Congratulations to the seven DFMCH faculty who received promotions this academic year! Faculty in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health are employed within six distinct career tracks.
Amy Grelle, MD – Clinical Associate Professor
Grelle epitomizes the tenets of family medicine; she provides excellent clinical care for all ages and in all settings and is engaged in the community that she not only serves, but was raised and lives in. Grelle understands and is passionate about the importance of education and she extends her knowledge, skills, and passion to medical students and physician assistant students. She has worked at the Cross Plains family medicine clinic for 26 years and has served as its clinical care site lead since 2021.
Paul Hunter, MD – Professor (CHS)
Hunter’s work has influenced human health through his expertise in public health and advocacy for appropriate implementation of national vaccine schedules before and during the pandemic. The policy and guidelines he has helped lead have enhanced prevention practices while also reducing vaccine hesitancy in our most vulnerable populations. Hunter has served in many within DFMCH and throughout the state; highlights include City of Milwaukee Health Department associate medical director, Wisconsin Research and Education Network (WREN) medical director, and the Wisconsin Academy of Rural Medicine’s (WARM) associate director for public health and community projects.
David Kunstman, MD – Clinical Professor
Kunstman’s expertise in information systems has been invaluable to the implementation of electronic health record improvements throughout the UW Health system. As a practicing family physician, he sees the challenges and benefits of the electronic health record and works diligently to help implement clinical improvements. To this end, he is leading initiatives to improve EHR processes and protocols aimed at eliminating unnecessary tasks and duplicative work that places an undue burden on clinicians. Kunstman is board-certified in clinical informatics and served most recently as the UW Health interim chief medical information officer.
Evan O. Nelson, PT, DPT, PhD – Associate Professor (CHS)
Nelson primarily works with the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. His research focuses on patient-reported outcomes and expands on the work he did as a doctoral student when he developed the University of Wisconsin Running Injury and Recovery Index (UWRI). The UWRI is used worldwide as a running-specific patient-reported outcome measure that is used to evaluate perceived running ability following a running-related injury and as an outcome measure in research studies. In addition to being a uniquely trained clinician-scientist physical therapist, he is an outstanding educator who readily incorporates innovative, evidence-based teaching methods.
Christa Pittner-Smith, MD – Clinical Associate Professor
Pittner-Smith, a two-time UW Health Patient and Family Experience Provider Champion award winner, provides collaborative care for her patients that includes them in their care. She uses her strong clinical skills to teach first and second-year medical students in the Phase 1 Preceptorship and rotating third-year students in the Chronic and Preventive Care block. Pittner-Smith has worked at the Cottage Grove family medicine clinic for eight years and has served as its clinical care site lead since 2016.
Jill Maria Thein-Nissenbaum, PT, DSc, SCS, ATC – Professor (CHS)
Thein-Nissenbaum is recognized nationally as a clinical expert in the collaborative care of collegiate athletes and continues to pioneer new treatment ideas and interventions within the Department of Athletics, working collaboratively with the athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches. Her work has redefined how athletic trainers and physical therapists can work collaboratively to improve the healthcare of athletes. Thein-Nissenbaum’s contributions to identifying opportunities for working together led to being selected for the joint task force between the American Physical Therapy Association and the National Athletic Trainers Association.
Sue Wenker, PT, PhD, MS – Associate Professor (CHS)
Wenker fosters a sense of belonging by creating a positive learning environment where student voices are heard and they feel invited to share their perspectives. In 2020 the American Physical Therapy Association awarded her the Academy of Geriatrics Joan Mills Service award (the highest recognition the academy bestows) and the Distinguished Educator Award. In 2021 she received the UW SMPH Dean’s Teaching Award. Wenker currently serves as the UW Doctor of Physical Therapy program director.
Published: March 2023