Amanda Bradke, MD, is one of the medical directors of the Center to Transform Health and Housing and an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at RUSH University Medical Center. Her main clinical role at RUSH is in the Department of Hospitalist Medicine, and she additionally provides clinical care in multiple homeless shelters that have partnered with RUSH. She recently obtained her X-Waiver to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone to treat opioid use disorders and has completed the RUSH Opiate Use Disorder Treatment Fellowship ECHO Program. Bradke is passionate about providing accessible medication-assisted recovery services to those who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Outside of her work with the Center, she engages in additional health equity work through her role as assistant director of Global and Community Health Programs in the Department of Internal Medicine, where she directs the Internal Medicine (IM) Resident Global Health elective and codirects the IM Global Health fellowship. She also chairs the Health Equity Anti-Racism Transforming subcommittee at RUSH and has founded and co-chairs the Chicago Coalition for Anti-Racism and Equity in Health. Both groups address race-based clinical decision tools that perpetuate racism and exacerbate health care disparities at RUSH and across the Chicago area.
Bradke received her bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Michigan and her master’s degree in bioethics from the University of Pittsburgh before attending medical school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She then went on to complete her internal medicine residency at Boston Medical Center and a global health fellowship through the Health, Equity, Action, Leadership initiative at the University of California San Francisco. During this fellowship, she lived half-time on the Navajo Reservation in Fort Defiance, Arizona, working in primary care, and half-time in rural Haiti working as a hospitalist. She is completing a second master’s degree in global health policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Karen Lui, MD, FAAP, is one of the medical codirectors for the Center to Transform Health and Housing and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at RUSH University Medical Center. She is also the medical codirector for the Kids Shelter Health Improvement Program (KidsSHIP), a pediatric shelter outreach program founded in 1996. This program enables four general pediatricians the time needed to provide medical care to children living in one of several homeless shelters located in the West, North and South sides of Chicago. Lui is a leader in the Illinois Community Advocacy Network for Kids in conjunction with her work with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP). She is a pediatric champion for ICAAP’s First Steps: Improving Child Health and Housing initiative.
She is a general pediatrician at the RUSH Pediatric Primary Care Center, the largest academic pediatric clinic in Chicago, which largely serves the children in Chicago’s West and South sides. Her primary teaching responsibilities are within the pediatric residency program as a preceptor for the resident continuity clinic, the acute care clinic and the general care nursery. In addition, she is the director for resident advocacy rotation and codirector for the longitudinal advocacy track, Kids Community Advocacy at RUSH for Equity (KidsCARE). Lui received her bachelor of arts at the University of Chicago in biology and economics. She earned her medical degree at RUSH University Medical College and completed her pediatric training at RUSH University Children’s Hospital.
Laura Pabalan, MD, FAAP, is one of the medical directors of the Center to Transform Health and Housing and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at RUSH University Medical Center. In addition, she is the codirector of the KidsSHIP program and a codirector of the pediatric residency advocacy track, KidsCARE. Most of her work involves taking care of the underserved pediatric population at RUSH Pediatric Primary Care Center. Through the work of KidsSHIP, part of her clinical time is spent taking care of children within homeless and domestic violence shelters to help alleviate the transportation barrier to health care. She is an active member of ICAAP’s homelessness initiative, First Steps: Improving Child Health and Housing, which aims to prevent and mitigate child health risks associated with housing insecurity with a specific focus on pregnant persons and children ages zero to six. Pabalan is the pediatric lead in developing and instituting a screening process for the social determinants of health within the outpatient pediatric clinics at RUSH University, helping to address the social needs that affect a patient’s health. She went to medical school at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine and completed her pediatrics residency at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
Terry Gallagher, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNL, is the nursing director for the Center to Transform Health and Housing and a family nurse practitioner in the Department of Social Work and Community Health at RUSH University Medical Center. Gallagher was one of the nursing leaders who helped establish the Sue Gin Health Center at Oakley Square Apartments, a free clinic located within an affordable housing development on the West side of Chicago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gallagher supported the development of CARReS, a medical respite isolation facility for people with COVID-19 who had housing instability, in partnership with RUSH, Chicago Department of Public Health, and A Safe Haven. Gallagher has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Science from University of Illinois at Chicago, a Master of Science in Nursing from DePaul University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from RUSH University.
Kyle Brand Padilla has been supporting and advocating for Chicago communities as a social worker since 2017 and additionally became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2019. Kyle has experience working alongside attorneys within legal aid settings and supporting individuals impacted by the legal system across multiple organizations. In 2020, Kyle joined community violence intervention efforts providing clinical, trauma-informed care. In February 2024, Kyle started with Rush as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker to accompany individuals within The Center to Transform Health and Housing and also provide clinical case management to patients within the Rush At Home Program.
