ST GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Provost Emeritus

Dr. Pensick has served St. George's University since 1984, most recently as University Provost from 2004 to 2016. Prior to this, Dr. Pensick held the position of Dean of Basic and Allied Health Sciences, Chairman of the University Council of Deans, and Chairman of the School of Medicine Faculty Senate. He is internationally recognized for his work in microbiology, and is the recipient of several awards. In 2011, St. George's University presented him with the Order of the Mace for his exceptional contributions to the University's growth, and also renamed Bell Hall, an iconic building on True Blue's upper campus, Allen H. Pensick Hall in his honor. Dr. Pensick has authored and co-authored numerous abstracts and publications on research, and is a member of 14 professional societies, including the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Society of Microbiology. Before arriving at SGU, Dr. Pensick owned and operated a thoroughbred breeding farm and a cattle and hog operation for 15 years. He later taught a number of microbiology and immunology courses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Life Sciences for nine years, and was the microbiologist in charge of water quality control for the City of Lincoln.

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Department of Educational Services
• Director of Institutional Research

Dr. Havenga has served as Chair of the Department of Educational Services (DES) and Full Professor at St. George's University since January 2003. Under his leadership, DES, which is responsible for providing academic development and support to the University community, led SGU to become the first Caribbean institution outside of Puerto Rico to earn the Outstanding Institutional Advising Program Certificate of Merit Award by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) in 2011. Prior to coming to St. Georgeís University, Dr. Havenga worked at the University of Port Elizabeth as a Full Professor of Higher Education in the Faculty of Education and served as Director of Organizational and Academic Development from 1992 to 2002 and Executive Director from 1996 to 2002. He has authored 20 articles in international and national journals and others and in several major internally published reports.

Job Titles:

• Director of Student Accessibility

Ms. Blair brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position having been a learning disabilities specialist and director of a disability office at Kansas State University (KSU) for over twenty years. She is originally from Savannah, GA and received her Master's in Education from the University of Georgia. Prior to her position at KSU, she spent over 10 years as a public school special education teacher. In her new position, Ms. Blair will help SGU continue to cultivate a campus that is committed to diversity and is sensitive to the needs of students.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Dean of Academic Advising and Development - Clinical Studies - UK

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean for Accreditation, Continuous Quality Improvement, and Strategic Planning / Professor of Behavioral Sciences

Brenda Kirkby, PhD, was appointed the associate dean of accreditation, quality assurance, and strategic planning for the School of Medicine (SOM) in August 2021. In that role, she oversees the preparation and timely submission of SOM accreditation documents, monitors the strategic planning initiatives established by the SOM, and ensures that a systematic process is followed to monitor compliance with accreditation standards as part of the quality assurance process for the SOM. In addition, Dr. Kirkby is the deputy chair of the Department of Physiology, Neuroscience, and Behavioral Sciences. In the classroom, Dr. Kirkby teaches behavioral sciences in the pre-clinical and basic sciences curriculum (Year 1 students) and is the content manager for the discipline of behavioral sciences in the SOM. She has received multiple Student Government Association Outstanding Faculty Awards for her teaching. Prior to her current role as associate dean, Dr. Kirkby served as an assistant dean of basic sciences in the SOM, helping to administer the basic sciences program by managing faculty who oversee the College System and assisting with accreditation documents for the SOM. She was appointed as an assistant dean of students in 2011 before becoming an assistant dean of basic sciences in 2015. Dr. Kirkby joined the SOM faculty as a professor of behavioral sciences in 2009. She is the chair of the Learning Environment Committee, the chair of the Educational Resources Planning Group, and a longstanding member of SGU's Institutional Review Board. Dr. Kirkby received her PhD in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada and completed a four-year Intramural Research Training Award Fellowship within the Clinical Brain Disorders Branch (Unit on Positron Emission Tomography) at the National Institute of Mental Health at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. La Grenade has served on and chaired a number of boards and committees including the Grenada General Hospital Board of Directors, the SGU Monitoring Committee, the Ministry of Health, Ministers Advisory Committee, the Provost Advisory Committee, SGU-Ministry of Health Joint Advisory Committee, SGU University Council of Deans, and the Grenada Hospital Authority.

