CMSRU - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Deceased )
Until his death in April 2018, Dr. Tama had been associated with Cooper University Hospital since 1966, initially as a private attending physician, then as Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Executive Vice President/Medical Affairs. He held faculty appointments with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Hahnemann University, and Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Tama served on UMDNJ's Board of Trustees and was a Trustee of the University Health System of New Jersey. He also held board positions in the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. Dr. Tama was a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American College of Physician Executives, and other professional societies. Dr. Tama earned his medical degree and completed his training in obstetrics and gynecology at Hahnemann University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the CMSRU Leadership Team
- Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education / Professor of Surgery
Amit R.T. Joshi, MD, FACS, is Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, NJ. Until 2021, he was the Residency Program Director and Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs for the Department of Surgery at Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia.
At Brown University's eight-year program in Liberal Medical Education, he received his BA in Music in 1997 and MD (with academic distinction) in 2001. He completed his surgical residency at New York Presbyterian/Cornell and fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at North Shore/Long Island Jewish Hospitals. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery.
A general surgeon at Cooper University Health Care, Dr. Joshi's clinical interests include all of general surgery with a focus on hernia repair (particularly using minimally invasive techniques).
His principal research interests are resident recruitment and curricular development within surgical training. He has authored more than 100 scientific manuscripts and presentations.
He holds leadership positions in several surgical organizations:
Editor-in-Chief of the American Board of Surgery's Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE)-which is the national curriculum for general surgery Board of Directors of the American Board of Surgery. He serves on its audit committee, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, and the Strategic Planning Committee. Board of Directors of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS). He serves on the executive committee and has previously led the Education Division. Executive Committee, Educational Quality Improvement Project (EQIP) of the APDS Board of Governors of the ACS, serving on the Continuing Education workgroup Past-President of the Philadelphia chapter of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Editorial Board, Journal of Surgical Education
He recently co-chaired the Planning Committee of the Coalition of Accountability-a multiorganizational (AAMC, NBME, ECFMG, AACOM, AOGME, NBOME, and OPDA) group working to establish a process to review and make recommendations to improve the undergraduate (UME) to graduate (GME) medical education transition across medical training.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Curriculum - Phase 1 / Professor of Biomedical Sciences
- Professor
Andrea Bottaro, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Assistant Dean for Phase 1 Curriculum at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Dr. Bottaro earned his PhD in Human Genetics from the University of Torino in Italy, after which he carried out postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York and at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Before joining CMSRU, he was on the faculty of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Dr. Bottaro's research interests focus on the role of the immune system in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer, in both human disease and animal models. He has published extensively in these fields, and has served as ad hoc and standing member on numerous NIH Study Sections and other grant review panels. He is a member of the American Association of Immunologists, where he also serves on the Education Committee, of the Society for Leukocyte Biology and of the International Association of Medical Science Educators.
Job Titles:
- Director, Faculty Affairs and Educational Operations
Job Titles:
- Dean
- Member of the CMSRU Leadership Team
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Dean / Professor of Medicine
- Dean, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University / Professor of Medicine
- Ex Officio
- Professor of Medicine
Dr. Reboli is a Professor of Medicine and the Dean of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, NJ. As such, she is the Chief Academic Officer with ultimate responsibility for all areas of the school. Prior to this, she was Founding Vice Dean and was responsible for oversight of the LCME accreditation process, undergraduate and graduate medical education, faculty affairs and faculty development, and developing affiliations for the medical school.
Dr. Reboli received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology from Georgetown University College of Arts and Sciences in Washington, DC. She received her MD degree cum laude from Georgetown University School of Medicine and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society during medical school. She completed an internship, residency, and a year as Chief Medical Resident in Internal Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC, followed by a three-year clinical and research fellowship in infectious diseases at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to becoming Founding Vice Dean, she served as Interim Dean of CMSRU and was also the Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Deputy Chief for Administration of the Department of Medicine at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, where she also served as the hospital epidemiologist. During her tenure as division head of infectious diseases, she established a comprehensive clinical research program that led the Department of Medicine in external funding. She also served as a consultant to Janssen, Vicuron, Pfizer, and Merck Pharmaceutical Company on antimicrobial drug development and clinical trial design.
