Erica N. Johnson, MD, Chair
Dr. Johnson is Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Disease Society of America.
In 2014, Dr. Johnson completed an 11-year career in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, where she served as the Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency and Infectious Disease Fellowship Programs in the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium. She also served as a clinical investigator with the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program.
Dr. Johnson is the Chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Infectious Disease Board and ABIM Council member. She is active in the Academic Alliance of Internal Medicine and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. She also co-directs the annual Johns Hopkins Infectious Disease Update Course for Primary Care and Hospital Medicine. Dr. Johnson has been recognized with numerous research, teaching and community service awards, including the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium Lieutenant General PK Carlton Outstanding Faculty Award; the Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Conference Technology Rising Star Award; and the C. Lockard Conley Award for Teaching Excellence from the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Johnson received her bachelor’s degree in classics from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, and her medical degree from the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, and a fellowship in infectious disease at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
As of August 2021, Dr. Johnson reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Johnson serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- Infectious Diseases Society of America, Member of Medical Education Community of Practice Infectious Disease Week Workgroup.
Wendy Armstrong, MD
After six years at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Armstrong joined the infectious disease faculty at Emory University in 2007 assuming the role of Program Director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program in 2008, the Medical Director of the Ponce de Leon Center at Grady Health System in 2009 and was named Vice Chair of Education and Integration for the Department of Medicine in 2014. Dr. Armstrong is currently a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease at the Emory University School of Medicine. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease. Dr. Armstrong is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Disease Board.
Her research interests in HIV include studying disparities in care for vulnerable patients living with HIV as well as developing innovative approaches to improving the HIV continuum of care. In addition to her role as Medical Director of the Ponce Center, one of the largest HIV clinics in the country, she is the former Chair of the HIV Medicine Association and has been active in advocacy efforts locally, regionally and nationally. She is also active in medical education at all levels of learner. In addition to her leadership role in the fellowship program, she is involved with medical student education both as a Small Group Advisor in the Semmelweis Society and as director of the Infectious Diseases Module in the preclinical years.
Dr. Armstrong received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1994. She completed her internal medicine internship, residency, chief residency and infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Michigan.
As of August 2021, Dr. Armstrong reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Armstrong serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- Centers for Disease Control/ Health Resources and Services Administration, Member, Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment, receiving honoraria.
- Infectious Diseases Society of America, Board Member, receiving reimbursement for travel expenses.
- Massachusetts Medical Society, receiving compensation for New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch summaries.
Erin Bonura, MD
Dr. Bonura received her medical degree from Georgetown University in 2006. Following medical school, she completed her internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and New York University where she became board certified in Internal Medicine and was also named Chief Resident. Subsequently, Dr. Bonura continued her postgraduate training at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and attained board certification in Infectious Diseases.
Given her passion for medical education she completed a second fellowship at OHSU in General Internal Medicine and completed her Master's degree in Clinical Research with a focus on medical education methods and outcomes in the undergraduate and graduate settings. In addition to her scholarship, Dr. Bonura has taken on a number of education leadership roles at OHSU including Thread Director of Microbiology & Immunology for Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) and Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
She is also one of the founding members of the Educators' Collaborative which brings together School of Medicine faculty dedicated to education and furthering this mission at OHSU. In 2019 she became a co-director for the Education Scholars Program, a year long course dedicated to training the next generation of scholars in health sciences education.
As of June 2022, Dr. Bonura reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Bonura serves in significant roles with the following organization, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- Infectious Diseases Society of America, chair of education committee and Vice-Chair of the MedEd Community of Practice without compensation.
Dr. Bonura also reported that she serves on the National Board of Medical Examiners infectious disease item-writing committee.
Jorgelina T. de Sanctis, MD, FACP, FIDSA
Dr. de Sanctis is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease. Currently, she is the Program Director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship at Spectrum Health/MSU program in Grand Rapids Michigan.
Previously, Dr. de Sanctis served as Associate Hospital Epidemiologist and staff member of the Infectious disease Division at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. She also served as Associate Staff at the Infectious Disease Department of Cleveland Clinic.
Her research and clinical interest are transplant infectious disease, neuro infectious disease, cardiovascular and device infectious disease and bone and joint infections.
Dr. de Sanctis earned her medical degree from Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina, and an HIV/AIDS master's degree from Universidad de Barcelona in Spain. She completed her internal medicine residency at Hospital Provincial de Rosario in Argentina and the Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center/MSU in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She completed her infectious disease fellowship at William Beaumont Hospital.
As of May 2022, Dr. de Sanctis reported no external relationships.
