Keynotes
Suzanne Harrison, MD, FAAFP, FAMWA, is the Immediate Past-President of AMWA and is dedicated to the mission of the organization, to advance women in medicine and improve the health of women. In addition to her presidential term, she has served 2 terms on the AMWA Board of Directors, has been involved in several committees including PATH, Mentorship, Membership, Fellowship, GETF, Governance and Finance. She is an AMWA Fellow.
Dr. Harrison is a Professor of Family Medicine & Rural Health at the Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the Director of Clinical Programs and actively involved in teaching medical students and family medicine residents. Dr. Harrison is dedicated to the education and well-being of the students she teaches and mentors, both at her home institution and through AMWA. She is committed to fostering patient-centeredness in students and residents and cultivating a sense of responsibility for community needs and underserved populations. Her areas of focus include patients impacted by violence and abuse, wellness, women’s health and women in medicine. Born in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Harrison lived most of her life in the Pacific Northwest. Educational background includes BS in Zoology from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho; MD from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington; Family Medicine Residency at Valley Medical Center in Renton, Washington; Faculty Development Fellowship through the University of California, San Diego, with a focus on “Addressing the Health Needs of the Underserved.” She is Board Certified in Family Medicine. She is centered by her loving family – a devoted husband, four happy and successful adult children and three adorable grandchildren. |
Farzanna Sherene Haffizulla, M.D., FACP, FAMWA, joined the College of Allopathic Medicine in 2017 as assistant dean for community and global health. She provides essential leadership to the college’s faculty and staff to ensure the expansion, maintenance, and sustainability of community-engaged initiatives that promote human health and health education both domestically and abroad. These efforts will improve partnership and community engaged capacity building, as aligned with the institution's mission and strategic plan. In addition to her role at NSU, Dr. Haffizulla runs her own concierge, internal medicine hybrid private practice, which she founded in in 2008 after practicing in a traditional setting for five years. Dr. Haffizulla teaches Honors Organic Chemistry to the pre-med high school seniors at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. She is also an affiliate clinical assistant professor of biomedical science at the Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in Boca Raton, Florida, and a voluntary assistant professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She serves as a full board member for Advarra IRB and with the American Diabetes Association-South Florida. Dr. Haffizulla completed her undergraduate degree in molecular biology and microbiology at University of Central Florida in Orlando, graduating summa cum laude with university honors. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine and completed her residency training at the Cleveland Clinic Florida and Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Haffizulla is focused on promoting health, wellness, and disease prevention – both locally and globally – and has been invited as a thought leader to participate in related sessions at the National Institutes of Health and the Office of Women’s Health. She serves as a physician ambassador for the Broward County Department of Health promoting prevention of disease and as chief scientific officer of Haven Home Health, where her goal is to improve patient care with reduction of disease related complications and hospital (re)admissions. She also leads Haven’s “Walk with a Doc” chapter in Plantation, Florida. Dr. Haffizulla is the host, anchor, and clinical editor for the nationwide health program, Mission Critical Health. She also works with Elsevier’s Practice Update team as host of its oncology and rheumatology series. She has contributed to the production of more than 300 clinician-directed videos to facilitate the translation of the most updated scientific advances and research into improved patient outcomes nationally and globally. Dr. Haffizulla has given numerous national and local keynote speeches and lectures on topics including work/life balance, disease prevention, heath care innovations and personalized health. She authored 2 books, Harmony of the Spheres: Career, Family and Community in 2011 and, Lead with your Heart: A Doctor’s Rx for Personal and Professional Success and founded and runs a work/life balance site www.BusyMomMD.com. Dr. Haffizulla was the 2014-2015 national president of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). She is involved on many levels with AMWA including being the co-chair and founder for AMWA’s Preventive Medicine Task Force, founder of AMWA’s fellowship program, and she served on AMWA's governance, finance, membership and global health committees. In her capacity as an AMWA leader, she worked to promote the Surgeon General’s National Prevention Strategy and promoted initiatives to reduce disease burden in the US through work with the Office of Women’s Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. She received AMWA’s Presidential Recognition award and the prestigious “Bertha Van Hoosen” award, the namesake award of AMWA’s founder. Dr. Haffizulla has earned several additional awards including a Quality First Award from the Florida Heath Care Coalition and a “Leading Physician of the World Award” from The International Association of Healthcare Professionals. She was named an “Outstanding Woman in Healthcare” by the International Women’s Leadership Association (IWLA), which also recognized her as a “Woman of Outstanding Leadership” in May 2014. Dr. Haffizulla was also featured in the American College of Physicians “My Kind of Medicine” series in September 2014 shortly after receiving the Florida Chapter of the ACP’s 2014 award for Volunteerism and Community Service. She is a national delegate, representing Florida for Drexel’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership’s Vision 2020 program. In 2017, Dr. Haffizulla was awarded the “Most Outstanding Advocate for Integrated Community Care in the World” at a ceremony in London, England. In April 2018, she is slated to receive a “Woman of the Decade” award and serve as a plenary speaker at the Women’s Economic Forum and All Ladies League in New Delhi, India. |
Panelists
Andrea K. Friall, MD, is a native Floridian and received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Florida State University. She went on to study at Howard University College of Medicine for her medical degree. While at Howard, Dr. Friall was recognized for her community service and leadership. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology training at Tulane University. During her internship and residency at Tulane, she received many distinguished awards honoring her performance, service and teaching.
