RAPS names Ilana Tarasyuk office manager for 2018-19 RAPS’ NEW OFFICE MANAGERis Ilana Tarasyuk. She’s a finance major who was drawn to Portland State by its business school and to RAPS by the opportunity to manage its office. “RAPS was a step up, and I always look for opportunities,” she said. Ilana joined RAPS in June, succeeding Rebecca Butterworth, who is pursuing a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins. Ilana was born in Russia and came to the United States as an infant. She grew up in a Russian-speaking household and entered kindergarten in Vancouver, Washington, not speaking a word of English. “I hated school because I didn’t know what was going on,” she recalled. But she picked up English quickly and remains fluent in Russian. Working for RAPS “is fun and interesting,” Ilana said. “I had a lot of fun organizing the office and getting to know people, so I’m having a blast.” The RAPS office is open during the remainder of the summer and for fall term on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. —Doug Swanson, Co-president Anne-Marie Wood receives 2018-19 RAPS scholarship ANNE-MARIE WOOD is the RAPS scholarship recipient for the 2018-2019 academic year. Ann-Marie is proud to be the first in her family to complete a bachelor's degree. She said that experience expanded her perspectives on economic, political, and sociological issues and added to her understanding of the impact of public health. She plans to ultimately pursue a Ph.D., probably in gerontology, to develop expertise in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to aging populations. She envisions herself as a translator, helping individuals and families to navigate the complexity of our system, particularly focusing on end-of-life concerns. Anne-Marie's desire is to earn the dual MPH/MSW in health management and policy. She wants to help transform geriatric health practices both in the United States and abroad, collaborating with other experts in the field to create best-practice interventions. She has worked for six years at Oregon Health & Science University, currently in the South Waterfront Family Medicine Clinic as a patient access specialist. She said that she has "been privileged to volunteer for organizations in the Portland area which emphasize upstream management of social justice issues." Anne-Marie has expressed her appreciation for our scholarship support, saying that it will allow her to work fewer hours and focus more on her educational pursuits. We look forward to meeting Anne-Marie at our holiday party. —Barbara Alberty, Co-chair, RAPS Scholarship Committee 6
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