Melissa Skanderson
Melissa.skanderson2@va.gov
_______________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION:
1995 - 1997
M.S.W, Social work, Administrative concentration, Certificate in Gerontology
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1989 -1993
Psychology, Minors in Mathematics and Neuroscience
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Programmer (2001-Present)
Veterans Aging Cohort Study, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Query national VA databases using SAS PC and SAS mainframe languages
Manipulate databases to combine data from numerous sources
Provide summary data on study subjects
Provide consultation to various analysis projects
Gathered administrative data for national HIV positive study
Research Coordinator/Programmer (2000-2001)
VA Center for Health Services Research, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Query national VA databases using SAS PC and SAS mainframe languages
Manipulate databases to combine data from numerous sources
Provide summary data on study subjects
Project Coordinator (1997-2000)
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Supervised research assistants
Monitored recruitment
Maintained study databases in Access
Developed study forms including chart abstraction form using Teleform technology
Aided in the development of coding criterion and coded open-ended responses
Queried VA national database using SAS PC and SAS mainframe languages
Assistant Project Coordinator (1996-1997)
University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Oversaw certification of interviewers for NIH multi-site intervention study
Organized study documention of measures
Arranged conference calls and correspondence between Coordinating Center and sites
Graduate Student Assistant (1995-1997)
Learning Skills Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Supervised Undergraduate Teaching Assistants leading recitations in college algebra
Provided feedback and evaluations
Counselor/Outreach Worker (1993-1995)
Allegheny East Community Mental Health Center, Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Conducted group therapy sessions for young adult and elderly mentally ill persons
Provided support for administrators of area personal care homes
Coordinated placement of mental health consumers in personal care homes
PROGRAMMING COURSES
SAS Programming 1: Essentials
SAS Programming 2: Manipulating Data with the Data Step
SAS Programming 3: Advanced Programming
SAS Macro Language
SQL Procession with SAS
Accessing Oracle Tables with SAS/ACCESS software
PUBLICATIONS
1. Butt A, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Justice AC. Hepatitis C Treatment Completion Rates in Routine Clinical
Care. Liver International 2009 (in press)
2. Justice AC, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Chang CC, Gibert CL, Goetz MB, Rimland D, Rodriguez-Barradas
MC, Oursler KK, Brown ST, Braithwaite RS, May M, Covinsky KE, Roberts MS, Fultz SL, Bryant C for the VACS
Project Team. Toward a Combined Prognostic Index for Survival in HIV Infection: The Role of "Non-HIV"
Biomarkers. HIV Med 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2009.00757.x.
3. McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Levin F, Brandt C, Erdos J,Justice AC. Comparison of two VA laboratory data
repositories indicates that missing data vary despite originating from the same source. Med Care 2009 47: 121124.
4. Haskell SG, Bean-Mayberry B, Goulet J, Skanderson M, Good CB, Justice AC. Determinants of hormone
therapy discontinuation among women veterans nationally. Mil Med 2008; 173(1):91-96.
5. Butt AA, Justice AC, Skanderson M, Rigsby MO, Good CB, Kwoh CQ. Rate and predictors of treatment
prescription for hepatitis C. Gut 2007;56(3):385-389.
6. Butt AA, Khan UA, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Kent Kwoh C, Co-morbid medical and psychiatric illness and
substances abuse in HCV-infected and uninfected veterans. J Viral Hepatitis, 14(12):890-896, Dec 2007.
7. Gandhi NR, Skanderson M, Gordon KS, Concato J, Justice AC. Delayed presentation for HIV care among
veterans: A problem of access or screening? Med Care 2007 45(11):1105-1109.
8. Butt AA, Skanderson M, McGinnis KA, Ahuja T, Bryce CL, Barnato AE, Change CCH. Impact of hepatitis C virus
infection and other comorbidities on survival in patients on dialysis. J Viral Hepatitis, 14(10):688-696. Oct 2007.
9. McGinnis KA, Fultz SL, Skanderson M, Conigliaro JC, Bryant K, Justice, AC. Hepatocellular carcinoma and nonHodgkin Lymphona: the roles of HIV, Hepatitis C infection, and alcohol abuse. J Clin Oncol, 24(31):4998-5004.
2006 Nov.
10. Kraemer KL, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Cook R, Gordon A, Conigliaro J, Shen Y, Fiellin DA, Justice AC.
Alcohol problems and health care services use in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and HIVuninfected veterans. Medical Care. 44(8 Suppl 2):S44-51. 2006 Aug.
11. Fultz SL, Skanderson M, Mole LA, Gandhi N, Bryant K, Crystal S, Justice AC. Development and verification of a
“virtual” cohort using the national VA health information system. Medical Care 44 (suppl 2), August 2006, S25S30.