Suzanne DiBattista, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at RUSH University Medical Center and pediatrician in KidsSHIP. She trained in medical school at Rush Medical College and pediatric residency at University of Michigan. Her role in KidsSHIP currently involves serving children and families who have experienced domestic violence by bringing approachable timely care to their current home. She also teaches medical students and resident physicians who come to shelter visits with her to provide on-site medical care to children. Dr. Suzie (as the families call her) greatly enjoys the relationships she has built with the families and staff she works with through KidsSHIP.
Divya M. Gupta, MD, FAAP, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Rush University Medical Center. She divides her time between clinics at Rush caring for the underserved pediatric population around Chicago’s medical district and west side and at local shelters through the KidsSHIP program where she provides medical care to children of all ages in transitional housing. She also serves as the director of the Community Pediatrics rotation for resident physicians in the Department of Pediatrics. Gupta completed medical school at the Ohio State University and went on to pediatrics residency at Rush University Medical Center.
Erica W. Jackson, RMA, EMT-B, has actively been in the healthcare field for over ten years. She obtained her registered medical assistant certification at the Illinois School of Health Careers, and her EMT license through the Industrial Council of Near West Chicago. Erica worked closely with a variety of patients including older populations, youth and infants, as well as blended families. Erica takes pride in ensuring each patient has something positive from their encounter and a clearer vision of the next steps. Erica has taken multiple leadership roles to help shed light upon the dark situations many patients encounter. Having lived experience, Erica strives to provide insight to help others understand efficient ways to assist those in need. As a CHW at Rush, she continues to provide the same care to a much larger population, including homeless service centers, the medical respite program, and asylum seeker support.
Vikram Nandhan, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at RUSH University Medical Center. In addition, he is a physician in KidsSHIP, Kids Shelter Health Improvement program. The majority of Nandhan's work is spent taking care of the underserved pediatric population of the Rush Pediatric Primary Care Center. Through KidsSHIP, part of his clinical time is providing medical care for children recovering from trauma, abuse and neglect. In his role in the medical school, he is an assistant clerkship director for pediatrics at Rush Medical Center and serves as an advisor for medical students. He trains students and resident physicians in the care of underserved youth so they may carry on this work in the years to come. Nandhan went to medical school at Rush Medical College and completed his residency at RUSH University Children’s Hospital.
James Rohde, LCSW, is a trained social worker in RUSH’s Department of Social Work and Community Health, working in partnership with Heartland Alliance Health (HAH). He spends time each week at shelters throughout the city, serving HAH’s shelter-based service team. Rohde works with residents of these shelters to address their mental health needs and assists with phone calls to the Department of Social Work and Community Health’s hotline. For many years, he worked as a case manager on the Southwest Side of Chicago and at local YMCAs serving individuals experiencing homelessness, assisting them with housing and helping them gain identification, food, clothes, public benefits, medical and psychiatric appointments, and rehabilitation. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago's School of Social Work, where he earned his LCSW in 2009. Rohde and his wife have been AmeriCorps volunteers in St. Louis and have taught life skills classes to people with developmental disabilities.
Stephen Alandus Wright-Offord, BSN, serves as the Community Health and Wellness Registered Nurse. He is dedicated to promoting holistic well-being within diverse populations. Through his years of experience in nursing and healthcare throughout the Chicagoland, he combines clinical expertise with a passion for community outreach. Wright-Offord collaborates with local organizations, conducts health assessments, develops tailored wellness plans, and educates individuals on preventive care measures. Committed to fostering a culture of health and empowerment, he strives to make a meaningful impact on the overall wellness of the communities he serves. Wright-Offord has been active in health care and nursing since the age of 16 as a participant of Chicago Public Schools' LPN program. He holds an Associate of Applied Science from Malcolm X College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Resurrection University. He is an active member in Men in Nursing at Rush and Black Men in Nursing.
Social Care Manager - Elizabeth (Lizzi) Cummings, MSW, LCSW, serves as the social care manager for the Center to Transform Health and Housing at RUSH University Medical Center. She is also the manager of clinical excellence and training within the Department of Social Work and Community Health at Rush University Medical Center and is the lead of hospital integration at the Center for Health and Social Care Integration (CHaSCI), where she provides clinical and training support to health systems and community-based organizations across the nation as they implement CHaSCI care models. Cummings also provides technical assistance within the RUSH Center for Excellence in Aging.
In addition to her work at RUSH, she serves on Access Living’s Young Professionals Council, which engages the community to join the movement toward inclusion and independence for people with disabilities, and she is secretary for the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care-Illinois Chapter. Cummings holds a master of social work degree from DePaul University and a bachelor of arts in psychology from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.