Sasha Gbedemah, MSN, RN
Ms. Gbedemah is an Infection Prevention Program Manager for Texas Health Harris Methodist -Hurst-Euless-Bedford (HEB). Her current role at Texas Health HEB includes overseeing the Infection Prevention Program in the acute care hospital setting, as well as a standalone Inpatient Behavioral Hospital, and an additional five satellite behavioral health campuses. She also serves as an Infection Prevention consultant for the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network. Prior to her current position in Infection Prevention and Control she worked as a critical care nurse in various nursing specialties. She is board certified by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology.
She serves on the Board for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology - Dallas-Fort-Worth Chapter. Prior to her current role as Board Member, she was Conference Chair for two consecutive years.
Ms. Gbedemah' s interest in infectious disease and epidemiology is ongoing in her current practice. She recently was awarded Frontline Worker of the Year from the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce for all the efforts she put forth during the COVID-19 pandemic for the hospital and the community. She has acquired international experience after completion of a preceptorship in Ghana, West Africa at Korle-Bu Hospital, the largest teaching hospital in the country.
Ms. Gbedemah received her bachelor of arts degree in biology at University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. She earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing at Midwestern State University and a master of science in nursing informatics at Walden University.
As of May 2022, Ms. Gbedemah reported no ongoing external relationships.
Howard Heller, MD
Dr. Heller is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease. He is Associate Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the infectious disease division and is Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. At MGH, Dr. Heller serves on the infectious disease consult service and the Biothreats Response Team, teaching and providing clinical care. He is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Disease Board Exam Committee.
Dr. Heller is chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee ( IACUC) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, teaches in the Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technology (HST) program and previously practiced primary care and Infectious Disease at the MIT Medical Department. Dr. Heller has served as President of the Massachusetts Infectious Disease Society. He has served on several committees of the AIDS Clinical Trial Group of the National Institutes of Health and was co-investigator of several clinical trials.
Dr. Heller received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Columbia College of Columbia University and his medical degree from SUNY-Upstate Medical University, (Syracuse). He trained in internal medicine at North Shore University Hospital/ Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Cornell) and completed a fellowship in infectious diseases at SUNY-Stony Brook. He received a master’s of public health degree from the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. He is a Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America.
As of July 2021, Dr. Heller reported no ongoing external relationships.
Jesse Milan, Jr., JD
Mr. Milan is President & CEO of AIDS United, a national organization focused on ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. through grant-making, policy and advocacy, and capacity building. AIDS United has a 30-year legacy of granting over $113 million, including $8 million currently, to over 250 grantees in 40 states and territories, and the 50 members of its Public Policy Council are the leading HIV organizations in the country. A person living with HIV for over 30 years and a recognized leader in the HIV community, Mr. Milan serves currently as Chair Emeritus on the Black AIDS Institute board of directors, on the Scientific Advisory Board for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), is an officer of the global Funders Concerned About AIDS board, and serves on the Dean's Advisory Council for the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Mr. Milan is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Disease Board.
Mr. Milan is former AIDS Director for the City of Philadelphia and worked 15 years as vice president of two public health consulting firms providing services to Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and National Institutes of Health. He served a five-year appointment as co-chair of the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention, Treatment and Care, and has been designated a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Global HIV/AIDS. Mr. Milan has served as board chair of five non-profit organizations and received numerous honors. He has conducted three speaking tours of Africa for the U.S. State Department; has given hundreds of presentations; and delivered keynote addresses across the U.S. including at the White House.
Mr. Milan is a graduate of Princeton University and the New York University School of Law.
As of April 2022, Dr. Milan reported the following external relationships:
Mr. Milan serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- AIDS United, President and CEO, receiving salary.
- Black AIDS Institute, Chair Emeritus and Secretary of the Board, without compensation.
- Funders Concerned About AIDS, without compensation.
- University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Public Health, without compensation.
- AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, without compensation.
Mr. Milan also serves on the scientific advisory board for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Louis D. Saravolatz, MD
Dr. Saravolatz is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Ascension-St. John Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine (affiliate). He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease. He has practiced infectious diseases in the Detroit area for the last three decades.
Previously, Dr. Saravolatz served as Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency, at St. John Hospital and Division Chief and Fellowship Program Director, Division of Infectious Diseases at the Henry Ford Hospital. He helped develop the AIDS clinical trials program in Detroit along with conducting anti-infective research studies involving more than 25 antimicrobial agents. Dr. Saravolatz has been a section editor for Clinical Infectious Diseases since 2002 and is also an editorial board member for Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice.
Dr. Saravolatz is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Disease Board. He is also an active member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, where he has served as Chair of the Publications Committee and the Antimicrobial Use and Clinical Trials Committee. He is also past President of the Michigan Infectious Disease Society.
Dr. Saravolatz received his bachelor’s degree and medical degree from the University of Michigan. He completed house staff training at the Henry Ford Hospital in internal medicine and an infectious disease fellowship.
As of July 2021, Dr. Saravolatz reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Saravolatz serves in significant roles with the following organization, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- American College of Physicians, Program Committee member, without compensation.