Personalized Paths through Health and Science Panel
All students are welcome to join.
Learn from five Honors College alumni who’ve created success by carving their own paths. A Q&A opportunity is included in the panel.
Personalized Paths through Health and Science Panelists
Michele L. Gerber
Michele L. Gerber, M.D., MPH, graduated from Lyman Briggs and the Honors College at Michigan State University in 1981. She earned her M.D. and trained as a rheumatologist at the University of Michigan Medical Center. With more than 30 years of experience in immunology, inflammation, and drug development across academia, biotech, and pharma, she is now the founder and CEO of Equinox Bio., where she uses cutting-edge research in immunology to develop innovative therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases.
Dru Montri
Dru Montri is vice president of agri food engagement at Feeding America, where she leads work to increase access to produce, protein, and dairy for people facing hunger. Montri has amassed nearly two decades in food, agriculture, and nonprofit leadership, which have included serving as the founding executive director of the Michigan Farmers Market Association; leadership roles at MSU and in state government; and current membership on the board for the Mid-Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross.
An MSU Honors College alumna, Montri holds bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from MSU, and a master’s degree from Penn State.
Vikas Bajaj
Vikas Bajaj graduated from the Honors College and Michigan State University with a journalism degree in 1981. He is currently the energy and transportation editor for the business section of The New York Times, where he has spent the last 21 years in various writing and editing roles. Previously, Bajaj was a reporter at The Dallas Morning News.
Christi Rager Wise
Christi Rager Wise is a leader in product innovation, digital transformation, and customer experience who has spent her career exploring how technology can improve people’s lives, particularly in health and wellness. Wise’s career has taken her from leadership roles at Fidelity and Aon to healthcare startups through MATTER to her own innovation consultancy, Strategy to Reality.
With a background spanning design, psychology, technology, and business, Christi is passionate about staying curious, embracing new opportunities, and helping others discover that there is no single path to a meaningful and successful career.
Bradley Marks
Bradley Marks, Ph.D., P.E., is a 1989 MSU Honors College graduate and current chair of the MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. An international food safety expert, and award-winning educator, he has over 30 years of experience leading transdisciplinary teams working on solutions to ensure the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods.
His recent work and passion includes a focus on how food safety decisions are made by and affect different populations, such as individual consumers (e.g., immunocompromised cancer patients) and food manufacturing corporations.