Illinois Medicine

class notes News and Updates From Alumni of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Gerald Perman '47, MD '49, was instrumental in starting the Vocal Arts Society program at the Kennedy Center in Washington. A retired board-certified psychiatrist, Perman was in private practice in Washington for more than 20 years. He founded the Vocal Arts Society in 1990 with a mission to present accomplished singers, often in the early stages of their careers, in a full range of repertoire. Since its first season, Vocal Arts DC has tripled its subscriber base and more than doubled its number of classical recital presentations. In 2000, following several years of performances at the French embassy and in celebration of the society's 10th anniversary, Perman was made a chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic. Not long afterwards the Vocal Arts Society was invited to present at the Kennedy Center by president Michael Kaiser, who said, "Gerald Perman has produced one of the great vocal series of the world." '49 John W. Frisch, MD '53, received the Warren H. Cole Distinguished Alumni Award during an alumni gathering last Sept. 20 in Bloomington, Ill. "It was an honor for me because I knew Dr. Cole, and I considered him a close friend," said Frisch of the award, named for a renowned former chair of surgery in the College of Medicine. '53 '77 Geoffrey R. Keyes, MD, Res '77, FACS, was elected president of the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. A plastic surgeon in the Los Angeles Geoffrey R. Keyes, area, Keyes MD, Res '77, FACS was previously secretary, treasurer and a vice president on the association's board. He is currently president of the Los Angeles Society of Plastic Surgeons and treasurer of the Rhinoplasty Society. A graduate of the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, he interned at Barnes Hospital-Washington University in St. Louis and served in two residency training programs at the College of Medicine. Mitchel B. Harris '80, MD '84, is an orthopaedic spine surgeon and the chief of orthopaedic trauma service at Brigham and Women's Hospital's department of orthopaedic surgery in Boston. Harris is also a professor at Harvard Medical School, with clinical specialties in spine and trauma and clinical interests in spinal tumors, spinal arthritis, spinal trauma, general orthopaedic trauma, pen-articular fractures and infections of the bone. After graduating from the College of Medicine, Harris completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He also completed two fellowships, one in orthopaedic spine and trauma at the University of Toronto Sunnybrook Health Science Center, and the second in orthopaedic surgery at the Queen's Medical Centre in England. '84 Marvin R. Balaan, MD, Res '86, FCCP, is the interim director of the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine and fellowship program director at Allegheny General Hospital, West Penn Allegheny Health System in Pittsburgh. He also serves as associate professor at the Temple University School of Medicine. '86 Paul J. Donovan, DO, Res '86, is the college physician of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Health Services medical team, providing physicians' clinics for MCLA students and associated medical services. Donovan has been athletics team physician and athletic training educational program medical director since 2009. Since 1998, Donovan has been an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Massachusetts, and he also is a teaching associate at Williams College. Board-certified in emergency medicine, with advanced qualifications in sports medicine, Donovan is a fellow of the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He earned his DO degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the College of Medicine. Donovan also completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Salt Lake City. He has a private practice at the Ambulatory Care Center at North Adams Regional Hospital. Vesna Pirec, MD, PhD '93, Res '98 Tell us what you're up to! Your classmates are curious about what you are doing. Fill them in by sending your latest news and accomplishments to medcomm@uic. edu, and we'll be sure to include it in the next issue of Illinois Medicine. 38 | Spr i n g 2 0 1 3 Vesna Pirec, MD, PhD '93, Res '98, is the chief medical director at Insight Behavioral Health Centers LLC, a Chicago mental health organization and teaching affiliate of the McGaw Medical Center at Northwestern University. In her new role, Pirec will lead a new program to address '93 Ronald A. Navarro, MD '88, has been listed in Who's Who Among Executives and the LatinoAmerican Who's Who as well as among America's top orthopaedists. Now, he's been appointed the regional coordinating chief of orthopaedic surgery for Southern California Permanente Medical Group. "I will team Ronald A. Navarro, with the orthopaedic MD '88 chiefs of service at each of the 13 Kaiser Permanente medical centers, providing vision and direction so that the more than 200 orthopaedic surgeons in southern California can maximally treat our 3.4 million members," said Navarro, about his new role. Navarro has been an assistant area medical director for surgical services at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center Coastline since 2008. He became a partner with SCPMG in 2000 and was appointed chief of service for orthopaedics soon after. A participant in the Harvard Business School Executive Program, Navarro is coleading a Regional Surgical Readmission Reduction Task Force and received the 2012 Lawrence Patient Safety Award for his work. After obtaining his medical degree from the College of Medicine in Peoria, Navarro completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Harbor General/ UCLA Medical Center and a fellowship in shoulder, arthroscopy and sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to his position at Kaiser, Navarro also serves as a clinical instructor at the Harbor General UCLA Medical Center, providing extensive training for fourth-year orthopaedic students. A runner in 5K and 10K races, Navarro also enjoys skiing in Utah at Deer Valley and spending time with his family. "I have a wonderful wife of 21 years, Jennifer, and the best two daughters, Isabella and Beatrice," he said. "We enjoy life and laugh a lot."

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