Melissa J. Perry named Top 2025 Health Care Innovator by Washington Business Journal

Taylor Thomas — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 14:29:22 +0000

Melissa J. Perry named Top 2025 Health Care Innovator by Washington Business Journal Taylor Thomas Thu, 08/28/2025 - 10:29

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Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS, MBA

The Washington Business Journal has named Melissa J. Perry, renowned environmental and occupational health scientist and inaugural dean of the College of Public Health, to the list of top 12 Health Education Innovators.

Melissa J. Perry, Inagural Dean of the College of Public Health

The Innovator in Health Care award is bestowed annually to Greater Washington’s clinical and business leaders working to solve the industry’s biggest challenges. The honor reflects Perry’s commitment to a technology-first, human-centered approach to public health education.

“This award reflects the commitment and achievements of the faculty and staff in the College of Public Health who strive for innovative solutions to improve public health each day. Together, we reimagine how immersive, interdisciplinary, and globally informed learning experiences can prepare students for health careers. I am deeply honored to represent the college as an innovator in health education,” said Dean Perry.

Under Perry’s leadership, the college has earned national recognition for its technology-enhanced curriculum. She championed the expansion of the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation, a simulation-based workforce development and research center that offers students real-world scenarios to hone their skills before entering the field. From social work students navigating complex client interactions to nursing students providing life-saving care in a virtual hospital, the Lab engages students in technologically driven education singularly available at the college. The college is also the first public health institution in the world to be accredited by the prestigious Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

The college recently became the first in Virginia to be awarded accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health. This accreditation affirms that �鶹��Ƶ's public health programs provide the comprehensive, interdisciplinary training essential for cultivating the next generation of leaders in vital fields such as community health, epidemiology, global health, health policy, and health services research.

A renowned epidemiologist and environmental and reproductive health expert, Perry has been at the forefront of improving population health regionally and globally. Perry champions cross-national public health collaboration and facilitates scientific dialogue that transcends borders. She has published over 170 frequently cited manuscripts, technical reports, book chapters, commentaries, and book reviews that have furthered the field of epidemiology. Her research has been cited over 7,000 times. Perry is also a regular contributor to Psychology Today through her insightful column, The Mindful Epidemiologist. Perry’s impact as a scientist and educator has earned her the title of one of Northern Virginia’s top 50 most influential people, according to Northern Virginia Magazine.

Recently, Perry graduated with an MBA from George �鶹��Ƶ’s Costello College of Business, expanding her expertise to include the cross-section of public health and business strategy.

As a leading voice for innovation, Perry envisions the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation as a place where all College of Public Health students can build cutting-edge skills well into the future.

Topics

College of Public Health

Public health leadership

Leadership

Washington Business Journal

Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation

Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

Faculty and Staff News

Alumni

Sentara leaders explore cutting-edge immersive technologies at George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 18:06:34 +0000

Sentara leaders explore cutting-edge immersive technologies at George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health Mary Cunningham Fri, 03/21/2025 - 14:06

�鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health (CPH) is setting the gold standard for immersive technologies in health care education. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center President Jeff Joyner and Vice President of Operations—and two-time �鶹��Ƶ School of Nursing alumna—Heather Causseaux recently toured the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation, led by Dean Melissa Perry and Chief Innovation Officer Bethany Cieslowski. Their visit underscored Sentara’s interest in strengthening its simulation capabilities and exploring the groundbreaking virtual reality advancements at CPH.

Chief Innovation Officer Bethany Cieslowski, Dean Melissa Perry, Divisional Dean of Nursing Terri Rebmann, and Associate Professor Andrea Landis share the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation with Sentara Vice President of Operations Heather Causseaux, and Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center President Jeff Joyner. Photo by Rene Ayala/CPH

Perry shared her vision for leveraging these tools to enhance learning experiences, preparing students for the complexities of real-world health care scenarios. “As the first College of Public Health to be accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare in 2024, George �鶹��Ƶ is a trailblazer in integrating immersive technologies into interdisciplinary health education,” said Perry.

Cieslowski, Joyner, and Perry discussed the critical role of cross-generational communication skills in modern health care—particularly as virtual nursing becomes more prevalent.

“It’s very common for a nurse on an overnight shift to be early in their career, while a virtual nurse may have 30 years of experience,” said Cieslowski. “Scenarios that help these nurses communicate more effectively during a simulated medical emergency have immense value.”

The lab’s virtual reality (VR) simulations bridge this gap by offering real-world situational awareness in a safe, controlled environment. Students can repeatedly engage in high-pressure scenarios, refining their skills without real-world consequences.

One such example is a pediatric emergency simulation, where students practice managing a rapidly evolving situation—simultaneously calming a distressed parent, addressing the patient’s needs, ordering critical tests like chest X-rays and labs, and coordinating with providers. By merging didactic learning with immersive experiences, students build confidence and competence in handling complex medical events.

Vice President of Operations Heather Causseaux experiences a virtual reality nursing simulation in George �鶹��Ƶ's Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation. Photo by Rene Ayala/CPH

“The experience that students will gain in �鶹��Ƶ’s Lab for Immersive Technologies will help them effectively respond in real-time to the complex situations they will face in the field, and ultimately, lead to improved patient outcomes,” said Causseaux. “Students will have greater confidence based on these innovative tools that are transforming health care.”

As Sentara explores opportunities to further integrate immersive technologies, the partnership with the College of Public Health presents an exciting opportunity to elevate health care education across the industry. With cutting-edge technology, visionary leadership, and a commitment to innovation, George �鶹��Ƶ is shaping the future of interprofessional health education—one immersive experience at a time.