Dr. Friall is a trusted obstetrician and gynecologist with North Florida Women’s Care in Tallahassee, Fla., where she has practiced since 2001. Last year, she accepted the esteemed role of Chief Medical Officer for Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH). Her other roles within TMH have included: Medical Staff Chair, 2015-present; Medical Executive Committee, 2010-present; ex-officio board member, 2015; Medical Staff Secretary/Treasurer, 2013-14; Credentials Committee, 2013-14, and Chair, 2014-15; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Chair, 2004-06 and Vice-Chair, 2002-04. Dr. Friall is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a member of the National Medical Association, the William Gunn Medical Society, and the Capital Medical Society. She has served as a board member of the Florida Obstetrics and Gynecologic Society, as a board member of the American Red Cross, as the District 12 Section 1 Vice Chair and Chair of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and as an Associate Clinical Professor for the FSU College of Medicine. Dr. Friall, her husband and daughter enjoy outdoor activities and traveling. |
Joan Younger Meek, MD, MS, FAAP, FABM, IBCLC, is the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine, where she is a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. She earned her B.S., M.S. (Clinical Nutrition), and M.D. Degrees from the University of Kentucky and completed pediatric residency training at Duke University Medical Center. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Dr. Meek is a board certified pediatrician, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a Fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, a registered dietitian, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She previously served as the program director for the pediatric residency program at Orlando Health/Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and directed the pediatric clerkship for medical students from the FSU College of Medicine. Dr. Meek is a past chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee, past president of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, a founding member and past president of the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition and a founding board member of the Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida. She developed and serves as the program chair for the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Course “What Every Physician Needs to Know about Breastfeeding.” Dr. Meek currently chairs the AAP Section on Breastfeeding. Dr. Meek is the editor-in-chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding, now in its 3rd edition and translated into multiple languages, and a contributor to the AAP/ACOG Breastfeeding Handbook for Physicians. She has given multiple presentations and media appearances on breastfeeding. She is passionate about implementing maternal and child health practices which support breastfeeding and impact the health and well-being of children and families. |
Phyllis L. Hendry, M.D., FAAP, FACEP, is a tenured Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville. She completed her pediatric residency at Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport followed by a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at the University of Florida Health Science Center/Jacksonville. She served as Director of Pediatric Emergency Services at UF Health from 1993-2005 and since 2008 has been Assistant Chair for Emergency Medicine Research. In March 2016 she was appointed Trauma One Deputy Medical Director of Pediatric Transport and Care
Dr. Hendry served as a founding medical director for a regional pediatric hospice and palliative program, Community PedsCare from 2005-2007. She was the Medical Director for Florida Department of Health’s EMS for Children program from 1999-2005 and continued her service to the Florida EMSC Advisory Committee as Data Liaison and Pediatric ED Readiness Consultant. In July 2018 she was renamed Florida’s EMSC Medical Director. She has been a textbook editor and contributor to the Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) and Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP) courses. Currently Dr. Hendry’s research initiatives include serving as principal investigator (PI) for the Pain Assessment and Management Initiative (PAMI) and the Pediatric Emergency Care Safety Initiative (PECSI). In 2017, she continued her long collaboration with UNC-Chapel Hill as site PI for the new NIMH funded “Longitudinal Assessment