MD ADMINISTRATION AND FACULTY

Dr. Olivier received her medical degree from Chicago Medical School (CMS). She completed her ophthalmology residency at Columbia University/Harlem Hospital Center in New York and her fellowship in Glaucoma at the Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University. Most recently Dr. Olivier served as the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the office of Academic Learning Environment and Professor of Ophthalmology at Chicago Medical School while maintaining a clinical practice specializing in Glaucoma.

The scope of her work involves professional development, retention, academic support, mentoring, and collaborations with local and national medical associations. Her goal is to allow Underrepresented in Medicine (UiM) students to meet the challenges of the healthcare needs in their communities. Her commitment to increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce is also shown through her work with the National Medical Association, a clinical practice honoring the mission and global ophthalmology initiatives. We welcome students, staff and faculty committed to these goals.

Dr. Green is a licensed chiropractor with experience working in a fast-paced multidisciplinary practice committed to pain management and overall patient wellness. She brings a wealth of healthcare knowledge to the classroom as a health professions education instructor. At PHSU, she is an assistant professor teaching courses in Neuroscience and Histology.

Dr. Murad Odeh, known as Dr. O by his students, holds the position of Associate Professor at Ponce Health Sciences University, specializing in Medical Physiology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology. Additionally, he serves as the Assistant Course Director for Microbiology; Dr. Odeh is also a visiting scholar at Southern California Health Science University & Jacksonville University. Dr. Odeh’s academic path is adorned with achievements, including a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Louisiana State University & M.Sc. degree in Microbiology. His research has focused on curved DNA in Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase-promoter interactions.

Beyond his scholarly pursuits, Dr. Odeh has assumed pivotal roles such as Chair of the Biology Department, President of the Council of Chairs, and Administrator of Curriculum & Student Learning at South Texas College. Demonstrating remarkable adaptability, he has showcased his teaching prowess across various platforms, including online, hybrid, and traditional face-to-face formats. Dr. Odeh’s contributions extend beyond the confines of academia; he has collaborated with McGraw-Hill as a Subject Matter Expert, aiding in developing educational tools like Connect and Online Microbiology Laboratories. Additionally, he has lent his expertise as a Digital Faculty Consultant, offering invaluable guidance to faculty members utilizing Connect Products. 

Throughout his career, Dr. Odeh’s unwavering dedication to education and the holistic development of his students remains the cornerstone of his scholarly journey.

Dr. Andrea Reaka received her PhD. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago where her research focused on Molecular Modeling and Drug Design. She did a Post-doctoral Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis focusing her researching on beta-turn mimetics for a protein scaffolding library. She has presented and published her work in various media.

Dr. Reaka has  previously taught at the School of Pharmacy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Harris-Stowe State University, along with various community colleges including St. Louis Community College and Southwest Illinois College. She will be teaching courses in the areas of biochemistry and pharmacology.

Dr. Vora is Assistant Professor of Pathology, Psychiatry and Clinical Medicine. He completed his medical training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Washington University in St. Louis. He is board-certified in anatomical, clinical, and cytopathology. Prior to teaching in academia he was Chief Medical Officer of Beckman-Coulter and Head of Medical Affairs at LabCorp Drug Development. He loves to ski, be outdoors, and spend time with his daughters.

Dr. Welch holds a PhD. in Neuroscience. Initially, he taught comparative vertebrate anatomy at the University of California, Riverside. He has been a tenured faculty member at Southern Illinois University, School of Dental Medicine.

At Ponce-St Louis, he has dual appointments in the School of Medicine and PsyD programs, where he teaches both Gross Anatomy and the Neurosciences. His research interests are focused on Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) and rhythmically active networks of nerve cells called “central pattern generators” (CPGs) in the nervous system.

Dr. Lewis is a board-certified behavior analyst practicing across Missouri. His clinical work applies radical behaviorism to diagnose and treat socially significant behavior for adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities that are highly aggressive. Dr. Lewis also consults across the state to help residential habilitation agencies apply behavioral principles to help their clients live a better quality of life. Dr. Lewis has taught graduate courses for Arizona State University, Pepperdine University, and Truman State University. He will be teaching courses in behavior science.