The endowed Amanda Gill Memorial Fund was established to provide further research or educational opportunities to students studying public health, specifically in the area of infectious disease, which Amanda was passionate about.

USF College of Public Health alumna Amanda Gill had a heart for helping others.

A graduate of the first BSPH class in 2011, her parents said Amanda had a passion for working with people with infectious diseases and always said she wanted to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or in Africa to help AIDS patients.

Amanda was born in September of 1988 in Clearwater, Fla. She spent the majority of her education at Northside Christian School before transferring to Clearwater Hight School, where she graduated.

While attending USF, Gill worked at Busch Gardens and was awarded the Employee of the Year award. But being a big sister was her true badge of honor. “She was a fierce protector of her younger brother, Matthew, who also ended up attending USF, and always had his back,” Amanda’s father, Jim, said.

Always on the go, her family said she was involved in many activities in her free time and was a light to others. She loved adventure, her dog, Oakley, and had a heart to help. “She wanted to help people more than anything,” her mother Denice said. “When she smiled, everybody smiled.”

After graduating the COPH, Amanda’s  career path lead her across many different cities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. From food safety for local restaurants to the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center, Amanda’s parents said that each role could be linked back to her interest and experience in public health.

One role even led her right to the front lines of COVID at a drive-thru testing center.

In her most recent role, Amanda worked as an Infection Preventionist at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.

“She wanted to do the best and go above and beyond,” said Shalom Patel, infection prevention manager of operations at Piedmont Healthcare with whom Amanda worked. “Amanda was fun and very bright, and she had an infectious smile. She was one of my most enthusiastic employees who was always very open and honest with me, which I appreciated. She was a team player and went out of her way to help other people. Acceptance overall was really important to Amanda.”

During her time at Piedmont, Patel said a big part of Amanda’s role was collaborating closely with the engineering department. She also worked with the MRSA-prevention team and infection prevention in the cardiac critical care unit areas.

Patel also noted that Amanda was a natural leader and mentor who took new employees under her wing.

“When she moved to Atlanta to work at Piedmont, she was very happy,” Patel said. “Amanda said this was the type of work she wanted the whole time. In infection prevention, she got to be the ‘boots on the ground,’ I think she was in the right place.”

In 35 years, Amanda lived a full life and was invested in helping so many others. “She was a shining light in all of our lives,” Denice Gill said.

A Celebration of Life was held Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, at Central Christian Church in St. Petersburg, Fla. Live Stream Link: https://boxcast.tv/view/amanda-gill-memorial-service-3p-vnovk1edkyfq3jnemasb

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you please consider donating to the Amanda Gill Memorial Fund #540045 at the University of South Florida.

Donations may be mailed to: USF Foundation, Inc., 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC 100, Tampa, FL 33620 (ATTN: Beth Ahmedic, USF Health); memo line: Fund #540045 Amanda Gill Memorial Fund

Story by: Liz Bannon, College of Public Health

The post In remembrance of Amanda Gill appeared first on College of Public Health News.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, foodborne illnesses are a “preventable public health challenge” causing an estimated 48,000 illnesses and 3,000 deaths each year.

And summer, with its warmer temperatures and outdoor barbeques and picnics, is a prime time for these illnesses to surface.

“Summer is a peak time for foodborne illnesses because we leave so many foods exposed to the elements during picnics, boating, beach, sporting events, etc.,” said Dr. Jill Roberts, a USF College of Public Health associate professor and food safety expert. “Some microbes cause disease simply by being present (Salmonella), while others cause disease due to the production of toxins while growing (Staphylococcus). Microbes like to multiply at higher temperatures, similar to the temperature of our bodies. So, when it is hot outside, the food heats up and any microbes that are present start multiplying.”

The first step to protecting yourself say Roberts and other food safety experts is keeping foods at the proper temperature.

• When you’re barbequing, use a meat thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a safe temperature. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cooking chicken, for example, to a temperature of 165 Fahrenheit degrees, ground beef to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thaw and marinate foods in the refrigerator. Once you take raw meat out of a marinade, discard it. Using it on cooked meat can spread contaminants.
• Keep cold foods cold. “Use a cooler,” cautioned Roberts.
• Put perishable foods in the refrigerator/cooler within two hours of having them out.
• “When in doubt,” Roberts said, “throw it out.”
• Don’t cross-contaminate. For example, don’t put cooked meat onto a platter that held uncooked meat unless the dish is washed first.
• Make sure you always wash your hands after handling raw meat.