Job Titles:

• Dean of University Alumni Affairs

Dr. Rao is the longest serving faculty member and dean at St. George's University, having started his career in teaching at SGU in January 1977. After 44 years leading the dean of students office and providing instruction in the field anatomical sciences in the School of Medicine, Dr. Rao was appointed dean of university alumni affairs in April 2021. In this role, he is reconnecting with all alumni to promote SGU spirit and invite graduates to participate in various activities of the alumni association. Dr. Rao has a deep and abiding commitment to student well-being and success. He held the position of dean of students at St. George's University from 1985 to 2021, this after serving as an assistant dean of students from the first year of the University's existence. Dr. Rao was also a standing member of the University Council of Deans, the Board of Admissions, and the Chair of the Committee for Satisfactory Academic Progress and Professional Standards (CAPPS). He is one of the two founding faculty members of St. George's University and is the embodiment of the University's commitment to student support services. Dr. Rao received his entire formal education at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, obtaining a Bachelor of Science (Hons) with the Founder's Gold Medal and distinction in botany in 1968; a Master of Science in zoology in 1970; and his PhD in neuroendocrinology and reproductive physiology in 1974. He is happily married to SGU alumnus Vijaya Chellapilla, MD '84, and they have two sons.

Job Titles:

• Dean of the School of Graduate Studies / Director of Research
• Founding Director and Vice - President of the Windward Islands Research
• University in 1993 As Professor

Dr. Macpherson joined the University in 1993 as Professor of Parasitology and Director of Research in the School of Medicine and is now also Professor of Parasitology for the School of Veterinary Medicine. He serves on many internal and international committees. In addition to his many roles at the University, Dr. Macpherson is the founding director and vice-president of the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF). He has worked and lectured in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and North and South America. Over the course of his career, he has supervised over 60 master's degree and PhD students in Kenya, Tanzania, India, the UK, Nevis, and Grenada. Dr. Macpherson was born and raised in Kenya, and later Uganda. In 2014, he was appointed to the Research Advisory Board of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and elected as a Global Football Ambassador by the Grenada Football Association.

Job Titles:

• Instructor

Camille-marie Coomansingh Springer is an Instructor in the Department of Pathobiology. She lectures primarily on veterinary and clinical parasitology. Her research interests include epidemiology and control of gastrointestinal parasites of canines, zoonotic diseases of dogs, and anthelmintic resistance in gastrointestinal parasites of small ruminants in Grenada. Ms. Coomansingh Springer received her MSc and BSc from St. George's University and is currently working toward her PhD. She received her Diploma in Veterinary Communication and Extension from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

As a fourth-year emergency medicine/pediatrics resident at University of Maryland Medical Center, Carmen Avendaño, MD SGU '14, is just where she wants to be. And considering her family's roots in medicine, perhaps it's where she was destined to be as well. Dr. Avendaño hails from a family of "many doctors and engineers"-her great-grandfather, grandfather, father, two uncles, and cousin were all physicians. Now a doctor herself, she is thriving in UMD's unique combined program, for which she alternates three-month periods in the two fields, allowing her to see a wide array of patients, both young and old. "Every day is different," she said. "It's like a puzzle that you have to figure out. There are some quiet days, but in the ED, there are also shifts when you have four codes come in at once. Sometimes you don't have a break, but you don't want a break. You just want to keep it going." Born and raised in Chile, Dr. Avendaño went on to graduate from the University of Minnesota with bachelor's degrees in mathematics and neuroscience. She spent a year in the everyday workplace, but didn't feel fulfilled. That prompted her to jump into medicine with both feet. "I knew it would take a lot of hours and a lot of work, but I didn't want to sit at a desk; I had to do something to help people," Dr. Avendaño said. She applied at once to St. George's University, and was accepted to the January 2010 entering class. From the beginning, Dr. Avendaño was drawn to critical care, and joined SGU's Emergency Medicine Club shortly upon arrival. In addition, she used her experience in neuroscience to tutor students through the Department of Educational Services. Dr. Avendaño also made the most of her leisure time, enjoying Grenada's many beaches, and playing hockey soccer, and flag football, among other activities. "My experience at SGU was wonderful," she said. "The classes and the teachers were great, and it's such a beautiful island. I met people from all over the world who have the same exact priorities that I did." The unique January start time proved beneficial as she continued her studies, giving her extra time to study for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step exams, as well as time to travel before entering residency. Dr. Avendaño enjoyed SGU and the island so much that she has returned to Grenada four times since graduating to reconnect with former faculty and staff, including Assistant Dean of Students Duncan Kirkby, with whom she plays hockey, and SGU staffer and friend Molly Campbell. Additionally, Dr. Avendaño encouraged her brother, Javier, to enroll in SGU's School of Veterinary Medicine. He is scheduled to graduate later this month and walk with his veterinarian cohort in New York City in June.

