Newswise — Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a national leader in transforming America's health systems for people to live healthier lives and receive the health care they need, will deliver the commencement address and receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin's 96th annual commencement exercises, May 15, at the Milwaukee Theater. The Medical College and its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences will award a total of 203 M.D. degrees, 25 Ph.D.'s, 25 M.S. degrees, eight M.A. degrees, and 18 master of public health degrees.
The College will also honor Drs. Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern, founders of Generac Power Systems, Inc. in Waukesha, and the Kern Family Foundation, with honorary Doctor of Science degrees. Lavizzo-Mourey has restructured the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's strategic investments to target a set of high-impact priorities, including: improving the quality and safety of patient care; strengthening state and local public health systems; halting the rise in childhood obesity by 2015; and covering the uninsured. She joined the Foundation in 2001 as senior vice president. Previously, she was the Sylvan Eisman Professor of Medicine and Health Care Systems, and Director of the Institute on Aging at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn.) and deputy administrator of what is now the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality in Washington, D.C. A Harvard Medical School alumnus, she received her M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. The Kerns are being honored "for their entrepreneurial spirit and contributions to scientific and technical education," according to T. Michael Bolger, J.D., Medical College President & CEO. In 1959, they founded what became Generac Power Systems, Inc., one of the world's largest independent manufacturers of complete engine-driven generator systems. They established the Kern Family Foundation, a private, independent grant-making organization based in Waukesha in 1998. The Foundation seeks to enrich the lives of others by promoting strong pastoral leadership, educational excellence and high-quality, entrepreneurial engineering talent by focusing on systemic change. The Kerns have a strong commitment to science, technology, engineering and math education, and have developed a partnership with Project Lead the Way, a national nonprofit organization focused on introducing and preparing middle and high school students for engineering and technical careers. The Kerns both hold honorary doctorates from Milwaukee School of Engineering and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Additionally, three outstanding faculty members will be honored with Distinguished Service Awards, the Medical College's highest faculty honor. They are: "¢ Owen W. Griffith, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and dean of the graduate school of biomedical sciences, will be honored for the leadership and vision demonstrated in his 17 years on the faculty. As a scientist, he has maintained National Institutes of Health funding since 1979, and earned international standing in the field of amino acid metabolism and nitric oxide synthesis. He holds over 44 U.S. patents, and his research could contribute to the understanding and treatment of many diseases. As an educator, his advocacy for the college's interdisciplinary program helped establish it as a cornerstone of the school's approach to graduate education. He also chaired the department of biochemistry for nine years, enhancing it through sound recruitment and mentorship. Additionally, he has served on the Medical College Board of Trustees, the executive committee of the faculty, the committee on rank and tenure, and the medical scientist training program executive committee.
"¢ Karen J. Marcdante, M.D., vice chair of education for the department of pediatrics and professor of pediatrics in critical care medicine will be honored as a strong voice for advancing medical education and clinical care in her 23 years on the faculty, and as a staff physician at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Cited as an exceptional and accessible teacher for students, residents, fellows and young faculty members, she has been director of the pediatric critical care fellowship program since 1995. She has consistently won national funding for research and programs to improve medical and faculty education. Respected for her patient care, she was elected president of the Children's Hospital Medical/Dental Staff for 2005-07, and served as associate dean for curriculum at the College for six years. She was recently named chair of the newly-formed Dean's Education Innovation Advisory Committee, and will serve as special assistant to the dean for strategic planning for medical student education.
"¢ John E. Moulder, Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology, with joint appointments in the departments of radiology, and of pharmacology and toxicology, will be honored as a dedicated mentor with extensive involvement in the education of medical students, residents, fellows and faculty, his national leadership throughout his field and his ability to advance scientific understanding through strong collaborative and multi-institutional efforts. Dr. Moulder joined the faculty in 1978, and became founding director of the College's National Center for Medical Countermeasures against Radiological Terrorism in 2005. His research has been recognized worldwide and continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1979. His studies focus on prevention, mitigation and treatment of tissue injuries from radiotherapy, radiation accidents and radiological terrorism; the radiobiological risks of space travel, and the regulatory, legal, biological and medical aspects of human exposure to radiation.
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