12. Justice AC, Lasky E, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Conigliaro J, Fultz SL, Crothers K, Rabeneck LL, RodriguezBarradas MC, Weissman SB, Bryant K. Comorbid disease and alcohol use among veterans with HIV infection: a
comparison of measurement strategies. Medical Care 44 (suppl 2), August 2006, S52-S60.
13. Butt AA, Justice AC, Skanderson M, Good CB, Kwoh CK. Rates and predictors of hepatitis C virus treatment in
HCV-HIV coinfected subjects. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics(24) 2006, 585-591.
14. Butt AA, Evans R, Skanderson M, Shakil AO. Comorbid Medical and Psychiatric Condtions and Substance
Abuse in HCV Infected Persons. Journal of Hepatology(44), 2006, 864-8.
15. Butt AA, Fultz SL, Kwoh CK, Kelley D, Skanderson M, Justice AC. Risk of diabetes in HIV infected veterans preand post-HAART and the role of HCV coinfection. Journal of Hepatology 40(1), July 2004, pp 115-9.
16. Fultz SL, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Ragni MV and Justice AC. Association of thrombosis with HIV and
survival: A comparison of HIV positive and negative Veterans. American Journal of Medicine 116(6), March 2004,
pp 420-3.
17. Fultz SL, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Ragni MV, Justice AC. Association of venous thromboembolism with
human immunodeficiency virus and mortality in veterans. American Journal of Medicine 116(6), March 2004, pp
420-3.
18. McGinnis KA, Fine MJ, Sharma RJ, Skanderson, M, Wagner JH, Rodriguez-Barradas M, Rabeneck L, Justice
AC for the VACS 3 Project Team. Understanding racial disparities in HIV: the combined use of administrative data
and a clinical cohort. American Journal of Public Health 93, October 2003, pp 1728-1733.
19. McGinnis KA, Fine MJ, Skanderson M, Sharma RK, Wagner JH, Rodriguez-Barradas M, Rabeneck L, Justice AC.
Understanding racial disparities in HIV: The combined use of administrative data and a clinical cohort. Journal of
General Internal Medicine 18 (supplement 1), 2003 pp 182.
20. Conigliaro J, Whittle J, Good CB, Skanderson M, Kelley M, Goldberg, K. Delay in Presentation for Cardiac Care
by Race, Age, and Site of Care. Medical Care 40 (suppl), 2002, pp I-97-I-105.
21. Neal-Ferguson D, Conigliaro J, Whittle J, Good C, Skanderson M, O'Connor MJ, Jefferson D, Sabbar S,
Macpherson D. Focus Groups: Exploring factors contributing to acceptance or refusal of invasive cardiac
procedure among African-American men. Journal of General Internal Medicine (Suppl 1), April 1998, pp13:92.
PRESENTATIONS/PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS:
1. Mattocks K, Haskell S, Krebs E, Goulet J, Leslie D, Skanderson M, Justice A, Brandt C. Using Medical
Informatics Tools to Build a Virtual Cohort of OEF/OIF Veterans. VA QUERI. (December 2008)
2. Mattocks K, Haskell S, Krebs E, Goulet J, Leslie D, Skanderson M, Justice A, Brandt C. Building a cohort of
female OEF/OIF Veterans: Research strategies to improve VA policies and programs for female veterans.
Academy Health (June 2008).
3. Butt AA, Evans R, Skanderson M, Shakil O. Predictors of Mortality in HCV and HCV-HIV coinfected. 13th
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Denver, CO. February 2006.
4. Fultz SL, Goulet JL, Butt AA, Skanderson M, McGinnis KA, Duffy T, Fusco JS, Raffanti S, Justice AC. Predictors
of anemia type and relationship of MCV with mortality. 9th International Workshop on HIV Observational
Databases, Budapest, Hungary, April 2005.
5. Fultz SL, Chang CH, Skanderson M, Butt AA, Fusco GP, Dieterich DT, Becker SL, Simberkoff M, Rabeneck L,
Rodriguez-Barradas M, Rigsby MO, Justice AC. Survival in patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C: A CD4
Threshold Effect. AIDS Science Day, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, New Haven, CT, April 2004.
6. McGinnis KA, Fultz SL, Skanderson M, Justice AC. HIV and hepatocellular carcinoma: the role of hepatitis C
infection and alcohol abuse. 8th International Workshop on HIV Observational Databases, Montreux, Switzerland,
March 2004.
