2022 Alumni Awards Program
The USU Alumni Association awarded its 2022 Alumni Awards during the Founder’s Day Dinner held on 24 September 2022. Eighteen impressive nominees were considered for the prestigious awards that recognize USU alumni for their military and medical academic contributions, clinical productivity, commitment to the military medical mission, and demonstrated leadership. The following individuals were chosen as the 2022 recipients:
The Uniformed Services University Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to: Jasmine J. Han, Colonel, MC, USA, SOM Class of 2003
A recognized expert in Gynecological Oncology, you have been actively engaged in patient care and research and have served as a mentor and role model to countless students and residents. In the past 12 years, you have been the primary investigator for multiple protocols, and your population data analysis on Human Papilloma Virus and the prevalence of HPV infection in males was directly responsible for changes in the CDC’s recommendations for male vaccination. You have written numerous peer reviewed articles, are a reviewer for six peer reviewed journals, serve on the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s Palliative Care Advisory Task Force, and are a scientific reviewer for the National Cancer Institute’s patient education booklets. Recognizing the need for counselling, support, and translation services for minority cancer patients in your local community, you started the non-profit organization Loving Angels.
The Uniformed Services University Alumni Association Military Medical Service Graduate of the Year Award was awarded to: Timothy M. Quast, Captain, MC, USN, SOM Class of 2002
During the 2010 “Kandahar Surge,” you personally treated over 1100 patients as ICU Director at Kandahar Airfield ROLE III and flew 6 rescue helicopter missions over enemy territory to transport critically wounded patients. While assigned as Executive Officer of NH Rota during the pandemic, you developed over two dozen Director Level Quality Initiatives, including telehealth and a COVID Reconstitution Plan, which are now used as templates for other MTFs. As Commanding Officer of the USNS MERCY (TAH-19), you facilitated the Dynamic Interface Testing of a $10M redesigned flight deck, which is now certified for MV-22 Osprey and doubles patient carrying capacity and range. A recognized leader and educator in Internal Medicine, you established the first ever WRNMMC Internal Medicine Residency Program faculty/housestaff mentorship program and your Medical Corps Career Development Board has been adopted by many MTFs and ensures optimal promotion preparation for Medical Corps officers.
The Uniformed Services University Alumni Association School of Medicine Graduate of the Year Award was awarded to: Kerry Latham, Colonel, MC, USAF, SOM Class of 2000.
A nationally recognized expert on ballistic injuries to the face and management of facial trauma, you developed the Expeditionary Craniofacial Trauma Course and revised the Defense Institute of Medical Operations Curriculum for Partner Nation Education Course portfolio. You have presented at over 30 national and international conferences and your 28 papers and book chapters demonstrate your commitment to clinical care, medical education and faculty development. In recognition of your clinical expertise, you were selected to author the National Plastic Surgery in-service exam taken by all plastic surgery residents annually. In 2020, you were awarded the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Hero Award as Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Shock Trauma. You generously use your skills to help transform the lives of children born with clef palates through voluntary missions with Operation Smile.
The Uniformed Services University Alumni Association Graduate School of Nursing Graduate of the Year Award was awarded to: Michele Ashton Kane, Captain (ret), NC, USN, GSN Class of 2008.
An exceptional leader, researcher, and educator, you provided strategic planning, global policy development, research, and health systems high reliability model development to Military Medicine. You were the first Navy Nurse to develop a collaborative Inter-Professional Academic Practice Partnership Model, which resulted in Project SERVE, a three-year program, which teaches civilian nursing students how to care for wounded warriors returning to civilian communities of care. Your study “Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Tungsten in Muscle Cells (in vitro)” led to the development of the only National Veterans Administration Heavy Metals Screening Program for veterans. As the first Nurse Deputy Chief Medical Officer, you led the joint service transformation and enterprise-wide effort to create the new High Reliability Quality and Safety Infrastructure/Model to reduce cost, increase access to care, and transform policy in the Military Health System that serves 9.6 million beneficiaries.
