Harlem Health Promotion Center

Faculty and Staff

  • Alwyn T Cohall, MD

    • Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at CUMC
    • Professor of Population and Family Health at CUMC
    • Professor of Pediatrics at CUMC

    Alwyn Cohall, MD, principal investigator and project director, is beginning his third decade of service as a physician to the residents of Upper Manhattan, and has served as the HHPC principal investigator since 1999. He is a professor of Sociomedical Sciences, Population and Family Health, and Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center. He has a wide range of research interests, such as access to care, health literacy, sexual and reproductive health, and health communication. He has authored or co-authored more than 60 publications on a wide-range of health issues as they affect adolescents and adults of color. Cohall received his medical training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, underwent his pediatric residency at Montefiore Hospital, and completed his adolescent medicine fellowship at Mt. Sinai Hospital. In recognition of his work, Cohall has been honored by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society of Adolescent Health in Medicine, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Public Health Association of New York City, Family Planning Advocates, and many other organizations.

    Profile Headshot

  • Renee Mayer Cohall, LCSW-R, ACSW

    Renee Mayer Cohall, LCSW-R, ACSW, director of special initiatives, strategizes, coordinates and implements new projects pertaining to adolescents and young adults within the HHPC and Project STAY programs. She has been instrumental in activating the Youth Access Program outreach and clinical services. She also identifies, trains, and supervises a host of Columbia University students to participate in clinical and community research. She was the director of the School Health Initiative Project, a former core project of HHPC, which helped incorporate health messages within high schools. She also served as the director of the Adolescent Initiative Project, which centralized communication among community based programs and health clinics and spearheaded several coalitions to bring about collective community outreach in Harlem and Washington Heights. She has been the clinical coordinator for several research studies including the Gonorrhea Action Project (GAPS) and Women in Group Support (WINGS) at The Mailman School of Public Health.

  • Amanda Campos, LMSW

    Amanda Campos, LMSW, Project STAY social worker, provides supportive therapy to HIV-positive and at-risk adolescents and young adults. Campos received her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University. She has experience working in mental health, sexual health education, and harm reduction. She was previously a social work intern at Harlem United as an HIV and substance abuse counselor. Before moving to New York, Campos was a health educator at the Women's Community Clinic in San Francisco.

  • Caroline “Kerri” Carnevale

    Caroline “Kerri” Carnevale, Project STAY family nurse practitioner, is a graduate of Columbia University Nursing School and the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. She started her professional career in HIV Primary Care at Bronx Lebanon Hospital in 2009, and continued her tenure there until 2013. She then joined the Comprehensive Health Program (CHP) team at New York Presbyterian Hospital in October 2013. She is specifically interested in adolescent HIV primary care as well as prevention for high risk youth including the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment. Carnevale is also trained in high resolution anoscopy and holds a clinic one day per week addressing anal dysplasia.  She is conversant in Spanish and is certified with the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM).

    Caroline “Kerri” Carnevale

  • Carly Hutchinson, MA, PhD

     

    Carly Hutchinson, MA, PhD, director of communications and community relations, oversees Center communications including the ongoing development of HHPC's community-based health website,GetHealthyHarlem.org which makes use of health-literate, culturally-relevant and geographically-focused content. Additionally, Hutchinson works to grow meaningful collaborations with the Upper Manhattan community as well as academic and policy partners throughout New York City in regards to community-engaged research. Hutchinson received her PhD in Anthropology from Columbia University and her MA in Anthropology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her academic interests focus on social justice issues related to food access, environmental issues, and incarceration.

    Carly Hutchinson

  • Andrea Jurgrau, CNP

    Andrea Jurgrau, CNP, Project STAY nurse practitioner, provides primary care, HIV care, family planning and sexual health care to HIV-positive and at-risk adolescents and young adults. Jurgrau received her Master of Science in Nursing from Pace University. She has experience working with young people impacted by HIV, sexual and reproductive health, and primary care. She has been working at New York Presbyterian Hospital for the past 25 years.

  • Billy George, BFA, PrEP

    Billy George, BFA, PrEP Specialist for Project STAY and the Comprehensive Health Program (CHP) at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He has worked in HIV and sexual health for the last six years. George spent the last year in his current role. Before New York Presbyterian Billy worked for VillageCare community case management, providing services to HIV+ YMSM’s of color. Billy’s skill’s include knowledge of PrEP and PEP, case management, risk reduction, motivational interviewing and treatment adherence. When not providing PrEP and PEP, Billy spends time with his husband Dr. Eric Burnett and his two year old dog, Denver.

  • Christel Hyden, EdD

    Christel Hyden, EdD, director of research and evaluation, is responsible for creating and evaluating multimedia and technology based interventions for various health education programs and educational materials for HHPC. Hyden is project director of an affiliated HIV/STI demonstration project at New York Presbyterian Hospital and has coauthored several articles and presentations on HIV/STI testing and treatment for adolescents and young adults. Hyden received her BA in sociology from Wagner College, her MS in social research from Hunter College, and her EdD in Health Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

  • Narine Malcolm, MEd

    Narine Malcolm, MEd, Project STAY Fiscal Administrator.  Malcolm is responsible for the Columbia University Project STAY’s budget and  grant submissions.  She is also responsible for the fiscal monitoring, reconciliation and annual reporting of the Columbia University subaward and handles communication between Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital.

  • Natalie Neu, MD

    Natalie Neu, MD, medical director, went to medical school at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. She did a pediatric residency at the University of Michigan Children's Hospital, and returned to New York and Columbia University to receive her pediatric infectious disease training. She is board certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases. During her fellowship, Neu's research focused on the study of sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents. She has worked clinically with young adults both in the STD clinic and at Project STAY for the past seven years.

  • Joanna Pudil, MA, LCSW

    Joanna Pudil, MA, LCSW, Project STAY program coordinator/senior social worker, provides individual, group, couples, and family therapy to sexually high risk and HIV+ adolescents. Pudil coordinates the medical and mental health care at Project STAY. She received an MA in psychology from CUNY City College and an LCSW in social work from Hunter College School of Social Work.

    Joanna Pudil

  • Nydia Rodriguez

    Nydia Rodriguez, administrative assistant, provides administrative and logistical support for all HHPC projects including the organization and planning of community activities. She is involved in the preparation of grants, reports and publications as well as assisting the community liaison with the HHPC Community Advisory Board. She has more than 10 years experience working at Columbia University in various capacities.

  • Gina Silva, RN, ACRN

    Gina Silva, RN, ACRN, Project Stay clinic nurse with over 30 years of experience. She graduated from the City University of New York, Hunter College. Silva specializes in HIV/PEP/PrEP clinical services. She provides patient teaching, case management, medication adherence, and support. She serves as a patient advocate to assist clients who are transiting out of Project Stay to adult programming.

  • Rebecca Weiss, NP

    Rebecca Weiss, NP, Project STAY psychiatric provider, does psychiatric evaluations, medical management, supportive counseling, and care-coordination for HIV-positive and at-risk adults. Weiss received her Master of Science in Nursing from Columbia University. She has experience working in mental health providing psychopharmacology, motivational interviewing, and psychotherapy. She was previously a psychiatric nurse practitioner intern at Service Program for Older People managing the complex psychiatric and psychosocial needs of NYC’s aging community. Before moving to New York, Weiss was a research technician in an HIV focused laboratory at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.