Faculty
 | Lisa Benz Scott, Ph.D.Dr. Lisa Benz Scott is the creator and Founding Director of the Stony Brook Medicine Healthy Libraries Program (HeLP), which includes a collaboration with several divisions of Stony Brook University's Health Sciences Schools and Programs, the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, the American Heart Association of Long Island, and many leaders in social work, nursing, health sciences librarians, physician assistants, and public libraries. In addition, she is the Executive Director of the Program in Public Health at Stony Brook University overseeing the academic programs, research, and service activities of a highly productive and expert group of faculty in population health, health care administration, and other fields dedicated to health improvements for all. She earned a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management’s Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2000. Her interests are in community based participatory research, inter-professional team-based education and practice, and health equity. View more about Dr. Benz Scott here. |
| Gabriella Pandolfelli, Ph.D.Dr. Gabriella Pandolfelli completed her PhD in Population Health and Clinical Outcomes Research from Stony Brook University in 2024. She is actively involved in inter-professional education (IPE) and research projects that include a commitment to building successful community-academic partnerships, community engagement and participatory action research, and team-based IPE to improve health equity and access to resources while demonstrating community impact. She is committed to research that focuses on cardiovascular disease and hypertension prevention interventions in community-based settings that promote access to care and health equity. She was the founding program coordinator of the Healthy Libraries Program and is still actively involved in the program as a Research Associate. |
 | Leah Topek-Walker, LCSW-RLeah-Topek Walker is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of New York. For the past thirteen years she has been providing psychotherapy and behavioral interventions to individuals, couples, families and groups facing a variety of challenges. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in social work in 2005; before that she studied liberal arts and creative writing at the New School for Social Research. She is a field education coordinator at the Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare. She is the liaison for Social Work with the Healthy Libraries Program. View more about Leah Topek-Walker here. |
 | Jessica Koos, MLSJessica Koos is a Health Sciences Librarian with subject expertise in a variety of disciplines. She is the library liaison to the School of Medicine, the Program in Public Health and the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Stony Brook. Her research interests include information-seeking behavior, health sciences education, consumer health, open access and research data management. She is the liaison for Library Science with the Healthy Libraries Program. View more about Jessica Koos here. |
| Amy Hammock, Ph.D.Dr. Amy Hammock is a Core Faculty Member of the Program in Public Health and an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Welfare. Her academic interests are prevention and response to intimate partner violence; youth development; community-level prevention programming; community-based participatory research; and qualitative research methods. Dr. Hammock is a research associate with the Healthy Libraries Lab. View more about Dr. Hammock here. |
| Lynn Timko-Swaim, MS, PA-CProfessor Timko-Swaim received her first Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in 1983. She worked in the field of medical technology for seven years while completing her Masters of Science degree in Medical Technology at St. John's University. Lynn then changed career paths, attending the Stony Brook PA program and graduated in 1992. She worked clinically as a PA in both inpatient and outpatient internal medicine and joined the Stony Brook faculty in 1993 as a Clinical Assistant Professor. She was promoted to the academic rank of Clinical Associate Professor in 2012 and appointed to the position of Vice Chair in 2020. She is the liaison for the Physician Assistant Program with the Healthy Libraries Program. View more about Professor Timko-Swaim here. |
| Gerald Simons, MPAS, DFAAPA, PA-CGerald Simons is a Clinical Assistant Professor and an award-winning PA located at Stony Brook Southampton. He has a passion for community outreach, and has been an advocate for public health programs in Eastern Long Island for over 20 years. He has a particular interest in the prevention of tick borne disease, especially in underserved populations. He acts as supervisor for Physician Assistant students during public library inter-professional visits. View more about Professor Simons here. |
| Mary Ellen LaSala, Ph.D., RNDr. Mary Ellen LaSala is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Special Projects, Stony Brook University School of Nursing. Dr. LaSala's contribution to nursing research, education and clinical practice is grounded in advocacy for individuals who cannot fend for themselves. Her work supports those at risk for poor health outcomes as well as those in need of assistance in accessing educational resources. Her interest in advocacy stems from a diverse career in nursing. She has worked across the spectrum from critical care (neonatal, pediatric, and adult intensive care units) to pregnant adolescents and community health initiatives. Her experience in clinical nursing, education, and administration affords knowledge in system negotiation to obtain resources and services for individuals in need. She believes it is ethically imperative to identify and assist people to reach their potential in terms of health, education, or services. Dr. LaSala is the liaison for Nursing with the Healthy Libraries Program. View more about Dr. LaSala here. |
Staff
| Becca Nolder, MSW/MPHBecca Nolder completed her MSW/MPH dual degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 2023. She has a background in community health education, research analysis, and social work case management and discharge planning. As a graduate student she worked as a Research Assistant with the E3 Nutrition Lab, managing the administrative input and review of multiple nutrition-focused research projects operating from Ecuador and Haiti. Her interests lies at the intersection of community health, nutrition, and sustainable development. She is the program coordinator for the Healthy Libraries program. If you have any questions about the program please contact her at: becca.nolder@stonybrookmedicine.edu |
Past Associates
| Carol Della Ratta, Ph.D., RN, CNEDr. Carol Della Ratta completed a Doctor of Philosophy degree at Adelphi University, a Master of Science degree at Stony Brook University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at the College of New Rochelle. With 25 years of experience teaching in undergraduate basic, accelerated, and RN to BS programs, Dr. Della Ratta’s most recent efforts focus on the implementation of active learning strategies such as on-site and distance team-based learning, and simulation experiences. She has participated in the design and piloting of an interprofessional simulation experience for senior nursing and medical students. Her research interests include new graduate nurses’ transition to practice and preceptor development. Since 2007, Dr. Della Ratta has served as nurse resident facilitator at Stony Brook Medicine, Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program. |