Maria Pellerano, MA, MBA, MPH

Maria B. Pellerano, MA, MBA, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers University. With a diverse educational background, including an MPH in Health Education from the School of Public Health at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey in 2009, an MBA in Organizational Development from the Merrick School of Business at the University of Baltimore in 2000, an MA in Art History from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in 1986, and a B.A. in Art History from Douglass College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in 1979, Ms. Pellerano brings a rich perspective to her work.

In her current role, Ms. Pellerano is deeply involved in community health initiatives. She serves as a facilitator for the Alliance for a Healthier New Brunswick, where she plays a pivotal role in coordinating a shared data evaluation project aimed at improving health outcomes in the community. Additionally, Ms. Pellerano serves as the faculty coordinator for the practice management curriculum for the Family Medicine Residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Ms. Pellerano's professional interests center around effective interventions in community and primary care practices that enhance community health outcomes. Her prior experience in environmental and community health has equipped her with a broad understanding of public health issues. Ms. Pellerano is committed to service and is actively involved in various capacities within the medical school and the greater New Brunswick community. She serves on the medical school’s Distinction in Service to the Community advisory committee, volunteers her time, and holds a position on the board of directors of a national environmental health non-profit organization.

Selected Publications
 

• Pellerano, Maria B., Howard, Jenna, Shaw, Eric K., Chase, Sabrina, and Crabtree, Benjamin F. Findings from the Mandarin Focus Group: An Addendum to A Community Needs Assessment for Saint Peter’s University Hospital & Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, September 2013.
   
• Friedman, Asia, Crosson, Jesse C., Howard, Jenna, Clark, Elizabeth, C., Pellerano, Maria, Karsh, Ben-Tzion, Crabtree, Benjamin, Jaén, Carlos Roberto, and Cohen, Deborah J.; A typology of electronic health record workarounds in small-to-medium size primary care practices; Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association; 0: 1-6, 2013 (published online first).
   
• Howard, Jenna, Clark, Elizabeth, C., Friedman, Asia, Crosson, Jesse C., Pellerano, Maria, Crabtree, Benjamin F., Karsh, Ben-Tzion, Jaén, Carlos R., Bell, Douglas S., and Cohen, Deborah J.; Electronic Health Record Impact on Work Burden in Small, Unaffiliated, Community-Based Primary Care Practices; Journal of General Internal Medicine; 28(1): 107-113, 2013.
   
• Chakravarty, Sujoy, Brownlee, Susan, Tong, Jian, Pellerano, Maria B., Howard, Jenna, Shaw, Eric K., Chase, Sabrina, and Crabtree, Benjamin F. A Community Needs Assessment for Saint Peter’s University Hospital & Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital: Findings from the Behavioral Risk Factor & Surveillance System (BRFSS), Hospital Discharge Data, A Community Survey, Key Informant Interviews, and Community Member Focus Groups. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Center for State Health Policy and UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, December 2012.

Selected Service
 

• Reviewer, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, 2013 to present.
• Voting Council Member and Co-Chair Food Economic Development Workgroup, New Brunswick Community Food Alliance, February 2012 to present.
• President, Second Ward Neighborhood Block Club & Crime Watch of New Brunswick, January 2012 to present; Member, 2003 to present.
• Member, Alliance for a Healthier New Brunswick 2010, July 2007 to present.
• Member, Advisory Committee, Distinction in Service to the Community (DISC), Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, November 2006 to present.
• Member, Board of Directors, Center for Health, Environment & Justice, Falls Church, Va., December 2003 to present.

Current Research Projects
 

• Jahn, E. (PI) Johnson & Johnson, Operational Support Healthier New Brunswick Initiative, January to December 2013. Total costs: $80,000.
• Crabtree, BF (PI) Virginia Commonwealth University (subaward), original sponsor Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Engaging Vulnerable Consumers in Developing Useful Public Healthcare Reports, December 2012 to May 2015, Subcontract total costs: $143,185.