Job Titles:

• Director of Psychological Services Center

Dr. Rougier is a New York State Licensed Psychologist and has been with the University since January 2015. She is a graduate of Columbia University in New York where she earned the doctorate in Counseling Psychology. As Director, Dr. Rougier and her team of nine therapists and two support staff are responsible for providing psychological services to facilitate mental health and wellness among students, staff, faculty and significant others at our True-Blue campus of St. George's University. Dr. Rougier has worked in educational setting for most of her life and her tenure at university counseling centers includes service at University of California, Davis, and Fordham University in New York. She also completed her post-doctoral internship here at St. George's University in Grenada. Dr. Rougier is committed to Mental Health and Wellness of the entire University. She serves as Co-Chair for the Wellness Consortium at SGU and works closely with other departments in promoting wellness for the entire university. Her clinical experience includes group work, Gottman couples therapy, family and individual therapy, EMDR therapy, as well as assessment. She has a range of interests, including but not limited to multicultural counseling, sexual trauma, spirituality and mental health, depression, anxiety, career development, gender/identity and other developmental issues. Dr. Rougier had longed to wok as a psychologist in Grenada where she was born and raised and counts it a privilege to have the opportunity to do so at St. George's University with its vibrant and beautiful campus.

Chanel Prowell is a Demonstrator in the School of Veterinary Medicine. She has experience in critical care and emergency and is interested in the development of rabies awareness programs and parasitology. Ms. Prowell received her AS at Kaplan College. She is currently working toward her VTS (veterinary technician specialty) in Emergency and Critical Care Nutrition.

Job Titles:

• Chancellor

Charles R. Modica, JD, is the Chancellor and Chair of the Board of Directors of St. George's University, a University he co-founded in 1977 in Grenada, West Indies as an independent School of Medicine. In the years since, Dr. Modica guided its development into an international center of higher education. As Ambassador-at-Large for Grenada, Dr. Modica has worked to promote the country's infrastructure in health, industry, business, and tourism. Dr. Modica has a strong sense of civic responsibility and currently serves the Grenada Heart Foundation, the Vincentian Children's Heart Fund, and Co-Chair of the Fund for the Orphans and Elderly of Grenada. The Chancellor earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Delaware Law School in 1975 and has been the recipient of several awards and honors, including an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK, in 2009, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Barry University School of Law, Miami Shores, Florida, in 2000.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor
• Associate Dean, School of Medicine / a St. George 's University
• Director of Hospital

alum, Christopher Magnifico, MD '97, serves as associate dean of the School of Medicine, this after being appointed assistant dean of the SOM in July 2015. During his deanship, Dr. Magnifico has significantly contributed to SOM, notably leading the implementation of new technology enhancements to SOM's medical curriculum, including upgrades to and streamlining of coursework and evaluation processes, and strengthening third- and fourth year core training. He is also actively involved in the Office of Career Guidance and Student Development (OCGSD), serving as a mentor to medical students as they navigate through postgraduate medical training and preparing for licensure procedures and residency selection successfully and effectively. In addition to his role as a hospitalist and Hospice and Palliative Care Committee attending, Dr. Magnifico is the director of hospital medical education and an associate professor of family practice at Southside Hospital in Bayshore, NY, a 300+-bed hospital that is part of the Northwell Health network. Dr. Magnifico has been an associate professor and HIV specialist at Brentwood Family Health Center in Brentwood, NY, and continues to treat patients at the Momentum Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in East Islip, NY. He is board certified by the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP) and by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). As a 1997 SGU graduate, Dr. Magnifico completed his clinical rotations in New York at Jamaica Hospital, Maimonides Medical Center, as well as at Southside. He continued on with Southside, thereafter, completing his family practice residency there in 2000. Over the years, Dr. Magnifico has given back to his alma mater, teaching scores of SGU clinical students and residents. Dr. Magnifico completed his undergraduate education at Stony Brook University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Dean of Clinical Studies, UK
• Assistant Dean, Office of Career Guidance - GND

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean of Admissions

Colin joined St. George's University in September of 2003 and has assisted with the tremendous growth in its undergraduate enrollment. He relishes the opportunity to help prospective students work toward their career goals and to contribute to Grenada's development. Colin has served as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Grenada Board of Tourism, the entity that markets Grenada internationally. Being deeply rooted in Grenada's culture, he has also chaired the Grenada Carnival Committee and the Spicemas Corporation, the entities that manage Grenada's carnival festivities annually.

