Dr. Sarah Eichberg is Director of Community Research for Vital Signs and the Center for Social Innovation. A sociologist with a background in gender studies and public health, Dr. Eichberg brings experience in academic research, policy and evaluation and community outreach to these initiatives.
From 2005-2008, Dr. Eichberg was Project Director for Vital Signs and co-authored the project’s reports: Measuring Social Health (2006), Mental Health on Long Island (2007), The Long Island Health Care Survey (2008), and Long Island’s Immigrants: Health Status and Health Care Access (2008).
Before coming to Adelphi, Dr. Eichberg was a postgraduate fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics studying competing constructions of the genetically modified food debate. As part of an interdisciplinary team, she helped facilitate stakeholder dialogues on genetic engineering and drafted codes of ethics for businesses and other private organizations in the biotechnology field.
While in graduate school, Dr. Eichberg was awarded an American Association for the Advancement of Science Media Fellowship and worked as a health and science and metro reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Dr. Eichberg also has extensive teaching and curriculum development experience, both as an undergraduate instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and as a Princeton in Asia Fellow, teaching English and American Studies at the Dalian University of Technology in the People's Republic of China from 1989-1990.
Dr. Eichberg has consulted for several public and private organizations including the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, The MYA Green Trading Group and British television in the areas of research methodology, environmental practice and policy and gender relations.
Dr. Eichberg has a B.A. from Smith College and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Deborah Petry L.M.S.W.; C.A.S.A.C.
Deborah Petry is the Project Associate for Vital Signs/Center for Social Innovation, joining the staff in 2009. Ms. Petry brings academic research, social work, and business experience to this position.
From 2002 until the present, Ms. Petry has worked at substance abuse treatment agencies on Long Island as a social worker and substance abuse counselor. She earned her MSW from Adelphi University in 2006 and her credentialed alcohol and drug counselor license in 2008. Growing up on Long Island and working directly with clients of diverse backgrounds has given Ms. Petry first hand knowledge of many of the issues faced by area residents.
While attending Adelphi’s School of Social Work to obtain her MSW, Ms. Petry was the 2004 recipient of the Rita Paprin Memorial Fellowship, awarded to students who demonstrate commitment to social change. She also worked as Research Assistant to Dr. Gertrude Goldberg, the Director of the Doctoral Program, and was co-author with Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Peter Chernack of Government Money: A Guide to Public Income Support.
Ms. Petry’s entry into the social work field was a career change. Prior to beginning her studies at Adelphi, Ms. Petry worked in Information Technology for various Fortune 500 companies including Pfizer Inc., Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan Chase & Co. Her undergraduate degree is from Fordham University.
Contact For more information, please contact:
Sarah Eichberg Director of Community Research
p - 516.877.4418
e - eichberg@adelphi.edu