Dr. Reboli is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases. She has authored or co-authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and abstracts. Dr. Reboli has been named a "Top Doctor" in a variety of magazines, including New Jersey Monthly, Philadelphia Magazine, South Jersey Magazine, SJ Magazine, and Consumer's Checkbook. She has been recognized by Who's Who and Best Doctors in America. She has served on several committees for Camden County and the state of New Jersey, volunteering her expertise in infectious diseases. Dr. Reboli's main research interest is in candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis. Over the course of her career, she has garnered over $15,000,000.00 in research support from a variety of sources, including NIH, NIAID, HRSA, private foundations, and private industry.
In 2008, she received the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Dean's Research Award in the faculty-clinical sciences category for research on antifungal therapy that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. She serves on the Candida Infections Guidelines Committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. She has received several teaching awards and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Philadelphia College of Physicians. She served as the President of the Medical Staff of the Cooper Health System from 2011 to 2015. In 2016, she received the Healthcare Provider of the Year award from the New Jersey Hospital Association. In 2018, she became a voting member of the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME), the regulatory body for allopathic medical education in the United States.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs / Associate Professor of Emergency Medicin
- Co - President of Cooper University Health Care
- MBE / Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
In his role as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Dr. Mazzarelli provides strategic leadership, oversight and management of CMSRU's interface with clinical training programs.
A key member of Cooper's executive leadership team, Dr. Mazzarelli serves as Co-President of Cooper University Health Care. Prior to being named Co-President, Dr. Mazzarelli was the Chief Physician Executive and Senior Executive Vice President, where he had oversight of Quality and Patient Safety for the health system as well as oversight of Cooper's practice plan of more than 630 employed physicians who also serve as the faculty for Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
Dr. Mazzarelli has been a tireless champion for CMSRU. He was a member of the original team from Cooper who helped pioneer the integration with Rowan University in preparation for the launch of the medical school. As an Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, he lectures on bioethics and healthcare policy to medical students and residents.
Dr. Mazzarelli holds a medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Masters in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics. He trained in Emergency Medicine at Cooper University Hospital, where he also served as Chief Resident and later as Medical Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Chairman and CEO of RevolutionCare
Dr. Knowlton is Chairman and CEO of RevolutionCare. He received his pharmacy degree from Temple University, divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, and PhD in pharmacoeconomics from the University of Maryland. He was National President for both the American College of Apothecaries and the American Pharmaceutical Association, and was selected as the Most Influential U.S. Pharmacist in 1997. Dr. Knowlton is President of the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and is a member of the board of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant, Faculty Affairs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Charles has dedicated himself to learning and educating others about history. Currently, a manager with Patriarch Management, Charles has worked as a teacher and advancement director. Today, he continues to volunteer his time toward initiatives and programs that support and advance non-profit causes, especially global and international education. Charles earned his bachelor's degree in history from Villanova University and a master's degree at Drexel University, where he has established a Travel Fund that provides financial support to faculty and students traveling to China for educational purposes.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
After graduating from Rutgers Camden with a degree in Nursing, Colleen worked as a staff nurse, at a home health agency, then helped to assist with the establishment of a highly successful agency, and was involved in the start-up of a new acute care rehabilitation hospital from the Certificate of Need Process through opening. In addition, Colleen has been an invaluable volunteer in her communities as a school nurse and community hospital fundraiser. Colleen is a proud parent of a recent CMSRU alumnus.
Job Titles:
- Head and Assistant Dean for Research
Dr. Boehning received his Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from Syracuse University in 1994. In 2001 he obtained his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Thomas Jefferson University, where he was a Foerderer Fellow examining the function of IP3 receptor calcium channels. His work was recognized with the Alumni Thesis Award for the top thesis of his graduating year. From 2001-2004 he was a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Sol Snyder in the Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. His post-doctoral work on gaseous neurotransmission and neuronal cell death was funded by an individual Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA post-doctoral fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). From 2005-2013, he was faculty in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston. He rapidly rose through the ranks to become a tenured Full Professor and Director of the Cell Biology Graduate Program. During this time, he was the recipient of multiple NIH grants and was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, the Student Faculty Advocacy Award, and the Excellence in Teaching Award in Cell Biology. From 2013-2019 Dr. Boehning was a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. While at UTHealth he served as director of the Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2015-2017) and founding director of a new graduate program in Biochemistry and Cell Biology (2017-2018). At UTHealth Dr. Boehning received the Dean's Teaching Excellence Award (2015-19), the Biochemistry and Cell Biology Outstanding Faculty Award (2018), and served as the GSBS Faculty Marshal of the UTHealth/MD Anderson Commencement (2016)
Dr. Boehning is renowned for his work on cell death in health and disease. In particular, his work has illustrated the central role of the IP3 receptor calcium channel in mediating apoptotic cell death. He found that the IP3 receptor is essential to the progression of most cell death paradigms, and how this channel is activated during disease. Of note, he discovered how this receptor contributes to apoptotic resistance in lymphoma and other cancers. His basic science approaches have also developed new therapeutic agents for inhibiting cell death by blocking IP3 receptor activity. Finally, in collaboration with clinicians he has shown in laboratory models and in human patients that increased IP3 receptor activity after traumatic injury leads to systemic inflammation and type II diabetes (so called "stress-induced diabetes") which contributes to morbidity and mortality. These "bench to bedside" approaches may lead to new therapeutics for improving patient survival. Indeed, cell permeant peptides developed by Dr. Boehning which block IP3 receptor activation during cell death are currently being examined in pre-clinical models of traumatic injury.
