April Faculty and Staff Features

James M. McKenney, Pharm.D., professor emeritus, School of Pharmacy
McKenney was elected to serve as president of the National Lipid Association. McKenney, who is also president and CEO of National Clinical Research, received a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the Medical College of Virginia in 1968 and a doctor of pharmacy degree in 1972 from Wayne State University. The National Lipid Association (NLA) is a multidisciplinary non-profit membership association that serves the community of healthcare professionals who manage patients with lipid disorders and cardiovascular disease. It represents more than 1,800 members in the United States. 

Gilda Cardeñosa, M.D., Director of Breast Imaging, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology
Cardenosa, an internationally recognized radiologist, has been named director of breast imaging in the VCU Department of Radiology. She plans to implement changes to further benefit patients, including 24-hour availability; same-day and expedited appointments; same-day biopsies; consultation with a surgeon within 48 hours of diagnosis; and more screening services for high-risk women. In addition, she would like to create a world-class breast imaging teaching service and a fellowship program for the benefit of patients, their referring physicians and the community. Prior to joining VCU, Cardeñosa was medical director at the Breast Center of Greensboro in North Carolina. She received her medical degree in 1984 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in New York.

Ronald J. Hunt, D.D.S., dean, School of Dentistry
Hunt was elected vice president of the Council of Deans by the American Dental Education Association. The ADEA is the leading national organization for dental education. The council is made up of the dean of each member institution with a predoctoral dental program. Council members are responsible for representing their constituency within the association and at member institutions. Hunt will serve a three-year term.

Paul E. Mazmanian, Ph.D., associate dean for Continuing Professional Development & Evaluation Studies, School of Medicine
Mazmanian received the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education’s Research Award at the society’s spring meeting on April 8. The award recognizes Mazmanian’s outstanding contributions to research in continuing medical education.

Mazmanian, whose research interests include change and learning in the lives of physicians, is chairman of the Master of Public Health Curriculum Committee and a member of the Adverse Drug Events Subcommittee of the VCU Health System. He served as a consultant to the National Research Council, Institute of Medicine, in assessing prevention and treatment programs associated with violence in families, and he was a consultant to the National Cancer Institute, helping their efforts to expedite the translation of new knowledge into clinical solutions. He has been editor of the Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions since 2000.

Asadullah Khan, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Khan, who joined the Department of Pediatrics on April 1, will also have an appointment in Neurosurgery. He received his bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery degrees from Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan. Most recently, Khan, 35, was a junior faculty member in the MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Department of Hematology/Oncology in Houston.

Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., Dean of the VCU School of Medicine
Strauss received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society of Gynecologic Investigation, the highest honor awarded by the society for contributions to research in the field of women’s health, at its annual meeting in March.

Marilyn T. Miller, Ed.D., assistant professor, Department of Forensic Science
Miller received the Young Forensic Scientists Forum Founder's Award from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, a professional society devoted to the application of science and law. Miller was selected in February for her dedication to the education, enrichment and development of emerging forensic students and future leaders in the field of forensic science.

Jack Spiro, Ph.D., Harry Lyons professor, School of World Studies, and director of the Center for Judaic Studies
Spiro has been chosen as a 2006 recipient of the Richmond Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award. The award is presented to individuals outside the legal profession who have promoted respect and appreciation for our form of government and the individual rights and duties of all citizens. Spiro holds the Harry Lyons Distinguished Chair of Judaic Culture at VCU. He has served as chairman of the Richmond Human Relations Commission and as president of the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood.

David Wojahn, professor and director of creative writing, Department of English
Wojahn's newest book, "Interrogation Palace: New and Selected Poems, 1982-2004," was released by University of Pittsburgh Press on Jan. 30. The new collection features selected poems from six previous collections, as well as a number of new poems. Publishers Weekly praised "Interrogation Palace," saying "those who already know his strengths will rejoice in the new work."

Nelson Wikstrom, Ph.D., professor, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs
Wikstrom's latest book "American Intergovernmental Relations: A Fragmented Polity" was released March 6. The book is co-authored with G. Ross Stephens and focuses on federalism and the evolution of intergovernmental relations through history. Wikstrom's book features five case studies, including a thorough analysis of the government's response to hurricane Katrina.