A Who's Who of This Year's CUIMC Graduation Speakers
Between May 19 and May 22, the medical center campus will come alive with graduation ceremonies for students from all CUIMC schools and programs.
These speakers will play a central role in celebrating our graduates' accomplishments. (All Columbia University graduation speakers are listed here).
College of Dental Medicine
Speaker: Rene D'Souza, DDS, PhD
May 21 at 10:00 a.m. at The Armory
D’Souza is an internationally recognized authority in craniofacial biology and genetics with a deep commitment to advancing oral and dental health through discovery, translation, and mentorship. She has held numerous leadership roles in academic dentistry and national research organizations, including the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research where she guided national research priorities aimed at improving oral health. D'Souza is currently a visiting professor at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
Mailman School of Public Health
Speaker: Cheryl Pegus, MD, MPH’92
May 19 at 4:00 p.m. at The Armory
Cheryl Pegus is CEO and board chair of FlyteHealth, a virtual treatment model at the forefront of early cardio-kidney metabolic care using AI. During a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Pegus has held senior executive roles at some of the nation’s most influential health care and consumer organizations, including serving as a partner at Morgan Health, supporting venture investments, and as executive vice president of health and wellness at Walmart, overseeing pharmacy, optical, and clinical services. She has led transformative efforts across clinical care—advancing new data-driven models of care delivery for women’s health, cardiac disease, and rural and underserved populations.
School of Nursing
Speaker: Eric Horvitz, MD, PhD
May 19 at 10:00 am at The Armory
Eric Horvitz is chief scientific officer at Microsoft where he leads research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, biosciences, and health care, focusing on applying AI to real-world problems while addressing ethical and societal implications. His research spans applications in health care, transportation, commerce, and aerospace.
Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Speaker (MD and PhD ceremony): Joia S. Mukherjee, MD, MPH
May 20 at 3:00 p.m. at The Armory
Joia Mukherjee is associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and associate professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School. Mukherjee trained in infectious disease, internal medicine, and pediatrics at the Massachusetts General Hospital and has an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. Her work focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive health care in resource-poor settings. Between 2000 and 2025, Mukherjee was the chief medical officer of Partners In Health, which provides high-quality medical care and support while working hand-in-hand with local governments to strengthen health systems.
Institute of Human Nutrition
Speaker: Anthony J. Basile, PhD, MS
May 21 at 2:30 p.m. in Alumni Auditorium
Anthony Basile, associate professor of biology at SUNY Sullivan, received a master's in human nutrition from the Institute of Human Nutrition before becoming an accredited nutrition and dietetic technician and completing his doctoral training in evolutionary biology in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Basile believes that an evolutionary perspective can help advance the fields of nutrition, dietetics, and public health. His favorite foods: dark chocolate, dried dates, and all things plantains.
Program in Genetic Counseling (VP&S)
Speaker: Sharon F. Terry
May 19 at 4:00 p.m. in the Vagelos Education Center
Sharon Terry is president and CEO of Genetic Alliance, an organization that works to provide programs, products, and tools for ordinary people to take charge of their health and to further biomedical research. Terry cofounded PXE International, a research advocacy organization for the genetic condition pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), in response to the diagnosis of PXE in her two children in 1994. With others, she co-discovered the ABCC6 gene, patented it to ensure ethical stewardship in 2000, and assigned their rights to the foundation.
Programs in Occupational Therapy (VP&S)
Speaker: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L
May 21 at 10:00 a.m. in Alumni Auditorium
Teepa Snow is an occupational therapist with over forty years of clinical and academic experience and one of the world’s leading advocates for people living with dementia or other forms of brain change. She created the Positive Approach to Care training strategies, which are effective techniques for anyone seeking to optimize care and support for those living with brain change, and helped to create the award-winning "Accepting the Challenge: Providing the Best Care for People with Dementia" training program for family care partners.
Programs in Physical Therapy (VP&S)
Speaker: Michael Johnson, PT, DSc
May 19 at 10:00 a.m. in Alumni Auditorium
Michael Johnson, assistant professor of rehabilitation and regenerative medicine at VP&S, is a veteran of the U.S. Army where he served as a physical therapist for 21 years, including several deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He has particular interests in adolescent athletes and injury prevention, diagnostic imaging, and residency/fellowship programs, and he continues to practice at the Cadet Physical Therapy Clinic at the United States Military Academy.