Health Disparities Forum 2024
April 6, 2024
8:30 AM - 2:35 PM
Location
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
Address
1 Illini Drive, Peoria, IL 61605
Calendar
Download iCal File
The University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria Public Health Student Interest Group and Urban Health Program present the 5th Annual Health Disparities Forum! This will be a dynamic convening that will bring together the UICOMP and the greater community through insightful education and thoughtful discussions. The forum will be structured in small-group and lecture-based formats. This is an in-person event, but a Zoom option is offered if you cannot attend. We hope to shine a light on the disparities that affect Peoria locally as well as those that apply to a wider population.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all attendees.
Registration period closed on April 1, 2024.
Schedule
- 8:30-9:00 a.m. | Lobby — Breakfast and Check-in
- 9:00-9:50 a.m. | Lecture Hall A100-1 — "Cardiovascular Health in Focus: Understanding the Landscape of Heart Disease in the Greater Peoria Region"
Keynote Presentation by Sunita Dodani MD, FCPS, MSc, PhD, FAHA - 10-10:50 a.m. | Lecture Hall A100-1 — "Starting the Conversation to End Stigma: Substances, Suboxone, Sleeping Situations, and Street Medicine"
presented by Mary Stapel, MD - 10-10:50 a.m. | Lecture Room A100-3 — "Health Impacts and Disparities in a Changing Climate: Challenges and Opportunities"
presented by Trent Ford, PhD - 11-11:50 a.m. | Lecture Hall A100-1 — "From Diagnosis to Disparity: Racism's Role in Health Inequities"
presented by Linda Rae Murray, MD - 11-11:50 a.m. | Lecture Room A100-3 — "Unveiling Inequities: Disparities in Disability Care"
presented by Wendy Burdo-Hartman, MD - 12-12:30 p.m. | Lobby — Lunch
- 12:45-1:35 p.m. | Lecture Hall A100-1 — "Pride in Practice: Delivering Inclusive Medical Care to LGBTQ+ Patients"
presented by Ron Lombard, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-B - 12:45-1:35 p.m. | Lecture Room A100-3 — "Shifting Perspectives: Reducing Stigma in HIV Patient Care"
presented by Becca Mathis, BS, MCHES - 1:45-2:35 p.m. | Lecture Hall A100-1 — "Navigating Pathways: Accessing Gender-Affirming Care in Peoria"
presented by Ron Lombard, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-B
Zoom links
- Room A100-1 - https://uic.zoom.us/j/87390039607?pwd=aGgwSktpTXJjK3pZWTBadi90RlMxUT09 (Meeting ID: 873 9003 9607 | Passcode: i6LgBCgV)
- Room A100-3 - https://uic.zoom.us/j/2388215929?omn=85448536636 (Meeting ID: 238 821 5929 | Passcode: HDF2024!)
Date posted
Jan 21, 2024
Date updated
Apr 4, 2024
Meet the Speakers Heading link
Sunita Dodani, MD, FCPS, MSc, PhD, FAHA
Dr. Sunita (Soni) Dodani is a distinguished medical professional renowned for her clinical medicine and implementation science research expertise. She founded the Center 4 Health Research at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP), and serves as a Visiting Clinical Professor of Medicine. Previously, she held positions at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) and spearheaded the EVMS-Sentara Healthcare Analytics and Delivery Science Institute (HADSI), focusing on patient outcome improvement through data analytics.
Dr. Dodani’s educational background includes a medical degree from Aga Khan University, further training in Preventive Cardiology, a Master’s in Epidemiology from Dalhousie University, and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her leadership spans over 23 years, which has been marked by the establishment of research centers and institutes, notably HADSI.
She specializes in health disparities research and has developed numerous cardiovascular disease prevention programs, such as “Fit Body and Soul” and “HEALS Med-Tech,” targeting minority communities. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the Health Equity Collaborative of Virginia, fostering scientific collaboration to address regional health disparities. She also collaborated with George Mason University and Vibrent Health to establish the “Covidsmart” registry, investigating COVID-19’s impact on mental health statewide. With over 25 years of mentoring experience, she has guided numerous healthcare professionals to success.
Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Dodani’s personal journey as a polio survivor serves as an inspiration, emphasizing resilience and dedication. She is happily married and is a proud parent to a teenage son.
Session Title:
“Cardiovascular Health in Focus: Understanding the Landscape of Heart Disease in the Greater Peoria Region”
Mary Stapel, MD
Dr. Mary Stapel is the Lead Physician for Community Care and Community Clinic at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Her current roles within Community Care include Street Medicine, Shelter Medicine, School-Based Health, Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Faith Community, and the Care-A-Van (mobile care unit). Dr. Stapel is also director of the Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency Global Rural Local Health Equity track, assistant program director of the Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency, and co-director of the inaugural Urban Medicine program for the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria. She is a board-certified internist and pediatrician with a particular interest in community and population health approaches, focusing on vulnerable populations.
Session Title:
“Starting the Conversation to End Stigma: Substances, Suboxone, Sleeping Situations, and Street Medicine”
Trent Ford, PhD
Dr. Trent Ford has been the Illinois State Climatologist since 2019. Trent is an expert in climate and climate change and its interactions and impacts, especially as they relate to water. Trent leads climate monitoring and data collection and provision for the state of Illinois. He and his team provide information online, through traditional and social media, and by speaking to interested groups across the state. A native of Roanoke, Illinois, Ford earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from Illinois State University before completing his master’s degree and PhD at Texas A&M University.
Session Title:
“Health Impacts and Disparities in a Changing Climate: Challenges and Opportunities”
Linda Rae Murray, MD
Dr. Linda Rae Murray, retired Chief Medical Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health, has dedicated over four decades to serving marginalized communities and advocating for health equity. Throughout her career, she held key roles in various healthcare settings, including Medical Director at Winfield Moody Health Center and Residency Director at Meharry Medical College. Dr. Murray’s leadership extends beyond clinical practice, as she actively engages in organizations such as the American Public Health Association and the National Association of City and County Health Officers, where she champions health equity and social justice. Committed to increasing diversity in the healthcare workforce, particularly among Black and Latino professionals, she remains a passionate voice for inclusive and accessible healthcare for all.
Session Title:
“From Diagnosis to Disparity: Racism’s Role in Health Inequities”
Ron Lombard, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-BC
Ron Lombard is an adult-geriatric primary care nurse practitioner who practices at Positive Health Solutions in Peoria, IL. He has been a nurse practitioner there since May 2023 but has been a practicing nurse for 18 years. In his role at PHS, he provides care for people living with HIV, patients seeking gender-affirming care, and LGTBQ+ primary care. It is his personal care philosophy that access to quality healthcare is a human right. As a queer nurse and nurse practitioner, he vows to advocate for and provide quality healthcare services to meet the diverse health needs of the LGBTQAI2S+ community, the community which has embraced him. His experiences in emergency nursing, hospice nursing, academic teaching, and as a nurse practitioner have taught him how to provide safe, affirming, and equitable care to clients of diverse backgrounds and vulnerable populations. He is a fierce advocate for the LGBTQAI2S+ community and vows to continue guiding patients on their health journey.
Session Title:
“Navigating Pathways: Accessing Gender-Affirming Care in Peoria”
Session Title:
“Pride in Practice: Delivering Inclusive Medical Care to LGBTQ+ Patients”
Becca Mathis, BS, MCHES
Becca Mathis (she/her) was born and raised in Peoria, IL, and graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education; she is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. Becca has worked in community/public health for 10+ years, focusing most of her career on sexual health, community prevention interventions, and professional development for community-based organizations and schools. Becca is the Director of Clinical Services at Central Illinois Friends, where she oversees all clinic sites, outreach interventions with their Mobile Clinic, and clinical staff. Central Illinois Friends is a free sexual health clinic and an LGBTQ+ organization whose mission is to support people living with HIV and vulnerable community members in need of comprehensive clinical and supportive services through compassionate and personalized care.
Session Title:
“Shifting Perspectives: Reducing Stigma in HIV Patient Care”