Dr. Boehning's findings have been published in over 50 papers in top scientific journals. His work has been funded by extramural sources since his post-doctoral years. He is currently the principal investigator or co-investigator on three NIH grants to study cell signaling in health and disease. In addition, he has served on many study section panels including continuous service on the American Heart Association Molecular Signaling study section since 2009 and many ad hoc panels at the NIH, NSF, Alzheimer's Association, Italian Ministry of Health, and others. He is also very active in scientific outreach activities, including lecturing at local schools and lobbying activities from the local to national level for scientific education and funding.
Dr. Boehning's findings have been published in over 50 papers in top scientific journals. His work has been funded by extramural sources since his post-doctoral years. He is currently the principal investigator or co-investigator on three NIH grants to study cell signaling in health and disease. In addition, he has served on many study section panels including continuous service on the American Heart Association Molecular Signaling study section since 2009 and many ad hoc panels at the NIH, NSF, Alzheimer's Association, Italian Ministry of Health, and others. He is also very active in scientific outreach activities, including lecturing at local schools and lobbying activities from the local to national level for scientific education and funding.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Professor
Dr. Miller is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Institute for Research and Community Service at Rowan University. He has worked as principal investigator to facilitate research projects involving natural and human-induced ecological disasters, environmental issues, and community satisfaction. A clinical substance abuse counselor and applied sociologist, Dr. Miller's primary area of study is environmental sociology (disaster studies and the study of the social construction of place), community development and community organizing, and social impact assessment. His principal areas of teaching are Environmental Sociology, Medical Sociology, Clinical Sociology, and Applied Community Development.
Job Titles:
- Anesthesiologist
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Certified Anesthesiologist
Dr. Amanda Burden is a Board certified anesthesiologist and pediatric anesthesiologist at Cooper University Health Care as well as Director of CMSRU's Simulation Center. Amanda is a graduate of Drexel University College of Medicine. As Director of the CMSRU Simulation Center, she leads an exceptional team that creates and supports programming for all students across the entire curricular spectrum (M1 - M4) and conducts innovative research into patient safety, medical education, simulation theory, practice, and technology.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Medicine
- Reviewer
Dr. Elizabeth Cerceo is assistant professor of medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and a teaching fellow of their Academy of Master Educators. She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with a double major of Biology and Psychology and a double minor in French and Music. Elizabeth completed her medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson medical School, where she was selected for the Angelo P. Angelides Award for Academic Excellence in Medicine and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and then completed her residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
She is a board-certified general internist in the Department of Hospital Medicine and is a fellow in the American College of Physicians and the Society of Hospital Medicine where she is on the national Education Committee and leads an online faculty development resource.
She serves as an associate program director for the internal medicine residency where she develops novel curricula including a comprehensive research curriculum. She spearheads Wellness initiatives for Graduate Medical Education and runs the Art of Medicine series for the internal medicine residents as well as Medicine Grand Rounds, Subspecialty Rounds, Hospitalist Grand Rounds, Wellness in Medicine and is course director for the Medical Humanities at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. As a clinical hospitalist, she is also involved with education from the medical student level to faculty development.
Dr. Cerceo is a reviewer for several journals, including Critical Care Medicine and the Journal of Hospital Medicinewhere she has been named a top reviewer as well as for ABIM, MKSAP, and for various annual meetings.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Associate Dean for Diversity & Community Affairs
- Interim Associate Dean for Medical Education / Associate Professor of Ob / Gyn
Dr. Williams is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at CMSRU. In her role as the Associate Dean for Diversity and Community Affairs, she leads CMSRU's efforts in establishing joint initiatives with hospitals, educational institutions, and community organizations to improve the health outreach for disadvantaged communities, such as the creation of a pipeline to medical professions and community service programs. Additionally, she works to develop programs that enhance cultural sensitivity in our students, faculty and staff.