of Post-Traumatic Syndromes” study also known as the Aurora Study. The study is a national initiative to improve the understanding, prevention and recovery of soldiers and civilians who have experienced a traumatic event. Dr. Hendry has been PI for numerous federal (NIH, HRSA) and private grants as well as clinical trials totaling over 6 million dollars. Additionally, she was the site PI for University of Florida’s first PCORI (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute) grant, “An Emergency Department-to-Home Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Reduce Hospital Use”. Her areas of research interest include pain management, patient safety, pediatric trauma and emergency care, EMS data systems, health literacy, bereavement and end-of-life care. Dr. Hendry serves on numerous national, state, and university committees. She is a UF Senate representative for the College of Medicine-Jacksonville and a past Faculty Council President. In 2015, she was awarded the University’s Robert C. Nuss Research Scholar of the Year Award and in 2017 received a UF Term Professorship Award. In 2018 she received a three year University of Florida Research Foundation Professorship. |
Laura Osteen, Ph.D, is the Director of the FSU Center For Leadership And Social Change. Laura Osteen leads and follows students, colleagues, and neighbors in the transformation of our co-existence through identity development, leadership education, and community engagement. Through her roles as director, facilitator, observer, and listener she seeks to apply theory for effective practice and apply practice to evolve theory.
Laura envisions a world where everyone is enabled and empowered to create positive sustainable change. She received her doctorate of philosophy degree from the University of Maryland, her masters from Colorado State University, and undergraduate degree from Indiana University. In addition to degrees her enduring experience as a Hoosier, Ram, and Terrapin created a woman committed to making the most of each hand in Euchre, Hearts, and Spades; getting outside as much as possible to appreciate the imperfect perfect beauty of the natural world; and a life long addiction to college basketball. |
Jessica Wendorf Muhamad, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Communication in the School of Communication at Florida State University. Dr. Wendorf Muhamad is also the Director of PEAKS laboratory, which is focused on developing – through participatory action research – evidence-based interventions for complex social issues. Her research focuses on understanding how and why enacted, entertainment-educational experiences (e.g., game-based interventions) influence individuals; her work has been published in Journal of Health Communication, Health Communication, Computers in Human Behavior, and Journal of Industrial Medicine, among others, as well as book chapters on serious games and communication engagement.
Dr. Wendorf Muhamad has led the development and evaluation of Por Nuestras Calles (Principal Researcher/Investigator and Game Producer), a tabletop game-based intervention aimed at increasing documentation of instances and processes of commercial sexual exploitation of children, funded from the Consortium of Latin American Studies, the Colombian National Police, and the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism. Other funded research includes TTEACH (Co-Investigator; Florida Department of Health), which aims to advance the understanding of the temporary construction workforce’s health and safety experience, Padres Activos (Principal Investigator; NIMHD, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities) an obesity prevention intervention for Hispanic fathers, Firefighters Campaign for Cancer Prevention and Screening (Co-Investigator; State of Florida), Ministers’ Health Project (Co-Investigator; Minority Men Health Initiative a transdisciplinary research center funded by NIMHD), Jugando a lo Seguro (Co-Investigator; Tinker Foundation), among others. |
Nicole Garofola Bentze, D.O., FAAFP, is a board-certified family physician and newly appointed Dean of the Sarasota Regional Campus of the Florida State University College of Medicine. Dr. Bentze is a graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) and trained at the Harrisburg Family Medicine Residency Program, in Harrisburg, PA. Her interest in medical education lead her to complete a postgraduate primary care faculty development fellowship at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Medical Student Educators Development Institute Fellowship.
