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Browse the host bios below to learn more about participating professionals, their backgrounds, areas of expertise, and networking advice. Use this page to identify the hosts you would most like to meet when selecting your sessions.
New host bios will be added as participants are confirmed, so check back regularly for updates.
Assistant Professor, CUNY SPH
Industry: Academia
About Karmen
Dr. Karmen Williams, DrPH, MBA, MSPH, MA, CPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Population Health Informatics program and the Department of Health Policy and Management at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.
Dr. Williams is a public health informatics scholar and educator whose work focuses on population health informatics, responsible AI, reproductive health informatics, and technology equity for underserved populations. Her research and leadership emphasize community-centered innovation, including AI-supported student resource navigation, digital privacy in reproductive health technologies, and informatics solutions for justice-involved populations.
Dr. Williams also serves as Director of the American Medical Informatics Association’s For Your Informatics podcast, where she amplifies diverse voices and pathways into the health informatics field.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“What brought you into your field? I love personal backstories.”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Do not spend the entire event with people you know AND have a 20-second introduction ready (who you are + what you work on + what currently interests you).”
Connect with Karmen
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Senior Director of Client Engagement, Payer Sciences
CUNY SPH Alum, MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Industry: For-profit
About Ephraim
Ephraim Tropp earned his MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from CUNY SPH, where he worked on the PARCS Study with Professor Terry Huang, enrolling New Yorkers in underserved communities to examine how park investments impact public health.
After graduating in 2018, Ephraim joined Alcimed, a life sciences consulting firm, before moving to Payer Sciences, a market access agency supporting pharmaceutical companies. In his current role, he develops client relationships, manages projects, and provides strategic recommendations to improve access to healthcare products.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“Can you tell me about your role?”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t be afraid to ask to network and make time to speak to someone to learn about their job and career path.”
Connect with Ephraim
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Commander, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
CUNY SPH Alum, MPH in Health Policy and Management
Industry: Government
About Jerry
Commander Jerry Zee has been an active duty officer of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps for more than 21 years. He has provided direct patient care for Native Americans and justice-involved persons and served as a subject matter expert for the Medicare Part D program.
Commander Zee also served as an IT program and management analyst for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and currently serves as an Emergency Management Specialist for the Administration for Children & Families.
He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy and Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Marketing & Management from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and his Master of Public Health from Hunter College School of Public Health, now known as CUNY SPH.
Connect with Jerry
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Assistant Vice President, Chubb Risk Consulting
CUNY SPH Alum, MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Industry: For-profit
About Dean
Dean Ricken is a health and safety consulting professional passionate about understanding client challenges and developing practical solutions that support their needs. He enjoys helping organizations strengthen worker health and safety through customized approaches aligned with each client’s unique goals.
Dean’s style is collaborative, detail-oriented, and focused on delivering meaningful results that create value for both people and business outcomes.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“What’s one thing you’re excited about in your work right now?”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Focus on building genuine relationships.”
Connect with Dean
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Senior Director of Public Affairs & Marketing, Brave Health
CUNY SPH Alum, MPH in Health Policy and Management
Industry: Healthcare
About Ashley
Ashley Womble, MPH, is a nationally recognized leader in mental health communications and crisis response. Her work spans journalism, public affairs, and large-scale public health interventions—all centered on the belief that seeking help should be seen as a strength, not a weakness.
With a Master of Public Health and deep expertise in government relations, partnerships, and thought leadership, she has been at the forefront of destigmatizing mental health and advancing help-seeking behavior for diverse audiences, from Gen Z to policymakers. At the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now 988), she redesigned the website as a public health resource and partnered with Facebook and Google to improve discoverability and develop online safety best practices.
She later led marketing at Crisis Text Line, securing major media coverage for the organization’s COVID response and launching a UK affiliate with The Royal Foundation. Ashley also served as the launch director for the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline under the Biden Administration.
