Heiss, Hussey and Holliday win School’s highest honors for mentorship and teaching

(L-R) Dr. Gerardo Heiss, Amanda Holliday, Dr. Jon Hussey

Three members of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health faculty were honored at the School’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7, for their roles in developing the next generation of public health leaders. Gerardo Heiss, MD, PhD, was presented with the John E. Larsh Jr. Award for Mentorship, and Jon Hussey, PhD, and Amanda Holliday, MS, received the Edward G. McGavran Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Gerardo Heiss, MD, PhD, Kenan Distinguished Professor of epidemiology and director of graduate studies in the department, joined the public health faculty in 1976. He has served as an adjunct faculty member in Wake Forest University’s Division of Public Health Sciences since 1999 and as a visiting professor in the University of Chile (Santiago) public health school since 2007.

After earning a medical degree from University of Chile in 1968, Heiss received a Master of Science from the London School of Hygiene (1973) and a doctorate in epidemiology from UNC-Chapel Hill (1976).

An expert in the area of cardiovascular health research, Heiss has authored some 340 publications in refereed journals.

“[Heiss] no doubt has achieved his professional success by demonstrating the principles of hard work, scientific and professional integrity, and clear oral and written communication that he expects of his students,” one nominator said.

“He is level-headed, brilliant, and modest – a rare combination of traits in the Academy,” said another.

The praise most relevant to his mentorship award was offered, of course, by his students. “Dr. Heiss is the perfect role model who leads by example,” one nominator said. Whenever I have new experiences or begin a new chapter in my career, the first question I ask is ‘What would Gerardo do in this situation?'”

“He was, without a doubt, the strongest influence in my professional development,” another said.

Heiss has been recipient of numerous awards and honors. He received the School’s Edward C. McGavran Award for Teaching in 1993 and its Bernard G. Greenberg Alumni Endowment Award in 1998.

The McGavran Award
Jon Hussey, PhD
Amanda Holliday, MS, RD

The McGavran Award for Excellence in Teaching honors Edward G. McGavran, MD, MPH, dean of the UNC School of Public Health from 1947 to 1963 and proponent of “hands-on” field training for public health students. First given in 1975, the award recognizes career-long excellence in teaching by a faculty member in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. This year, two faculty members received the award.

Jon Hussey, PhD, research assistant professor of maternal and child health and fellow at the Carolina Population Center, earned master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology and a Master of Public Health in health services from The University of Washington at Seattle. He has been a member of the School’s faculty since 2000.

Among his research interests are the examination of health disparities by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status; impact of maternal and child health on the life course; neighborhood effects on health; child abuse and neglect; and perinatal epidemiology. He is principal or co-principal investigator for several studies, including ones about health throughout adolescence (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health), disparities in young adult health and disparities in chronic disease risk.

“Dr. Hussey has played a major role in helping me choose an academic career in maternal and child health,” one nominator wrote. “Under his guidance, I have been motivated to strive for and achieve high standards in research collaboration, presentation and written publication. In many areas, both personally and professionally, he has taught and encouraged me to meet challenges that I had never considered possible.”

“I thank Dr. Hussey for allowing the transition into research to be as smooth and gratifying as possible,” another said. “I always felt extremely comfortable asking him for help in any stage of the research process. [He] is the perfect model for a teacher, as he is incredibly patient, supportive and giving. He never hesitates to provide extra assistance, feedback, and creative ideas.”

“It is a great responsibility and privilege to train our future public health leaders,” Hussey said. “I am repeatedly inspired by the many ways that our graduates apply the skills they learn here as they confront the biggest public health challenges facing our state, nation and world.”

Amanda Holliday, MS, RD, clinical assistant professor of nutrition and program director of the Coordinated Master’s Program in Public Health Nutrition, joined the School’s faculty in 2007. An alumna of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Holliday engages primarily with bachelor’s and master’s degree students who are working toward a Registered Dietitian (RD) licensure. She is interested in older adult nutrition and writes a blog for seniors called “3 Square Meals.”

Holliday, named a 2010 Outstanding Dietetic Educator by the Durham-Chapel Hill Dietetic Association and the North Carolina Dietetic Association, garners praise from her students for her professionalism and exuberance.

“She is always upbeat and enthusiastic,” one writes, “and her lectures are so clear and informative they belie the incredible amount of organization, thought and planning necessary to deliver such technical detail in cogent fashion.”

Other nominators extol Holliday’s “extraordinary level of devotion to her students,” saying that “she makes herself always available to [those] who seek her out for both professional and personal guidance” and that she exhibits the “perfect combination of technical knowledge, practical experience and compassion.”

“I am humbled and very grateful to receive the Ed McGavran Award,” Holliday said. “Working with the best and brightest future Registered Dietitians in the classroom and beyond brings rewards each day. Being recognized for something I am so passionate about is a tremendous honor.”

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.