Mia recently graduated from University at Buffalo with her Bachelor Degree in Public Health. She found her passion for public health through working for the New York State Contact Tracing Initiative during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and hopes to work towards reducing health disparities and increasing access to healthcare throughout her career.
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Shelby earned her dual Bachelor of Arts Degrees in International Relations and Latin American Studies from Canisius College. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at the University at Buffalo. She has worked in the health and human services sector since 2016 with experience educating and counseling people in reproductive health and justice, domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as mental health and substance use. Shelby is an advocate for harm reduction and is passionate about fostering community connections.
Recent Articles by Shelby
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Jenni is a lifelong Buffalonian with a background in community-centered care, advocacy, and research. A foster care alumnus and macro-level MSW, she has worked to support individuals and families involved in the legal system and has published research on the intersections of mental health, substance use, poverty, and incarceration. Jenni is also a member of Open Buffalo’s 2025 Emerging Leaders cohort. Outside of work, she enjoys creating abstract art and spending time with her husband and daughter.
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Dr. Kimberly Boulden brings over 10 years of leadership experience to MATTERS and has worked at both the national and local levels to implement and scale harm reduction and recovery-supportive programming. Boulden’s leadership practice centers on effective systems change, transformative assessment, and sustainable community collaboration. She holds a doctorate in Education and has published research on effective partnerships, equity in university recruitment, and responsible computing practices. In addition to her work in addiction and mental health, Dr. Boulden has worked as an assessment consultant to University at Buffalo faculty on the Mozilla Foundation’s “Responsible Computing Challenge,” aimed at addressing ethical issues in machine learning and artificial intelligence. She also sits on the board of directors for the Impossible Project, an education nonprofit that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to grand challenges. At MATTERS, Dr. Boulden is responsible for strategy and consultation, contract and budget negotiation, execution, and management, program expansion, and organizational and personnel development.
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Rob Sank is the Director of Operations for Telemedicine. In this role, he helps guide the growth of digital health services that expand access for patients to virtually connect with the care they need. Rob has spent his career working in emergency medical services and healthcare leadership, where he’s focused on building systems that keep patients safe while also supporting the providers who care for them. He earned his MBA from Syracuse University, which gives him the tools to combine real-world healthcare leadership with strong business and operational insight.
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Phil holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture as well as a CASAC. He has worked as an SUD Counselor specializing in MAT at Best Self and as a Community Outreach Coordinator specializing in HCV Linkage and Harm Reduction at ECMC’s GI / Hepatology Dept. He also has a decade of bar/restaurant management in NYC and Buffalo. Phil is the founder of Buffalo Resilience a nonprofit linking local businesses to community organizations to provide meals and harm reduction supplies to underserved communities in WNY. He believes that a strong community can offer many different paths to recovery and is passionate about building strong community connections.
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Kailyn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from D’Youville University in 2021. She recently graduated from Daemen University with her MPH with a focus in epidemiology. Kailyn has a passion for public health and plans to spend her career helping to improve health outcomes among underserved populations and working to address barriers to care.
Recent Articles by Kailyn
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Dr. Lynch completed an emergency medicine residency at the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, where he served as Chief Resident in his final year. He is an Associate Professor of Emergency and Addiction Medicine at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and a senior physician with UB|MD Emergency Medicine. Dr. Lynch is a national leader in substance use disorder and serves as a technical advisor for the New York State Department of Health. Additionally, Dr. Lynch has nearly 25 years of EMS experience and is a medical director and flight physician for Mercy Flight of Western New York, serving on the board of directors at the 100 Club of Buffalo, and recently served as trustee for the Clarence Board of Education.
He is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of the MATTERS (Medication for Addiction Treatment and Electronic Referrals) program focused on prevention, education, increasing access to treatment for substance use disorder, rapid referrals to long-term substance use treatment, harm reduction supplies and education, along with emergency telemedicine assessments. He has been an invited speaker to many state, national, and international meetings on the topics of emergency medicine, EMS, and addiction medicine.