Dr. Holmes' association with St. George's University goes back to 2000 and he first visited Grenada in 2002 in his capacity as head of Biomedical Sciences at Northumbria University (NU). His proudest academic achievement is his role, along with other Northumbria University colleagues, in the creation of the St. George's University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University (then the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program) in 2007. Subsequently he joined SGU (2010) as associate dean of basic sciences (with responsibility for the KBTGSP alongside SGU's Dr. Robert Jordan) and Professor of Biochemistry at the Northumbria University campus in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. In recognition of his services in helping to create the KBTGSP, in June 2011, Dr. Holmes was presented with SGU's Medal of Merit by Chancellor Charles Modica at the MD awards ceremony at Lincoln Center in New York. Dr. Holmes took a BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree at Aberdeen University, followed by a PhD in Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne during which he studied protein breakdown in skeletal muscle (funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Group of GB). He continued his interest in muscle catabolism during postdoctoral studies on cachexia (funded by the UK Cancer Research Campaign) before being appointed, in 1975, as Lecturer at Newcastle Polytechnic (now Northumbria University). His teaching experience includes Biochemistry, Medical Biochemistry, Genetics, The Biology of Disease, Biotechniques and Practical Molecular Genetics, Analytical & Immunological Methods and Pathology in Practice. During his time at Northumbria, Dr. Holmes rose to become head of biomedical sciences in the School of Applied Sciences, then director of academic development (international), and later, director of collaborative programmes. During his tenure at Northumbria, he led the development of the BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, BSc (Hons) Biotechnology and MSc Biomedical Sciences degrees as well as well as forging academic links, partnerships, and franchises with overseas academic institutions and agencies in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, China, India, Vietnam, Oman-and St. George's University in Grenada. Dr. Holmes has a keen interest in educational and professional development, particularly through his membership of the UK Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). He was appointed as Fellow of the IBMS [FIBMS] in 1998 and achieved Chartered Scientist (CSci) status in 2004. He was an elected member of the Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Science (HUCBMS), an organization that represents the interest of more than 50 UK universities who offer IBMS-accredited Biomedical Science degrees, and became honorary treasurer (2004-08) then executive honorary secretary (2008-12) of that body. During his HUCBMS executive committee tenure, he was a member of the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) working party for the development of Standards of Proficiency for Biomedical Scientists (Commissioned by the UK Health Professions Council) and a Higher Education representative on NHS ‘Modernizing Scientific Careers' consultation committee. He has given presentations on accreditation, standards of proficiency, and issues related to modernizing scientific careers at HUCBMS annual conferences and at the IBMS Congress. Dr. Holmes has considerable experience of educational quality assurance and accreditation, both in the UK and overseas. He has been external examiner for BSc (Hons) and MSc Biomedical Sciences degrees at nine different UK universities and at Sultan Qaboos University Medical School in Oman. In addition, he has been a member of 32 IBMS accreditation panels-at 18 universities in the UK and five overseas (Jayewardene University in Sri Lanka, University of Malta, University of Kuwait, The National University of Malaysia, and the International Medical University in Malaysia). He was a member of the Graduates Outcomes Review Panel for the Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and was invited by the UAE Council for Academic Accreditation to be an accreditation panel member for Biotechnology degrees at the Biotechnology University College, Dubai, the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), and the University of Sharjah. Dr. Holmes is co-author of several very successful textbooks; Practical Skills in Biomolecular Science (6 editions to date, including 2016); Practical Skills in Chemistry (3 editions, including 2016); and Practical Skills in Forensic Sciences (2 editions, another in press).

Job Titles:

• Director of Campus Facilities, Dean of Students

Dr. Twum-Barimah is both a Grenadian and Ghanaian national, born in the Pacific Islands. With a background in public and private sector development and aid relief, he is a proud alumnus of St. George's University, earning undergraduate and master's degrees in 2011 and 2014 respectively. His educational and work experience has been focused on Information Technology, Education, Student Counseling, Leadership, as well as Project and Operational Management. He also has earned in a PhD in Education and Organizational Leadership from Liberty University in 2023.

Job Titles:

• Professor

Dr. Anne Corrigan is a Professor in the small animal medicine and surgery academic program. Dr. Corrigan's focus is on small animal internal medicine with special interest in cardiology, GI diseases, infectious diseases and endocrinology. Dr. Corrigan received her formal education from Michigan State University where she earned her DVM, MS and BS. She also holds an MS from Auburn University, and earned her DACVIM in 2009. Dr. Corrigan is originally from Detroit, Michigan.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Director of Research
• Associate
• Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences
• Member of Both the Association of Caribbean Women Writers