Dr. Mitchell-Williams joined CMSRU in September of 2010, and has served in the Camden community for the past 15 years. Prior to taking on her role at CMSRU, she held a similar position at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Camden.
Dr. Mitchell-Williams is a graduate of Rutgers University, College of Engineering. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering. Previously an instructor in the department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of UMDNJ; she went on to receive her medical degree from the same institution. She completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cooper University Hospital. She has been involved in program development for underrepresented and financially disadvantaged students in the areas of engineering, science and medicine for over 25 years.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Curriculum Phase 2 / Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
- Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
In his role as Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Phase II, Dr. Sundip Patel is responsible for development and coordination of the third and fourth years of the medical school curriculum.
Dr. Patel is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at CMSRU. He has served as the Emergency Medicine clerkship director for over 12 years. He is an Emergency Medicine physician at Cooper University Health Care. Dr. Patel earned his medical degree from UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Cooper University Hospital, serving as Chief Resident during his final year in residency.
Job Titles:
- Founding Director
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Hospital
- Chief of the Department of Medicine at Cooper University Hospital
- Member of the Board of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities
Dr. Viner graduated from Harvard College, Cum Laude, and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a two year fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1975, Dr. Viner started the first Hospice program in the Philadelphia region, which involvement stemmed from his experience as a critically ill patient in 1972. He has also contributed to the effort to improve end of life care, nationally, which led to an invitation to testify before the House Select Committee on Aging, in 1985.
In 1987, Dr. Viner became Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Hospital, a position he held for twenty years, during which time he built an academic Department of Medicine and started Cooper's suburban practice network. Under his leadership, Cooper was the first Philadelphia regional health system to adopt a hospitalist system for the care of inpatients.
Throughout his years at Cooper, Dr. Viner worked tenaciously towards the creation of a new medical school, and it is a source of great pride to him that the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University has become the nation's 135th allopathic medical school.
Dr. Viner has been a member of the Board of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors. He has regularly been on numerous regional and nationals lists of Best Doctors, and has been listed in Who's Who in America. In 1984, he received the Philadelphia Caring Award, stemming from his leadership role in developing Hospice Care.
He received Laureateship from the American College of Physicians in 2003and subsequently was elected to Mastership in the College. In 2009, he was named Honorary First Dean of Cooper Medical school of Rowan University (CMSRU). In June, 2012, Dr. Viner received the prestigious Strittmatter Award from the Philadelphia County Medical society for his career-long contributions to medicine. In 2015, CMSRU presented Dr. Viner with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanism in Medicine, "for a lifetime of exemplary humanistic patient care and dedication to medical education".
Dr. Viner is former Chief of the Department of Medicine at Cooper University Hospital. He is currently Professor of Medicine at CMSRU. Dr. Viner received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, and his bachelor's degree, cum laude, from Harvard. His postgraduate medical training in Internal Medicine and Hematology/Oncology was obtained at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Subsequently, he spent twenty-two years practicing Internal Medicine and Hematology/Oncology at Pennsylvania Hospital, where he was also Head of the Section of Hematology/Oncology, Director of Fellowship training in these disciplines, and Co-Director of the Oncology Research Laboratory. He left Pennsylvania Hospital to assume the Medical Chiefship at Cooper. He is a Master of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Medical Association, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Viner has been the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his clinical excellence and teaching skills.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Eileen is the parent of a Rowan alumna and is a recently retired administrator from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition, Eileen is the President of a non-profit, the John E. Kostic Memorial Foundation, named in honor and memory of her son. This Foundation works to improve the lives of young people in New Jersey and the surrounding areas. It is among the largest diabetes scholarship organizations in New Jersey; it supports hospital enrichment programs; and it fosters scholarships.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
- Associate Dean for Student Affairs / Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
- Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
In her role as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Dr. Pukenas oversees career advising, mentorship and residency placement for CMSRU students. She works closely with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions to ensure that students receive the support and guidance needed to reach to their full potential as physicians.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
George C. Hill was Vanderbilt University's first vice chancellor for diversity, equity, and inclusion and chief diversity officer.
Dr. Hill is the Levi Watkins Jr., M.D. Professor Emeritus in Medical Education and distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology. He served as assistant vice chancellor for multicultural affairs and special assistant to the Provost for health affairs from 2011 to 2012. From 2002 to 2011, he served as the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine's first associate dean for diversity in medical education.
