Congratulations to the 2025 Alumni Award recipients. We are proud to recognize their professional achievements and contributions to medicine, and honor them as representatives of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

One of our most fundamental tenets is the strength and spirit of our alumni community, which has proven true now more than ever before. Together, we all share in the pursuit of excellence—in our work and in supporting one another. We recognize this year’s Alumni Award recipients for exemplifying that pursuit and celebrate their commitment to the values that define a Temple Made physician: exceptional care for their patients, generosity of spirit and a passion for serving others.

Dr. Aletha Maybank, MD ’00, MPH
PAGE M. AND HENRY P. LAUGHLIN ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

Dr. Aletha Maybank, MD ’00, MPH, is an award-winning physician and nationally recognized leader in public health, health equity, and preventive medicine. She recently served as the Chief Health Equity Officer and Senior Vice President for the American Medical Association (AMA).  

Throughout her career, Dr. Maybank has distinguished herself by uniting often siloed sectors and organizations within public health to foster inclusive, equitable dialogue and planning for meaningful change. Her frameworks for advancing health equity have been adopted globally and are recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Dr. Maybank is a pioneer in launching ‘start-up’ centers and offices for health equity within various health institutions, including the Suffolk County and NYC Health Department, ensuring that equity is integrated into organizational policies and practices. Her success in this area led to her being invited to advise the CDC during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic on strengthening its internal equity infrastructure. 

Her expertise extends across several critical areas, including maternal and infant health, gun violence, mental health, chronic disease, and neighborhood planning for health improvement. She is also a dedicated educator, having taught medical and public health students on topics such as health inequities, public health leadership, and community organizing. 

Dr. Maybank is a prominent public figure, appearing on platforms like Oprah, MSNBC, and PBS. She co-founded the "We Are Doc McStuffins" movement in 2012, inspired by the Disney Junior character, and has received numerous accolades, including a Telly Award for her work on "Racism & Health in US Medicine."  

She serves on several nonprofit boards, including Race Forward and the Journal of Medical Regulation, and was appointed to the U.S. Defense Health Board by the Biden Administration. In addition to being recognized as the Lewis Katz School of Medicine’s 2025 Alumna of the year, Maybank’s outstanding contributions have also earned her awards from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the American College of Preventive Medicine. 

Kathleen V. Greatrex, MD ’90
MEDICAL ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

Kathleen V. Greatrex, MD ’90 is a distinguished physician and expert in breast imaging with a strong commitment to both clinical excellence and community education.  

Guided by the loss of her mother, Rose Greatrex, to breast cancer in her second year of medical school, Dr. Greatrex has dedicated her career to raising awareness about breast cancer, prevention and early dedication throughout South Jersey.  

Currently, Dr. Greatrex holds the position of Clinical Assistant Professor of Breast Imaging in the Department of Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she continues her work in both education and patient care.  

Dr. Greatrex’s contributions to medicine have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition as a Top Doctor in Philadelphia Magazine. Her efforts to educate women and promote mammogram screenings have also been honored with the Women of Purpose award from the City of Camden and a Special Congressional Recognition, along with a Joint Legislative Commendation from the State of New Jersey. She played a critical role in developing the Breast Cancer Symposium, a program supported by the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Appointed by the governor, Dr. Greatrex has served on the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners since 2018. 

A 1990 graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. Greatrex was elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She completed her Diagnostic Radiology Residency at Temple University Hospital and further honed her expertise with a Fellowship in Breast and Body Imaging at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. 

Dr. Greatrex has served on the Lewis Katz School of Medicine’s Medical Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2022.  

Harris M. Nagler, MD ’75, FACS
MEDICAL ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Harris M. Nagler, MD ’75, FACS, is a distinguished urologist and academic leader. He currently serves as Professor of Urology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and as the Medical Director of the Smith Institute for Urology at Lenox Hill.  

Other leadership roles have included President of Beth Israel Medical Center, Chief of Graduate Medical Education/Academic Affairs and Program Director of the Urology residency-training program, and Chief Medical Officer, Physician-in-Chief and Professor of Urology at both Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein School of Medicine. 

His clinical expertise is focused on male infertility and erectile dysfunction, areas in which he has made significant contributions as both a clinician and researcher. Dr. Nagler has received numerous honors throughout his career, including recognition in New York Magazine's Best Doctors list and The New York Times Super Doctors. He has also been named one of the "Best Doctors in the U.S." and included in Becker’s list of key hospital leaders. 

A respected researcher, he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Nagler has received prestigious awards such as the Drs. Harold and Goldman Lampert Award for Excellence in Clinical Research and the Russell Lavengood Award for Distinguished Service from the American Urological Association. Since 2019 he has served as the President of the Urology Care Foundation. 

Dr. Nagler is an emeritus member of the Lewis Katz School Board of Visitors and was previously recognized as the Page M. and Henry P. Laughlin Alumnus of the Year in 2015. 

Mary T. Pronovost, MD ’90
HONORED PROFESSOR AWARD

Mary T. Pronovost, MD ’90 is a board-certified general surgeon with subspecialty expertise in breast disease and over three decades of clinical, academic, and leadership experience. After completing medical school at Temple,  Dr. Pronovost completed her general surgery residency at Temple University Hospital and a fellowship in breast diseases at Boston University Medical Center. 