Dr. Antonia MacDonald is an associate dean of graduate studies and assistant director of research in the School of Arts and Sciences. Her expertise includes such areas as the writings of Caribbean women, Caribbean literary theory, St. Lucian literature, and post-colonial studies. Previously, Dr. MacDonald held positions as senior associate dean in the School of Arts and Sciences and chair of the public lecture committee. As senior associate dean, she had many responsibilities, including curriculum development, organizing faculty development workshops, as well as tending to recruitment and retention of faculty. Dr. MacDonald also spent much of her time providing scholarly support to faculty and hopes that her own research activities would serve as an example to fellow faculty of the pedagogical importance and relevance of conducting research. Dr. MacDonald has served as chief examiner for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Literatures in English and assistant chief examiner for CXC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in English B. Dr. MacDonald earned a BA from the University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine campus in Trinidad followed by a master's degree at UWI's Mona campus in Jamaica. She was the recipient of a LASPAU Fulbright scholarship to The Ohio State University where she received her Doctor of Philosophy degree. Since the early 1990s, Dr. MacDonald has been a member of both the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars (ACWWS), as well as the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA). In addition to being a member of the editorial board of the Journal of West Indian Literature (JWIL), she is also its book review editor.

Job Titles:

• Assistant
• Assistant Dean of Multicultural Affairs
• Member of the American Psychological Association

Dr. Arlette Herry serves as assistant dean of multicultural affairs, responsible for creating processes to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the School of Medicine. She is also ombudsperson at St. George's University and assistant professor of behavioral sciences in the Department of Physiology, Neuroscience and Behavioral sciences. Prior to her current role at SGU, Dr. Herry worked as combined degree coordinator in the premedical program, and director of academic advising, development, and support services. Her areas of research and expertise include stress management, managing chronic illnesses, and working with older adults and families. Dr. Herry earned her doctoral degree and Master of Philosophy in health psychology at Walden University in Minnesota after receiving her Bachelor of Science in psychology and biology and her master's in clinical psychology at Midwestern State University in Texas. Dr. Herry is also a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Grenadian Psychological Association (GPA), and the American Aging Association (AGE).

Job Titles:

• Assistant Dean of Students - GND / Lecturer, Department of Pathology

Dr. Ayesha Sultana was inducted into the role of assistant dean of students for the school of medicine at St. George's University in July 2022. She provides guidance and support to the school of medicine students in all academic and non-academic aspects. She is also a lecturer in Pathology at the School of Medicine. Dr. Sultana is the associate director for Hippocrates college and helps coordinate initiatives for student wellness, collegial interactions, and professional identity formation. Dr. Sultana joined SGU in August 2013 as a clinical tutor in the Department of Pathology. In July 2018, she was appointed course director for the principles of medicine one course during its very first offering. She helped structure the course content and its delivery until December 2021. Born and raised in Qatar but originally from India, Dr. Sultana graduated from medical school in India. After that practiced medicine in General Surgical and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgical specialties in India for three years before moving to Grenada.

Job Titles:

• Ambassador
• Assistant Professor

Dr. Bhumika Sharma is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathobiology. She teaches ‘Advanced Molecular Techniques', and ‘Scientific Text Organization and Presentation' courses in graduate studies. She also performs molecular diagnostics for vector-borne disease-pathogens in companion animal-samples, collected at clinics affiliated with St. George's University. She has been involved in research projects including study of intracellular bacteria (Ehrlichia and Anaplasma) in animals and is associated with collaborative projects on vector-borne diseases between St. George's University and various other institutes and companies such as Kansas State University, National University of Asuncion (Paraguay) and Zoetis. Dr. Sharma is ASM-Young Ambassador to Grenada for American Society for Microbiology. She is also a member of COVID-19 national diagnostics response team, in collaboration with St. George's University and Ministry of Health (Government of Grenada). She received her BSc (Major in Microbiology and minors in Zoology and Chemistry) and her MSc in Microbiology from the University of Rajasthan, India. She received her PhD degree in bacteriology from St. George's University, Grenada.

Dr. David Hogg helped usher in St. George's University's School of Veterinary Medicine, serving as its founding Dean and as a Professor of Anatomy from 1998 to 2003. He was a member of the University's Council of Deans, and achievements ranged from the design and implementation of the SVM's curriculum, the development of clinical training agreements in the United States and United Kingdom, and oversight of all veterinary medical operations. In 2003, Dr. Hogg was given the title Dean Emeritus and was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Letters. Currently, Dr. Hogg teaches veterinary anatomy as a Visiting Professor for Royal Veterinary College, and as an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham. Past teaching appointments have included the University of Zambia, University of Glasgow, and University of Nairobi. Dr. Hogg earned both his Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Glasgow.

Job Titles:

• Director of Admissions & Partnerships, Ontario

Job Titles:

• Mehgan Stoia

Job Titles:

• Associate Director of Admissions, Montreal & Atlantic Canada