Gina Pistulka, RN, PhD, MSN, MPH
Board Chair

 
Dr. Gina Pistulka is Division Manager at Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health Department.

Dr. Pistulka formerly served as Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Director of Clinical Services at Mary's Center in Washington DC, a federally qualified health center with over 14,000 patients each year, whose clients are predominantly Hispanic. Dr. Pistulka supervises all operations in Mary's Center's three sites, two in the District of Columbia and one in Maryland, with more than 30 staff members. In addition, she is a member of the Primary Care Coalition in Maryland and DC, representing Mary's Center. Dr. Pistulka has years of clinical and community experience and is an experienced educator and community health nurse in the areas of cardiovascular health promotion (diabetes, high blood pressure), primarily working with Hispanic and other recent immigrant populations such as Hmong and Korean. Her practice includes program evaluation, community mobilization and advocacy, and clinical care quality monitoring. Dr. Pistulka is a founding member of the Truth About Nursing and its predecessor, The Center for Nursing Advocacy.

She lives in Minnesota with her son.

Education

2007  --  PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland

2002  --  MSN, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland

2002  --  MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

1993  --  BAN, University of St. Thomas; St. Paul, Minnesota
 

Positions

Oct 2006 - present  --  Senior Director of Clinical Services, Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc., Washington, DC

Nov 2005 - Dec 2005  --  Johnson & Johnson Community Healthcare Program Proposal Reviewer

Jan 2005 - Jun 2005  --  Teaching Assistant/Clinical Instructor, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.

Jan 2004 - Mar 2004  --  Teaching Assistant, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Jun 2002 - Aug 2002  --  RN Supervisor.  Migrant Health Services, Inc., Olivia, MN.

May 1998 - May 2000  --  Diabetes Educator. West Side Community Health Services, St. Paul, MN.

Mar 1996 - Dec 1997  --  Coordinator. Project Ak' Tenamit, Rio Dulce, Guatemala, Central America.

Jul 1993 - Feb 1996  --  Public Health Nurse. Wadena County Public Health Department, Wadena, MN.
 

Honors and Awards

1989-1990, 1991-1992  --  Emma Winkleman Nursing Scholarship
 
1990 & 1992, 1993  --  Deans List, University of St. Thomas
 
1993  --  Nominee, College of St. Catherine Honor Society and Recognition
 
1997  --  Volunteer Recognition, Project Ak' Tenamit, Rio Dulce, Guatemala, Central America
 
Jul. 2000 - Dec. 2001  --  Fellow, Bush Foundation Leadership Fellowship
 
Jan. 2002 - Aug. 2002  --  Recipient, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Scholarship
 
May 2002  --  Recipient, Sigma Theta Tau Annual Research Award, Nu Beta Chapter
 
Sep. 2002 - Aug. 2004  --  Recipient, Health Disparities in Underserved Populations Fellowship
 
Sep. 2003 - Aug. 2008  --  Recipient, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award
 
Sep. 2003 - May 2005  --  Johnson & Johnson Evaluation Scholar, Johnson & Johnson Community Program
 
Jun. 2004 - Aug. 2004  --  International Scholar, MHIRT/Global Health Promotion Research Program, South Korea

Professional Organizations

1993 - present  --  Member, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
 
1993 - 1995  --  Member, Local and National, American Association of University Women
 
1995  --  Vice President, Local Chapter, American Cancer Society, Wadena, Minnesota
 
2000 - present  --  Member, American Public Health Association
 
2000 - 2001  --  Committee Chair, Member, JB Grant International Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
 
2000 - 2002  --  Member, Health and Human Rights, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
 
2001 - 2005  --  Board Member, The Center for Nursing Advocacy
 
2003 - 2007  --  Member, American Association of Diabetes Educators
 
2004 - 2006  --  Member, Council for the Advancement of Nursing
 
2007  --  Member, District of Columbia Primary Care Association, Standards of Care Committee
 
2007 - present  --  Member, Project Advisory Board, The Catholic University of America School of Nursing: Latino Nursing Career Opportunity Grant, Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health, Community/Public Health Nurse Specialist Educator
 
2007  --  Member of the Community Advisory Committee for the International Conference on Urban Health 2007, Baltimore, MD
 
2007 - present  --  Member, District of Columbia Primary Care Association, Standards of Care Committee
 
2008 - present  --  Member, Quality Transformation Series, District of Columbia Primary Care Association
 
2008 - present  --  Board Chair, The Truth About Nursing
 

Peer-reviewed publications (in chronological order).

Abstracts

Campbell, J., Sharps, P.W., Kub, J., Walton-Moss, B., Kelley, L., Hoey, F., Loeken, K., Izabel, R., Blake, S., Kemp, K., Araya, T., Smith, R., Fredland, N., Yonas, M., Pistulka, G. Arts-Based Initiative to Reduce Violence Against Women and Girls. SafeUSA Conference. Atlanta, GA. December 3, 2001.

Pistulka, G., Han, H.R., Park, H.J., Lee, H., & Kim, M. Stress, Social Support and Depression among the KAI Elderly in Maryland. Presentation for the 130th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA, November 9-13, 2002.

