RailRiders Community Home Run Derby The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are proud to partner with T-Mobile for the Community Home Run Derby at 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, July 29, at PNC Field. 100 participants will have the chance to swing for the fences to win great prizes from T-Mobile and the RailRiders. “We are looking forward to bringing this great, new event to PNC Field,” said Katie Beekman, the General Manager of the RailRiders. “T-Mobile is a tremendous partner, including their support of our Hometown Heroes program and now this Community Home Run Derby. We really do think fans will have a great time with this new event and the chance to hit home runs like our RailRiders.” Registration is open to the first 20 participants in five age groups: 16-19, 20-24, 25-30, 31-35 and ages 36 & up. Each participant will receive 15 swings and a variety of targets will be placed around the field with points accrued based on distance. The top three point-winners from each category will move on to the final round. One champion will be crowned in each of the five age groups. Hopeful participants can register now and contestants will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis based on age groupings. Visit swbrailriders.com now to register on the T-Mobile Community Home Run Derby page. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is playing in Worcester through July 4 and opens a seven-game, six-day set against the Syracuse Mets on July 6. Single-game tickets for the upcoming homestand are available now online at swbrailriders.com.
Geisinger Names Dr. Christa Lese Martin Chief Scientific Officer Geisinger has named Christa Lese Martin, Ph.D., its chief scientific officer. Dr. Martin, the founding director of Geisinger’s Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute (ADMI), will lead Geisinger’s systemwide clinical research initiatives, including more than 500 research faculty and staff members specializing in precision health, genomics, data science, population health, implementation science, health services, bioethics, and clinical trials. “Our vision at Geisinger is to learn from every patient to maximize better health for all,” Dr. Martin said. “Geisinger has a long history—more than 100 years—of excellence in research, and I look forward to leading us into the next phase as we integrate our research discoveries into routine clinical care.” Dr. Martin brings extensive experience in clinical and research genetics to the role. Before joining Geisinger in 2013, she was an associate professor in the Department of Human Genetics at Emory University and operations director of Emory Genetics Clinical Laboratory. Throughout her career, her research has taken a “genetics-first” approach to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia, with a goal of developing precision health-driven treatments. Under her leadership, Geisinger’s Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute has grown to serve more than 9,000 patients and their families, leveraging leading-edge clinical research to improve outcomes for patients with developmental conditions. She is also part of the leadership team for the MyCode Community Health Initiative, Geisinger’s groundbreaking precision health program. In 2018, she was named associate chief scientific officer (CSO) at Geisinger and has served as interim CSO since December. Dr. Martin has played a leading role in developing Geisinger as a learning health system, bridging research discoveries and clinical medicine and bringing precision health into everyday care. Today, Geisinger is home to more than 1,000 ongoing research studies, including clinical trials, and Geisinger faculty and staff published more than 750 papers and articles in 2020. The Research Institute receives more than $41 million in external funding annually. Dr. Martin received her Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University and completed her Ph.D. in Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago’s Department of Human Genetics, where she remained on faculty as an assistant professor and director of the Clinical Cytogenetics Laboratory before joining Emory University in 2004. Dr. Martin is a principal investigator of several National Institutes of Health-funded awards, including the Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) and Genes to Mental Health (G2MH) consortia. She serves on multiple national committees, including the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Secondary Findings Working Group, which she co-chairs. She is board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) as a clinical genetics laboratory director. In 2019, she was invited to join the prestigious Carol Emmott Fellowship program for women leaders in healthcare.
Rally for Restaurants: E-commerce Workshop Lackawanna College has been awarded a $150,000 CARES Technology Assistance Grant to support an initiative that will create e-commerce solutions for struggling Scranton restaurants. This funding will be used to support 36 restaurants in the Lackawanna College Rally for Restaurants: E-commerce Edition presented by the Venture Lab. Participants in the program will be able to: Launch websitesCreate online ordering systemsReceive training on how to use digital media to boost sales Restaurants who complete the program will receive one year of ongoing and cost-free tech support through the Lackawanna College Venture Lab for marketing, online ordering, social media, and the restaurant’s website. How to participate: RSVP to the e-commerce workshop hosted locally at the Venture Lab inside Lackawanna College. Can’t attend the workshop? Send an email to venturelab@lackawanna.edu with your first and last name, business name and state your interest in the Lackawanna College Rally for Restaurants: E-commerce Edition.
PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Independence Day Holiday The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, July 3, through Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2021 is available online. Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews and like the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot/.
Mohegan Sun Pocono Gets Ready to Celebrate Hot Summer Fun 2021 Mohegan Sun Pocono (MSP) is gearing up for the most thrilling time of year with Hot Summer Fun promotions and activities. From July 1st through August 31st, MSP guests can take part in exciting giveaways and drawings as well as double up on Status Points every Monday, catch incredible tribute bands every Thursday, win up to $10,000 every Friday and more. Beginning July 1st, Mohegan Sun Pocono will feature the $250,000 Blackbeard’s Bounty Giveaway where Momentum members can take part in a gaming promotion akin to a popular fast food restaurant’s Monopoly game. Throughout the month, Momentum members will receive game piece stickers each day they earn at least two Status Points to complete their Blackbeard’s Bounty Treasure Map. The first Momentum member to complete their full Blackbeard’s Bounty Treasure Map wins $25,000! Stickers can be printed at the two Blackbeard’s Bounty Kiosks located next to the Promotions booth and on July 31st, join Mohegan Sun Pocono for the second chance, Walk the Plank giveaway, for your chance to win $10,000 cash! July 1st – August 31st: Every Monday brings the opportunity for Double Status Points at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Momentum members just need to play their favorite poker game, slot machine or table game and their Status Points will double for that day! Join us Monday, July 5th for a Double-Double, where Momentum members will earn 2X Status Points and Momentum dollars by playing their favorite game. On Tuesdays, Momentum members can bring a friend to sign up for Momentum, and both friends will receive $10.00 in Free Slot Play. A free Hot Summer Fun 2021 t-shirt giveaway will also be taking place every Wednesday in July and August. The first 500 Momentum members to earn at least one Status Point will be eligible to receive the t-shirt, which will be a different color each week. Visit each week to collect all eight! Thursdays during Hot Summer Fun are certain to be a crowd pleaser. The always exhilarating Party on the Patio takes place every Thursday night through early September, featuring incredible tribute bands playing outside at the racetrack apron on the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. As a bonus, guests who wear their HOT SUMMER FUN 2021 t-shirt on Thursdays will receive $20.00 in Free Slot Play! Guests who are wearing any Mohegan Sun Pocono HOT SUMMER FUN tee will also receive $10.00. Thursdays (and Fridays) will also allow Momentum members playing Blackjack from 2:00pm -10:00pm to gain entry into the weekly $5,000 Suit Yourself drawing set to take place on Saturday’s in July. Fridays during July & August will also feature a Spin it to Win it Giveaway, where Momentum members on-property will be randomly selected to try their hand at spinning and winning major prizes, with a top prize of $10,000 in cash! Saturdays will offer Momentum members one final day to gain entry into the Suit Yourself Sweepstakes by playing Blackjack from 2:00-10:00pm. At 10:30pm on Saturdays, a drawing will take place that will leave one lucky guest walking away with $5,000 in cash. (If this prize is not claimed, it rolls over to the following week). *The Suit Yourself Giveaway only takes place in the month of July Rounding out the week-long Hot Summer Fun 2021 promotions is the Play & Eat promo, where guests who earn four Status Points can print a $15.00 dining voucher at any Promotional Kiosk. Throughout August at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Momentum members can also take part in the $250,000 Surfing for Cash Giveaway. This gaming promotion allows guests who earn five Status Points to print a voucher at any Promotional Kiosk and register at the Promotions booth for a chance at taking home the top prize of $250,000 in cash. Mohegan Sun Pocono’s Momentum rewards program is free-to-sign-up on-site at Mohegan Sun Pocono’s Player’s Club booth. Momentum is a 21+ program, and allows guests to quickly elevate their status, which comes with added rewards. More information is available at mohegansunpocono.com/momentum
Geisinger’s Karen Murphy Among ‘50 Most Influential Clinical Executives’ Karen Murphy, Ph.D., R.N., executive vice president, chief innovation officer and founding director of the Steele Institute for Health Innovation at Geisinger, has been selected as one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives for 2021, and has been named a 2021 Changemaker in Health by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Modern Healthcare’s annual list of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives recognizes leaders who are paving the way to better health through innovation, community service and achievements inside and outside of their respective organizations. Murphy was recognized for the Steele Institute’s leading role in Geisinger’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including early contact tracing efforts, automation and vaccine distribution. Murphy and her team also used the pandemic as an opportunity to reimagine how care could and should be delivered in the future. This year’s class includes Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The