Nemours Health & Prevention Services Announces Appointments

Newark, Delaware - Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NHPS) is pleased to announce the following staff appointments.

John Grabusky, MBA, of Havertown, PA, has been named Director of Marketing Communication, overseeing strategic communication, public relations, web resources, social marketing and advertising. Mr. Grabusky was previously with Comcast, where he was Director of Public Affairs at the corporate office in Philadelphia. His experience also includes positions with the Fox School of Business at Temple University and the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia. Mr. Grabusky earned his MBA at St. Joseph’s University.

George Meldrum, MA, of Wilmington, DE, has joined Nemours as Senior Program and Policy Analyst, with responsibility for overseeing the organization's policy agenda. Mr. Meldrum, who earned his master’s degree from Washington College, was previously the Deputy Director for the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems, Inc. He has extensive experience in policy advocacy and prevention in Delaware through previous roles with the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families and the Delaware Division of Mental Health.

Deborah Neff of Hockessin, DE, has been appointed Program and Policy Analyst. Ms. Neff worked in the district office of Pete du Pont when he was Delaware's U.S. Representative, was the assistant for employment and training while he was Governor, then Deputy Secretary to five cabinet secretaries in the Delaware Department of Labor. Among her responsibilities were strategic and budget planning, researching and analyzing legislative and regulatory issues and developing position statements for policymakers.

David Nichols, MEd, of Peach Bottom, PA, has been appointed Senior Program and Policy Analyst, serving as the lead for the organization's work with schools and middle childhood issues/programs. Mr. Nichols, who holds a master of education degree from Temple University, has more than 25 years of experience working in the Delaware public school system, as a teacher, assistant principal, and supervisor of instruction for the Christina School District. He has served as an instructor at Goldey Beacom College and as an adjunct professor at Wilmington College.

Jeannette Oshitoye, PhD, MPH, has been named Senior Scientist. She was previously an adjunct professor in the Department of Sociology, University of North Texas and, concurrently, an evaluation specialist and project manager for the Dallas Independent School District. During her career, Dr. Oshitoye has managed a wide variety of research projects involving youth and families, including a 2006 evaluation of the youth and family centers in Texas impacted by Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Dr. Oshitoye earned dual master’s degrees, in science applied sociology and in public affairs, as well as her doctor of philosophy degree in public policy and political economy, at the University of Texas at Dallas. Sheobtained her master of public health degree specializing in biostatistics at the University of North Texas Science Center, School of Public Health, Fort Worth.

Tony Ruggiero, MS, of Camden, DE, has joined Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NHPS), as a Survey Scientist, responsible for the development and evaluation of the array of surveys NHPS fields as part of its ongoing research efforts. His prior experience includes working as an analyst and health statistics administrator for the Delaware Department of Education, Christiana Care and the Delaware Health Statistics Center as well as longstanding involvement with KIDS COUNT in Delaware. Mr. Ruggiero completed a master’s degree in applied social research in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at West Virginia University.

Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NHPS), based in Newark, Delaware, works with families and communities to help children grow up healthy. It is the newest division of Nemours, one of the nation's largest pediatric health systems, operating the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and outpatient facilities throughout the Delaware Valley.

NHPS expands Nemours' reach beyond clinical care to consider the health of the whole child within his or her family and community. The organization’s goal is to impact long-term changes in policies and practices that promote child health and to leverage community strengths and resources to have the greatest impact on the most children.

NHPS sees its role as one of catalyst, "planting the seeds for better health" by working with community partners to reach children in a variety of settings. One of its initial areas of emphasis is childhood obesity prevention through promotion of healthy lifestyles.

About Nemours Health & Prevention Services

Nemours Health and Prevention Services, a non-profit organization based in Newark, Delaware, works with families and communities to help children grow up healthy. Its goal is to develop programs, contribute knowledge and impact policies that will build the capacity for child health promotion in Delaware and eventually have value for children nationally. NHPS sees its role as one of catalyst, "planting the seeds for better health" by working with community partners to reach children in a variety of settings. One of its initial areas of emphasis is childhood obesity prevention through promotion of healthy lifestyles. Learn more at www.GrowUpHealthy.org.