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Matt earned a Bachelor’s Degree in American History and Anthropology from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He is currently completing a new interdisciplinary MA program in Drugs, Health, and Society from the University at Buffalo. Matt’s recent research interests include diagnostic criteria for use disorders and patterns of drug use amongst veterans. He cares very deeply about harm reduction advocacy and trauma-informed care.
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Mila Pakhomova holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and brings 15 years of experience in healthcare operations, administration, and program management to her role as Associate Director of Operations at MATTERS. Recognized for her ability to bring order to chaos, she has spent her career strengthening programs, improving workflows, and supporting teams to work more effectively.
At MATTERS, Mila oversees operational functions across the organization, ensuring programs run efficiently and meet the needs of partners, the individuals they serve, and the broader community. Her work focuses on process improvement, system optimization, and operationalizing services to support successful linkage to resources. She also partners with new regions to guide MATTERS’ expansion, helping ensure services are effectively implemented and accessible to local communities.
In leading these efforts, Mila focuses on collaboration and team support. She works closely with teams to navigate challenges, refine workflows, and strengthen processes, creating an environment where people feel empowered and equipped to do their best. Her work is driven by her commitment to community health and her belief in the positive impact MATTERS has on the lives of the people it serves. Beyond her professional life, Mila can often be found enjoying family time, exploring nature, or getting lost in a book.
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Emelyn Falcon is a public health and project management professional with experience coordinating statewide initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and health education programs. She currently serves as a MATTERS Coordinator and Project Management Officer at the New Jersey Department of Health, where she supports project planning, advisory council coordination, and cross-sector collaboration to improve access to care. She brings a strong background in community health, program evaluation, and outreach from roles in healthcare systems, nonprofit organizations, and public health agencies. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. Fluent in English and Spanish, she is committed to advancing equitable public health solutions across New Jersey.
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Matthew holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in public health, with an emphasis on Infectious Disease Management, Intervention and Community Practice, obtained from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health.
Matthew began his professional career at the Allegheny County Jail located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the Public Health Coordinator, where he oversaw Public Health policy implementation and routine testing of 1600+ in-house patients. During his time in Allegheny County, Matthew has connected with various Public Health and healthcare agencies to assist underserved populations in connecting them to care.
Among his professional interests, Matthew also identifies as an advocate of societal issues, such as access to healthcare, human rights issues, and environmental threats globally. In his personal time Matthew enjoys connecting with friends and tending to his plant collection.
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Brooke earned her Master’s Degree in Public Health from SUNY Albany, specializing in Maternal and Child Health. Dedicated to health equity and improving health outcomes, Brooke is passionate about contributing to her community’s well-being. Drawing from her background in healthcare, health education, and substance misuse prevention, she is looking forward to expanding the MATTERS outreach further throughout New York State.
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Bella graduated from Buffalo State University with a BA in Psychology. She then began her journey by supporting families as a postpartum doula with Buffalo Doula Collective. Following her work as a doula, she discovered her passion for aiding underserved communities while working with refugees at Catholic Charities. Outside of her professional life, she finds fulfillment in restoring her Victorian home and baking.
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Mike earned his BA in social work from SUNY Plattsburgh. Dedicated to individualized care and community betterment, Mike is passionate about using a person-centered approach to improve community well-being and health outcomes. Drawing from his background as an Employment Counselor & Specialist and later as a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner Mentor at Behavioral Health Services North, he provided essential services that prepared youth and adults for employment and offered individualized psychiatric rehabilitation. Mike is looking forward to applying this experience and his dedication to bettering the community in his current role. In his free time, Mike enjoys snowboarding, cycling, traveling, and playing the banjo.
