CAHS Distinguished Alumni

Nancy Creaghead, PhD, CCC-SLP, is Professor Emerita of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Cincinnati. She has specialized in teaching language acquisition and intervention. Her experience includes working with preschool classes for language and hearing-impaired children and at a special school for children with learning disabilities. Dr. Creaghead’s research, publications, and presentations primarily focus on language and phonological acquisition, disorders, and classroom communication. Since 1993, she has developed distance learning programs to address shortages of speech-language pathologists in several states. She has presented at numerous workshops and conferences, including ASHA conventions from 1978 through 2011. She holds an M.S. from Purdue University and a PhD from the University of Cincinnati. An ASHA Fellow and recipient of the Honors of the Association, Dr. Creaghead served two terms on the ASHA Executive Board and was ASHA President in 2002. She also led the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Angela joined Cincinnati’s Freestore Foodbank in 2019 as Director of Social Services. In this role, she has enhanced services for families, fostered partnerships within Hamilton County, and improved compliance within the case management team from 28% to over 90%. She oversees a $1.6M budget and manages daily operations across multiple departments, including Intake and Triage, Housing, and Mental Health Services. With 32 years of experience, Angela previously served as Clinical Program Manager at Lighthouse Youth Services and as a Clinical Social Worker at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She has also been an adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati School of Social Work since 2014. In recognition of her contributions, Angela was selected as the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient by UC’s School of Social Work. She holds a bachelor's in sociology/criminology from the University of Kentucky and a master's in social work from the University of Cincinnati. Angela is an independently licensed social worker in Ohio and is pursuing her Trauma Responsive Care Certification. She is actively involved in public transit access initiatives and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Kyle Nordrum, a Physical Therapist at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center since 2015, is a Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist and a Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults. He serves as the lead PAVE (Preventing Amputation for Veterans Everywhere) Physical Therapist and PAVE Coordinator at the Cincinnati VA. Additionally, Kyle is a faculty member for both the Geriatric and Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residencies in Cincinnati. In 2020, his team won the VHA’s National Shark Tank Competition for their innovative use of Remote Temperature Monitoring to prevent amputations. Kyle divides his time between local clinical work and building the TELEPAVE program for VISN 10 CRH, which aims to expand remote monitoring for veterans at high risk for limb loss. He was recognized by the recognized by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for his pioneering work with remote temperature monitoring during the pandemic. His team was among the first to adopt a temperature monitoring mat, which detects wounds weeks before they would typically be noticeable in individuals with limited sensation. You can learn more about his groundbreaking work, Reducing Hospital Admissions and Amputation Prevention: Remote Temperature Monitoring, on the Veterans Affairs website.

Sandra is the Director of Network Laboratory Services at The Christ Hospital, with over 24 years of experience in laboratory science. A skilled administrator, she is passionate about using her leadership and communication skills to support the professional growth of her team. Proud of her Puerto Rican heritage, Sandra is fully bilingual and has navigated a rewarding yet challenging journey. Along the way, she learned English, earned a Clinical Laboratory Science degree from UC, and completed a master’s in health administration—accomplishments that have paved the way for future career advancements. Sandra draws inspiration from her husband of 32 years and their three grown children, crediting her determination and passion for helping others as the driving forces behind her success.

Dr. A.U. Bankaitis earned her PhD from the University of Cincinnati in 1995. She quickly became the leading expert on infection control in the hearing industry early on in her career, and for the past 25 years has been educating the allied health professional masses in that area including audiologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and social workers. A.U. currently works as Vice President of Oaktree Products, Inc. which is the leading provider of clinical supplies to the hearing care industry. She also serves as a member of professional organizations such as the National Academies of Practice, Missouri Academy of Audiology, and the American Academy of Audiology. Beyond infection control, A.U. applies her experiences as a medical audiologist, researcher, and business executive to offer solutions for the benefit of the profession and the patients we serve. Throughout her career, she has created free resource information on different clinical issues including hearing instrument considerations for amplified stethoscope users and on-ear capabilities of personal sound amplification products through her blog or the resource section of the Oaktree Products website. She was recently awarded the prestigious Samuel F. Lybarger Industry Award by the American Academy of Audiology for her research, engineering, and technological achievements within the field of Audiology. A.U. is a recognized resource to the hearing industry. Her strong clinical background as a medical audiologist along with her business competencies in strategic development and implementation allow her to offer practical solutions to audiology providers and business owners.

