UPMC’s Sevco and Lee to Take on New Roles
UPMC has announced leadership changes that will further enhance clinical operations, innovation, research and overall excellence. Mark Sevco will assume the role of president, UPMC Hospitals, comprised of 40 academic, community and specialty hospitals. Joon Lee, MD, will become president of UPMC Physician Services, overseeing its 4,200 employed physicians. Sevco and Lee will co-lead the Health Services Division. Sevco currently is president, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He has served UPMC for 30 years in various capacities including chief operating officer of UPMC Pinnacle, president of UPMC East and UPMC McKeesport, and vice president of operations for UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside. Sevco holds a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and master’s degrees in business administration and health administration, all from the University of Pittsburgh. Lee’s current role is senior vice president, UPMC, and president of UPMC Physician Services, with responsibility for the University of Pittsburgh Physicians and Community Medicine and the employed physicians and staff. He recently served as chief medical officer of UPMC’s Insurance Services Division. Lee is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Duke University’s School of Medicine. He completed a medical internship, residency and fellowships at Harvard Medical School.
Passavant Memorial Homes Foundation Golf Classic raises $135,000
Passavant Memorial Homes Foundation (PMHF) recently hosted their 28th Annual Golf Classic at Olde Stonewall Golf Club, where they raised more than $135,000 for individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, and behavioral health needs served by PMHF’s parent not-for-profit organization, Passavant Memorial Homes (PMH). Celina Pompeani, KDKA-TV Pittsburgh Today Live reporter and Pittsburgh Penguins TV host emceed the event. The winners were a foursome representing the Pittsburgh Penguins. All of the funds raised will be used to further enhance the services and supports provided to more than 600 individuals that PMHF serves across western and central Pennsylvania.
Fiorina Named Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians
Butler Health System recently announced that Michael Fiorina, DO was named a Fellow of the America Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). To become a Fellow, applicants must show dedication and advancement within family medicine through lifelong learning, quality and improvement, volunteering, public service, research, and service to the specialty. For more information, visit www.butlerhealthsystem.org/About-BHS/Administrative-Team.aspx.
Seneca Valley Junior Earns Highest Possible ACT Composite Score
Seneca Valley Junior Peter Ko recently earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. Fewer than half of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2020, only 5,579 out of 1.67 million students who took the ACT earned this score. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, each scored on a scale of 1–36. A student's composite score is the average of the four test scores.
Shady Side Academy Names Jim Reeder Director of Campus Safety and Security
Shady Side Academy has appointed Jim Reeder as its new director of campus safety and security. Reeder began his employment at the Academy on Sept. 1, 2021. In this role, Reeder will oversee safety and security operations across all four SSA campuses to ensure a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, visitors and property. For the past 15 years, Reeder has served with the Butler Bureau of Fire, rising up through the ranks to become a fire lieutenant/EMT. During that time, he also served as a 911 emergency dispatcher for both Butler and Allegheny counties. Prior to embarking on a career in safety, he was a teaching and research assistant at West Virginia University and Allegheny College. Reeder holds a master’s degree in emergency management and homeland security from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Allegheny College.
Fox Chapel Area Students Named 2022 National Merit Semifinalists/Commended Students
Nine Fox Chapel Area High School seniors have been designated as National Merit Semifinalists, and 13 have been named Commended Students in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). The semifinalists are Noah Bradley; Zhiyi Chen; Shea Davison; Russell Fenton; Anna Ferris; Claire Hamilton; Janise Kim; Zoe Lakkis; and Nathaniel Mueller. The Commended Students are Patrick Alexander; Andrew Byersdorfer; Justine Eng; Cara Felman; Maia Gravina; Thomas Healy; Owen Hershey; Uma Muzumdar; Emma Szymanski; Shrivardhan Thada; James Trageser; Eduardo Weissmann; and Siddharth Yende.
Student Places in National FBLA Competition
Margo Levenson, a Fox Chapel Area High School 2020-2021 junior, placed at the 2021 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Virtual National Leadership Conference. Margo qualified for the national competition by placing at the 2021 FBLA Virtual State Leadership Conference that was held in March and April, and placed seventh in Networking Infrastructures at nationals. Approximately 10,000 competitors from across the United States participated in the competition that recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas.