Project Manager - Eugenia Olison, M.Ed, LPC, serves as the program manager for the Center to Transform Health and Housing at RUSH University Medical Center. Through the Center, Olison works to promote the intersectoral development of strategic collaborations to address inequities in health care and to increase positive health outcomes while advocating for people experiencing homelessness. Previously, Olison served as a member of the Resident-Centered Change Management Team and held the position of senior community life manager at Community Builders, a nonprofit housing developer that creates and strengthens affordable housing infrastructure. She has more than 15 years of experience working to provide leadership in partnership with local service providers and community stakeholders to increase opportunities, particularly in the areas of housing stability, health and wellness. In her efforts to decrease food insecurity and improve health outcomes, Olison has enhanced access to and enrollment in public benefits among underserved populations in Chicago Public Schools. She is a licensed professional counselor in Illinois, holds a bachelor of science degree in human development and family studies from the University of Illinois and has a master of education degree in family and young child counseling from DePaul University.
David Ansell, MD, MPH, is the Michael E. Kelly Presidential Professor of Internal Medicine and senior vice president/associate provost for community health equity at RUSH University Medical Center. He is a 1978 graduate of the State University of New York Upstate Medical College, and he did his medical training at Cook County Hospital. He spent 13 years at Cook County Hospital as an attending physician and ultimately was appointed the chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine there. From 1995 to 2005, he was chairman of internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Ansell was recruited to Rush University Medical Center as its inaugural chief medical officer in 2005, a position he held until 2015. His research and advocacy have focused on eliminating health inequities. In 2011 he published a memoir of his times at Cook County Hospital, County: Life, Death and Politics at Chicago’s Public Hospital. His latest book is 2017's The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills.
Elizabeth Davis, MD, is the medical director for Community Health Equity at RUSH and one of the founding members of the Center to Transform Health and Housing. She is experienced in building innovative models of care for complex patients. She has had leadership roles in complex care management and care coordination programs both at RUSH University Medical Center and San Francisco Health Network. She has presented and written about implementation and outcomes of complex care programs at national conferences. Davis has also studied patient perspectives on health care using both quantitative and qualitative methods. She has served on Institute for Healthcare Improvement, National Quality Forum, California Association of Public Hospitals, and San Francisco Department of Public Health committees focused on case management, care transitions, interdisciplinary practice and medical education.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Davis has worked with RUSH leaders to rapidly launch programs to provide testing to people in the community who otherwise did not have access to testing, including in homeless shelters and other congregate settings. These teams started vaccinating as well as soon as vaccines became available. She was invited to speak at a mayoral press conference and has spoken nationally about this work.
Davis has led the creation and growth of the Health Equity and Social Justice Program in RUSH Medical School and the Health Equity Track in the RUSH Internal Medicine Program. Prior to coming to RUSH, she was a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco, where she taught learners about complex care, health equity and quality improvement.
Robyn Golden serves as associate vice president of social work and community health and is chair of the Department of Social Work at RUSH University Medical Center. She is also codirector of RUSH’s Center for Excellence in Aging and the Center for Health and Social Care Integration. Golden serves as the principal investigator for RUSH’s Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program and codirects the Rush Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging. Her faculty appointments are in nursing, medicine, psychiatry and health systems management.
For more than 35 years, Golden has been actively involved in service provision, program development, interprofessional education, research and public policy aimed at developing innovative initiatives and systems integration to improve health and well-being. In 2003 and 2004, she was the John Heinz Senate Fellow for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and she is a past chair of the American Society on Aging. In 2017, she received the Gerontological Society of America's Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging, and she recently served as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine committee studying the integration of social needs care into the delivery of health care. She is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and is a National Association of Social Workers Social Work Pioneer. Golden holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from Miami University.
Steven Rothschild, MD, is a family physician, educator and researcher in the departments of Preventive Medicine and Family Medicine at RUSH University. In addition to a 30-year clinical career providing primary medical care to the medically underserved, he is an established researcher focusing on health services research, chronic illness self-management and community- and team-based approaches to addressing health disparities. As an expert in community-based, participatory research, he has been an invited faculty member for the National Institutes of Health’s Summer Institute on the design and conduct of randomized clinical trials involving behavioral interventions, which was sponsored by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. As a faculty member at RUSH, he has been recognized by students for his teaching excellence and humanism. He is also the co-convener of RUSH's interprofessionalism interest group, bringing together more than 30 clinicians and faculty from across the Medical Center to improve team-based education, research and patient care. Rothschild serves on the Chicago Board of Health, the advisory committee for the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Program and the Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, where he is vice president.
- Christina J. Manheimer, FNP-C, APRN – College of Nursing
- Michelle Boardman - senior director of development
- Kathleen Delaney, PhD, PMH-NP, FAAN – professor, College of Nursing
- Rachel Smith, MBA - program manager, Social Determinants of Health
- Sharon Gates, DSW - senior director, Student Diversity and Community Engagement
- Teresa Berumen - Community Health Worker program coordinator