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Raven earned her BA in psychology from Utica University and BAS in Biology from Arizona State University. As an undergraduate student, she participated in research on memory retrieval, dengue fever, and insect sleeping patterns. She is currently studying for her Master’s Degree in the Science of Public Health through SUNY Potsdam with the goal of becoming an Epidemiologist. Before joining the MATTERS team, she worked for New York State’s Tobacco Control Program as a community engagement specialist for the central region. Raven is passionate about improving community health outcomes through data-driven practice in order to create impactful change on the local & state level. In her personal time, she enjoys reading, attending renaissance festivals, and traveling with her daughter.
Recent Articles by Raven
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Jenny Gerace attended Camden County’s EMT program and earned her NREMT certification in 2023. She began her career as an EMT with Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ, where she helped establish and lead the hospital’s EMS harm reduction program. Jenny is deeply passionate about supporting vulnerable populations and finding ways to help people beyond the basics of emergency care. She values the unique privilege of meeting individuals where they are and is grateful for the opportunity to connect with the extraordinary and resilient people she continues to serve.
Prior to her work in EMS, Jenny obtained her cosmetology license in 2019 and worked in the beauty industry. Beyond the artistry, she found fulfillment in building relationships with strangers, creating safe and nonjudgmental spaces, and helping people feel good both inside and out. She brings this same compassion, adaptability, and people-centered approach to her work today, applying her diverse experience to some of the most challenging issues in public health.
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys spending time with her dog, two cats, and her friends and family. You can often find her enjoying an açaí bowl, cheering on Philly sports teams, or spending time at the beach.
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Marta Moore was an Afro-Latina of Puerto Rican heritage from Buffalo, New York. A first-generation college graduate of SUNY Buffalo State University, she earned a B.S. in Earth Science with a minor in Geology in 2019.
Originally pursuing S.T.E.M. education, Marta discovered her passion for sexual health education and harm reduction. She served as a Status Neutral Clinic Navigator at Evergreen Health, providing culturally responsive, community-centered, and harm-reduction–focused care. She was a dedicated advocate for marginalized communities—especially young women of color—and chaired the Hispanic Women’s League Scholarship Committee after serving on its board, where she helped award over $10,000 in scholarship funding toward higher education and skilled trades. Currently, Marta was awarded the OASAS scholarship and is working towards her CASAC at Stony Brook University.
A devoted wife and mother, Marta valued family, culture, and tradition, often expressed through cooking, music, and her energetic approach to every project she led.
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Brigid graduated with her MPH in 2023 from Daemen University with a focus on Community Health Education. She graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a degree in biology with the ambition of going into a field where she was able to help others. Brigid is passionate about being a supportive member of her surrounding communities. She spends her free time doing pilates/other forms of physical activity and spending time with family, friends, and her 2 year old puppy Mochi.
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With her bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management and over a decade on the front lines of emergency services, Martie brings this first hand experience to her efforts with UBMD and the MATTERS program. Martie has always had a passion for helping others and will be serving those of the Southern Tier, her home ground and the Mid-Hudson Region. In her free time, she enjoys taking her horses trail riding across New York, to enjoy the beautiful state she calls home. Martie is excited to continue to be voice and advocate to help better her community, for both its residents and its resources.
Recent Articles by Martie
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Lucy Connery is passionate about building healthier, more compassionate communities through public health education and advocacy. With experience spanning community wellness, research, and harm reduction, she now works with the MATTERS program to expand access to resources for people who use drugs. In her current role, she specializes in content writing, website development, and effective communication strategy. Lucy additionally serves as an adjunct professor for Daemen University’s MPH and undergraduate Health Promotion programs and volunteers for the Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market board of directors. In her free time, Lucy enjoys staying active, spending time with her cats, and connecting with her community.
Recent Articles by Lucy
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Lauren completed her undergraduate degree in Public Health at The University at Buffalo, where she is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Health. She has had leadership experience for several years as a camp counselor and group leader at a summer sleep-away camp in Pennsylvania. Lauren specializes in digital marketing and content development and has a passion for taking care of others and helping her greater community.