North Pittsburgh College Fair Scheduled at La Roche University
More than 100 colleges and universities will participate in the North Pittsburgh College Fair on Monday, Oct. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at La Roche University’s Kerr Fitness & Sports Center in the North Hills. One of the largest college fairs in western Pennsylvania, the North Pittsburgh College Fair will host universities, colleges and technical schools from across the country. High school students and their parents will have the chance to meet with representatives from each school to learn more about their campuses and academic programs. Presented by La Roche and the Northern Area Counselor’s Consortium, the fair is organized by the following local school districts: Avonworth, Fox Chapel Area, Hampton, North Allegheny, Northgate, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Shaler Area. For a complete list of participating colleges and universities, visit www.laroche.edu/npcf.
Pediatric VIEW Program joins The Children’s Home & Lemieux Family Center
The Pediatric VIEW program, which helps pediatric patients with low vision, recently joined The Children’s Home & Lemieux Family Center to create a Center for Excellence for CVI assessment and treatment. Cortical Visual Impairment or Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) is a disorder caused by damage to parts of the brain that process vision and is the leading cause of vision loss among kids in the United States. Children with CVI often have other health issues including developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, head injuries, prematurity, hydrocephalus, brain infection or genetic issues. learn more, email PediatricVIEW@chomepgh.org or call 412-441-4884.
Bodiography Celebrates 20th Anniversary Season
Not even a pandemic could derail Bodiography’s founding director, Maria Caruso, whose relentless perseverance led to a successful off-Broadway run of both her solo show Metamorphosis, that has been extended indefinitely, and her 80s rock ballet, Rearview Mirror, that will be revived in a larger off-Broadway theater this season. The milestone season began in August with a “safety-first” ten-day tour of Sao Paulo, Brazil, that included a dual residency between Bodiography and acclaimed Brazilian dance company, Cisne Negro. During the company’s time there, Caruso became the first American to create a new ballet for the 44 year old company, and distributed $450,000 in La Roche University and Bodiography dance merit scholarships. This coming February, Caruso will present her new ballet with an original score by the celebrated composer, Kevin Keller, along with a presentation of her acclaimed 2005 classic, Solace, during the Red Carpet Roll Out, and in March, the company sets sail for another European tour and returns for the second half of their New York season with an assortment of new works by Caruso and a medley of up-and-coming choreographers.
Erntedankfest at Old Economy Village to be held in October
Old Economy Village is holding its annual Erntedankfest on Oct. 2-3, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event celebrates the Fall harvest and many of the tasks done to prepare for winter. Artisans will be cooking, baking and demonstrating many different crafts and skills. There will be music, food and activities for the whole family. Admission to this event is regular price. Old Economy Village is also looking to recruit volunteers to aid with Erntedankfest and other upcoming events such as the Halloween Ghost Tours and Christmas at the Village. To volunteer, contact Chloe Thomas at 724-266-4500 x 104 or at
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Recognized as NPF Center of Excellence
The National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) has recognized UPMC Hillman Cancer Center as an approved NPF Center of Excellence for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis. This is the second time UPMC Hillman has received this designation. NPF centers undergo a rigorous audit review to determine that an institution’s focus is on multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatic cancer, including treating the ‘whole patient’ with a focus on the best possible outcomes and an improved quality of life. An approved NPF center must meet the criteria developed by medical experts and patient advocates and are required to have physician specialties such as gastroenterologists, pancreas surgeons and interventional radiologists, as well as patient-focused programs like pain management services and psychosocial support. As the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of the largest integrated cancer networks in the U.S., UPMC Hillman Cancer Center provides access to leading cancer experts at more than 70 locations throughout Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Maryland and internationally. For more information, visit http://www.pancreasfoundation.org.