Han, H.R., Kim, M.T., Pistulka, G., & Kim, K.B. Patterns of Health Care Utilization among Korean American Elderly with Hypertension: The Use of Traditional and Western Medicine.  130th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA, November 9-13, 2002.

Kim, K.B., Han, H.R., Ryu, J.P., Pistulka, G., & Kim, M.T. Developing Anti-Smoking Initiatives for the Korean American Community:  An Innovative Community-Based Approach to Reduce Disparities in Primary Prevention.  130th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA, November 9-13, 2002.

Kim, M.T., Han, H.R., Park, H.J., Lee, H., & Pistulka, G. A Community-Based Health Promotion Program for Korean American Elderly: Reaching the Hard-to-Reach Population.  130th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA, November 9-13, 2002.

Pistulka, G., Park H.J., Han, H.R. First Generation Korean American Immigrants: Exploring the Relevant Cultural Themes and Perceptions of the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. 14th International Nursing Research Congress, Virgin Islands, July 10-12, 2003.

Han, H.R., Kim, M.T., Park, H.J., Pistulka, G., Kim, K.B. High Prevalence of Uncontrolled Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk Factors. 14th International Nursing Research Congress, Virgin Islands, July 10-12, 2003.

Kim, K.B., Han. W., Han, H.R., Pistulka, G., Park, H.J. Developing a community partnered intervention:  a smoking cessation intervention in the Korean American community in Maryland. 14th International Nursing Research Congress, Virgin Islands, July 10-12, 2003.

Kim, M.T., Han, H.R., Park, H.J., Pistulka, G., Kim, K.B. Predicting Entry into Care among Korean American Elderly with High Blood Pressure. 14th International Nursing Research Congress, Virgin Islands, July 10-12, 2003.

Park, H.J., Han, H.R., Pistulka, G.M., Han, W., Kim, M.T. Process Evaluation of the Self-Help Intervention Program for Korean American Elderly with Hypertension. 14th International Nursing Research Congress, Virgin Islands, July 10-12, 2003.

Han, H.R., Kim, M.T., Kim, K.B., Han, W., Park, H.J., Pistulka, G., Lee, H. Anti-Smoking Media Campaigns for a Linguistically Isolated Population. 2003 National Conference on Tobacco or Health, Boston, MA, December 10-12, 2003.

Kim, K.B., Han, W., Kim, M.T., Lee, H., Park, H.J., Pistulka, G. Han, H.R. A Community-Based Smoking Cessation Program for Korean Americans in Maryland.  2003 National Conference on Tobacco or Health, Boston, MA, December 10-12, 2003.

Pistulka, G., Park, H.J., Han, H.R., Kim, M.T. Addressing the Needs of Korean Americans with Diabetes: A Preliminary Look at Barriers to Care of Diabetes in First-Generation Immigrants, National State of the Science Conference, October 6 - 9, 2004.

Pistulka, G., J & J Scholar Presenter. Project Salud, La Comunidad Hispana, Kennett Square, PA. Johnson & Johnson Community HealthCare Programs Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. May 2-4, 2004.

Kim, M., Pistulka, G. Collaborations with the Republic of Korea and China, Nursing National Advisory Council Meeting. Baltimore, MD. November 19, 2004.

Pistulka, G. Project Salud, Kennett Square, PA. Johnson & Johnson Community HealthCare Programs Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. May 1-3, 2005.

Pistulka, G., Park, HJ, Kim, MT. The Appearance of Family Harmony: Reconciling Individual and Collective Responsibility for the Care of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in Korean Americans. American Public Health Association, Boston, MA. November 4-8, 2006.

Donde, M., Marachelian, A., Pistulka, G. (2007). "HPV related Cervical Disease Analysis & Provider & Parent perspectives on HPV Vaccine among Immigrants in Washington DC.” Sixth International Conference on Urban Health to be held in Baltimore, MD, October 31-November 2, 2007.

Marachelian, A., Pistulka, G. (2007). "Mary's Center social change model: A culturally harmonious response for the betterment of lives of new immigrant communities.” 135th American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Exposition, November 3-7, 2007.
 

Research papers

Han HR, Kim M, Lee HB, Pistulka G, Kim KB. Correlates of depression in the Korean American elderly: focusing on personal resources of social support. J Cross Cult Gerontol. 2007 Mar;22(1):115-27.
 

Research Support

RO1 CA129060 (PI, Han HR) 01/09  -  11/12
NIH/NCI
Better Breast and Cervical Cancer Control for Korean American Women
The purpose of this study is to test the effects of a community-based, health literacy-focused lay health worker intervention, combined with computerized tailoring of health messages, in promoting breast and cervical cancer screening behaviors among non-adherent Korean American women ages 21-64 years.
Role: Co-Investigator

F31 NR008314-01A1  (PI, Pistulka G)      07/07  -  06/08
Annie E. Casey Foundation
A pilot intervention to reduce obesity and improve management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the Ethiopian Immigrant Community in Washington, DC
The major goals of this project were to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a diabetes intervention project for first generation Ethiopian Immigrants in a community clinic setting.

F31 NR008314-01A1  (PI, Pistulka G)      09/03  -  08/07
NIH/NINR
Individual NRSA Predoctoral Training Grant
The main goal of this study was to explore disease experiences of recent Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

 

March, 2011