Cynthia Blocksom currently works as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the College of Allied Health Sciences where she earned her Master’s in Nutrition Science in 1979. A large part of her career was spent working for the City of Cincinnati in a variety of roles that include Interim Assistant Health Commissioner, Supervising Management Analyst, Health Activities Coordinator, Senior Administrative Specialist and WIC Nutritionist. In 2002, Cynthia was appointed by Ohio Governor, Robert Taft, to serve a five year appointment to the Ohio Board of Dietetics where she contributed to continuing education, rules review, professional development and probable review panels. In 2010, Cynthia joined Northern Kentucky University as part time faculty before moving to her current role as an adjunct instructor at UC. Cynthia has been heavily involved in her profession through membership and leadership in professional organizations. She is the current State Policy Representative for the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Public Policy Liaison and Reimbursement Committee Chair for the Greater Cincinnati Dietetic Association. She also currently participates in the Cincinnati Health Department Institutional Review Board, UC Coordinated Practice Committee, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Cynthia has been recognized for her work and contributions over the years. She received the Ohio Dietetic Association Member Merit Award in 1994, the Award for Teaching Excellence from the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges in 2003, and the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Dietician of the Year Award in 2016. Cynthia believes her education and experiences she’s acquired through graduate school and employment at UC have been key to her success in the Nutrition profession. 

Dr. Will Chan earned his BS in Advanced Medical Imaging Technology from UC in 2003. He then went on to receive his MD in 2009 from the UC College of Medicine, completed his Anesthesia Residency in 2013 at UC Health, and his Interventional Pain Medicine Fellowship in 2014 from Case Western Medical Center. Will is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and also works as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Cincinnati. In addition to his work, Will is a member of multiple professional organizations including the Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the North American Neuromodulation Society, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia. Will also currently serves as a Chronic Pain Fellowship Clinical Competency Committee Leader, a Belize Mission Trip Anesthesia Leader, and a Mock Interview Preceptor at the UC College of Medicine. Will is a dedicated clinician, teacher, and leader. He received the Patient Experience Award in 2017 and was most recently recognized with the Cincinnati “Top Doctors” Award for Pain Medicine.

Lauree Handlon is currently the Director of Data Quality and Reimbursement at Cleverley + Associates, where she has worked since 2002. Partnering with 50+ hospitals, physician groups, and health systems annually, Lauree primarily analyzes third-party contractual arrangements for strategic pricing, payment assessments, and regional comparisons. She conducts frequent regulatory research and monitors data integrity by identifying anomalies in the Medicare public claims and client data while also providing Medicare prospective payment system, chargemaster guidance, and coding and billing education. In addition to her work, Lauree has presented numerous educational sessions for the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the Ohio Health Information Management Association (OHIMA), and other related professional organizations. She has written several articles regarding provider payment issues and revenue cycle topics. Lauree is a dedicated leader having served on multiple professional committees. She is a past president and delegate for OHIMA. She is a past president of the University of Cincinnati MHA Alumni Council as well as a past president of the Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Alumni Society. Currently, Lauree is serving as the 2023-2024 President of the Central Ohio Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Lauree completed her Master of Health Administration at UC in 2017 and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Health Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. As a seasoned educator delivering content on end-to-end revenue cycle, coding, reimbursement methods, and healthcare finance with significant mentoring, coaching, management, and leadership experience, Lauree seeks to utilize her skills, knowledge, and passion to support and advance the future of healthcare. 

Dr. Henna Muzaffar came to the University of Cincinnati in 2002 and completed her BS in Food and Nutrition and MS in Nutrition Sciences in 2005. She then completed her dietetic internship at Loyola University in 2007. She joined the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009 and earned her doctorate in Nutrition Science there in 2012. Henna is currently an Associate Professor and Eating Disorders and Obesity Certificate Facilitator in the School of Health Studies at Northern Illinois University. Henna specializes in community nutrition and public health research. She has worked with populations of various ages, diverse health and nutrition issues, and in different research settings. She has discovered a niche in conducting obesity related interventions in schools and health disparities research in the community. She has also been engaged in developing, instructing, and co-teaching community nutrition, research methods, nutrition seminars, and health disparities research courses. Outside of work, Henna participates and serves a number of professional organizations. She serves as Chair of the Awards Committee of the Nutrition Education and Behavioral Sciences Research Interest Section of the American Society of Nutrition, Communications Committee Chair for the Nutrition Education for Public Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nominating Committee Chair-elect for the Research Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Program Committee Member of the West-Suburban Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Illinois. Throughout her career, Henna has received a number of awards and recognition. Most recently she received the Award for Excellence in Research from Nutrition Education for Public Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2021 and Fisher’s Award for Excellence in Service from Northern Illinois University in 2022. Henna is also passionate about serving her home country, Pakistan, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Human Development Foundation which is a non-profit organization supporting education, human development, and poverty eradication in Pakistan.