STAFF
Research
Jill Conte, research assistant
Jill Conte graduated from Wesleyan University in 1998 with a BA in Biology. After a brief stint in pharmaceutical advertising, she joined the Center for the Study of Society and Medicine in September 2000 to work with Sheila Rothman on developing the research proposal, "A Paradox of Genetic Research: Race, Ethnicity, & Disease". In 2002, she entered the doctoral program in Sociology at NYU in 2002, staying on at the Center to conduct research associated with the NIH-funded grant. Ms. Conte is continuing to work at the Center on projects related to ethical, legal, and social issues in genetic research while pursuing her doctorate at NYU.
Jeannie Chung, research assistant
Jeannie Chung graduated from Yale University in 2003 with a BA in Religious Studies. She joined the Center in September 2005 after having been a paralegal at the American Civil Liberties Union Lesbian & Gay Rights and AIDS Projects. Ms. Chung is now the research assistant for the director of the center, and hopes to fully integrate her interests in advocacy, policy and the law as she pursues a career as a lawyer.
Jennifer Woo, research assistant
Jennifer Woo joined the Center in July 2006 with research experience in palliative care, medical anthropology and the social experience of illness. She has worked in the Vascular Surgery and Psychiatry divisions of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She has also served as the Patient Support Coordinator of the Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis Foundation (RRPF). At the Center, Ms. Woo is a research assistant on a project exploring the complex interactions between genetic research and community identity. Jennifer graduated cum laude from Harvard College in 2006.
Administrative
Michael Pardy, director of administration
Michael Pardy is also the director of administration for the Center on Medicine as a Profession (CMAP) at CUMC. Before coming to Columbia in December 2002, he was a Program Officer at the Open Society Institute’s Project on Death in America where he managed a portfolio of grants and grant initiatives related to death and dying, and palliative and end-of-life care.
Michael Allegretti, financial coordinator
Michael Allegretti graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. After spending three years in Italy working for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, he joined the Columbia University administrative staff a year ago. He manages the financial affairs for both the Center for the Study of Society and Medicine and the Center on Medicine as a Profession. His responsibilities include analyzing, preparing and managing budgets, monitoring grants and fund disbursements and reporting university data related to both centers' financial activities. Mr. Allegretti is also a Master's of Public Administration student at SIPA.