Lastly, if you’re in a high-risk group for serious complications from food illnesses, be extra vigilant. While anyone can develop food poisoning—even by eating only a minuscule amount of contaminated food—young children, those who are 65 and older and those with a weakened immune system are at particular risk.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

The post How safe is that potato salad? COPH professor offers tips for avoiding foodborne illnesses this summer appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Frank Yiannas has devoted his career to protecting consumers from deadly bacteria and pathogens.

It’s a career that started in 1987 when the newly minted University of Central Florida grad took his BS in microbiology and began working on product safety in the private sector. It was a job that brought him into occasional contact with county health departments.

“That’s when I began to better understand the role of public health,” Yiannas said.

It was one of those health department colleagues who suggested Yiannas pursue an MPH degree and recommended the USF College of Public Health (COPH). Yiannas put the idea on the back burner for a few years while his career was taking off but finally decided to take the plunge, graduating the COPH in 2003 with an MPH degree.

“It was challenging obtaining a degree while also raising a family and working,” he said. “But it was such an important and right decision. Every day, I apply principles I learned at the COPH—principles from epidemiology, biostatistics and ethics. It’s been such a valuable degree for what I do.”

And Yiannas has done a lot.

He started out in public health shadowing a health inspector in Orange County and has since held a variety of high-profile public health jobs in both government and industry, creating a name for himself as a food-safety expert.

Yiannas recently retired from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) where he served as deputy commissioner for food policy and response. He was tasked with the development and execution of the agency’s food-safety policies and advised the FDA Commissioner on things such as food-safety outbreaks, trace-back investigations and product-recall activities. He’s also been director of safety and health at Disney and vice president of food safety and health at Walmart.

Speaking of his FDA job, Yiannas said what interested him most about the position was the opportunity it gave him to serve the nation.

“I loved the scope of the job and the ability to work with such a broad group of food-system stakeholders, including state and global regulators, representatives from the food and agriculture sectors, political leaders, consumer groups and academia,” he commented. Yiannas said one of his proudest achievements was serving on a White House Food Supply Chain Disruption Task Force during the pandemic, helping to ensure that consumers had access to the food they needed.

Today Yiannas, a pioneer in blockchain technology (a tamper-proof, digitized, decentralized database that allows for the traceability of food), heads Smarter FY Solutions, a consulting firm that advises companies on food safety and supply chain issues.

“My goal,” he said, “is to create a safer, smarter and more sustainable food system. I want to protect consumers from unsafe food and help them live healthy lives.”

Alumni Fast Five

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

I was convinced I’d be a shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Where would we find you on the weekends?

Hopefully at home with my family and not on a plane.

What is the last book you read?

“Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction,” by Thomas M. Siebel

What superpower would you like to have?

The ability to be transported over geographical boundaries and time.

What is your all-time favorite move?

“Gladiator.” I like the idea of having the courage to stand for your freedom and for what you believe in.

To view the awards ceremony, click here.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

The post Frank Yiannas receives Outstanding Alumni Award appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Chinwendu Ilonzo, a USF College of Public Health MPH student, has recently begun a 6-month evaluation fellowship with the nonprofit food safety organization Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE). 

The PFSE partners with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other federal agencies and private entities to develop and disseminate science-based, consumer-directed messages promoting safe food handling practices. The group is the mastermind behind the Fight BAC! (fight bacteria) campaign.

Ilonzo said it was her introductory public health classes that first got her interested in food safety, an interest that eventually led to her applying for the fellowship.

“Nutrition is an area of growing interest [for me], especially after I learned more about the adult and childhood obesity epidemic in my courses,” Ilonzo said. “Food safety plays a large role in the ability to eat healthy foods. It forces you to look at social determinants of health and what resources may be available to a person—for example, properly working refrigerators, close supermarkets, available quality produce, etc.”

As an evaluation fellow, Ilonzo is tasked with executing need-based assessments, conducting program evaluations and reporting on metrics that ultimately advance the Partnership’s mission in preventing foodborne illnesses. She develops survey and focus group questions, decides on incentives for participants and then analyzes and disseminates results. With data in hand, she creates an official report and action plan for the Partnership in supporting food safety educators.

