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Welcome Dr. Kate Ascetta to the Department!

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Portrait of Kate Ascetta

The UConn Department of Public Health Sciences is excited to announce the addition of Dr. Kate Ascetta to our faculty. Dr. Ascetta serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (CT UCEDD), where she coordinates technical assistance for higher education faculty through the Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center (ECIPC). She also holds a joint appointment as an Assistant Professor in Public Health Sciences at UConn’s School of Medicine.

Dr. Ascetta’s scholarship focuses on the critical role of quality teacher preparation programs and professional development in strengthening the early childhood intervention workforce. With expertise in program of study development within institutions of higher education, she works to ensure future educators are equipped to make meaningful impacts in their communities.

A defining feature of Dr. Ascetta’s work is her commitment to equity. She has built strong community partnerships that elevate voices from traditionally underrepresented groups, ensuring systems of change are designed with communities rather than for them. Her approach reflects the Department of Public Health Sciences’ dedication to inclusive, collaborative solutions in public health.

We are proud to welcome Dr. Ascetta to our department and look forward to the innovation, leadership, and passion she brings to public health at UConn.

Explore more about our faculty and programs here: https://health.uconn.edu/public-health-sciences/

Distinguished Career Award Recipient – Jennifer Sussman

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jenn sussman and the person in the patterned jacket is the Deputy Commissioner of DMHAS DMHAS (Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services), Colleen Harrington, and the person in the yellow sweater is Sarju Shah, Director of the DMHAS Prevention and Health Promotion Division, which funds CPES.

Jennifer Sussman, Research Associate II, received a Distinguished Career Award at the Connecticut Prevention Summit on September 9th, 2025, that brought together state agency and prevention stakeholders from across the state. Jennifer was awarded this because of her decades of work to make data more accessible to state, regional, and community partners to aid in substance use prevention services planning, implementation, and sustainability. She has been an integral part of our department’s team as the coordinator of the Center for Prevention Evaluation and Statistics. A well-deserved award, congrats to Jenn!