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Dr. Alexander Ljungberg is a dedicated emergency medicine physician who graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. With nearly a decade of service to the Western New York community, he has worked as an attending physician at multiple WNY hospitals since 2015. Currently serving as the Associate Director of Emergency Medicine at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Dr. Ljungberg brings extensive expertise in quality assurance and improvement, culminating in the completion of his Executive MBA from the Jacob’s School of Management in 2021. His leadership is evident in the successful implementation of multi-level improvement processes, and the development of various improvement initiatives within UBMD Emergency Medicine.
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Dr. Robert McCormack is an attending physician in the emergency department of Erie County Medical Center. In addition to his emergency medicine work at ECMC, he is also a Clinical Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Vice Chair at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and Chief of Service of Emergency Medicine for the Kaleida Health system. Dr. Robert McCormack is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services Community Service Award and the Western New York Heroes award.
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Dr. Varughese is an emergency physician and EMS medical director in Buffalo, NY. He currently practices at Buffalo General Hospital, ECMC and the Veterans Affairs WNY Hospital. His focus is on telemedicine and community paramedicine. He serves as the Medical Director of Telemedicine at MATTERS.
Recent Publications
- Comparison of 30-day Retention in Treatment Among Patients Referred to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment from Emergency Department and Telemedicine Settings
- Buprenorphine Prescription and Treatment Initiation Through Preemptive Outreach and Telehealth Consultation with Emergency Medicine Providers
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Dr. Timothy Wiegand is a distinguished Medical Toxicologist and Addiction Specialist who serves as the Director of Addiction Medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is the founder of the Toxicology and Addiction Medicine Consult Service at URMC where he continues to provide bedside care for patients with intoxication, overdose, substance use disorder and addiction-related emergencies. Dr. Wiegand is a former President of the New York Society of Addiction Medicine (NYSAM) and currently serves as the Medical Director for two overdose prevention programs in Upstate New York. Dr. Wiegand also serves as Co-chair for the New York Department of Health AIDS Institute Substance Use Care Guidelines Committee and holds the position of Treasurer for the Medical Toxicology Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT).
Dr. Wiegand’s professional interests include bedside care for intoxication and withdrawal management, pain treatment and perioperative care, micro-dosing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD), and the interpretation and application of drug testing. He is widely recognized for his expertise in the use of buprenorphine and ambulatory detoxification models for treating OUD and alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Dr. Wiegand’s unwavering commitment to advancing addiction medicine and medical toxicology has positioned him as a leader in his field, dedicated to education, clinical excellence, and advocacy in combating substance use disorders.
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Dr. Clemency has been involved in emergency care for nearly 20 years, beginning his career as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. Dr. Clemency completed both medical school and an MBA in health care administration in 4 years, before coming to Buffalo to continue his medical education. He is double boarded in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. Dr. Clemency has become a local, regional and national leader in prehospital care, education and research. Dr. Clemency has authored over 30 peer reviewed publications, including 3 on the topic of opioid overdose. Dr. Clemency is the Research Director and oversees external funding.
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Dr. Tiffany Jenzer is a research assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. She works with MATTERS on developing and conducting research projects. Dr. Jenzer is a clinical psychologist who received her doctorate in the Department of Psychology at the University at Buffalo. She then received her postdoctoral research training at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University. As a researcher and clinician, her areas of expertise include the development and treatment of substance use disorders in both youth and adults. She is passionate about improving existing treatments and increasing access to care for those in need.
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Dipesh Patel is a seasoned leader in clinical research operations with expertise spanning public health and business management. As Director of Operations for the Department of Emergency Medicine Research Division, he leads initiatives that advance research innovation, streamline study execution, and enhance data infrastructure. He has extensive experience managing complex research portfolios, mentoring multidisciplinary teams, and aligning operational strategy with scientific goals to maximize impact. One of his favorite aspects of the MATTERS Network is leveraging technology-driven solutions to remove barriers to care, a reflection of his passion for improving access and outcomes. His dedication to public health leadership is further demonstrated through his service as a Governing Councilor for the American Public Health Association’s Epidemiology Section, where he contributed to national advocacy and policy efforts.