“Since I am the only evaluation fellow, it’s been interesting being the main person to develop the deliverables, Ilonzo commented. “Of course, I have guidance from my supervisors and get input from the team, but they do rely on me to use my knowledge and skills to propel them forward, which is exciting but a different kind of responsibility. The PFSE is also a completely virtual organization, which I also find interesting. There’s a physical address for mail, but the Partnership itself runs completely virtually, and it’s been that way even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, the most important thing I’ve been learning is to build relationships with the team and ask questions!”

Ilonzo, who’s concentrating in both epidemiology and maternal and child health, said food safety should be a concern of everyone, not only public health officials.

“Food safety education is not just for educators, public health professionals, chefs, or nutritionists/dieticians,” she said. “It’s for anyone who buys, eats, or cooks food. It is important to be proactive in preventing foodborne illnesses, and I believe [we all] would benefit from being involved.”

Story by Donna Campisano for USF College of Public Health

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Most often, you are your family’s first defense, says FDA leader

The last place you may expect to face a national security threat is at the dinner table. But that’s the first concern for Frank Yiannas, MPH ’03, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for food policy and response.

Is our food supply safe? What are the greatest risks? How can consumers protect themselves and what precautions should they take?

Yiannas makes sure he knows the answers.

Read the full story in the USF Magazine, Summer 2021.

Story by Joey Johnston, ’81

The post How safe is our food supply? appeared first on College of Public Health News.

His public health practice is food safety. His public health passion is protecting people.

It was his undergraduate studies in microbiology that first sparked an interest in food safety for USF COPH alumnus Frank Yiannas.

“I really enjoyed learning about this invisible world that exists around us,” said Yiannas, who graduated the COPH in 2003 with an MPH degree. “I was interested in this idea that there are things we can’t see that can do us harm.”

Yiannas, a first-generation American who was born in New York City but primarily raised in Orlando, started his undergraduate life at USF but later transferred to the University of Central Florida, where he received his bachelor of science in microbiology.

Frank Yiannas, MPH. (Photo courtesy of Yiannas)

After a couple of roles in product safety at a small pharmaceutical company and later a cosmetic manufacturer, Yiannas landed at Walt Disney World, where he was director of safety and health.

“I was responsible for overseeing all food safety and public health matters for the largest vacation destination in the world,” explained Yiannas. “While I was at Disney, I became interested in the topic of epidemiology—understanding probability, developing a hypothesis and getting evidence-based results. And every time I looked at how I could do my job better, it seemed like all roads pointed to a degree in public health.”

Yiannas chose the USF COPH because of its outstanding national reputation.

“I’m a scientist, so I did my research,” said Yiannas, who did most of his coursework online. “USF kept coming up high on the list. And I had had some undergraduate experience there, so it was an easy choice. If I had to do anything over, the only thing I might do differently is get my MPH sooner.”

Taking a course in social marketing taught by now-retired Distinguished University Health Professor Dr. Carol Bryant was “career-changing,” commented Yiannas.

“You can’t achieve food safety by compliance alone,” Yiannas noted. “You need to understand the principles of human behavior and organizational culture. That class was the most influential of my career. Lessons and principles I learned then I still apply today.”

In 2008 Yiannas left Disney to become vice president of food safety and health for Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and Walmart International.

“I went from the happiest place on earth to the busiest place on earth,” Yiannas laughed.

“At Walmart, we have thousands of different types of food products, 11,000 retail establishments, tens of thousands of food suppliers, 2 million associates worldwide and 240 million customers a week. Providing safe and affordable food is daunting,” he added.

Noting that Walmart is the world’s largest retailer, Yiannas says that if there has been a food-safety issue in this country in the recent past, Walmart has been involved—simply by virtue of the sheer volume of food it buys.

“My goal is not so much to react to an incidence in the food system, which we do, nonetheless, with both urgency and precision, but to create preventive interventions.”

Yiannas with chicken breast sold at Walmart. (Photo courtesy of Yiannas)

To that end, Yiannas is one of the most vocal and ardent supporters of blockchain technology, a new and emerging database often described as a distributed, tamper-proof and decentralized ledger that tracks transactions and allows for the traceability of food.

“With food traceability today, it’s one step up and one step back [where the food was sold and where it came from before it was sold],” Yiannas explained. “And a lot of these records are kept on paper. There’s no uniformity, and sometimes the records are incomplete. This can make tracing a food back to its source during an outbreak of something like salmonella or E. coli time consuming. In fact, it can take up to a week. But when you capture all the information on a blockchain, you can trace a product back to its source in 2.2 seconds. That’s good for all stakeholders in the food system.”

