Meet the Faculty Advisor

Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH

Associate Professor, Div. of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Pronouns: She/her/hers

Dr. Marianne is the Faculty Advisor for the 2022-2023 President’s Fellows and White Paper Project and an Associate Professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. In 2018, Dr. Cloeren mobilized an interdisciplinary team of researchers, which received two grants in 2019 (the Institute for Clinical Translational Research (ICTR) Accelerated Translational Incubator Pilot (ATIP) grant and the Center for Addiction Research, Education and Services (CARES) Science to Systems grant) to study the work status and barriers to work in patients receiving Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in UMB clinical centers. Furthermore,  Dr. Cloeren joined forces with Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey to study barriers to employment faced by adults in recovery from Opioid Use Disorders, focusing on how employers can support employees recovering from opioid addiction. Dr. Cloeren received her M.D. at Temple University School of Medicine, a B.A. in Biology and German from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. Additionally, Dr. Cloeren has a certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Wisconsin and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Occupational Medicine.

Alice Graham

School of Social Work, MSW & School of Medicine, MPH

My name is Alice Graham (she/her/hers), and I am a dual degree student in the Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work programs at the University of Maryland Baltimore.   The pervasive nature of the opioid epidemic and its continued impact on communities already subject to marginalization illustrates how social determinants of health interact with power dynamics, structural, institutional, and systemic racism and classism, reinforcing learned helplessness and the addiction cycle.  A critical issue of this magnitude requires a large-scale effort, and the University of Maryland is uniquely positioned to effect change in how we face the opioid crisis in the region with multi-modal techniques and solutions, including understanding the interaction between biological, social, environmental, and psychological systems that contribute to these drug-seeking behaviors, and how clinicians and policymakers can collaborate to examine these complex issues. The University of Maryland Baltimore has a particularly powerful role in addressing this crisis through its network of professionals with an interdisciplinary approach, including both rising trainees and current practitioners in the field.  I am interested in how the University of Maryland, as a public institution, can explore opportunities to harness its power to address these matters of regional and national importance and how this project can act as a catalyst for future engagement in research.

Cameran Burt

School of Medicine, MD

My name is Cameran Burt (He/Him) and I am a 4th year student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, applying into anesthesiology. I am excited to collaboratively develop our white paper on the opioid epidemic because the knowledge and skills I develop will serve as a great foundation to advocate for opioid stewardship as a physician.

Corinne Borel

School of Nursing, DNP-FNP

I am Corinne Borel, using the pronouns she/her. I am a Doctorate of Nurse Practice Family Nurse  Practitioner candidate ’24 at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing, as well as a Maryland  AHEC scholar (a program designed to better address health disparities). I joined this effort to further professionals’ accountability to ensure safe prescribing practices. It is also important to de-stigmatize those suffering from addiction. Many of these people are suffering from depression and anxiety, as well, and it is important to provide more holistic services to support addressing personal and physical pain. I am a great fan of Surgeon General, Dr. V. Murthy’s message on these topics.

Jared Boss

Francis King Carey School of Law, JD

Hello, my name is Jared Boss, I use he/him pronouns. I am a JD/MPH student at the Carey School of Law. My interest in this year’s topic mostly stems from my passion for mental health. As I  began to study neuroscience in my undergraduate studies, I realized that our country's opioid epidemic was a pressing issue that would require an interdisciplinary effort to solve. When I saw the announcement for the President’s Fellows, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have a tangible impact on this important issue.

"John" Ji Hun Yang

School of Dentistry, DDS

I am Ji Hun Yang (English name: John Yang) and I am a DDS student in the School of Dentistry and I use the pronouns he/his/him. I believe that equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of racial, cultural, and socioeconomic parameters, are crucial. My greatest point of interest when it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is to have an open dialogue between all individuals. During my time in the military serving our great country, I have come to appreciate such open dialogues.

Katherine Surko

School of Social Work, MSW

My name is Katherine Surko, and I use she/her pronouns. I am an MSW/MPH student at the School of Social Work and at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. I am passionate about the intersection between clinical counseling for opioid use disorder and public health policy and am also a BHWISE-IOWA (Behavioral Health Workforce Integration Service and Education- Interprofessional Opioid Workforce Advancement) fellow at the School of Social Work. I am excited about this year's topic in order to learn more about the University's role in providing care for those with OUD, and look forward to learning more from my peers across disciplines.

Sara Case, MSPH

School of Medicine, MD

My name is Sara Case (she/her), and I am an MD student in the School of Medicine. I believe that the opioid epidemic is a public health emergency that necessitates an expansive, multidisciplinary response to reduce exposure to opioids, curtail opioid overdose deaths, and treat people experiencing opioid use disorder with non-stigmatizing, person-centered care. Given the healthcare system’s role in propagating the opioid epidemic, I think it is imperative to equip health and human services professionals with tools and resources to address opioid use disorder. I am excited to combine my passion for public health and medicine to advance UMB’s response to the opioid epidemic and expose healthcare professionals to opioid use disorder early in their educational careers. I hope our findings and recommendations will inspire students across UMB to engage in research, advocacy, and clinical care that addresses the opioid epidemic in Baltimore and beyond.

Somadinauwa Ezekwu

School of Nursing, BSN

Hello, My name is Somadinauwa Ezekwu (she/her/hers). I am in the BSN program at the School of Nursing. When thinking of Strategic Priorities for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, specifically in terms of opioid use disorder, what comes to life is how socioeconomic factors play into opioid use disorder and how it may hinder the recovery process. I have learned how socioeconomic disparities impact individuals, and such individuals are more likely to develop opioid use disorder but I was very interested to learn how implementing measures to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion leads to increased retention in treatment programs and will positively impact treatment efforts in individuals with opioid use disorder.

Taylor Graham

School of Nursing, DNP

My name is Taylor Graham (she/her) and I am in my final year of the DNP pediatric primary care program at UMSON. Throughout my time as a nursing student, nurse, and now nurse practitioner student, I have seen countless times how children and infants are affected and even influenced by parent and family illnesses, particularly those fighting opioid addiction. As pediatric providers, it is important to not only focus on the child but the family unit and dynamic as well, as they play an important role in the health and wellness of the child. I hope to bring a different, yet fresh perspective to the symposium paper by focusing on how to not only fight the opioid epidemic but also find ways to prevent illicit drug use through our most vulnerable population.

Yvonne Ikhide

Graduate School, MS Regulatory Science

My name is Yvonne Ikhide. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a student of the Graduate School, undertaking a Master of Regulatory Science degree. The area that interested me in this year's topic was the idea of addressing opioid addiction by tackling social inequity and poverty.