Alfred University alumni take part in panel discussion on careers in healthcare

A recent Alfred University-hosted panel discussion of career opportunities in the healthcare industry featured three alumni, each accomplished healthcare professionals. The second Feinstein and Friedman Panel on Careers in Healthcare was offered on Friday, Nov. 7.

The panel discussion is a forum for those interested in learning about the diverse careers available in healthcare, and is open to Alfred University students, faculty, and staff, as well as the general public. It is co-sponsored by Alfred University alumni and classmates Dr. F. Ronald Feinstein '67 and Lester Friedman '67.

"Our goal with this event is that it provides a glimpse into these healthcare careers and stimulates curiosity and passion, while revealing the important intersections that strengthen today's healthcare industry," said Geoff Lippa, associate professor of biology at Alfred University and an event organizer.

Each panelist explored five main areas of their job today, their career progression, their lessons learned, recommendations for how to approach a career in healthcare, and what skills are necessary to succeed in this field. The three panelists included:

Dr. David Fogelman '02 graduated from Alfred with bachelor's degrees in ceramic engineering and computer science, with minors in mathematics, chemistry and general science.

Fogelman worked as a research engineer at General Electric before earning a master's degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic in 2004. He attended the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, graduating as a medical doctor in 2009. He completed an internship in internal medicine at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in 2010, followed by Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in 2013, and fellowship training in Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 2015.

In 2015, Fogelman began his practice as an attending physician at Boston Children's Hospital, where he is currently a co-director of the Cerebral Palsy Center. He is also a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School, where he serves as a clinical instructor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He received his department's Faculty Award for Excellence in Patient Advocacy in 2021 and has been listed among Boston Magazine's Top Doctors each of the past three years.

Dr. David Fogelman '02 discusses his career during the Feinstein and Friedman Panel on Careers in Healthcare, held recently at Alfred University.

Jonathan Ugalde '13, M.S.Ed '15 graduated from Alfred University in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in clinical counseling/psychology, with minors in music and theater, and went on to earn a master's degree in counseling and a Certificate of Advanced Study in mental health counseling, also from Alfred, in 2015.

Ugalde is licensed professional counselor (LPC) and licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with extensive experience supporting individuals facing trauma, depression, anxiety, and major life transitions. He brings a client-centered, strengths-based approach to his work, integrating evidence-based practices to promote healing and resilience. Jonathan has experience in settings such as clinic-based care, community-based services, and residential outdoor behavioral healthcare in both private and non-profit settings.

He is currently a staff social worker at Cayuga County Community Mental Health. He is passionate about fostering open conversations around mental health and empowering individuals to access the tools they need for growth and well-being.

Jonathan Ugalde '13, M.S.Ed '15 discusses his career during the Feinstein and Friedman Panel on Careers in Healthcare, held recently at Alfred University.

Dr. Olivia Higgins '10 graduated from Alfred University in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in biology (minor in chemistry) in 2010. She went on to earn her medical degree in 2015 from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Higgins is a fellowship-trained minimally invasive surgeon focusing on laparoscopic and robotic surgery, serving patients as part of the team at the Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgery at Rochester General Hospital, as well as United Memorial Medical Center. She completed a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecological surgery from Indian University in 2021.

A Rochester native, Higgins is committed to providing patient-centered care to the entire Rochester area community. She works with patients who have complex medical or surgical history, advanced endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, uterine fibroids (fertility-sparing or not), and infertility.

Dr. F. Ronald Feinstein '67 (B.A., biology) and Lester Friedman '67 (B.A., English) sponsor the Feinstein and Friedman Panel on Careers in Healthcare.

Feinstein, a former member of Alfred University's Board of Trustees, served as an Assistant Medical Director at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in West L.A., establishing the Surgical and Support Departments Service Line and then leading its twenty-three clinical departments. During his 15-year tenure his leadership team initiated a steady series of coordinated team efforts aimed at improving overall business performance through delivery system redesign while overseeing the conduct of over 180,000 hospital-based surgeries.

He also served for 24 years as both chief of the Departments of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery for the Metro Los Angeles Service Area and as the inaugural regional chief of Plastic Surgery for The Southern California Permanente Medical Group's 7,000 MDs. As regional chief, he led the establishment of six departments of plastic surgery that now cover Kaiser's 15 medical centers in Southern California caring for their current five million members.

Feinstein is clinical professor of surgery in the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, and adjunct professor in the Healthcare Systems Engineering Program at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles.

Friedman is professor emeritus of media and society, and former chair of the Media and Society program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He also taught cinema studies at Syracuse, Northwestern, and American Universities, as well as the Art Institute of Chicago; and health humanities and bioethics at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

The author, co-author, and editor of over 20 books, Friedman's areas of academic specialties include: film genres, American cinema of the 1970s, American Jewish cinema, British film of the 1980s, and Health and Humanities. Additionally, he written books about Steven Spielberg, Arthur Penn, Peter Pan, Frankenstein, and Clint Eastwood. He has authored two screenplays that have been the basis of independent films directed by the award-winning visual artist Owen Shapiro. Friedman has won the National Jewish Book Award and is also a JEOPARDY! Champion.