7. Fultz SL, Chang CH, Skanderson M, Butt AA, Fusco GP, Dieterich DT, Becker SL, Simberkoff M, Rabeneck L,
Rodriguez-Barradas M, Rigsby MO, Justice AC. Survival in patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C using
administrative data and combined cohort data from VACS and CHORUS: The role of CD4 counts. 8th International
Workshop on HIV Observational Databases, Montreux, Switzerland, March 2004.
8. McGinnis KA, Fultz SL, Skanderson M, Wilson IB, Conigliaro J, Kilbourne AM, Good C, Rabeneck L, RodriguezBarradas M, Weissman S, Justice AC, for the VACS 3 Project Team. The association between smoking and
survival in HIV positive veterans. 4th North American Observational Cohort Meeting, Washington, DC, November
2003.
9. McGinnis KA, Fultz SL, Skanderson M, Justice AC. HIV and hepatocellular carcinoma: the role of hepatitis C
infection and alcohol abuse. Veterans Aging Cohort Study Leadership Meeting: Planning the Intervention Study.
New Haven, CT, November 2003.
10. Butt AA, Fultz SL, Skanderson M, Kelley D, Justice AC. Understanding the association between DM and HIV and
HCV Infections in the Era of HAART. 43rd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy,
Chicago, IL, September 2003.
11. Braithwaite RS, McGinnis K, Skanderson M, Roberts MS, Justice AC. The Growing Inportance of Treating the
“Whole” HIV Patient. Society of General Internal Medicine 26th Annual Meeting. Vancouver, Canada, May 2003.
12. McGinnis KA, Justice AC, Sharma RK, Skanderson M, Wagner JH, Rodriguez-Barradas M, Rabeneck L, Fine
MJ. Understanding racial disparities in HIV: the combined use of administrative data and a clinical cohort. Society
of General Internal Medicine 26th Annual Meeting., Vancouver, Canada, May 2003.
13. Fultz SL, Chang CH, Butt AA, Skanderson M, Rimland D, Rigsby MO, Justice AC. Impact of hepatitis C, HIV or
both on survival in veterans in care before and after HAART. 7th International Workshop on HIV Observational
Databases, Fiuggi, Italy, March 2003.
14. Fultz SL, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Ragni MF, Justice AC. Thrombosis in HIV positive and HIV negative
veterans: Association with survival. 7th International Workshop on HIV Observational Databases, Fiuggi, Italy,
March 2003.
15. McGinnis KA, Justice AC, Sharma RK, Skanderson M, Wagner JH, Rodriguez-Barradas M, Rabeneck L, Fine
MJ. Understanding racial disparities in HIV: the combined use of administrative data and a clinical cohort. [Oral
Presentation] 7th International Workshop on HIV Observational Databases, Fiuggi, Italy, March 2003.
16. Fultz SL, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Ragni MV, Justice AC. HIV patients have more thromboembolic events
than controls which are associated with poorer survival. [Poster Presentation] 10th Conference on Retroviruses
and Opportunistic Infections, Baltimore, MA February , 2003.
17. Fultz SL, Chang CH, Butt AA, Skanderson M, Rimland D, Rigsby MO, Justice AC. Impact of hepatitis C, HIV or
both on survival in veterans in care before and after HAART. [Poster] 10th Conference on Retroviruses and
Opportunistic Infections, Boston, MA, February 2003.
18. Fultz SL, Chang CH, Butt AA, Skanderson M, Rimland D, Rigsby MO, Justice AC. Impact of hepatitis C, HIV or
both on survival in veterans in care before and after HAART. Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and
Development Conference, Washington, DC, February 2003.
19. Fultz SL, McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Ragni MF, Justice AC. HIV patients have more thromboembolic events
than controls which are associated with poorer survival. Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and
Development, Washington, DC, February 2003.
20. McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Justice AC, Rabeneck L, Rodriguez-Barradas M, Weissman S. Pre and post
HAART cancer incidence among HIV positive veterans . XIV International AIDS Conference, Barcelona, Spain,
July 2002.
SERVICE
Freeport Area Community Center Board of Directors – 2002-2003 – Identify community needs and
help establish related programs
Alpha Phi Omega Service Vice President – 1994-1995 – Coordinated service activities for service
fraternity members
Freshman Mentor – 1990-1993 – Helped incoming freshman adjust to campus life
Hand-in-hand festival – 1991-1992 – Assisted handicapped person through festival activities
HONORS and AWARDS
Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship 1992-1993 – University of Pittsburgh
Psi Chi – 1991-1993 Psychology Honor Society
President 1992-1993
Sigma Lambda Honors Fraternity 1990 – University of Pittsburgh
University Scholar Athlete 1989 – University of Pittsburgh
Elk’s Honor Student Award 1989 – Springdale Elk’s Society