I am honored to have been nominated for the Gold Headed Cane Award. This award has such historical significance and meaning. It was truly a special moment for me which led to much reflection on the day I received this nomination. To be considered means one has achieved much in their career but also realizing that it would not have been possible without the many people who played a role in my development and who believed in me.
It was around the age of 7 when I told my parents I wanted a microscope for Christmas. They thought it was a bit strange that their young daughter would want such a gift, but for some reason I had this immense curiosity about our natural world.
After completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at SUNY Buffalo I went on to earn a Master’s of Science in biology at Canisius College. Then, a PhD in microbiology at the Chicago Medical School under the direction of Dr. Nancy Bigley. I knew my heart was set on attending medical school and so I stayed local and completed my medical training in Internal Medicine in only two years at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. After residency in Internal Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chicago, I did an allergy/immunology fellowship at the NIH. In my first year of training, I treated HIV patients under the direction of Dr. Anthony Fauci. In my second and third year I treated patients with mastocytosis and food allergy under the direction of Dr. Dean Metcalfe. It was in 1980 when I attended my first College meeting during my fellowship and began to think about the possibilities of service.
Following completion of my fellowship I accepted a position at Nassau County Medical Center in Long Island, now NUMC, as chief of Adult Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, director of the Clinical Immunopathology Lab, and director of the Adult Allergy Clinic. I received an appointment as professor of medicine and pathology at SUNY, Stony Brook. But my greatest joy came from being program director of our ACGME Allergy/Immunology Training Program and scheduling our Annual A/I Teaching Day Symposium. We also collaborated with Northshore University Hospital, training and conducting research with a focus on HIV, autoimmunity, mastocytosis, anaphylaxis and food allergy, with over 50 fellows.
May 19, 1990. A significant milestone as I was elected Fellow of the College. I have served on the College’s Board of Regents; the Annals and AllergyWatch editorial boards; as past president of the AACA; I have been chair of the ACAAI Scientific Council, Adverse Reactions to Food and Basic and Clinical Immunology committees. I have been a member of the following committees: ACGME Residency Review for A/I, Ad Hoc Advisory on Research, Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Immunotherapy, International, International Food Allergy Symposium, Membership Recruitment, Pharmaceutical Symposium, Population Health, Pregnancy, Training Program Director’s Planning, Women in Allergy, Women’s Health.
I received the Distinguished Fellow, Distinguished Service and Woman in Allergy Awards. As allergists/immunologists, our primary goal is to care for our patients and support their needs. I am so proud of my membership in the College and having the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with so many outstanding colleagues and friends over the years. I wish I could personally thank each one of you.
And yes, my parents did buy me that microscope for Christmas after all. Thank you for your consideration.