New Forests Program at National Aviary
Visitors to the National Aviary this fall can experience the dreamlike world of Forests and come face to face with forest-dwelling species from around the world. Running through January 3, the National Aviary’s dynamic daily programs, many included with general admission, will introduce visitors to magnificent forest birds like a Great Argus Pheasant in the Tropical Rainforest and mysterious Barred Owls peering out from branches in their Condor Court habitat. Forests highlights the diverse species found in a variety of forests around the world and the important role of forests in sustaining life for people and wildlife alike. Timed-entry tickets and updated health and safety information are available at aviary.org.
2022 Lucky Number Tickets Available
The Sisters of Divine Providence have announced the availability of the 2022 Lucky Number ticket. The fundraiser is based on the Pick 3 day and evening PA lottery games. Each $25 number is valid from Jan. 1, 2022-Dec. 31, 2022. Daily winners receive a minimum of $25 up to $150 on select days throughout the year when their three-digit number is selected. Gift orders are available. To participate, visit www.cdpsisters.org/LuckyNumber or call 412-635-5401. Tickets help support the ministries and mission of the Sisters of Divine Providence.
Allegheny County Medical Society Foundation to Hold Virtual Gala in October
The Allegheny County Medical Society Foundation (ACMSF) is hosting a Virtual Gala for members and friends at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in order to honor excellence in individual physicians and community groups, raise funds to expand and improve asthma treatment in the Mon Valley, and celebrate the dedication and resilience of the region’s physicians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The live-streamed event will feature Cameron Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Deborah Gentile, MD, a pediatric allergist and asthma specialist. Award recipients from 2020 will be honored along with this year’s awardees. 2020 award recipients are Mark DeRubeis, MBA, John G. Krah Executive Leadership Award; Kurt R. Weiss, MD, Richard E. Deitrick Humanity in Medicine Award; Brad W. Butcher, MD, Ralph C. Wilde Leadership Award; Jonathan Weinkle, MD, Nathaniel Bedford Primary Care Award; Justin J. Vujevich, MD, Physician Volunteer Award; Maren L. Cooke, PhD, Benjamin Rush Individual Award; and Brother’s Brother Foundation, Benjamin Rush Community Organization Award. The 2021 award recipients are Freddie H. Fu, MD, John G. Krah Executive Leadership Award; Terence W. Starz, MD, Richard E. Deitrick Humanity in Medicine Award; John S. Rozel, MD, Ralph C. Wilde Leadership Award; John. T. Wisneski, Jr., MD, Nathaniel Bedford Primary Care Award; Carlos M. Perez-Ruiz, MD, Physician Volunteer Award; Victoria S. Humphrey, Benjamin Rush Individual Award; and Women for a Healthy Environment, Benjamin Rush Community Organization Award. For more information about the Gala, visit www.acms.org/-foundation-gala, or call ACMS, 412-321-5030.
Fox Chapel Area High School Students and Graduates Named AP Scholars
A total of 118 current Fox Chapel Area High School students and 2021 graduates have been named Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars by the College Board for demonstrating college-level achievement on the AP examinations taken in May 2021.
The following graduates/students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction award: 2021 graduates Suparna Agrawal, Arda Akinci, Kaya Akinci, Lyle Blaylock, Zoe Boychuk, Elena Conway, Erin Doherty, Amulya Garimella, Brendan Gladwin, Clayton Humbert, Aidan Ireland, Ryan Kenyon, Emily Li, Isabella Liberto, Lucy Markovitz, Anthony Nguyen, John Polcyn, Mark Puthenpurayil, Abigail Rickin-Marks, Cecilia Rike, Jackson Romero, Vinisha Sant, Sanjay Seshan, Vivian Shao, Anthony Shin, Dong Hyun Shin, Benjamin Siri, Dylan Stein, Michael VanDemark, Lexie Wagner, Joey Wang, and Tyler Weinberger; 2021-2022 seniors Patrick Alexander, Gabrielle Bell, Noah Bradley, Zhiyi Chen, Shea Davison, Justine Eng, Russell Fenton, Mona Gerges, Maia Gravina, Claire Hamilton, Jonah Hertzman, Janise Kim, Zoe Lakkis, Nathaniel Mueller, Uma Muzumdar, Sangmin Park, James Trageser, Lance Wilhelm, and Siddharth Yende; and 2021-2022 juniors Ananth Kashyap and Arvind Seshan.
