Year started working as Chair:  My first year as chair was in 1998 at Pennsylvania Hospital part of Penn Medicine. I was chair for 18 years. I started as Interim chair at Temple Health and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine in 2023.

Who inspired you to pursue the career you have today? My two significant mentors in my academic career were: Steven G. Gabbe and Michael T. Mennuti. Both were my teachers and mentors at Penn and have provided me with advice through the years.

What is the best advice you can give to someone who just started their career? Best advice for someone starting: Have a mentor or advisor that you trust and can run things with him/her all the time.

What helped prepare you the most for becoming Chair? Develop a plan of action that includes resources, but with significant understanding and respect for the culture of the place that you will be leading.

What skill do you think everyone should learn? Ability to listen and not getting frustrated with challenges, but take them as opportunities.

What is your secret talent no one knows about? My unique Jewish –Hispanic background fluent in Spanish and Hebrew, has allowed me to work in a “Glocal Arena” serving underserved and migrant populations locally and globally.

What was the last book you read or movie you saw? Last significant book I read: The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese, MD. Every physician should read this book and his prior one: Cutting For Stone. I also recommend his Ted talk: “The power of touch.”