Prior to being recruited to Vanderbilt in 2002, Hill spent 19 years at Meharry Medical College serving in a variety of senior faculty and administrative roles including dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, vice president for research, associate vice president for international affairs, and director of the Division of Biomedical Sciences.
Hill has mentored and trained hundreds of Ph.D. students, M.S. students, and post-doctoral fellows. In 1999, he was recognized as a "Giant in Science" by the Quality Education for Minorities Network for his commitment to motivating minority students to pursue the sciences. He received the 2013 Levi Watkins Jr., MD Award from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine for fostering diversity and inclusion throughout the university as well as nationally.
Hill has led a distinguished career in biomedical research and medical education and is a world-renowned microbiologist. Other past appointments and awards include: serving as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Nairobi and as an NIH research fellow at the University of Cambridge, Great Britain; receiving the Seymour Hunter Prize from the Society of Protozoologists; and serving on the National Institute for General Medical Sciences Council and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Board of Scientific Counselors.
A native of Camden, New Jersey, Dr. Hill graduated from Rutgers, Camden in 1961 and went on to receive his M.S. from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and his Ph.D. from New York University, New York City, NY.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- President Emeritus
Mr. Lynn is President Emeritus of AtlantiCare in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 2007. Under his leadership, AtlantiCare underwent a remarkable transformation to a nationally recognized healthcare organization noted for its distinguished success in quality care; thanks to Mr. Lynn's leadership, AtlantiCare went on to win the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award. His commitment to the community is evidenced by Mr. Lynn's service on multiple boards, by the significant leadership positions he has held nationally, and by the awards and recognition he has received from numerous organizations over the years. Mr. Lynn is Chair of the CMSRU Advisory Board's Development Committee.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Diversity & Community Affairs / Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Medical Director of Labor & Delivery
In his role as Assistant Dean for Diversity and Community Affairs, Dr. Hewlett assists Dr. Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams, Associate Dean for Diversity and Community Affairs, in managing CMSRU's efforts to maintain an environment where diversity, in all its forms, is embraced, and where community engagement continues to be fostered.
An associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Hewlett is medical director of Labor & Delivery and vice chief of quality for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cooper University Health Care. He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Albert Einstein Medical Center, both in Philadelphia.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Research Assistant Professor of Medicin
As the Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Mazurek will have oversight of all research conducted at the medical school, including both faculty and student research. He also serves as Director of the Cooper Research Institute, and previously served as research director for the Department of Medicine and the Division Cardiovascular Disease and Critical Care Medicine. He directs the South Jersey cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease and osteoporosis program that has screened over 40,000 under- and uninsured individuals in Salem County.
Dr. Mazurek's research interests include the alignment of research organizations within corporate environments, the conduct of research, and community-based participatory research. He serves as a technical and due diligence consultant to Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners of Southeast Pennsylvania, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Prior to arriving at Cooper in late 2002, he worked as a pharmaceutical business analyst for Adis International, managing director of a management group spin out from Lyondell Chemical, and for two decades in business and research management roles within Arco Chemical Company.
Mazurek earned his undergraduate degree from New York University and earned his doctorate at Brandeis University in solid-state inorganic chemistry. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed the Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Technology Managers Development Program.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs / Professor of Surgery
- Professor
In his role as Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs, Dr. Porter assists Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, in overseeing affiliations and interfacing with Cooper University Health Care on clinical affairs matters.
Dr. Porter, a professor of surgery, is head of the Division of Trauma Surgery and director of the Center for Trauma Services at Cooper University Health Care. He earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also completed his general surgery residency. Dr. Porter completed a fellowship in trauma/critical care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Dr. Orenstein, who received his dental degree from Temple University in 1985, is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr. Orenstein currently holds a clinical faculty appointment at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School, where he teaches in the Department of Periodontics. A practitioner in Marlton NJ, Dr. Orenstein is a trustee and former president of the Delaware Valley Academy of Osseointegration and a current member of the American Dental Association, the American College of Prosthodontics, and the Southern New Jersey Dental Society.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Since graduating from The Restaurant School of Philadelphia in 1987, Jonathan W. Jernigan has served as Executive Chef and Manager at multiple restaurants in South Jersey. In 2002, he opened his own catering company which specializes in a variety of ethnic cuisines and caters to both small and large parties providing healthy, personalized, yet affordable, menu varieties. In addition, Chef Jernigan has been featured in SJ Magazine multiple times as a Roundtable member and has made the list of "Men of the Year" on several occasions. In 2014, Chef Jernigan was awarded with a Humanitarian Award by the Ree Wynn Foundation for his community efforts. Currently Chef Jernigan oversees food service operations and teaches a culinary arts program to educate and serve the community of Camden County at the Cathedral Kitchen.