Now, she leads marketing and public affairs at Brave Health, a mission-driven telehealth provider delivering therapy and psychiatry to individuals with Medicaid and Medicare. Ashley is also the author of Everything Is Going to Be OK, a guide for young adults living with mental illness.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“What emoji sums up how you are feeling right now?”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Everyone wants you to succeed because it is awkward to watch you fail.”
Connect with Ashley
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Board Trustee, Public Health Service Commissioned Officers Foundation
Hunter College Alum, MPH in Community Health
Industry: Nonprofit
About Harlem
Retired Commander Dr. Harlem J. Gunness, PhD, MPH, has built a distinguished career in public service spanning more than two decades across community-based organizations, hospitals, universities, and local, state, and federal government agencies. His work as a public health practitioner has engaged diverse and often vulnerable populations, including low-income individuals, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, immigrants, refugees, asylees, and racial and ethnic minorities.
Among his notable accomplishments, Dr. Gunness directed Ebola response operations at JFK International Airport, which led to the identification of New York City’s sole Ebola patient. He has also led hundreds of epidemiological investigations of highly infectious communicable diseases at the CDC, including MERS-CoV, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and Lassa fever, to help prevent the introduction and spread of diseases in the United States.
Additionally, Dr. Gunness established a public health consortium with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Queens Borough President’s Office to advance COVID-19 health equity, an effort that culminated in his award-winning documentary, Bring It to the People. He also developed a COVID-19 surveillance program at a mid-size university and was invited by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to present its best practices.
More recently, Dr. Gunness developed the Salud Health Honors Scholar Program at Hunter College and spearheaded a direct pipeline with NYC Health + Hospitals for student fieldwork and employment opportunities.
Dr. Gunness currently serves as a Board Trustee with the U.S. Surgeon General’s Commissioned Officers Foundation, where he works alongside former U.S. Surgeons General, deputies, and other retired public health leaders. A strategic connector and network-builder, he is passionate about health system optimization and navigating complex spaces to improve the health of patients, communities, and populations. A native New Yorker, Dr. Gunness earned his BS and MPH from CUNY and his PhD in Health Systems from Rutgers University.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“What led you to pursue a career in public health? What are the underlying reasons driving your cause?”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Put all your doubts and insecurities aside. The more you do it, the better you will become at it!”
Connect with Harlem
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Academic Liaison, NYS Department of Health’s Division of Public Health Infrastructure
Industry: Government
About Cali
Cali Riese Messner, MPH, is the Academic Liaison for the New York State Department of Health’s Division of Public Health Infrastructure, where she leads efforts to build partnerships with colleges, workforce programs, and high schools to promote career pathways into public health.
Cali has a background in community health and experience in cancer screening, case management, health insurance navigation, family home visiting, and workforce development. Prior to joining the Division of Public Health Infrastructure’s core team, she served as a Senior Fellow with the New York State Public Health Corps Fellowship Program.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Rochester and a Master of Public Health degree from the University at Albany.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“Asking them their favorite part of their job.”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“I walk into a room excited to meet new people and learn from them. When I have imposter syndrome, I try to remember that other people feel the same way and are excited to meet me.”
Connect with Cali
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
COO, The Mama Glow Foundation
CUNY SPH Alum, MPH in Community Health
Industry: Nonprofit, Healthcare
About Monique
After more than a decade living and working in the Middle East and Africa, where she gained hands-on experience in global and community health, Monique returned to pursue her MPH at CUNY SPH, graduating in May 2022. Shortly after graduating, she joined Mama Glow, a maternal health education platform, and now serves as the organization’s COO.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“What’s your favorite condiment?”
Connect with Monique
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Managing Director, CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute
Hunter College Alum, MPH in Public Health Nutrition
Industry: Academia
About Craig
Craig Willingham is the Managing Director of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, where he oversees a diverse portfolio of food policy research.
Previously, he worked at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Center for Health Equity, where he developed and implemented strategies to make it easier for consumers to purchase healthier products at food retail locations across the city.