The following graduates/students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor award: 2021 graduates Kathryn Chivinsky, Catherine Heidenreich, Ava Kazmierczak, Jocelyn Morningstar, John Nury, Amara Ostroff, Elizabeth Schwartzman, Alwyn Williams, and Nathaniel Yerage; and 2021-2022 seniors Alexa Berman, Anna Ferris, Thomas Healy, Sydney Inglis, Nabeela Islam, Alaina Kaslewicz, Sydney Kennedy, Esther Ko, John Lorence, Hope Matthis, Hannah Poole, Miguel Quemado, Carter Rowe, Omar Shalaby, Calla Truschel Jacobs, Beata Turnquist, Kaylee Uribe, Eduardo Weissmann, and Ann Yonas.
The following graduates/students qualified for the AP Scholar award: 2021 graduates Evan Butler, Allison Carey, Katherine Cecil, Rachel Chang, Annabelle Cullen, Maria DeMotte, Antoinette Faucher, Isabella Krisky, Maximus McQuarrie, Benjamin Rickin-Marks, Nishi Thawani, Ethan Werner, and Kaylee Werner; 2021-2022 seniors Salim Bastress, Justine Bennett, Vasileios Benos, Deniz Cinemre, Gunes Cinemre, Elizabeth Crookston, David Dering, Madeline Dick, Ellen Gray, Alicia Gu, Olivia Guerrieri, Owen Hershey, Danielle Horne, Brett Kaufman, Nicholas Mascilli, Madeleine Muller, Simeon Owens, Ashton Schutzman, Shrivardhan Thada, Daniel Thomas, Benjamin Veser, and Anushka Vis; and 2021-2022 juniors Aiden Dorneich and Jonathan Li.
La Roche University Announces Fall Admissions Events
La Roche University will be hosting a variety of events for students and their families to learn about the University’s 50-plus majors, NCAA Div. III athletics program and study abroad opportunities from now through December. Guests also will learn about campus life, the admissions process, financial aid and merit-based scholarships. Preview Nights will be held Oct. 11 and Dec. 7; the North Pittsburgh College Fair will be held Oct. 4; Men’s Basketball Recruit Day will be held Oct. 23 and Nov. 13; Volleyball Recruit Day will be held Oct. 26; and an Open House will be held Nov. 13. The University also offers a one-time $200 visit grant to students who visit and tour campus. The grant will be applied to the student’s first semester tuition. Register online at www.laroche.edu/admissions-events. For more information, call the Freshman Admissions office at 412-536-1272 or email admissions@laroche.edu. Transfer students should call 412-536-1260 or transferadmissions@laroche.edu.
At Food Rescue University, Nonprofits Learn to Launch and Scale Effective Food Recovery
Food Rescue University, an educational resource for establishing and growing food rescue organizations, recently launched in conjunction with the start of September’s Hunger Action Month. A creation of the nonprofit 412 Food Rescue, this innovative offering provides in-depth courses based on the successes of the Pittsburgh organization and its partners in 11 other North American cities, all of which use its Food Rescue Hero app. It is the first tool of its kind in the field of food recovery. Food Rescue University will be available to partners using 412 Food Rescue’s nationally leading food recovery platform Food Rescue Hero. This ridesharing-style app coordinates the world’s largest network of on-demand volunteer drivers to pick up surplus food from grocery stores and restaurants, and deliver it directly to homes and nonprofits serving people experiencing food insecurity. Over the past five years, the network has redirected more than 59 million pounds of good food. Spearheading the launch of the tool was Annamarie “Annie” Scozzare, an application development senior manager at Cigna. Currently, Food Rescue University offers six courses, covering topics including the basics of food rescue, technology, dispatch, working with donors and nonprofit partners, and recruiting volunteers.
