Paula Schenck, M.P.H.
Education: Simmons College Bachelor of Science; UConn Graduate School, Master of Public Health
Title: Principal Investigator; Director, Indoor Environments and Health Programs
Organization: UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Paula Schenck entered the public health arena with interest in how human disease could be ameliorated or possibly prevented by addressing the environment. She co-established the Center for Indoor Environments and Health to focus specific strengths within UConn on this objective. This project brings together her public health orientation, a life-long interest in marine and coastal environments, early career experience with basic microbiology research, strength in risk communication, and a current focus on mold and moisture and respiratory health. She directed and served as faculty for a series of mold and moisture trainings at cities around the country and as course director developed a web-based course for clinicians. She was lead author on a report Climate Change, Indoor Air Quality and Health, and with Dr. Robert DeBernardo wrote a chapter: Effective risk communication concerning environmental change with communities and patients exposed to excessive indoor moisture or mold in Bioaerosols – Fungi, Bacteria, Mycotoxins in Indoor and Outdoor Environments and Human Health, published in 2012.
Phone: 860-679-2368, Email: schenck@uchc.edu
Marc S. Croteau, M.D., M.P.H.
Education: Boston College Bachelor of Science; Dartmouth Medical School, Doctor of Medicine; UConn Graduate School, Master of Public Health
Title: Assistant Professor, Director of Employee Health Service, and Clinical Director of Occupational Medicine
Organization: UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Marc Croteau will assist in developing and integrating an online course module on mold exposure/health effects in the setting disaster preparation and response within the UConn Center for Indoor Environments and Health online Clinicians Course; a Continuing Medical Education offering. Dr. Marc Croteau is board certified in family medicine and in preventive medicine-occupational medicine. He has practiced in emergency medicine, primary care and occupational medicine. His teaching experience includes the Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response course for the Masters in Public Health Program at UConn Health.
Phone: 860-679-3744, Email: croteau@uchc.edu
Mark C. Buchanan, M.D.
Title: Assistant Professor of Medicine
Organization: UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: During a long career in clinical care, Mark Buchanan has been involved in educational and communication efforts designed for health professionals and the lay public. This has meant working closely with programmers, data base administrators, and human interface specialists to offer users complicated information in an accessible format. He hopes to increase the value of our training by taking it to a mobile platform that allows convenient just-in-time training for a wide audience of persons exposed to mold hazards.
Phone: 860-679-4947, Email: mbuchanan@uchc.edu
Joanne Burcher, M.D.
Title: Physician and Public Health Researcher
Organization: Consultant to UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Dr. Burcher’s training includes Family Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Since 2011 she has collaborated on a number of educational and training projects that drew on her ability to translate research results into information understandable to non-medical audiences. She is also part of the curriculum committee for the UConn Health clinicians’ guidance on mold.
Phone: 413-244-2829, Email: jobp216@hotmail.com
Paul Bureau
Title:Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Lecturer/Advisor
Organization: UConn Department of Allied Health Sciences, and UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Many years of working as a practicing industrial hygienist in the private sector and delivering health-related education and training to a variety of audiences will help Paul craft messages about potential for mold exposure, impacts on health and appropriate protective measures. He also teaches UConn adult students striving to earn a certificate in occupational safety and health, and UConn undergraduate students working to earn a baccalaureate degree with an occupational and environmental health and safety concentration.
Phone: 860-486-0040, Email: paul.bureau@uconn.edu
Jennifer Cavallari, Sc.D., C.I.H.
Education: Sc.D. Harvard School of Public Health, Occupational Epidemiology; M.S. Harvard School of Public Health, Industrial Hygiene; B.S. University of Connecticut, Chemistry
Title: Assistant Professor, Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Occupational Epidemiologist
Organization: UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Dr. Jennifer Cavallari brings to this project her training and expertise in industrial hygiene, occupational epidemiology, and worker training. In addition, she contributes expertise in data analysis and presentation.
Phone: 860-679-4720, Email: cavallari@uchc.edu
Sara Wakai, Ph.D.
Title: Director of Evaluation, and Assistant Professor in Residence
Organization: UConn Health, Center for Public Health and Health Policy
Relevant Expertise: Dr. Sara Wakai is part of a strong interdisciplinary UConn Health team that has conducted numerous research studies and program evaluations in environmental/occupational health and applied health research projects. She has worked with Paula Schenck providing evaluation services for the Neighborhood Healthy Homes and the Green and Healthy Homes projects. She is also leading the evaluation component of the UConn Green Cleaning training project. She will evaluate this program.
Phone: 860-679-5503, Email: swakai@uchc.edu
Kelly Wallace, M.S.
Education: Master of Science, University of Connecticut, School of Allied Health Science, Health Promotion; Bachelor of Science, University of Connecticut, School of Allied Health Science.
Title: Community Health Educator, Research Assistant
Organization: UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Kelly Wallace is a health educator and the research assistant for this project. She provides additional input into risk communication strategy/messaging around mold health effects.
Phone: 860-679-2971, Email: kewallace@uchc.edu
Cristina Mullin
Education: Bachelor of Science in Marine Science /Minor in Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Connecticut
Title: Research and Outreach Assistant
Organization: UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Relevant Expertise: Cristina Mullin is responsible for outreach and risk messaging to appropriate workers groups and the public through establishing and utilizing communication channels outside of individual contacts, including multiple channels of social media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter), and development of this project web page. She also currently serves as a planner updating the UConn Health online clinicians’ course, “Guidance for Clinicians: Mold and Moisture/Impacts from Severe Wet Weather”.
Phone: 860-679-2008, Email: mullin@uchc.edu