It’s this emphasis on blockchain technology, recently instituted at Walmart, that Yiannas says he most proud of.

“This will lead to greater responsibility and accountability,” explained Yiannas. “I think it will usher in a new era in food traceability and transparency. And transparency in public health is a good thing.”

In November, Yiannas headed to the Food and Drug Administration, taking on the role of deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine.

“The roles are similar, yet different,” said Yiannas. “The mission of food safety is the same, but instead of reporting to 240 million customers each week, I’ll be serving nearly 330 million Americans every day. What I love about my work is that it deals with more than food safety. It’s about improving quality of life.”

Alumni Fast Five
What did you dream of becoming when you were young?
I was convinced I would be a shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Where would we find you on the weekend?
At home or visiting family.

What is the last book you read?
“Ethereum,” by Ben Abner

What superpower would you like to have?
There are so many, but I would probably say the ability to be transported over geographic boundaries and time.

What is your all-time favorite movie?
“Gladiator.” I like the idea of standing up for freedom and what you believe in.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

The post COPH alum Frank Yiannas accepts top food safety job at FDA appeared first on College of Public Health News.

The onset of symptoms from hepatitis A virus infection may include diarrhea, fever, malaise, anorexia, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine and jaundice.

For adults, it can be even more severe, leading to acute liver failure or the need for a liver transplant.

USF College of Public Health alumna Dr. Jill Roberts, assistant professor in the Department of Global Health, says that the majority of cases involving hepatitis A infection are foodborne, therefore, increasing vaccination among food handlers is key for prevention.

In her latest paper, “Prevention of Hepatitis A through Food Handler Immunization,” published in the May issue of Food Protection Trends, she outlines recent cases of hepatitis A virus transmission from food handlers and why vaccination is the answer to addressing the issue.

Jill Roberts, PhD

“The disease is eradicable,” Roberts said. “It only exists in humans and you have a vaccine available.”

The vaccine, Roberts said, is one of the most effective out there.

“Many vaccines have problems such as reported side effects or less than ideal efficacy,” she said. “This one is so good, so easy, and so inexpensive. It takes two doses and you’ve got a life time of coverage. It’s time to have this conversation and push the [food] industry to start thinking about this.”

Hepatitis A is primarily spread by the fecal-oral route, according to Roberts, and less frequently can be spread sexually.

According to Roberts, food products can become contaminated at any step in the continuum of food production from farm to fork.

From frozen imported Turkish pomegranate seeds sickening 165 people in 10 states in 2013 to an exposure of more than 90 patrons of a beach resort sushi restaurant in Hawaii leading to class action lawsuits in 2016, Roberts said it’s time to start addressing this at the food handling level.

Some of the strongest push back from the food industry, Roberts said, has been the cost involved.

However, she said that since mandatory vaccination for hepatitis A has been added to the CDC’s childhood vaccination schedule in 2003, the young people entering the food service industry are already vaccinated.

Roberts said every new employee who will handle food should be vaccinated, but she said much of that relies on the efforts of the food industry.

She said from a cost-benefit standpoint, it makes sense for the food industry to want to protect from potential hepatitis A related infections and lawsuits from patrons.

“Hospitals and daycares require mandatory vaccinations for their employees,” Roberts said. “As the lawsuits get more and more costly, profit is going to drive it [mandatory vaccination].”

Roberts said one’s risk of getting infected by hepatitis A while dining or consuming food depends on a few factors, the first being vaccination status.

“If you’re vaccinated, you’re at almost no risk whatsoever. If you’re not vaccinated, but you’ve had the disease before you’re not at risk,” she said. “If you’ve not had either prior infection or the vaccine, you’re at high risk.

Roberts said she intends to continue to monitor outbreaks of hepatitis A virus infection to see which ones are linked to food and which ones are not.

“Are there more or less situations happening in restaurants? Are restaurant managers doing anything? Are they starting to drive this vaccination? Does this increase interest  in the idea of vaccinating in food service?” Roberts said.

Roberts said anti-vaccine commentary is a danger to preventing the spread of global diseases such as this.

She said she hopes her latest paper highlights the importance of vaccination, especially among food handlers.

“To be able to bring together food and vaccines was obvious,” she said “You have a disease that has a highly safe and efficacious vaccine that only exists in humans, so theoretically we could wipe hepatitis A off the planet. Hopefully people will start to think about it.”