inaugural HIMSS Changemaker in Health awards recognize 11 inspiring healthcare executives who challenge the status quo in their journeys to build a brighter health future. The awards celebrate innovative individuals as they lead change in their pursuit to improve care by harnessing the power of information and technology. Awardees were chosen by public online voting. “I am honored and humbled to be selected for these awards among my colleagues,” Dr. Murphy said. “Every day I’m fortunate to work with an incredible team of transformational and innovative people in an organization that inspires us to build a better future for our patients and communities.” Under Dr. Murphy’s direction, Geisinger’s Steele Institute is making health easier by developing leading-edge solutions that slow rising costs, improve quality and increase access to healthcare. Working with teams in digital transformation, robotic process automation, machine learning, behavioral economics and data enterprise, the Steele Institute builds solutions to improve overall health, patient experience, care delivery and affordability. Most recently, the Steele Institute launched ConnectedCare365, an innovative care delivery model for patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, heart failure and hypertension. Currently a pilot program, this first-of-its-kind virtual care delivery platform uses remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence and powerful data analysis tools to improve patient outcomes. Throughout her career, Dr. Murphy has worked to improve and transform healthcare delivery in the public and private sectors. Before joining Geisinger, she served as Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, addressing the most significant health issues facing the state, including developing an innovative payment and delivery model for rural hospitals. Prior to her role as secretary, Dr. Murphy served as director of the State Innovation Models Initiative at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and as president and chief executive officer of Moses Taylor Health Care System. For more information about Geisinger’s Steele Institute for Health Innovation, visit geisinger.org/innovation-steele-institute.
Marywood University Students Organize Food Donation Drive Marywood University students, Katelyn Gjini, Ramsey, N.J., president of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter, and Nicole Koestler, vice president of the NSSLHA chapter at the University, recently organized a food donation drive for Marywood University’s Pacer Panty. Miscellaneous food, snacks, and personal hygiene/toiletry items were donated to the Pacer Pantry with the support of students and faculty in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. The Pacer Pantry opened on the University’s campus in February 2020 on the ground floor of Emmanuel Hall. Various Marywood University departments, deans, faulty/staff members, student groups, and Friends of the Poor (a sponsored ministry of the IHM Congregation) collaborated to make the Pacer Pantry a reality. Sister Elizabeth McGill, IHM, an IHM novice and a Marywood graduate, headed the project. Food insecurity is a growing concern on college campuses throughout the country. Marywood’s local response to this nationwide issue is the Pacer Pantry, a name chosen by Marywood students, to benefit students and staff who may struggle with food insecurity. Fighting hunger—whether on a global scale or right in one’s own community—requires awareness. Advocacy and action are a part of the solution, but the fact that food insecurity is a real problem that exists on college campuses across the nation is eye opening for many. The NSSLHA Chapter at Marywood University is a student-run organization that is an active part of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department and is in affiliation with the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. The NSSLHA Chapter at Marywood collaborates with the University’s Student Government Association, and has participated in many departmental as well as campus-wide activities and events. For additional information about Marywood University’s Pacer Pantry, please email PacerPantry@marywood.edu, or visit marywood.edu/article/2020-Pacer-Pantry-Open-House. For additional information about Marywood University’s Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, please visit marywood.edu/csd/, or call the office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234.
Providence Engineering Hires Rebecca C. Thompson Providence Engineering is pleased to welcome Rebecca C. Thompson to the firm. Becky has joined Providence’s Business Development team and will be responsible for developing new business opportunities throughout Pennsylvania. With more than 15 years of experience in the AEC industry, Becky brings an informed and thoughtful approach to business development. She is extremely adept at collaborating with owners, builders and designers in order to drive value to projects from the outset. Becky’s commitment to the AEC industry, especially in Central PA, has garnered many longstanding relationships. Becky holds a Bachelor and Master of Architectural Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. “I’m very excited to welcome Becky to Providence,” says David Bernhardt, President. “Her professionalism and depth of experience make her a great fit for the Providence team. I look forward to working with her to continue making a positive impact on the built environment.”
