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Back to School with Blue Star: Ask the Experts + Crafts & Prizes!
Share your questions and concerns about the 2020/21 school year with our experts.
----> Submit your questions in written, audio, or video format here.
Featuring:
Dr. Josh Schaffzin, MD, PhD
Director, Infection Control & Prevention at Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
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Joshua K. Schaffzin, MD, PhD, completed his training in medicine, molecular genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology as a member of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Physician Scientist Training Program, followed by a pediatric residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He then was accepted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, serving in Albany, NY at the New York State Department of Health. He stayed on at the NYSDOH for three additional years before coming back to Cincinnati Children’s as a surgical hospitalist for 5 years. He then completed a Pediatric Infectious Fellowship in 2017, and was hired as the associate director of Infection Control and Prevention.
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Dr. Schaffzin has been recognized for his work on outbreak investigation and mitigation, and as a clinical educator. He founded and co-chaired the AAP Surgical Care Subcommittee for the Section on Hospital Medicine, and currently serves as a co-leader of the Solutions for Patient Safety Surgical Site Infection Prevention group. He is a member of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, serving on the guidelines committee and pediatric leadership council. His greatest joy comes from interacting with patients, families, and colleagues, finding solutions to clinical and system problems together.
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Dr. Sarah Ulrich, Ed.D.
Associate Dean of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Affairs, Drexel University
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Dr. Sarah Ulrich spent 10 years teaching in both elementary and middle schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District. She received her bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in English from California State University, Long Beach and her master's degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Cross Cultural, Language and Academic Development from Loyola Marymount University. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University. Her dissertation, The Role of “Racialized Consciousness” for White, Female, Middle Class Teachers in Urban Settings, examined the lack of cultural synchronization between the U.S. Teaching population and diverse learners in urban schools. She spent three years as a visiting professor at Saint Joseph’s University and then became the Director of Student Teaching for Saint Joseph’s University. Her research areas include teacher preparation, teaching in urban contexts and teacher residency models. Her work with teacher residency models in the Drexel School of Education has received nearly $3 million in funding over five grants, for which four of the grants Dr. Ulrich served as the Principal Investigator. Dr. Ulrich has been at Drexel for thirteen years. She is currently the Associate Dean of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Affairs, and a Clinical Professor of Education in the School of Education.
Tanya Mac
Outreach Director, The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Metrocare
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Tanya Mac is an outreach director at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic focusing on families. Tanya is a Marine spouse with a background in art from Maine College of Art. Prior to joining the clinic, Tanya gained extensive experience and expertise in therapeutic art for adults, children and families through Tanya Mac Arts.
Juliet Foster
Director, Division of Veterans Affairs, Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services
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Juliet Foster spent most of her life preparing for her current position. Upon graduation from her High School, Morris Hills Regional HS, she entered the U.S. Air Force and served before returning to her home in Rockaway, NJ. Upon completion of her time in the military, she sought higher education by completing a Paralegal Certification program through Katherine Gibbs and eventually gaining her Bachelors in Elementary Education from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO.
Juliet spent time teaching before heading back to NJ, where she elected to go into the legal field and spending years as a Paralegal before opening her own business as a Commercial Photographer. This field afforded her the ability to develop her networking skills and build valuable relationships throughout the City of Jersey City.
In 2019, Juliet was selected as the Veteran of the Year by the City of Jersey City and later that year became their Director for the Division of Veterans Affairs under their Department of Health and Human Services, developing programming and partnerships that allow her to assist the city’s veteran population with job placement assistance, resume writing services, money management skills, and connections to those who can provide them with information regarding their benefits and how to file claims. She is currently working to create partnerships with area businesses, and select non-profit organizations, that can assist veterans with affordable housing and entrepreneurship development.
With further advisement from:
Mattea LeWitt, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania
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Ms. Mattea LeWitt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is trained in evidence-based practices including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). At the Cohen Military Family Clinic, Ms. LeWitt provides therapy and assessment for children, adolescents, adults, and families. She specializes in helping veterans and military family members with trauma, depression, anxiety, family and relationship difficulties, stress, adjustment issues, and other mental health challenges. Ms. LeWitt practices from a strengths-based, holistic approach focused on health, mindfulness, and resilience.