BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bradley A. Connor, MD
President
Bradley Connor, M.D., is an expert in chronic gastrointestinal disorders in returned travelers, emerging infectious diseases and gastrointestinal infectious diseases, including parasitic disease.
In addition to his private practice in New York City, Dr. Connor is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College and Attending Physician at the New York Presbyterian Hospital – Cornell Campus. He is the founder and Medical Director of the New York Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine, a facility devoted to patient care, teaching and research in travel and tropical medicine. He is also the New York City Site Director for the GeoSentinel Network.
Bradley A. Connor, MD
President
Bradley Connor, M.D., is an expert in chronic gastrointestinal disorders in returned travelers, emerging infectious diseases and gastrointestinal infectious diseases, including parasitic disease.
In addition to his private practice in New York City, Dr. Connor is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College and Attending Physician at the New York Presbyterian Hospital – Cornell Campus. He is the founder and Medical Director of the New York Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine, a facility devoted to patient care, teaching and research in travel and tropical medicine. He is also the New York City Site Director for the GeoSentinel Network.
Davidson H. Hamer, MD
Secretary/Treasurer
Davidson Hamer, MD, is a Professor of Global Health and Medicine at the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, the Interim Director of the Boston University Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research and Policy, a faculty member in the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory and an attending physician in infectious diseases at Boston Medical Center.
Dr. Hamer is an infectious disease specialist and medical epidemiologist focusing on emerging diseases, tropical medicine, travel medicine, infection control, and antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Hamer served as the principal investigator for GeoSentinel from 2014 to 2021 and is currently the Surveillance Lead for the network.
Davidson H. Hamer, MD
Secretary/Treasurer
Davidson Hamer, MD, is a Professor of Global Health and Medicine at the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, the Interim Director of the Boston University Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research and Policy, a faculty member in the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory and an attending physician in infectious diseases at Boston Medical Center.
Dr. Hamer is an infectious disease specialist and medical epidemiologist focusing on emerging diseases, tropical medicine, travel medicine, infection control, and antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Hamer served as the principal investigator for GeoSentinel from 2014 to 2021 and is currently the Surveillance Lead for the network.
Phyllis Kozarsky, MD
Vice President
Phyllis Kozarsky, MD, is a Professor Emerita of Medicine and Infectious Diseases with Distinction at Emory University and has been a clinician, clinical researcher and teacher for over 35 years.
Her work originally focused on the care and management of those affected by HIV and more recently on the epidemiologic study and management of persons with emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, particularly those found in travelers, immigrants and refugees.
Dr. Kozarsky was a consultant to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine for over 25 years. At CDC she received the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service during the public health emergency response to the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks and anthrax investigation, as well as awards for service in responses to the SARS outbreak, the health crises following Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti Earthquake and the H1N1 influenza pandemic, among others. She has been a medical consultant to several Fortune 500 companies and missionary and volunteer groups, and she remains a consultant to organizations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its management. Dr. Kozarsky is a founder of the International Society of Travel Medicine and the GeoSentinel Network.
Phyllis Kozarsky, MD
Vice President
Phyllis Kozarsky, MD, is a Professor Emerita of Medicine and Infectious Diseases with Distinction at Emory University and has been a clinician, clinical researcher and teacher for over 35 years.
Her work originally focused on the care and management of those affected by HIV and more recently on the epidemiologic study and management of persons with emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, particularly those found in travelers, immigrants and refugees.
Dr. Kozarsky was a consultant to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine for over 25 years. At CDC she received the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service during the public health emergency response to the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks and anthrax investigation, as well as awards for service in responses to the SARS outbreak, the health crises following Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti Earthquake and the H1N1 influenza pandemic, among others. She has been a medical consultant to several Fortune 500 companies and missionary and volunteer groups, and she remains a consultant to organizations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its management. Dr. Kozarsky is a founder of the International Society of Travel Medicine and the GeoSentinel Network.
Staci Arnovitz
Staci Arnovitz is an active consultant and adviser to several local and international nonprofit organizations and is a founding member on the leadership team of Impact 100 London, a collective philanthropy fund launched in 2020 focused on helping marginalized women and girls in London.
Prior to this, she held various business development, strategy and marketing roles at American Express. Staci was Director of Business Transformation and Strategy for the UK and International Currency Card markets, where she led UK digital strategy and other large-scale projects. She began her career in finance in New York, advising institutional clients on investment and hedging in the fixed income division at Deutsche Bank. Before that, she ran an investment program for high-net-worth individuals at Bear Stearns Asset Management. Staci holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Tufts University.