SRU, Local Butler Officials Unveil New Community Outreach Office
Slippery Rock University celebrated its continued commitment to civic engagement and improving lives in the greater community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Sept. 10 for its new SRU Center for Community Engagement, Empowerment and Development—known as Butler SUCCEED. Located in the heart of downtown Butler, it will serve as a hub where SRU and the Butler community can work together to nurture partnerships that enhance the region’s quality of life and spur learning, research, and civic engagement. To coincide with the opening of Butler SUCCEED, SRU hosted Community Service Days on Sept. 10-11, when University students helped to clean Main Street in Butler.
SVSD Selected to be Part of Learning 2025 Initiative
Seneca Valley School District has joined the Learning 2025 network of demonstration systems, a collaborative network of districts to help advance student-centered, equity-focused, future-driven education, administered by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. The more than 60 ‘demonstration systems’ represent a collection of forward-leaning urban, suburban and rural districts serving as national models to help guide and reposition partner districts efficiently by sharing successful practices and successes, as well as challenges. The AASA Learning 2025: National Commission on Student-Centered, Equity-Focused, Future-Driven Education, recommended essential principles for school system redesign. The recommendations, which include the creation of demonstration districts, are found in the commission’s report, An American Imperative: A New Vision of Public Schools. To access the report, visit www.aasa.org.
St. Barnabas Broadcasting Signs Agreement To Acquire WBVP/WMBA Radio St. Barnabas Broadcasting has entered into an agreement to acquire WBVP AM/FM and WMBA AM/FM, owned by Sound Ideas Media, LLC. The contract to acquire the stations allows St. Barnabas Broadcasting to augment its current radio network, which includes WJAS AM/FM, which St. Barnabas acquired in November 2020. The stations are based in Beaver County, PA and simulcast a news/talk radio format. WJAS is a talk radio station featuring conservative talk radio hosts. St. Barnabas Broadcasting is a subsidiary of the St. Barnabas Health System, a charitable, non-profit organization founded in 1900, with facilities in Allegheny, Beaver, and Butler counties. St. Barnabas has served thousands of people by providing comprehensive retirement living and health care.
Butler Memorial Hospital Earns National Recognition for Efforts to Improve Stroke Treatment
Butler Memorial Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Quality Achievement Award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines-Stroke was developed to assist healthcare professionals to provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating stroke patients. Since 2006, when the hospital received its first American Heart Association Get-with-the-Guidelines Stroke award, it has served more than 5000 stroke patients. Additionally, Butler Memorial Hospital received the Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90 percent of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.
Butler County Symphony Association Announces 2021-2022 Season
The Butler County Symphony Association has announced its 73rd upcoming 2021-2022 season line up. The Association presents six concerts per year, which showcase music from all periods, performed by the Butler County Symphony Orchestra (BCSO), a high quality orchestra within a community framework. The BCSO is led by Music Director and Principal Conductor Matthew Kraemer. The season includes Great Ladies Of Swing; Mozart & Ginastera; Holiday Traditions; Scottish Reverie; Tchaikovsky’s Fifth and Guys And Dolls. BCSO also offers a free Summer Concert Series every Friday from June through September. Concerts feature a variety of music from Blues to Beethoven. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.butlersymphony.org or call 724-283-1402.
La Roche University Named Best Regional University by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report has again named La Roche University a Best University in the North, a Top Performer on Social Mobility and a School with the Most International Students. Schools listed as Best Regional Universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs, as well as an array of master’s programs. La Roche also ranks 31st among Regional Universities in the North for 2020 Top Performers on Social Mobility. Additionally, La Roche ranks third for Regional Universities in the North with the Most International Students. Thirty-seven countries are represented in La Roche’s student body. The University accepts international students into both undergraduate and graduate programs, and into its ESL program for non-native English speakers.
POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION Opens at Carnegie Science Center
Travel back in time to August 24, 79 A.D. when Pompeii bustled as a commercial port and strategic military and trade center. In a media-rich, object-based, immersive experience, learn how the people of Pompeii lived, loved, worked, worshipped, and found entertainment; you can even experience the Mount Vesuvius eruption in an immersive 4D eruption theater. Opens Oct. 2; visit www.carnegiesciencecenter.org for more info.