Job Titles:
- Member of the CMSRU Leadership Team
- Interim Associate Dean for Diversity / Associate Professor of Pathology
Mr. Kull holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Vermont and was an awarded an MBA from Rutgers University's Graduate School of Business. He is President of the Burns Kull Automotive Group, representing a multitude of Dealerships and Body Shops throughout Marlton, Oaklyn, Vineland, and Cape May County, NJ. Mr. Kull has served in many leadership roles on local, regional, and national boards; most notably, he has served on the Board of the Evesham Education Foundation and is currently 2014 Chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA). A Director of AIADA since 2008, Mr. Kull is also Executive Director of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJCAR) and a Director, Founding Member, and former Chairman of the Automotive Free International Trade Political Action Committee.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Associate Dean for Professional Development / Professor of Medicin
- Professor of Medicine
Dr. Weisberg is Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, and Head of the Division of Nephrology, Cooper University Health Care. In his role as Associate Dean for Professional Development and Associate Director of the CMSRU Center for Humanism, he is responsible for ensuring a positive learning environment for our students, and fostering a humanistic and professional culture in the school and health system.
Dr. Weisberg received his AB degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and graduated with honors from Temple University School of Medicine in 1981, where he was elected to AOA. He completed his training in both Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1987, joined the faculty of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - Camden as Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology. He was director of the fellowship program in nephrology at Cooper University Hospital from 1989 to 2009.
Dr. Weisberg has been the recipient of numerous medical student teaching awards over the years. In addition, he was awarded the Internal Medicine Housestaff Teaching Award in 1994, and the Sol Sherry, MD, Teaching Award in 1998. He was elected to the Master Educators Guild of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2004. Dr. Weisberg is past president of the Nephrology Society of New Jersey. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology.
Dr. Weisberg received his AB degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and his MD degree with honors from Temple University School of Medicine, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and a fellowship in Nephrology at the same institution.
In 1987, he joined the nephrology division of Cooper University Health Care (CUHC), and the faculty of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Camden, where he rose to Professor of Medicine in 2002. In 2001, he was appointed head of the division of nephrology at CUHC, a position he continues to hold. He served as Deputy Chief of the Department of Medicine of Cooper University Health Care from 2007 to 2014.
Dr. Weisberg has received numerous teaching awards in his career, among them the inaugural Sol Sherry, MD, Teaching Award. He was elected to the UMDNJ Stuart D. Cook Master Educators Guild in 2004. Over the past 20 years, he has continuously been recognized as a "top doc" by Philadelphia Magazine, New Jersey Monthly Magazine and South Jersey Magazine, and he was the regional National Kidney Foundation's Physician Honoree in 2011.
Dr. Weisberg was creator and course director of the Literature and Medicine course for third and fourth year medical students at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He served as Assistant Dean for Curriculum at CMSRU from 2011 to 2019.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Ms. Anderson has had an impressive career in medical education. A graduate of Washington University with graduate degrees from the University of Illinois, she is an internationally recognized expert in medical school curricula, clinical evaluation, and international medical education. Between 1983 and 2011, Ms. Anderson worked at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in Washington, DC; there, she held numerous administrative positions including Senior Director for Educational Affairs and Project Director for the Macy Foundation Grant - "A Consortium of New and Developing Medical Schools" - in which CMSRU has been an active participant. In 2011, Ms. Anderson joined the National Board of Medical Examiners in Philadelphia, where she is Senior Academic Officer for International and Assessment Programs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- President of Indel, Inc
Manning J. Smith, is President of Indel, Inc., Rancocas, N.J., a group of engineering and technology-based companies delivering diverse technology and manufacturing a wide variety of capital equipment. Starting as Director of Corporate Development and advancing to Group Vice President and Group President, Mr. Smith has been closely involved with the company's growth worldwide. He received his BA degree from Dartmouth College and his MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Smith is a Director of the South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University and has been active with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation since 1992. He received the Philadelphia Committee Globe and Anchor Award in 2008.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
An educator and researcher, Rowan University named Mark, just last year, professor and inaugural chairman of the new Biomedical Engineering Department in its nationally recognized College of Engineering. Byrne earned his Ph.D. and M.S.Ch.E. in chemical engineering from Purdue University and his B.S. in chemical engineering with a biomedical engineering minor from Carnegie Mellon University. Mark is an inventor and entrepreneur too with a number of issued patents and others pending. Also, Mark is co-founder and chief technology officer of OcuMedic, Inc., a drug-delivery company in Auburn, Alabama.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- P.M
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Rowan University's Department Head for Psychology, Professor Kerwin earned her BA, MA, and PhD degrees from University of Notre Dame. Dr. Kerwin's current research interest focuses on evaluating the effect of behavioral interventions for a variety of issues and problems including pediatric feeding disorders, autism, and drug addiction, especially for mothers.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Assessment & Continuous Quality Improvement
- Chairman of the Assessment and Examination Review Subcommittees of the CMSRU Curriculum Committee
In his role as Assistant Dean for Assessment & Continuous Quality Improvement, Dr. Gentile oversees all aspects of CMSRU's Assessment and Evaluation system operations and the CMSRU Continuous Quality Improvement goals while ensuring the school's continued compliance with LCME accreditation standards.
