MPH 2005

Ecaterina Damian (AUA MPH 2005), PhD Candidate, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, USA

Ecaterina Damian is a PhD candidate studying immigrant health within the Global Health and Development Concentration at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. Her research interests include impact of birth place on self-reported health status, access to care, and vulnerability to specific diseases across different immigrant groups in Canada. Currently Ms. Damian is employed as the Program Manager at the Canadian Society for International Health in Ottawa, Canada; in this capacity she has recently written two media articles on the issue of hepatitis in Canada. Before joining the Heller School, Ecaterina Damian worked as Program Officer at the Center for Health Policy and Studies in Moldova. She coordinated and implemented national multifaceted program for treatment and support of people affected by HIV/AIDS funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Ecaterina Damian earned an Open Society Institute Fellowship to complete her MPH degree at the AUA School of Public Health in 2005.

Henrik Khachatryan (AUA MPH 2005), Country Program Coordinator for Non-Communicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office for Armenia

Dr. Henrik Khachatryan works at the WHO Country Office for Armenia since 2007. He is coordinating planning, implementation and monitoring programs on Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH). Dr. Khachatryan obtained his MD degree from Yerevan State Medical University in 1994 and MPH from AUA School of Public Health in 2005. He has completed four-year residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1998 and worked as Obstetrician-Gynecologist in hospitals and primary health care facilities. Before joining WHO Country Office for Armenia, Dr. Khachatryan worked in MSF Belgium’s “Access to Health care” project in Gegharkunik marz as a medical doctor and was responsible for reproductive health-related activities of the project. He has been involved in research and authored several publications.

Hripsime Martirosyan (AUA MPH 2005), Senior Clinical Research Coordinator, Medicus Research LLC in CA, USA

Hripsime Martirosyan has been promoted to the position of Senior Clinical Research Coordinator in Medicus Research LLC in California, USA, where she has been working since September 2013. The company is conducting different clinical trials on herbal products on supplements. Dr. Martirosyan earned her MD from the Yerevan State Medical University in 2003 and MPH from the AUA School of Public Health in 2005; she completed her residency in Endocrinology in 2006. In 2005-2013, she has been involved in research activities of the Center for Health Services Research and Development as a Research Associate and Project Coordinator.  In 2008-2013, she served as the Human Participants Protection Administrator of the AUA Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and since 2014 has been the Chair of the Clinical IRB at AUA. Dr. Martirosyan worked on such important projects as the Analysis of the TB Control System in Armenia in Both the Civilian and Penitentiary Sectors and Recommendations for Improvement; Analysis of Public Health Services in Armenia; Rapid Appraisal of Diabetes Care in Armenia; Investigation of TB Risk Factors in Armenia; Working Migrants and TB in Armenia; and Perceptions, Attitudes and Practices towards Immunization and Introduction of New Vaccines in Armenia and many other project

Irina Papieva (AUA MPH 2005), International Expert in Health Systems in the WHO South-East Regional Office, Country Office for India, New Delhi, India

Dr. Irina Papieva is the Technical Officer for Health Systems in the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office, Country Office for India. She started her new assignment in New Delhi in April, 2014. Dr. Papieva joined the newly established team working on Health Systems that closely works with the teams on Non-Communicable and Communicable Diseases. She will be responsible to support the Government of India in the development and implementation of number of policies, strategies and interventions to move towards Universal Health Coverage as identified in the Country Cooperation Strategy between the Government of India and WHO for 2012-2017. Dr. Papieva will also be contributing to the external relationships, representation, communication and advocacy work of the WHO Country Office for India aimed at improving health system transparency and accountability. Dr Irina Papieva graduated from Yerevan State Medical University in 1997, where she got her qualification of Doctor of General Practice. Following that, she continued her specialization in Allergy and Immunology at the National Institute of Health in Yerevan, Armenia. In 2005 she earned a Master of Public Health degree from the American University of Armenia School of Public Health. Combination of medical background, clinical experience and knowledge of public health enabled her to be involved in the work of many development agencies, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. In 2002-2004, she worked as a volunteer at the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). In 2004-2006, she joined Social Transition Program, implemented by Abt. Associates as a Consultant and Family Medicine Training Specialist, at the same time being involved in research activities of the AUA Center for Health Services Research and Development.  Following that, she worked as Medical Expert for the NGO “Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment”. Since 2006 Dr. Papieva worked in the WHO. First, she joined the Regional Office for Europe, Country Office for Armenia as an Avian Influenza Project Coordinator. Then, she continued as Program Coordinator for International Health Regulations (IHR), Pandemic Preparedness, Disaster Preparedness and Response (DPR) and Health Systems (HS). In addition to the work at country level, Irina contributed to the work of other countries in the Region, WHO Regional Office for Europe and WHO Collaborating Centers. By emphasizing the importance of health system strengthening, throughout the years Dr. Irina Papieva has been guiding the development and implementation of national policies and strategies in the areas of DPR, IHR and HS, promoting integration of health programs within health system as well as contributing to the development of strong partnership among key national and international stakeholders and establishment of various coordination platforms both at national and international levels. “Studying in the MPH program was one of the best investments in my life. The program teaches us to be very critical first of all to ourselves and only then to others! I am thankful to the MPH program for the competencies that I have acquired and used in my career of a public health professional. The MPH curriculum is organized around the problem solving framework, which provides students a conceptual overview of the diverse profession of public health and the team-oriented approach to professional practice. The program, in fact,  prepares leaders in public health, health services research and evaluation and health management providing wide range of opportunities for career growth locally and internationally. MPH program is not about what we get afterwards, but rather what we become while being part of a fascinating environment of professionalism, trust and friendliness. I am proud to be an AUA MPH Alumna!”