Marlene Rifkin

Marlene received her MSM from Florida International University and BS from The Ohio State University. After finishing Graduate School, she was selected as an Administrative Fellow by Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami, after which she was hired onto their staff. She became the first female VP of the Hospital. She completed two Fellowships – NPHHI Management Fellowship in 1991 and NYU/Wagner Graduate School of Public Service Senior Policy Fellowship in Community Health Service in 1994.

She has worked at a number of Academic Medical Centers including Cornell Medical School, Northwestern University Medical School, Medical College of Pennsylvania and University of Miami School of Medicine (Executive Director of the Practice Plan). In her most recent position at UNC, she was responsible for the Medical Center and UNC System Heart and Vascular Program and Clinics and Laboratory Services, Hospital GI Procedures, Urology, Neurosurgical Service Line, Radiology/VIR, Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management/Continuity Planning. Prior to those responsibilities at UNC, she had oversite for the Women’s, Children’s and Oncology Service Lines, Epidemiology and Infection Control and Ambulatory Care for the SoM and the Hospital. Prior to retiring, she was Clinical Lead for the planning and design of the Surgical Tower.

She has served on the Board of Directors of the Public Health Trust of Dade County (JCC), COMPASS of Orange County, the Ronald McDonald House, and Carol Woods, including the Leadership Development Council. She is currently serving on the Carol Woods Charitable Trust Board as VP and the Meadowmont Hilltop Home Owners Assn.

Why are you involved with AE Alliance?

My reason for being involved with the AE Alliance is due to my Granddaughter, Lily Westerkamm’s, fight through her illness with AE, her phenomenal care providers - including her Mom, and my own interest in the Autoimmune diseases as a whole, and AE specifically.