Newswise — The Child Health Institute of New Jersey (CHINJ) is thrilled to announce the addition of three key members of its board who joined at the end of 2024. There is a lot of Rutgers history among the three who have been serving Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the university at large for decades.
"CHINJ and I rely on the counsel of our Board to provide us critical feedback and new opportunities to grow our outstanding science and expand our interactions with communities across New Jersey,” said Arnold B. Rabson, MD, Laura Gallagher Chair of Developmental Biology, a professor of pharmacology, pediatrics, and pathology and laboratory medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and the director of CHINJ. “We have been fortunate to have amazing people serve on the Board, and our newest class brings an additional breadth of skills, wisdom and contacts. This is particularly important as we head into a time of great uncertainty in science and in funding.””
Elizabeth (Betsy) Sheehan Garlatti is very familiar with CHINJ, having served as its executive director in the early 2000s. While she was in the role, Garlatti played a critical role in the development of the $72 million CHINJ building and the recruitment of its faculty leadership. She has joined the board filled with excitement to build the resources and relationships to fuel the current and future research portfolio of the Institute.
Garlatti has also served in N.J. state government for more than 25 years. She retired as chief of staff in the state’s Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. While there she led a multi-departmental effort that included the N.J. Deptartment of Education and Rutgers’ Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, among others, to develop the state longitudinal data system that tracks education and employment in New Jersey.
Scott Ainsworth Blow, JD, MBA, brings a wealth of experience from his background in nonprofit leadership, business, and community development. In addition to being on the CHINJ board, he is on the Rutgers Business School Board of Advisors, and he has contributed as a mentor in Rutgers Business School’s Business Model to Launch course. He has three degrees from Rutgers University, including a master’s degree in business administration and a law degree.
As a new board member, Blow plans to help examine CHINJ’s translation research activities to consider where they could be an asset within Rutgers Health and how newly formed partnerships will amplify CHINJ’s work. His deep connections to several urban New Jersey communities align with the growing focus on healthcare equity at CHINJ, which he hopes will build this part of CHINJ’s mission.
Debra A. Lynch, PhD, is passionate about issues involving women and children, and she has devoted much of her work to helping people. While at Green Brook Regional Center, a developmental center for geriatrics, where she was a staff psychologist and a director, Dr. Lynch developed a specialty in developmental disabilities, and a subspecialty in Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Lynch was named a Rutgers University Loyal Daughter in 2022 for her service to the university. In 2024, the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC honored Dr. Lynch for her professional career and her service to the community.
William R. Downey, Jr., one of the co-chairs of the board of directors of CHINJ, could not be more pleased to welcome these individuals. "Jeff Gaier and I are excited about these new board members”, says Downey. “Scott's deep connections to Rutgers, plus his biotech and community development experience, is unique. Dr. Lynch shares her experience from 12 years of service on the University Board of Trustees, and Betsy returns to CHINJ with an extensive political and government background."
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