development of the partnership between Skyline Middle School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and Goldey-Beacom College. The partnership includes cross-campus collaborations that drive academic and co-curricular success for Skyline students while demonstrating Goldey-Beacom’s mission to co- develop equitable relationships with K-12 schools and other institutions in the community.
Working with the leadership at Skyline, Kirker has created opportunities for GBC faculty, staff and students to spend two mornings each week at Skyline, working with AVID students in formal and informal ways. In addition to GBC being present in the school, students from Skyline come visit GBC at regular intervals as well.
“Beth’s work to establish a strong relationship with our local middle school has been incredibly beneficial for our campus, Joel Worden, vice president for academic affairs and provost, said. “Our students have experienced the blessing of mentorship, and our staff and faculty have had the privilege to build relationships with local students and educators. Goldey-Beacom is grateful to Beth for her tireless dedication to growing and sustaining these relationships.”
Vaid, Ameri-Corps VISTA member, is the recipient of the Exceptional AmeriCorps VISTA Service Award. This award recognizes Vaid’s inspiring and continuing service as a TMA AmeriCorps VISTA member at Goldey-Beacom College building a coalition of student volunteers for community service and forming partnerships for the college to create avenues of volunteerism and opportunity.
Colleen Perry Keith has been elected chair for the Transform Mid-Atlantic (TMA) Board of Trustees.
“Dr. Keith brings decades of experience and leadership within diverse higher education settings, and we are so fortunate to have her as our organization’s new Board Chair. She deeply supports our organization’s mission, and it is exciting to have her at the helm as we expand to serve a broader region throughout the Mid-Atlantic,” Madeline Yates, executive director of TMA said.
Prior to GBC, Keith served as president at Pfeiffer University and at Spartanburg Methodist College. She is on numerous non-profit boards in Delaware and was recently named 2023 Female Leader of the Year by the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce. She received her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University.
Transform Mid-Atlantic is a non-profit membership association of public, private, 2- and 4-year colleges and universities, including many HBCUs and minority serving institutions. Transform Mid-Atlantic provides leadership to colleges and universities in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Delaware by advocating, supporting, and encouraging institutional participation in academic and co-curricular based public service and civic engagement programs.