Dr. Bentze served as Family Medicine Clerkship Director for 3rd and 4th year FSU College of Medicine students for the past 10 years. She has also worked in private practice and was Associate Program Director for Manatee Memorial Hospital’s Family Medicine Residency Program. She lives in Lakewood Ranch, FL with her husband (also a family physician) and 2 children. Education B.S., The College of New Jersey, 1996 D.O., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia 2000 Harrisburg Family Medicine Residency Program, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 2000-2003 Michigan State University College of Medicine, OMERAD Primary Care Faculty Development Fellowship, East Lansing, Michigan 2004 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM), Medical Student Education Development Institute Fellow, 2016 Honors/Awards Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Resident Teacher Award (2003) Harrisburg Family Practice Residency Out-Patient Preceptor of the Year Award (2004) Florida Academy of Family Physicians Part-Time Educator of the Year Award (2011). |
Workshop leaders
Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews, MD, is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health at Florida State University College of Medicine. Prior to joining Florida State University College of Medicine in July 2018, Dr. Hogans-Mathews spent her last year of family medicine residency at St. Vincent’s as Chief Resident. During her Chief Residency, she focused on creating and starting the first resident-led board preparation initiative at St. Vincent’s. She spent her last two years of residency obtaining an area of concentration in psychiatry given her interests in behavioral health. Her research project was on Perinatal Mood Disorder screening and early identification in primary care. Other special interests include women’s health, primary care behavioral health, underserved medicine, board preparation development, and health equity.
Dr. Hogans-Mathews is a former 2015 graduate of Florida State University College of Medicine. During medical school, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and Family Medicine Scholars. She was also a recipient of the FSU Mission Award. Dr. Hogans-Mathews received national recognition twice during medical school as she was awarded the AAMC Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Award and the AMA Minority Scholars Award. Prior to medical school, Dr. Hogans-Mathews sharpened her teaching skills as the CEO of her own company, Star Academic Consulting and Tutoring Services, LLC and also taught high school AP Chemistry and AP Biology at West Gadsden High School. She will be one of the inaugural clinicians at FSU PrimaryHealth Clinic upon its opening in Spring 2019. |
Melissa Parsons, MD, is currently an Assistant Residency Director at the University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville. She received a Bachelors degree in Biology at the University of Florida in Gainesville and then attended medical school there as well (Class of 2012). Go Gators!
Melissa completed her Emergency Medicine residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville and stayed on as a faculty member following graduation. She initially served as the Assistant Medical Director at their community hospital, prior to stepping into her role as assistant residency director. Her professional interests include simulation, medical education, physician wellness, infertility and women in medicine. Her other hobbies include CrossFit and anything on the water, including fishing, hunting and snorkeling for lobster. |
Alexandra “Lexie” Mannix, MD, is currently an Assistant Residency Director and Assistant Clerkship Director at the University of Florida-Jacksonville. She received a Bachelors degree in Sociology and a Certificate in Public Health from the University of Florida, and her MD from Florida State University College of Medicine.
Lexie completed her Emergency Medicine residency at UF- Jacksonville followed by a Simulation fellowship at Rush University Medical Center and Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Lexie’s professional interests include medical education, simulation, women in medicine, and social media in medical education. She loves traveling, eating new foods, attending sporting events, and spending time with her friends and family. |
Zita Magloire, MD, is a board-certified family physician currently in private group practice in Cairo, Georgia. Dr. Magloire graduated from the Florida State College of Medicine in 2011, and completed her residency training at the University of Kansas Via Christi Family Medicine Residency Program in Wichita, Kansas. In 2014 she joined Cairo Medical Care, LLC and in 2016 became a partner in the practice and now serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) for the group.
In addition to practicing both inpatient and outpatient medicine, Dr. Magloire has a special interest in women’s health, and provides full obstetrical services including cesarean sections for her patients. Her other areas of interest are procedural medicine including endoscopies, emergency medicine, sports medicine, and patient advocacy. Dr. Magloire is currently the chair for the Department of Obstetrics and Pediatrics at Grady General Hospital, and previously served as the chair for the Department of Medicine from 2016-2018. Dr. Magloire and her husband enjoy spending time with family, as well as running and working out together, and encouraging healthy lifestyles in their community. |
Laura Davis, MD, is a Board Certified Family Medicine physician in the rural Florida panhandle. She graduated from The University of West Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and then worked at a fertility clinic until she decided to return to medical school. She is a 2013 graduate of the Florida State University College of Medicine where she considers one of her greatest honors being her fourth year induction into Gold Humanism Honor Society. She completed residency at the AnMed Health Family Medicine Residency in Anderson, South Carolina where she was Chief Resident and received the Outstanding Resident of the Year from the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians.
