Class Notes
(from the Winter 2008 issue of UCHC Magazine)

Molly Fitzgerald-Hayes ’80 Ph.D.
Dr. Fitzgerald-Hayes received her doctorate at the University of Connecticut Health Center and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Among her honors are the National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award and the National Science Foundation Career Advancement Award.

Charles A. Sommer ’80 M.D.
Dr. Sommer, an orthopedic surgeon, has joined the Harrington Medical Staff at Harrington Memorial
Hospital in Southbridge, Mass. Dr. Sommer previously worked at Mercy Medical Center and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. He is a member of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

William Neil Pearson ’81 M.D.
Dr. Pearson was named Physician of the Year at Griffin Hospital, Derby, Conn. Dr. Pearson also
was named the 2006 Attending of the Year at Griffin Hospital. He is board certified in internal, cardiovascular and critical care medicine; echocardiography; and vascular medicine / ultrasound imaging. Dr. Pearson is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Society of Geriatric Cardiology and the Society of Vascular Medicine and Biology. An assistant clinical professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, he has authored numerous articles in medical journals. Pearson’s Pocket Cardiology, a cardiology reference book for doctors in training was published in the fall.

Paul M. Martha ’82 M.D.
Elixir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., has named Dr. Martha to the new position of chief medical officer. He will report to William Heiden, president and chief executive officer, and will be responsible for managing the clinical development of Elixir’s product candidates. An endocrinologist, Dr. Martha has had more than 14 years of industry experience managing clinical and regulatory programs for biopharmaceutical companies.

Briggs Morrison ’85 M.D.
Dr. Morrison has been named the head of clinical development for the Pfizer Global Research and Development pipeline. Dr. Morrison joined Pfizer from Merck, where he had been senior vice president of research.

Timothy M. Shannon ’85 M.D.
CuraGen Corporation, a New Haven, Conn., clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology, announced the appointment of Dr. Shannon as president and chief executive officer. Before assuming his new position, Dr. Shannon had been executive vice president of research and development and chief medical officer of CuraGen.

Ambrose Sharnick ’91 M.D.
Dr. Sharnick, a resident of Newtown, Conn., has joined the Danbury Hospital Department of Anesthesiology. He completed his internship in the Department of Medicine at the Health Center. Dr. Sharnick served in the U.S. Air Force and was medical support for a Forward Air Control unit.

David B. Friend ’94 M.D.
Dr. Friend has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Palladium Group, Inc. of
Lincoln, Mass., a leading professional services firm that provides services and expertise in strategy, finance and IT management. He also has joined the board of directors at Palladium. Dr. Friend most recently served as a managing director at the health care investment bank Leerink Swann. Prior to that, he served as a managing director at Alvarez and Marsal, and partner and board member at Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Dr. Friend serves on the Health Center’s board of directors and the Healthcare Alumni Board of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Jason Lenk ’97 D.M.D.
Dr. Lenk opened his new orthodontics practice, Lenk Orthodontics in Durham, N.H. After graduating from the UConn School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Lenk spent nine years treating Air Force families
throughout the United States and Europe.

Beth Schweitzer ‘98 M.D.
Dr. Schweitzer has joined the family medical practice of Healthwise in Tolland, Conn. Dr. Schweitzer’s husband is a physician who specializes in pulmonology at Hartford Hospital, and they have one daughter.

Michael Banks ’99 M.D.
Dr. Banks is vice president and cofounder of The Doctor’s Channel (www.thedoctorschannel.
com), a Web site that allows doctors to learn from each other at their convenience. The site
includes short streaming video clips, with insights and opinions from experts in 35 specialties.
It also provides community and lifestyle features that help doctors keep current on the latest
news, ideas and information.

Jason Henderson ‘00 DO
Dr. Henderson, a specialist in internal medicine, has joined the medical staff at Maine General
Medical Center and joins Mid-Maine Internal Medicine in North Vassalboro, Maine. Dr. Henderson is working as a hospitalist at the medical center’s Augusta campus in Waterville. He completed his internship and residency training at the Health Center. Dr. Henderson is board certified
by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine.

Carol Louise Watson ‘00 M.D.
Dr. Watson has joined the medical staff of Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs, Conn. She
completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the UConn Health Center, where she was recognized for her outstanding skills by The Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons.

Harlan Weinberg ’00 M.D.
Dr. Weinberg, a resident of Millwood, N.Y., has written a book, Dr. Weinberg’s Guide to the Best Health Information on the Web. The book, published by Harper Collins, was released in December. It is a diverse educational resource for professionals and patients covering both clinical disease
and medical social issues.

Christopher R. Bevin ’01 D.M.D.
Dr. Bevin has joined the medical staff of Southwestern Vermont Health Care in Bennington, Vt. He is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with a special interest in facial reconstruction and dental implants.

Alex B. Maderazo, ‘01 M.D.
The Hospital for Special Surgery Department of Radiology and Imaging in New York City announced that Dr. Maderazo, a past fellow, will continue with the department as an assistant attending radiologist. Dr. Maderazo earned a combined M.D./M.B.A. from the UConn School of Medicine
and School of Business.

Richard L. Manzo ’01, M.D.
The Hand Center of Waterbury, Conn., has announced that Dr. Manzo has joined the practice. He completed his orthopedic surgery training at the Health Center, where he received the Cavazos
Award in 2006 for most outstanding resident/teacher.

George P. Hatzigiannis ’04 M.D.
Dr. Hatzigiannis has joined the oral and maxillofacial surgery practice of Salem-Peabody Oral Surgery in Peabody, Mass. He received his D.M.D. from Harvard, his M.D. from UConn, and
completed his oral and maxillofacial surgery training at the Health Center and Hartford Hospital.

Sara Curcio ’06 D.M.D.
Dr. Curcio joined the practice of Dr. Jeffrey Burns in Vernon, Conn., in August. His specialty is family and cosmetic dentistry.