Bloustein School announces faculty promotions

June 18, 2020

The Bloustein School is pleased to announce the recent promotion of several school faculty by the Rutgers University Board of Governors. In May, the school announced the promotion of Dr. Mi Shih to associate professor with tenure.

“These promotions are well deserved and reflect the high standards of teaching and research for which the Bloustein School is known,” said Dean Piyushimita (Vonu) Thakuriah. “Congratulations to our colleagues who make the Bloustein community an outstanding school in which to learn and conduct research.”

The following teaching faculty have been promoted to associate teaching professor. Dean Thakuriah noted, “The school could not function without the dedication and expertise of our teaching professors.​ Their devotion to our students makes the Bloustein learning experience unique.”

Dr. Amy Abruzzi has conducted research involving multiple primary cancers as well as on liver cancer associated with HBV or HCV and co-infection with schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease. She also has a general interest in public health informatics as well as the history and philosophy of epidemiology, public health, and medicine.

Dr. Debra Borie-Holtz’s academic research interests include policy formation, implementation and politics, legislative leadership, and governing in the states, regulations, and rulemaking processes, women in government and gendered leadership, as well as methods.

Dr. Alan Cander’s primary research interest is urban redevelopment.  He is particularly concerned with how, in a changing regulatory climate that has attempted to place limits on blight declaration and the use of eminent domain, public and private entities in older or declining cities collaborate in both transparent and non-transparent ways to revalorize contested urban space. 

Dr. Anita Franzione has been in the field of health care for over 30 years working in all sectors of health care from ambulatory care settings to acute care hospitals, nonprofit agencies, long term care organizations, for-profit insurance companies, and quality improvement organizations and in different specialties, including mental health and HIV/AIDS services.  She has broad experience in public health, research, and policy.

Dr. Alexandra Lopez has been training professionals in the counseling and addiction field for over 15 years and travels extensively providing workshops, motivational speaking, and continuing education credits. She has extensive experience in school law and policy.


Dr. Kathe Newman has been promoted to professor with tenure.  Dr. Newman’s research explores urban change, what it is, why it happens, and what it means.  Her research has explored gentrification, foreclosure, urban redevelopment, food security, community economic development and community participation.  Kathe is director of the Ralph W.  Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement at the Bloustein School.

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