***

Roberts, Jill. (2017). Prevention of Hepatitis A through Food Handler Immunization. Food Protection Trends, 37, 3, pp. 218-222.

Story by Anna Mayor, USF College of Public Health

The post Dr. Jill Roberts urges hepatitis A vaccination for food handlers appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Is your refrigerator running?

Yes.

Is your refrigerator running up your food bill?

Also, yes.

Forget about leaving the doors open while you search for a midnight snack—though that is a waste, too—your ice box is slowly sucking money from your wallet because of its contents.

That conclusion comes from Dr. Jill Roberts, who teaches food safety at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. Roberts says consumers are unnecessarily refrigerating common items and undue cold is causing waste.

Roberts whipped up a list of things we should strive to keep out of the refrigerator.

Jill Roberts, PhD

ONIONS

Refrigeration prematurely ruins onions, Robert explains.

“When you stick them in the refrigerator, you introduce moisture,” she said. “They start to mold; when they mold they become soft.”

Roberts says leaving the mesh sack in a dry, dark place (like a pantry) is fine.

POTATOES

Similar to onions, potatoes will soften and possibly mold when left in a refrigerator. Roberts said cold will also change a potato’s chemical makeup and neutral flavor.

“This is a starch,” she said, while holding a potato. “When you put a starch in the cold it starts to convert to sugar.”

If you’re concerned a big bag will rot in the pantry, Roberts has a suggestion: Buy a smaller bag that suits you needs.

TOMATOES

Dr. Roberts is blunt.

“It’s just criminal to put that guy in the refrigerator,” she said.

Read the full story at My Fox Tampa Bay.

The post 6 foods you should evict from your fridge right now [VIDEO] appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Jill Roberts’ reputation precedes her.

“I walk into restaurants, and they say, ‘God, here she comes,'” she explains with pride.

Roberts is a professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, and she does not negotiate when it comes to food safety.

“We have a lot of misconception,” she noted.

Roberts agreed to chat with us about three common mistakes we make with three fundamental ingredients in our refrigerators: milk, eggs and leftovers.

“I think certain items people will be surprised about,” she said.

FOX 13 News

Read the full story at Fox 13.

The post Dr. Jill Roberts says, “Don’t keep leftovers longer than two days” appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Jill Roberts could have a plethora of titles both before and after her name. With master’s and doctorate degrees from the USF College of Public Health, she is certainly accomplished. However, which accomplishment really gets her going?

Running.

Dr. Roberts, an assistant professor specializing in food safety, began running in 2001. At the time, she was a graduate student at the University of Texas in Houston. Her thesis advisor nudged her along and soon she advanced from an avid walker to an accomplished runner.

Today, Dr. Roberts is a pro with her most recent triumph being Dopey during Disney’s Marathon Weekend. The Dopey Challenge, affectionately named for the Disney character, spans four days, stretches nearly 50 miles long, and includes a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon.

Wow!

Dr. Jill Roberts with her running bling

Proving her brother wrong isn’t the only reason she runs. “I find running to be therapeutic! I run for stress relief and for focus,” Roberts said.  “Most of the manuscripts, lectures, and seminars I have created have been formulated while on a run.”

Over the years, she’s developed a favorite list of sorts … Her ideal distance is the half marathon. “It’s just long enough (13.1 miles) to require a bit of training, but not long enough to have to train for hours on end,” Roberts said. Her favorite location to run is Disney World—no surprise there—with local spots (Bayshore Blvd., Flatwoods Park, and the USF campus) coming in a close second.

Sometimes she’s spotted running with headphones, but they’re often on silent. Dr. Roberts prefers to focus her thoughts while running and the headphones prevent her from being distracted by others. If music is playing, she favors something with a fast beat to help her keep a pace.

Without question, The Dopey Challenge was her greatest feat thus far. However, not one to become complacent, Dr. Roberts is constantly looking for other ways to defy her running prowess.

Later this month, Disney hosts the Glass Slipper Challenge, a 10k plus a half marathon, and Dr. Roberts will be there. “Of course, I can’t resist an inaugural race!”

Dr. Jill Roberts is an assistant professor in the College of Public Health. The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health is her academic home and offers several concentrations that lead to MPH, MSPH, DrPH, and PhD degrees. Most recently, they launched an online MPH in health, safety, and environment.

Story and photo by Christi Owiye, USF College of Public Health

The post Don’t call Dr. Jill Roberts Dopey just because she likes a challenge appeared first on College of Public Health News.