Dr. Gentile also serves as the Chair for the Assessment and Examination Review Subcommittees of the CMSRU Curriculum Committee. He holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of New England, where he specialized in medical education leadership.
Dr. Gentile holds a Master of Arts degree from Richard Stockton University, specializing in Forensic Psychology, has been trained in LEAN/Six Sigma, and holds a Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) from the AAMC. He has significant experience with assessment program development and implementation, assessment technology, data analysis, assessment tool design, program evaluation, curricular mapping, and policy development. Dr. Gentile's research interests focus on program development, small group learning, and assessment in medical education.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Members of the 2021 - 22 Medical School Board
Peter S. Amenta, MD, PhD, is a board certified anatomic and clinical pathologist. Most recently, Dr. Amenta served as President and CEO of the Harvard Medical School affiliate, Joslin Diabetes Center (2015-2019), the world-renowned institute centered on diabetes care and research.
Dr. Amenta also served as Dean of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) 2006 - 2013, the founding dean of the new Rutgers-RWJMS in 2013; and concurrently the CEO of the RWJ Medical Faculty Practice. He was a faculty member/practitioner of Rutgers-RWJMS and RWJ University Hospital from 1989 to 2015.
During his 26-plus years at RWJMS and University Hospital, Dr. Amenta held a number of key administrative positions, including Chief of the Pathology Service and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief of Staff at RWJUH, as well as Residency Program Director and Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at RWJMS. He was the founding Director of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey's Immunohistochemistry Shared Resource, and a member of the Cancer Institute's Scientific Council and Internal Advisory Board. Dr. Amenta served on the Editorial Board of Human Pathology and as a reviewer for a number of other clinical and research journals. He has published more than 175 manuscripts, chapters and abstracts, including co-editing the textbook Histology-From Normal Microanatomy to Pathology.
Dr. Amenta holds a bachelor of science from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and received his medical degree at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA, where he also obtained his PhD in anatomy.
Job Titles:
- Director of Faculty Affairs and Educational Operations
In her role as the Director of Faculty Affairs and Educational Operations at CMSRU, Ms. Berget will be responsible for all aspects of faculty affairs and faculty development.
Ms. Berget received her Bachelor of Science in Business Education from the University of University of Houston, and her M.Ed. with a specialization in higher education administration from the University of Pittsburgh. Her master's thesis was "The Effect of Managed Care on Graduate Medical Education." She completed her course work for her Ed.D. in higher education management at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pennsylvania. For the past six years, Ms. Berget has been the Associate Director of Faculty Professional Development in the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Member at Rowan Colleg
- Registered Dental Hygienist and Certified Dental Assistant
A registered dental hygienist and certified dental assistant, Rita is an adjunct faculty member at Rowan Colleg at Burlington County. Rita is a graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Thomas Edison State College and earned her master's degree from Seton Hall University. Supporting and promoting good health care is important to Rita who has devoutly volunteered her time to promote the value of good oral hygiene to elementary school children and to children with special needs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the CMSRU Leadership Team
- Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs
- Associate Professor of Medicine
- MEdHP
In her role as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Dr. Kim works closely with the Dean and the Director of Faculty Affairs to encourage faculty engagement and assist faculty members in achieving professional goals and succeeding in their academic careers.
Dr. Kim is an Associate Professor of Medicine; she is a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Cooper University Health Care, where she provides specialized outpatient and inpatient care. Dr. Kim completed her Masters in Education in the Health Professions at Johns Hopkins University in 2018.