Craig has a diverse professional background that includes business management, secondary education, regional agriculture, and technical training.
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
Connect with Craig
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Vital Care Services
Industry: For-profit, Healthcare
About Christopher
Christopher Gaur is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Vital Care Services, a family- and minority-owned telehealth technology and services company that he has operated with his brother, Dave, since 2012. He is also Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Formed&Found, a nonprofit pottery studio in Carmel, New York, which he founded alongside his wife and Lead Potter, Stephanie.
Christopher earned his BBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Pace University, where he helped create the Pace Perk Cafe in 2010, a late-night student-run eatery that continues to operate today. He later earned his Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology.
In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Christopher is an EMT-B and NASM Certified Personal Trainer who trains clients both in person and virtually. He lives in Mahopac with his wife, three children, and two rescue dogs. Outside of work, he enjoys serving at his church in Carmel, playing drums and bass guitar, running, and connecting with people in his community.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“Asking what problems they’re passionate about solving.”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Be interested, not interesting.”
Connect with Christopher
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Senior Director of Population Health and Ambulatory Care, Greater New York Hospital Association
CUNY SPH Alum, MS in Health Communication for Social Change
Industry: Healthcare
About Shanaz
Shanaz Chery, MS, CHES, is the Senior Director of Population Health and Ambulatory Care at the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) and an Adjunct Professor at New York City College of Technology (CUNY City Tech). With more than 10 years of experience in public health and healthcare transformation, her work focuses on advancing population health initiatives and improving access to primary and specialty care through technology-enabled solutions, care coordination, and partnerships with community-based organizations.
Ms. Chery specializes in integrating social drivers of health into clinical care through screening, referral, and service delivery models that strengthen connections between health and social care providers and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. She also analyzes and advocates for federal and state health policies that support the infrastructure, funding, and sustainability of social care programs and other public benefit programs.
Prior to joining GNYHA, Ms. Chery held roles at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH). She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and earned her bachelor’s degree from CUNY Brooklyn College and her Master of Science in Health Communication for Social Change from CUNY SPH.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“Introducing myself and asking someone if they have been to this conference/event/program before or how they heard about it.”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“People like to talk about their work, so ask!”
Connect with Shanaz
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Adjunct Assistant Professor, CUNY SPH
Industry: Academia
About Moaz
Dr. Moaz Abdelwadoud is a public health researcher, educator, and physician with over 15 years of experience spanning clinical medicine, health systems research, and global public health practice across the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the United States.
He currently serves as Research Scientist and Senior Director of Training at the Center for Systems & Community Design at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, where he leads training initiatives and contributes to research advancing community-engaged and systems-based approaches to improving population health.
He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, where he teaches graduate courses in public health policy, organizational management, and comparative urban health systems and contributes to the relaunch of the school’s Doctor of Public Health program.
Additionally, Dr. Abdelwadoud serves as a Public Health Impact Mentor at Firefly Innovations, CUNY’s digital health startup accelerator, where he mentors early-stage digital health companies on strategy, growth, and health system integration.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“Ask about their current job or studies.”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Just relax and get to know people.”
Connect with Moaz
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.
Clinical Professor, CUNY SPH
Industry: Academia
About
Chris Palmedo is a Clinical Professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. His research and teaching focus on health communication, social marketing, health advocacy, and the development of trusted messaging campaigns.
Dr. Palmedo is Co-Founder of the CUNY SPH Master of Science (MS) degree program in Health Communication for Social Change. He joined CUNY following a 20+ year career in senior public affairs positions, where he designed and conducted communications programs aimed at improving health and health equity.
He is also the co-author of a college-level textbook on personal health, now in its second edition, with a focus on the upstream determinants of health.
What is your go-to icebreaker when meeting someone new professionally?
“Where are you originally from? Where were you born?”
What is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t burn any bridges.”
Connect with Chris
Contact information will be available on the day of the event.