Staci Arnovitz
Staci Arnovitz is an active consultant and adviser to several local and international nonprofit organizations and is a founding member on the leadership team of Impact 100 London, a collective philanthropy fund launched in 2020 focused on helping marginalized women and girls in London.
Prior to this, she held various business development, strategy and marketing roles at American Express. Staci was Director of Business Transformation and Strategy for the UK and International Currency Card markets, where she led UK digital strategy and other large-scale projects. She began her career in finance in New York, advising institutional clients on investment and hedging in the fixed income division at Deutsche Bank. Before that, she ran an investment program for high-net-worth individuals at Bear Stearns Asset Management. Staci holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Tufts University.
Michael Rendel, MD
Michael is the founder of Ridgeback Health, a consulting firm providing health and wellness guidance for employers. He is a global medical advisor to Goldman Sachs, where he served as Chief Medical Officer until July 2022 and Global Head of Benefits until July 2019. Before his role at Goldman Sachs, he served as Medical Director at Merrill Lynch, leading all aspects of employee medical and wellness care.
Michael Rendel, MD
Michael is the founder of Ridgeback Health, a consulting firm providing health and wellness guidance for employers. He is a global medical advisor to Goldman Sachs, where he served as Chief Medical Officer until July 2022 and Global Head of Benefits until July 2019. Before his role at Goldman Sachs, he served as Medical Director at Merrill Lynch, leading all aspects of employee medical and wellness care.
Mark S. Riddle, MD
Mark Riddle, MD, is an expert in travelers’ health, as well as research in travel medicine and vaccine development. Dr. Riddle has led guideline development for the management of travelers’ diarrhea for the International Society of Travel Medicine, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the US Department of Defense.
Mark S. Riddle, MD
Mark Riddle, MD, is an expert in travelers’ health, as well as research in travel medicine and vaccine development. Dr. Riddle has led guideline development for the management of travelers’ diarrhea for the International Society of Travel Medicine, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the US Department of Defense.
Robert Steffen, MD
Some 40 years ago, Dr. Robert Steffen started systematic research on morbidity and mortality of illnesses and accidents related to international travel.
Since then, Dr. Steffen has co-authored over 400 publications and was editor-in-chief of both the Journal of Travel Medicine and of the International Journal of Public Health. Dr. Steffen is an Emeritus Professor at the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Switzerland, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas School of Public in Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Dr. Steffen is co-founder of the International Society of Travel Medicine and Honorary Fellow of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. The World Health Organization has often invited Dr. Steffen to advisory boards, including those for revising International Health Regulations (IHR), and to sessions on malaria and biological warfare. During the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa in 2014-2016 and 2018-2020 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he served at the WHO Geneva Headquarters as Chair of the Ebola Emergency Committee.
Robert Steffen, MD
Some 40 years ago, Dr. Robert Steffen started systematic research on morbidity and mortality of illnesses and accidents related to international travel.
Since then, Dr. Steffen has co-authored over 400 publications and was editor-in-chief of both the Journal of Travel Medicine and of the International Journal of Public Health. Dr. Steffen is an Emeritus Professor at the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Switzerland, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas School of Public in Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Dr. Steffen is co-founder of the International Society of Travel Medicine and Honorary Fellow of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. The World Health Organization has often invited Dr. Steffen to advisory boards, including those for revising International Health Regulations (IHR), and to sessions on malaria and biological warfare. During the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa in 2014-2016 and 2018-2020 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he served at the WHO Geneva Headquarters as Chair of the Ebola Emergency Committee.
“COVID-19 has demonstrated that health inequities and disparities can no longer be tolerated. We must concern ourselves with the well-being of the world’s citizens, for an infectious disease anywhere can be an infectious disease everywhere.
COVID-19 also underscored the importance of timing when trying to contain the potential damage of an emerging or re-emerging infectious disease. The timely recognition of these threats is critical to preventing the next global pandemic.
GeoSentinel is poised to respond. Right now, we have an unparalleled network of clinicians, scientists and global health experts around the world capable of advanced disease recognition, diagnostics and therapeutics—all the elements needed for real-time surveillance and response.
The GeoSentinel Foundation aims to make sure this network has all the resources necessary to fulfill their critical mission.”
Bradley A. Connor, MD
President, GeoSentinel Foundation