Faculty & Presenters

Department of Medicine
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Sanjay Sethi is a board-certified pulmonologist whose clinical practice is at UBMD clinics in Buffalo and in Amherst. He organized and conducted clinical research efforts at UB on Acute COVID during the pandemic. Following the pandemic, he has been addressing the problem of Long COVID with his work at the WNY Long COVID Recovery Center and the WNY Long COVID Connection, and through several research studies in this disease.

Department of Medicine
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Jennifer Abeles provides primary care for adults and children in the Buffalo community as a board-certified internist and pediatrician, with specialized expertise in osteopathic manipulation, chronic pain, and adult sickle cell disease. Dr. Abeles directs the Adult Sickle Cell Transitional Care Program, conducts focused research on Long COVID and sickle cell care, and is actively involved in teaching and mentoring medical trainees with an emphasis on whole-patient care.

School of Social Work

Dr. Lewis’ work has focused on interdisciplinary behavioral health education and workforce development. She helped establish the Upstate New York Mental and Behavioral Health Consortium and later co‑founded UB’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program, which has trained more than 250 social work, nursing, and psychology trainees in integrated care. A Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, Dr. Lewis is recognized for building effective collaborations among community partners, clinicians, educators, and researchers. Her recent work includes supporting whole‑health approaches to long COVID in partnership with clinical and research colleagues.

Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health
School of Public Health and Health Professions

Dr. Jean Wactawski-Wende, SUNY Distinguished Professor and epidemiologist, focuses her research on women’s health. She is principal investigator of UB’s Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Center and leads the WHI Northeast Regional Center, playing key national leadership roles in this landmark NIH-funded study. Her research spans cancer prevention, osteoporosis, reproductive health, and the oral microbiome. She currently serves as dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions and previously held senior leadership roles advancing interdisciplinary research at the University at Buffalo.

Department of Rehabilitation Science
School of Public Health and Health Professions

Dr. Sue Ann Sisto is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Science and is also the Director of the Biomechanics Lab within the University at Buffalo. As a physical therapist, her research focuses on movement analysis, and recovery of walking after spinal cord injury and stroke where she is primarily funded. Her Ph.D and Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome provides a unique understanding of the condition of Long-COVID. She has served on several grant review panels and mentored many medical and engineering students. She was also elected as the first physical therapist to be President of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) and is also a Fellow of ACRM.

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
School of Public Health and Health Professions

Jacob I. McPherson is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and a member of the UB Long COVID Recovery Team. His clinical work focuses on rehabilitation for individuals experiencing prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 infection, with an emphasis on restoring physical function, endurance, and participation in daily life. As part of UB’s interdisciplinary Long COVID initiative, he collaborates closely with physicians, occupational therapists, and other health professionals to promote comprehensive, patient-centered care. His interests include innovative rehabilitation strategies to address fatigue, deconditioning, and post-exertional symptom exacerbation in individuals living with Long COVID. Through clinical practice and program development, he is committed to advancing evidence-based rehabilitation and improving outcomes for those navigating recovery.

Department of Rehabilitation Science
School of Public Health and Health Professions

Dr. Janice Tona is an occupational therapist and educational psychologist with more than four decades of clinical and academic experience. Her work has long focused on the functional implications of post-infectious neuropsychiatric disorders in children, and she has now extended her work to Long COVID. Dr. Tona served on the WNY Long COVID recovery team and is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association Long COVID working group.  She led a 2024 study examining the feasibility of an online weekly occupational therapy group to improve occupational engagement in individuals with Long COVID.  A leader in education and mentorship, she is active in state and national occupational therapy organizations and is dedicated to improving healthcare access and experiences for all individuals.

Division of Health Services Policy and Practice, 
Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health
School of Public Health and Health Professions

Dr. Renee Cadzow is an anthropologist who specializes in understanding health and health disparities from the community and patient perspective. Her research spans two decades in western NY and encompasses the lifespan, from maternal and infant health to adults with chronic disease, to older adults and their caregivers.  She is assistant professor in the Division of Health Services Policy and Practice in the School of Public Health and Health Professions and is the co-director of the Recruitment and Special Populations core of the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). She previously held leadership positions at D’Youville University, including full professor and chair of the Health Administration department and the Center for Doctoral Studies. She contributed to the planning and development of this educational series and gathered and presented patient voices about their experience with Long COVID in many of the modules.