Dr. Kim earned her medical degree from New York University School of Medicine, completed her Internal Medicine residency training at NYU/Bellevue Hospitals, then her Infectious Diseases fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Board of Trustees Member
Sandy Brown is a current Board of Trustees member for multiple organizations, including The Vetri Foundation and Moorestown Friends School, and serves at board advisor for the Kellman Brown Academy. She received her BA in Economics from Dickenson College in 1984, and has since been involved in several strategic plans and reorganizational efforts for educational and religious organizations. Ms. Brown has also been involved in numerous committees focusing on board governance, finance and capital campaigns.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
Steven E. Ross, MD is a longtime leader of the Cooper University Hospital Trauma Center. Dr. Ross has dedicated his career to making the Cooper Trauma Center the best it can be and always puts his patients and their families first. Dr. Ross joined Cooper in 1984 and served as the Trauma Division Head from 1988 through 2015. During that time, Cooper's Trauma Center achieved national recognition for clinical care, education, and clinical research. The Cooper Trauma Center is the only Level I trauma center in South Jersey. Dr. Ross now serves as Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Surgical Residency Program Director, and Professor of Surgery at CMSRU.
For almost 40 years, Dr. Peikin has been committed to advancing the practice of gastroenterology. Dr. Peikin graduated from Jefferson Medical College and eventually began his career at Cooper University Health Care. In 2019, Dr. Peikin stepped down as Head of the Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease at Cooper. Steve continues to practice at Cooper Hospital and has enthusiastically embraced his new role as Professor of Medicine, teaching medical students and providing future physicians in training to advance world-class care for patients with GI disorders.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Medical Education
- Associate Professor of Medicine
In her role as Associate Dean for Medical Education and Associate Professor of Medicine at CMSRU, Dr. Perlis is responsible for development, management, and implementation of the medical school educational program. She joined CMSRU from the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (formerly The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC)), where she served as Associate Dean for Curriculum and Associate Professor of Medicine. Dr. Perlis first joined TCMC as Assistant Dean for Evaluation and Assessment, where she was instrumental in establishing high-quality assessment practices for the new medical school. As Associate Dean for Curriculum, Dr. Perlis had oversight of the medical education program and helped TCMC become one of the first United States medical schools to adopt the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship model as the standard clinical experience for the entire medical school class in the third year. She brought this significant experience in new medical school development to CMSRU in September 2013. Since then, Dr. Perlis has been involved in every aspect of the development of the CMSRU curriculum and works extensively with the Curriculum Committee and the affiliated subcommittees. She provides leadership for the Office of Medical Education, the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center, and the Medical Library.
Dr. Perlis holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration from Temple University, where she specialized in higher education administration. She holds a Master of Science degree in Education in the field of Curriculum Instruction Supervision, is a graduate of the Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in Healthcare Professions, and has completed green belt training in LEAN/Six Sigma. Dr. Perlis completed the Hendwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program in 2015, and holds a Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) from the AAMC.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rowan University
Dr. Dobbins is Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rowan University. A graduate of Lincoln University, she received her MS in Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, where she was also awarded a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Dobbins held positions at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and faculty positions at Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University prior to coming to Rowan. A well-published scholar, her research interests involve the study of structures and dynamics of materials for biotechnology and alternative energy applications.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Medical School Board
- Chief Emeritus of Pediatrics at the Children 's Regional Hospital
Dr. Sharrar is Chief Emeritus of Pediatrics at The Children's Regional Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics of Cooper University Hospital. He is also Professor of Pediatrics at CMSRU. Dr. Sharrar received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Franklin & Marshall College and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He interned at Philadelphia General Hospital, then served two years as Peace Corps Physician in Hargeisa, Somalia, East Africa. He did his pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he served as Chief Resident in 1972-1973. Dr. Sharrar came to Cooper in 1983 to develop the Division of General Pediatrics.
Job Titles:
- Pathologist
- Associate Dean for Admissions / Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences
William Kocher, MD is a pathologist and medical educator who currently serves as the Associate Dean for Admissions at the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU).
Dr. Kocher received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed his Pathology training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. In addition to Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, he is board-certified in Hematology, which is an area of interest in practice. Over his career, he has been a practicing Pathologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Cooper University Health Care. His true passion lies in medical education and he has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards.
At CMSRU, he has previously served as Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and as the Assistant Dean for Phase 1 Curriculum. His teaching activities at CMSRU include course director for the hematology-oncology course, ALG facilitator, lecturer, and lab instructor.