She has held leadership roles at institutions across the Northeast, including Medical Director of the Norma Pfriem Breast Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital in Connecticut, and currently serves as Surgical Director of the Breast Center at Temple University Hospital. Dr. Pronovost is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, where she also plays a pivotal role in medical education as associate program director for the third-year clerkship, as well as serving on the school’s admissions committee. 

Nationally recognized for her contributions to breast cancer care, she is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncologists, and the Philadelphia College of Physicians. Her research and publications focus on surgical oncology, disparities in breast cancer treatment, and innovations in reconstructive surgery. She has led numerous multidisciplinary symposia and serves as Course Director of Temple’s Breast Tumor Board. 

Honored for both teaching and clinical excellence, Dr. Pronovost is a recipient of the W. Emory Burnett Award for excellence in teaching in addition to being named the 2025 Honored Professor by the Katz Medical Alumni Association. Her career reflects a lifelong commitment to compassionate patient care, medical education, and advancing the field of breast surgery. 

Rushani Weerasooriya Saltzman, MD’05
EMERGING LEADER AWARD

Rushani Weerasooriya Saltzman, MD’05 is a highly accomplished Pediatric Allergist and Immunologist who has made significant contributions to both clinical care and research.  

Board certified in Pediatrics and Allergy/Immunology (A/I), Dr. Saltzman is an Attending Physician at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  She has written and implemented successful desensitization protocols for milk and egg allergies, garnering recognition from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and she continues to contribute to cutting-edge studies in the field. In 2019, she received the prestigious Alan R. Cohen Master Clinician Award from the CHOP Department of Pediatrics for her clinical excellence.  

In 2022, Dr. Saltzman was appointed as Associate Medical Director for Patient and Family Experience at CHOP, where she leads initiatives to improve patient care. She is passionate about teaching, mentoring, and sharing her expertise through lectures and workshops both locally and internationally. Her work as course director for the Pediatric A/I Seminar with the Open Medical Institute, American Austrian Foundation, and Alianza Médica para la Salud has taken her to Latin America and Europe.  

Dr. Saltzman was a member of the inaugural class of “Temple MedScholars” a combined BS/MD program. She graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Biochemistry and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year. During her time in medical school at Temple, Dr. Saltzman was awarded the Waldo Nelson Prize for Pediatrics. 

Matthew Watto, MD, RES ’13, FACP
DISTINGUISHED RESIDENT ALUMNI AWARD

Matthew Watto, MD, RES ’13, FACP is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College and faculty in the Internal Medicine Residency at Abington Hospital – Jefferson Health, where he also serves as Director of Faculty Development and leads the curriculum for Addiction and Pain Medicine. A dedicated clinician educator, Dr. Watto is recognized for his innovative teaching and curriculum development, and has earned numerous teaching awards throughout his career, including multiple Golden Apple Awards and Faculty Teacher of the Year honors. 

Dr. Watto is a co-Founder and CEO of The Curbsiders Podcast Network, a leading medical education platform known for its high-yield, evidence-based content across multiple disciplines. As co-host of the flagship show, The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast, he has helped grow the platform to more than 450 episodes, with millions of downloads and widespread use in medical education nationally. He also serves as executive producer for The Cribsiders (Pediatrics), Curbsiders Addiction Medicine, and Curbsiders Teach, a faculty development podcast supported by the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM). These programs integrate CME/MOC credit opportunities and reflect Dr. Watto’s commitment to advancing free, open-access medical education and lifelong learning. 

A former active duty Staff Internist in the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Watto held academic appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and the Uniformed Services University. He has served as a visiting professor at leading institutions including Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, and Emory, and continues to speak nationally on clinical medicine, medical education, and podcasting in academic settings. 

Dr. Watto received his BS in Human Physiology and his MD from Boston University. He completed his internal medicine residency at Temple University Hospital and has pursued additional training in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and clinical teaching. 

Paul N. Williams, MD, RES ‘13, FACP
DISTINGUISHED RESIDENT ALUMNI AWARD

Paul N. Williams, MD, RES ‘13, FACP is a Professor of Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine and a nationally-recognized leader in medical education and digital scholarship. He is best known as co-host of The Curbsiders, a multi-award-winning medical education podcast with a global audience and over 30 million downloads. Through The Curbsiders, Dr. Williams has helped translate complex clinical topics into engaging, evidence-based conversations that reach 200,000 monthly listeners worldwide. 

Dr. Williams earned his BS in Biology, cum laude, from York College of Pennsylvania and his MD from Drexel University College of Medicine. He completed his residency and chief residency in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital, where he later served as Associate Professor and held multiple key educational leadership roles. His work at Temple included directing the Primary Care track of the Internal Medicine residency, leading clinical skills education, and earning multiple teaching awards, including the Golden Apple and Outstanding Ambulatory Educator. 

Since joining Penn State in 2023, Dr. Williams has continued to drive innovation in internal medicine education as an educator and outpatient clinician. He also remains a frequent national speaker, delivering invited talks and grand rounds on topics ranging from social media in medicine to musculoskeletal ultrasound and opioid use disorder. His scholarly work includes peer-reviewed publications on podcasting in medical education and discharge transitions, among others 

Dr. Williams is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and the Society of Addiction Medicine. Passionate about democratizing medical education, his work bridges the traditional academic world with emerging platforms that empower learners everywhere.