Laura was born and raised in the rural community she now practices in and took the place of the physician that delivered her upon his retirement two years ago. She enjoys family medicine because of the broad scope of patients she sees and provides obstetrical care, nursing home care, and most things in between. She is honored to be able to practice in the community that raised and shaped her into who she is today. |
During medical school, Nadia Akhiyat pursued her interests in health equity and explored the ways in which medical education is used to mitigate health disparities. She worked with colleagues to organize various multidisciplinary community events to educate clinicians on what patients believe to be barriers to healthcare access. She initially became involved in curriculum development by co-founding the Racism Awareness Series at the Florida State University College of Medicine, an educational program that aligns with the AAMC Diversity & Inclusion initiatives to educate the medical community on the social and structural factors that impact patient care.
Nadia has been elected to various leadership roles that align with her interests. She was elected Region IV Director for the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) as well as SNMA chapter Vice President. She has been invited to speak at the National Medical Association’s 116th Annual convention and Scientific Assembly on goals to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the practice of medicine. During her senior year of medical school, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. She is currently pursuing career opportunities in Internal Medicine. |
Elizabeth F. Foster, Ph.D. is the Director of Pre-health Academic Programming at FSU College of Medicine. She has worked at Florida State University since 1998 as an instructor, advisor, and mentor to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. During these years, she has held various positions including, her role as Advisor at FSU Department of Psychology where she won the University Advising Award, Outreach Coordinator FSU, Director of Student Development and Bridge Director, and Director of Undergraduate and Medical Student Research at the FSU College of Medicine.
Dr. Foster holds long standing interests in developmental biology and neuroscience, stemming from the education she received in college. She received her PhD in neuroscience, focusing on neuroanatomy and behavioral studies, and continued developing research skills as the project director for the FSU Learning Disabilities Center from 2006 – 2009. Her involvement with students includes research advising, individualized pre-health advising, and faculty advising for the undergraduate organizations, AMWA, CELLS, and Honors Medical Scholars Society. She works with the new Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences degree program and is a co-director for the Bridge to Clinical Medicine Master’s degree program at the medical school. Her deeply held value to pass on knowledge has kept her in involved in teaching and advising, where she can share her love of research with students and young scientists. She is always interested in learning what motivates students and in helping them reach their full potential in school and life! |
Christienne Alexander MD joined the FSU College of Medicine Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health in 2013. She was in the inaugural class of the FSU College of Medicine and is the first graduate to return as a full-time faculty member. She has been involved in medical education since residency, starting as a part-time teacher at FSUCOM and as a preceptor at the Tallahassee Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program. While teaching part-time, she was also in private practice and was the Medical Director at Patients First in Tallahassee for five years.
Dr. Alexander is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a graduate of the Florida Medical Association’s Leadership Academy, and is the Vice President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. She also serves on the Board of Governors of the Florida Medical Association and the Capital Medical Society and is active on several committees across the state. In addition to her involvement in organized medicine, she is also very active in community medicine and international medical education, leading service learning activities and trips both locally and abroad. |
An Lawrence, MD is a PGY4 general surgery resident at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Her hometown is Pensacola, Florida, where she completed her Bachelor's of Science in Pre-Professional Biology at the University of West Florida followed by completion of her Honor's thesis via basic science research. She is an alumna of the Florida State University College of Medicine Class of 2015.
An intends to pursue a fellowship in plastic surgery to develop her interest in maxillo-facial trauma/reconstruction, cancer reconstruction, and microsurgery. Recent topics of research interest include: outcomes and indications of prophylactic lymphovenous bypass in mastectomy patients, safety of carotid endarterectomy without shunt or neuromonitoring, and critical evaluation of multidisciplinary care in breast cancer. |
Carolyn J. Harris is the Assistant Director of Student Affairs (SGA) at Florida State University. She is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design at California State University, Fresno in 2009. In 2011, Carolyn moved to Tallahassee, Florida to pursue a master’s degree in Higher Education, Students Affairs and worked as a Graduate Assistant at the Center for Leadership & Social Change working with leadership programs including TEDxFSU.
In her current role with Student Government Association, Carolyn advises and engages with identity based student organizations, the SGA elections process, and graduate legislative process. Some of Carolyn’s passions include women’s rights and empowerment, higher education access for students who hold marginalized identities, and the transfer student experience. |